Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Winter is the season of grief, death, heartbreak, and rest.

            Life can be fickle. Filled with highs and lows and moments that are saturated with lessons transforming into precious memories. Life cannot be defined with just a few simple words. For most people, life may mean what brings them fulfillment. Their purpose. For others, life has no meaning, and it’s an opportunity to create one. For the nerds, the definition comes from a textbook.

For you, life didn’t have meaning until you met him.

Katsuki Bakugo.

It’s corny, and yes, it’s something that die-hard shojo readers would kill for. But, you never expected him to be your definition. Looking back, you wanted nothing to do with fucking love and all the shit that comes with it. Now, you don’t know how to feel about it.

—-

Shit, I’m so fucking screwed, you thought as the dry orange leaves crunched under your feet. Your legs pumped through the brisk air, skirt fluttering haphazardly around your thighs. Your mouth clung to the buttered piece of toast like a chipmunk foraging for hibernation. You were late. Usually, you wouldn’t have cared. You almost always showed up right on time or a few minutes late to class. However, this was one day you could not afford to be late.

Clear droplets of perspiration began to bead slowly at your hairline and forehead. Your breath came out in short white tuffs as you continued barreling down the UA campus. You tore through your butter toast like a runner eating a banana during a 10k.

 I really hope that they stalled for a couple of minutes.

You pulled your phone out of your pocket, hopeful that you still had some time to make it. The phone’s screen taunted you, glaring back

‘8:28’.

Life was a cruel mistress.

You were supposed to be there at 8:15 to help set up before the assembly. Yet, your stupid phone decided not to play the 13 alarms you had set up the night beforehand. Gripping your phone in your sweaty palms, you continued to run. Maybe if you had a quirk like Ida, maybe you would have been there by now.

But no.

You see, the universe decided to make you quirkless. The universe decided to favor you for once and granted admission to UA’s management department. You scored an almost perfect score on the practical exam and scored a solid 13 in rescue points. That was enough for UA to offer you the support or business course. You chose the latter. Fast forward three years, and you are now the class president of 3-I.

You bolted past the auditorium doors as Principal Nezu had just begun his opening remarks. No one seemed to notice as you walked down the auditorium's side aisle to join your vice president on the left side wing by the stage. Her mauve-colored hair was pinned back into a balanced ballerina bun, and her uniform looked free of wrinkles. As you made it closer, you could see the scowl on her face as her brown clogs tapped the grey carpet in disapproval.

She’s going to kill me. God, please tell my mother that I love her, and for my brother to rot in a garbage can for eating my snacks, you silently monologued.

You made a beeline to the spot right next to her as she hissed a quiet “You’re late” as you brushed past her. You sighed, smoothing the frizzy hairs that decided to escape its ponytail prison.

“I know,” you muttered and mumbled a half-assed apology.

“And now future heroes, it’s time to explain why you all are here. Your professors and faculty decided it was important that you learned about the hero business. Whether it’s creating your hero agency or creating your brand, our business department has studied the ins and outs of the hero business,” principal Nezu droned on as you tried to dry off your sweat by fanning yourself.

“We decided that students of the hero course will be paired with our business students to learn how to market yourselves as sprouting heroes and sidekicks. You will create your own ‘brand’ with the help of your paired business student”.

The room filled with groans and complaints, students exclaiming that ‘this was stupid’ or ‘why do we have to do this?’.

Principal Nezu cleared his throat and tucked his hands behind his torso. His whole demeanor shifted as his thick eyebrows furrowed. You’ve never seen him upset.

Deafening silence occupied the auditorium as you noticed students shifting in their seats.

“Students. Let me remind you that this partnership will be a significant assignment. If you fail this assignment, you will not graduate,” he condemned.

You could practically hear a feather drop at this point. The tension in the room made you want to itch. Or crawl into a sewer drain.

“-And now, the class president of 3-I will explain how the partnerships will be selected”.

Your body tensed as you felt all the eyes shifting to you. You gulped a quick breath and walked as normally as possible to the podium stand where Principal Nezu was. He shifted out of the way as you moved behind the solid mass of oak that reached your chin. Using the mini step stool that Principal Nezu used, you placed your feet on the first step. The microphone shrieked at you as you adjusted it to level with your mouth.

You licked your suddenly dry lips before they cracked open. 

“G-good morning,” you mumbled.

“SPEAK UP, YOU EXTRA!”

You flinched. Badly. Oh shit, oh god.

Your hands trembled slightly at your sides as you felt heat crawling up your neck. Damn, these lights are hot. You even felt your armpits starting to sweat.

You closed your eyes and took in a deep breath in an effort to calm your nerves.

‘Just remember honey that even Beyonce gets nervous. Channel your inner Sasha Fierce,’ your mother’s voice echoed through your mind.

Channel my inner Sasha Fierce. Okay. I could do this. They don’t have quirks that could kill me. Just picture them in their underwear, you reasoned as you exhaled.

You opened your eyes and mustered up some courage.

Channel your inner Sasha Fierce…

“My name is (l/n) (f/n), the class president of 3-I. Right over there is Sumimoto Etsuko-san, our vice president. This project will culminate in a rough business proposal and portfolio of work to review to your future PR manager and marketing team. It is something required of all pro heroes to have when applying for an agent. This assignment will be until the last month of the school year, given that your portfolios will expand with your internships and coursework.”

You paused, looking over the audience while keeping on your best presidential face.

“Given there are two hero classes, 3-A and 3-B, they will be assigned respectively to their counterparts 3-I and 3-J. So, in other words, 3-A students will be paired with 3-I and 3-B---”

“JUST HURRY UP AND GET TO THE FUCK---”

“Bakugo-kun!”

“Shut up, Bakugo”

“Ka-chan, that’s not—”

You gripped the sides of your skirt.

Channel your inner Sasha Fierce…

“Are you done interrupting me…Extra?” You sassed.

Sasha Fierce was here.

Your eyes narrowed to the cause of the interruption. The platinum blonde student was sitting at the left wing of the auditorium, towards the middle. You fixed your gaze right into his ruby eyes. His scowl was debilitating. Meant to make others distraught.

Physically, you smirked with mischief.

Internally, you cowered in fear.

The student scoffed and looked away, breaking the staring match. Your inner self did a victory backflip.

“3-B will be assigned to 3-J,” you continued with a strong, clear voice.

“Secondly, the number of students in each hero class is slightly higher than in our business courses. To ameliorate this situation, 3-I and 3-J’s class president and vice president will take two hero students each. Everyone else will be a pair.”

You paused a tiny bit, taking a breath.

“Class 3-I, please come to the stage.”

Your classmates filed up the left wing of stairs, standing in front of the stage in a single filed line. Each holding a white card with a name on it.

“As you can see, each one of my classmates is holding up a white card with someone’s name on it. That will be your partner for the rest of the school year. I will now ask 3-A students to come to the stage and find their respective pair.”

You stood next to one of your classmates at the end of the line, fishing out your folded card from your school jacket pocket.

Opening it, it read two names typed in a neat, easy-to-read font.

Midoriya Izuku

Bakugo Katsuki

For some reason, those two names sounded familiar. Class 3-A filed into the stage, and you recognized the brash student who interrupted you twice.

Fuck, I hope I don’t have this asshole...

Shit, he’s so much taller than me. What is he like 190 cm?

Damn, why are all the assholes so hot?

You looked over at the other students, overhearing conversations and seeing your classmates being matched with other people. Looking towards the middle of the crowd, you saw a group of students talking excitedly to each other.

Oooo, that green-haired guy is hot too. Damn, he’s tall too… Wait, he looks familiar, you shook your head. There was no time for dating while you were in high school.

You had bigger fish to fry.

The blonde menace continued towards you on your right. His frown deepened as he continued to check for his name, with each classmate still holding up their papers.  Every time he got near someone from your class, their legs shook.

You looked down at your feet, your mind wandering off into space as you waited for your two students.

“Ka-chan, you got to stop making that face. You’re making them scared.”

“Tsk- Shut up Deku. Get out of my way.”

“Well, I’m looking for my name. So, we’re on the same boat.”

I wonder if I could get some ramen today? Oo, maybe extra spicy ramen with extra mushrooms and eggs, you wondered as you stopped paying attention to your surroundings.

I should head to the supermarket and get some more laundry detergent. Should I switch to that pink-looking one?

“You?!”

“Ah, found my name.”

You flinched. The voices sounded too close to you. You were now rebooting all systems.

Suddenly you were back in the auditorium, holding up a 7 x 10-inch card with names on it.

You blinked and finally saw two torsos belonging to very tall people in front of you. Peering up through your lashes, you saw the blonde drama queen and forest-haired hottie.

The blonde asshole’s face wasn’t bad at all. Sharp ruby eyes are surrounded by long lashes, longer than you could ever have. He adorned high cheekbones, rosy pink kissable lips, and the sharpest jaw known to man. His skin was so clear and almost shimmered.

The forest green hottie was almost the opposite, with large, beautiful pine eyes framed by dark lashes. Bouncy, soft cyprus waves and spirals dusted over his forehead and the top of his head in a tapered haircut. His pink lips were twisted into slightly crooked smile that it felt like only he could pull off. While he had a sharp jawline and evenly sun-kissed skin, the best thing about him was his freckles.

 God, his freckles.

 It was like you could map out your future spread out all over his cheeks and –

“Oi!”

“Huh?”

Really, (y/n)? That’s all you could fucking come up with, internally cursing yourself.

“Speak up, you fucking extra!”

“Ka-chan, she’s our partner. You can’t speak to her like that.”

“I could do whatever I want. ‘Sides, there is no we. Get a different partner, assface,” the drama queen sneered. They both glared at each other, the energy was shifting.

Why do they look so--

Your eyes widened like dinner plates. Before you realized it, you gasped.

“You’re the guy who won the sports festival when I was a first year! Weren’t you chained up like a wild animal or something?” You burst out the question impulsively.

Vermillion and jade eyes shifted back down to you.

Shit.

Your eyes flicked back freckled face. Double shit. That’s that kid that All Might is mentoring. Didn’t he defeat the league of—

“You’re still speaking out loud, dumbass,” Blondie rasped.

You covered your mouth.

Well, the universe sure loved you, huh?

———

Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep.

Your eyes crack open, they were still bleary from your short rest. It was still dark. Your eyes feel swollen, and your face puffy.

I was probably crying in my sleep, you deduced and slowly sat up. You reached over and fished around the top of your nightstand, trying to find the button to shut off your alarm clock.

The room was silent once you finally slammed your finger on the right button.

Peace.

For now.

You groaned as you removed your thick comforter from your body. Chilly air smacked your skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

It was too cold for this—too winter.

You swung your legs, and your feet landed on the plush grey carpeted floor. You thanked yourself every day for deciding to get carpeted floors in your bedroom when you moved. You pushed yourself out of bed, shuffling to your bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows. You pressed a button near the wall. The curtains began rolling up, brightening the room with the dim grey-blue light of December mornings. You shuffled back and made your bed, grimacing at the changing light in your room.

‘Sunlight is good for you. It helps regulate your emotions and prevent seasonal depression,’ your psychologist's voice echoed. You muttered a string of curses. 

“That dream was a memory from almost ten years ago,” you mumbled as you finished tucking in the last corner.

You squeezed your eyes closed. You could almost hear pots and pans clattering around mixed with hushed cursed words—the tattle tale smell of combining spices to create something delightful. The ghost of his smell slightly radiates from your bedsheets.

Please… you prayed. You prayed for that to happen.

But when you opened your eyes, reality choked you by the throat. The air smelled like December, stark of anything and grey. God, it was silent.

Disappointment soaked into your very bones as you stood up from your crouched position.

Katsuki was dead.

Katsuki was dead.

You pressed the palms of your hands to your eyes, trying to hold back the tears welling up. Maybe if you smashed them so far into your skull, you wouldn’t have to see this. Maybe if you had just been there with him, you wouldn’t have to wake up alone.

Emotions began to creep and stick to the walls of your throat.

Deep breaths (y/n). 1 Mississippi inhale, hold 2-3-4, 1 Mississippi exhale. 1 North Dakota inhale, hold 2-3-4, 1 North Dakota exhale…

After some shaky cycles, you moved your palms from your face.

Another deep breath cycle.

You blearily peered at the time on your nightstand,

‘6:49’

In bold red letters.

Another breath cycle.

You cleared your throat and shuffled to your en-suite bathroom. Flipping the light switch, you looked at the mirror.

You looked like shit.

Your eyebags were the size of Martha Stewart’s pockets. Your lips were pale and cracked. And oh boy, let’s not talk about how crap your skin looked today.

Maybe I should drink more water, you reasoned.

Maybe you should eat more, the dark intrusive thought whispered.

Grabbing the cup on the sink, you filled it with warm tap water. You downed the glass in seconds and got started with your routine.

-Shower in scalding hot water, and finish with a cold rinse. Check

-Brush your teeth. Check.

-Slather yourself in lotions and oils. Check

-Find your outfit for work and put it on. Check.

-Dry your wet hair and style it in a low bun. Check.

-Try to fix your face with a face mask for ten minutes while doing a light crossword. Check.

-Eat breakfast.

-Ice your face, then slather your face in serums and lotions. Check

-Eat breakfast.

-Prepare your work bag while making your cup of green tea. Check.

You were now in your living room. You curled yourself in your grey sectional with your warm green tea in hand. You were facing the TV. You grabbed the remote and flicked through 24 TV channels before you put it back to the weather channel. You did this every single, day.

Today was different.

“As we can see here, the parade is full effect to celebrate the life of –” *flick*

“Remembering the tragic loss of Japan’s number 2 hero-” *flick*

“In breaking news: Can you smell your soulmates? This recent study has found that—” *flick*

“Today on December 4^th was when the young twenty-four-year-old hero died in a-” *flick*

“The married hero’s death left his wife widowed at the age of-” *flick*

“And now for the latest update, it will be cloudy skies with a high of 1 C. Chance of precipitation is around 40 percent, so expect to pull out your snow boots and---”

You shut off the TV. You hated the snow.

You looked at the cat clock that Ochako gifted you last Christmas. It was hideous.

‘7:52’

You started work at 9.

You closed your eyes for a few moments, clutching the warm mug.

—-

‘ “Come on princess, let’s get ya to work.”

You pouted, huffing as he wrapped his arms around you. His soft lips pressed a kiss on your left cheek.

“Can I just stay with you instead?”

His arms squeezed around your form, his freshly shaven chin resting on the curve of your neck. His soft blonde hair ticked the right side of your face. It smelled like warmth and caramel.

“You know you can’t. Today you have a presentation, ‘member?”

“Fuck that presentation,” you grumbled. He let out a soft chuckle right by your ear.

His arms released from your form only to grasp the backs of your thighs, spin you around, and lift you. You wrapped your legs around his tapered waist. You could feel his body heat through his well-worn black shirt and your checkered work slacks. Your arms went around his neck. It was muscle memory.

You were now face-to-face with your beautiful husband. You giggled and wiggled your eyebrows, “Oh, Mr. Bakugo, what are you planning here~.”

He frowned, “You’re gonna blow my back out, makin’ me hunch over like that.”

“I didn’t make you do anything,” you smiled.

His eyes narrowed, ruby eyes filled with mirth. “Yes, because who told you to be so goddamn cute all the fuckin’ time?”

You threw your head back and laughed. Your husband was 195 cm, while you were a relatively average-sized woman at 164 cm.

“You should have drank milk or some shit,” he muttered as he rested his forehead on yours. He closed his eyes, soaking in your warmth and scent.

You paused. You closed your eyes with him. You listened for his breathing, feeling the warm tufts on your face. Your nose felt like it was being held by his scent, caramel with a faint mixture of his woodsy cologne and smoke. It smelled nice. Both of you were basking in this intimate moment.

After a few minutes, you broke the bubble.  

“Yeah, but now I have you to reach the dishes on the top shelf.”

“You’re lucky I love ya and shit,” he responded gruffly.

“That’s why I took your last name Mr. Bakugo.”

“Because you’re mine,” he deadpanned.

Opening his eyes, he pulled back his head from your forehead. He began walking to the door. His vermillion eyes were determined as he grabbed his keys from the tray just a few feet from where you were standing.

“Nooooooooo-” you protested. Your voice is pitchy and whiny. Katsuki knew you were bratty in the mornings. He was used to it.

You tried wiggling out of his iron grip. He gripped the back of your thighs tighter, ruining your efforts to escape, as he made his way to the door.

“Let’s go, Mrs. Bakugo. You have work.”'

——

Knock Knock Knock

Crap, what time is it, you wondered. Your (e/c) orbs went back to that ugly beady-eyed clock,

‘8:13’

He was two minutes early.

“I’m coming. I’m coming,” as you wiped a stray tear that came down your face. You were careful not to ruin your makeup.

You never put on makeup.

You placed your tea, now tepid, on the glass coffee table. You got up and walked to the door, your black-heeled boots announcing every step you took on the hardwood floors.

You open the stark white door to reveal Japan's favorite green-haired #1 hero, Deku.

To you, he was always going to be Izuku.

“Good morning (y/n). I see that you’re ready,” he started scanning your outfit. then his jade eyes peer down at your shoes. His dark eyebrow quipped up, ready to question you about your footwear.

He is the last person that should be judging what’s on your feet right now.

“I don’t like the snow Midoriya-san.”

He sighs, “It might snow, and it would be terrible if you slipped and fell-”

You flinch.

Izuku pauses. His eyes widen, and he looks away, clenching his scarred fists. Internally, he was cursing himself for uttering those words on this day.

“I’m not going today,” you say with finality.

Izuku narrow his eyes at you; you feel a cold chill down your spine. Anger bubbles up in your stomach, sloshing with your stomach acids.

It was strange that Izuku, Japan’s sweetheart, brought out all of your ugly. Little did you know, you did the same for Izuku.

“I don’t feel like it.”

That wasn’t true.

Izuku knew you were lying straight through your teeth. When you lied, your eyes shifted downwards, and your feet always shifted a bit closer together.

You didn’t want Katsuki to see you like this. A poor replacement of what you used to be, the intrusive thought whispered to you.  

“(y/n), you’re not going to work today.” You knew that tone. He used his pro-hero voice.

Fuck you, you thought sardonically.

“You said that out loud.”

You suck in a breath. The tips of your ears feel hot.

Fuck it. You decide that you were going to slam the door in his face.

No, you aren’t, the voice cackled.

Watch me bitch.

You grip the door and muster the strength to slam the door in his face.

The tall bastard held the door from closing with his finger. His fucking pinky.

“You wanna try that again? Maybe with a little more strength to it?” His tone is mocking, almost the saccharine voice he used with strangers or the public. It only fuels your anger.

“Fuck off, Midoriya!” you yell as you walk away, your heels noisily giving away the direction you are walking to.

Izuku opens the door and slams it behind him, hinges loosening significantly. One of the top grey hinges falls off the door. The door is left askew, only partially fitting into the space it was designed for.

 Shit, he quickly thought. He recovers his anger.

“Oh? What happened to the honorific? Too respectful for you?” he sneers as he walks in the same direction you are heading.

“Eat a dick!” was heard, and the slam of a door.

Bathroom.

Izuku rolls his eyes, and he walks briskly towards the bathroom.

You made Izuku’s blood boil. Izuku never thought in a million years, you would make him want to punch several walls.

 Bakugo has never mentioned you arguing with him, ever. In fact, it was always like the love dial was turned on to 11 when you were around each other. It was almost gross. None of your friends thought you had an aggressive bone in your body. You never cursed at anyone. Even now, your friends think Izuku is lying about your anger.

Izuku seemed to be the exception.

Don’t get him wrong, before Bakugo died, you were the sun. You made your friends laugh, sang, and had late-night eating competitions with Izuku until Bakugo rolled you out of whatever restaurant. You danced. You were filled with life.

Even before you dated Bakugo, you were carefree and vibrant.

Now… Well, now he wanted to strangle your neck. Maybe fuck the anger out of you until you’re pliant and screaming his- NO.

Nope.

He buried those feelings.

He was standing right in front of your bathroom door. The stark white bathroom door feels clinical, stripped from any life that the old you would have given it.

You probably would have painted it a greyed-out navy color with gold around the trims. Near the top, the imaginary door would have had a sign with the word ‘bathroom’ in cursive lettering.

But this is you now.

“(y/n), you have five seconds before I break this fucking door down,” he grits out. The curse word felt like sandpaper on his tongue.

Izuku doesn’t curse often.

Sometimes it would slip out plastered at 2 in the morning while singing karaoke with everyone. But you make him insane.

Seconds ticked by, and Izuku felt the thick band of his patience snap in two.

Before he knew it, he rips the door off its hinges to find you sitting in the furthest corner, shoes off and mascara smudgy. He sets the broken door by the adjacent wall, silently promising to fix it later.

Izuku inhales and exhales. He wants to yell a storm at you. He wants to also grab your cheeks and ----

No.

He steps inside the stark white bathroom, opening a drawer that he knew contained your makeup remover wipes and where you kept your hair ties.

He sits before you and begins wiping the makeup off your face. It felt like a father rubbing off the flour from their child’s face. It was strangely comforting. You both were silent.

You could hear the muffled sounds of distant car alarms, the noise of Musutafu traffic, and birds chirping.

“Turn around,” he mumbles. You don’t protest.

He smells of sunshine, comfort, and woody forests. It’s heady and makes you well up with conflicting emotions that you mildly recognize. You briefly wonder what cologne he uses.

He begins removing the bobby pins and hair ties from your hair. Finally, he releases the soft, healthy strands from their trapped position and decides to leave your hair down. He put them back into their designated containers and discarded the used mascara wipes in a nearby trash bin.

You feel callous thick fingers worm their way through your hair and press on your scalp with light pressure. You sigh contently as his fingers massage your scalp, the tension on your scalp melting away.

“I’m sorry,” your voice, throaty and hoarse with emotion, breaks the silence. 

You felt his fingers pause; you could feel the cool metal on one of his fingers like a hot iron.

“I made a promise to Ka-chan that I would take care of you. You could try beating me to a bloody pulp, and I will still try and take care of you,” he says softly.

“That’s not-”

“Don’t try to start something again (y/n).” He resumes messaging your scalp.

You pout.

You know you want to say it, do it… Do it…

You bite your lip. Your hands curl into your lap as you tremble. You didn’t want to self-sabotage. But the dark thought in your head was clawing beneath your skin, urging to be spoken and revealed into the light. You knew this was a touchy topic. Yet, it was like you were begging for pain. You want to hurt and for him to get away from you. To hate you.

“I know you made a promise. I get that. I -- I don’t want Ochako-san to hate me because you spend a lot of time with me.”

Izuku flinches back while taking a sharp inhale. He pulls his fingers away from your scalp at the reminder of his marriage.

“Ochako does not hate you.” The words feel like nails on a chalkboard as you hear them.

He’s lying.

“Look at me in my eyes and tell me she doesn’t hate me for spending so much time with her ‘Zuzu,’” you spat out. For a second, it almost sounds like you were jealous.

You spin around to face him. You notice the slight dark circles under his jade eyes. The whisper of smile lines framing his nose and mouth. From this close, you could see those damn freckles.

He pinches the space between his eyes and sighs. Izuku squeezes his eyelids shut.

“We are not doing this.”

You get closer, entering his personal space as you poke and prod the bear.

“Doing what, Midoriya-san?”

He smells the mint from your toothpaste and the grassy notes of some tea you probably just drank. More importantly, he could smell you.

 The intoxicating scent that makes you, you. You smell like orange blossoms and something else that he can’t quite figure out. But it drives him up the wall like a cat in heat but comforts him simultaneously.

It’s so strange. You are quirk less.

Yet the smell of you made him feral. He’s tried looking for it at a department store, going to perfume boutiques with Ochako with the pretense of getting her something, yet he can’t find it. He’s asked the recovery girl, who just responded with a smirk. He asked All Might, who rubbed the top of his head and told him he was too young to know. All Might did mention that with his quirk, smells are a lot stronger, and the effect is amplified.

It’s why he sits at least a foot away from you at any given moment. Holds his breath if he hugs you at any given point. He opens up all of the windows when you’re sitting in the passenger seat of his car, even if it’s the middle of winter.

It’s why he asked Kirishima, Kaminari, and Bakugo the odd question they still reminisce about.

--------

‘“Hey guys, I have a question.”

The boys perked up while Izuku fiddled with the sleeves of his school uniform.

“Have you ever smelled someone, and they smelled like home but made you…um… h-h-horny?”

Izuku was beet red.

Kirishima’s mouth dropped as his half-chewed hot pot fell out of his mouth and dropped to the table.

“HOLY SHIT, YES!”

“Bro, I was telling Kirishima this shit the other day. I don’t know what it is, but smelling Jirou makes me want to cuddle her and fuck her all day long. Like all day. Why do you think I skip class so much?”

Bakugo looked at them as if they had grown five heads.

“What are you dunce heads talking about?”

Kaminari raises his drink, “There’s this saying that soulmates recognize each other by their smell. When you smell them, it makes you wild. Jirou loves smelling me. Maybe that’s why the armpit-smelling fetish is a thing?”

Bakugou looks at Kaminari like he just said the dumbest thing on earth.

“It’s true! Mina doesn’t wear perfume because of it. Her natural scent gets me going in the most manliest way.”

“That’s fuckin’ gross shitty hair,” Bakugo said disgustingly.

“Bakugo, you don’t have to believe it, but once you experience it… Oh, man... You never want to let that shit go.”

Bakugo swore they were all on drugs that day.’

----------

Suddenly, he feels as though he’s too close to you. Maybe his quirk heightens all of his senses too much. Perhaps you had a quirk all along, and you never recognized it.

He abruptly stands and begins to walk away, determined to get the troublesome fragrance you emit off his skin.

“Midoriya-san, I asked you a question.”

He’s more concerned about washing whatever scent of yours off his fingertips with bleach and dish soap.

You hear the kitchen sink faucet running. He’s probably washing the makeup residue off his hands, you pondered. You hear the sink going for at least two minutes before you stand up and peer at yourself in the mirror.

You look terrible but better than this morning.

You decide to trudge to the kitchen, your bare feet hitting the different textures of your floors. You wanted to check on Izuku. He was still scrubbing his hands vehemently, muttering in a way that he often did in high school.

“Midoriya-san?”

You blink. Waiting for him to get out of his hand-washing trance. Is he okay?

“Midoriya-san?” You say just a bit louder.

No response.

“Izuku!”

He suddenly spins around, water flying from his hands. The soapy mixture flies in fat drops over the counter space and floors. Some are getting on the waves and curls that rested on his forehead. Jade orbs were wide in surprise.

“What did you just call me?”

Oh shit.

Your heart plummeted like an anvil to the pits of your intestines. You don’t know how you are going to get out of this one. You never call him by his name. After almost ten years, you say his name. Not his hero name either. His name.

~*Grrrrowwwwlllll*~

You feel heat crawl up your neck, and the tips of your ears are now flaming. That is beyond embarrassing.

He shakes his head, “Nevermind, I’m just hearing things.”

He purses his lips, almost as if he doesn’t want to ask the question.

“Did you eat breakfast this morning?”

And so, before you knew it, you were in a powder white turtleneck and off-white slacks, inside your favorite ramen shop. The food was on the house because the owner was glad you made it out of your cave for this time of year.

“Eat up (y/n)-chan, yer lookin’ skinner than ever,” the owner says as he sets your bowl of ramen down in front of you. The smell of miso and mushroom assaults your senses.

The seductive voice whispers in your ear, you don’t deserve to eat and be alive while Katsuki is dead.

You freeze.

Izuku notices that you hesitate and places his hand over yours on the table. The skin is warm, brimming with electricity. The feeling radiates throughout your arm. Probably from his quirk, you waved off.

“It’s okay (y/n). Try taking a bite,” he says encouragingly.

Over the past three years, you’ve felt guilty for being alive. The guilt was being channeled to your eating. Some days would be better than others. Today wasn’t a good day for you.

--------

‘“Deku-san, the most important thing for (y/n)-san is gentle support when it comes to eating. Encouraging them to try something but not forcing it, maybe offer something like a salad or something small, so they don’t feel guilty about eating.”

Izuku felt like the brown leather of the oversized couch was swallowing him.

The psychologist sighed and put his glasses on the brown wooden coffee table.

“I am not diagnosing her with an eating disorder just yet, because I pray that this is connected to her grief only. If improvement does not happen within the following two months, I will need to send her to a clinic.”

Izuku felt as though he couldn’t speak. If he did, his voice would sound wobbly and not hero-like. That’s what he’s supposed to be.

 A hero.

He was supposed to act like it. But right now, he felt like he was failing the one thing he was tasked to do—the one thing he was supposed to protect. Well, that’s not true. Or was it?

God, not even he knew the answer anymore.

Izuku grips the fabric of his pants on his lap. He could only hope he didn’t look like he was about to burst into tears. He was terrified for you. Hell, you lost the love of your life, and society expected you to be okay after six months. Now it’s been almost three years.

“You’re a good friend Deku-san. You are not obligated to be there for her as much as you are, but you do. Please call me if you feel like nothing is changing.”

The psychologist licked his lips, “I know you are Japan’s #1 hero, but you matter too. Please take care of yourself as well. You are also still grieving the loss of your friend too.”’

-----------

An idea pops into Izuku’s mind. He was researching and deep-diving widow’s forums and saw something that might work. He went to the library and even popped up at a few widow support groups to get advice from some people there. It could be a long shot, but it may work for you.

Izuku clears his throat and shifts in his seat across from you, and he thinks, here goes nothing.

You peer up mid-bite of your ramen, blinking. There were thick bands of noodles hanging from your mouth and broth slathered all over your face. His heart felt warm.

I could do this.

He steels his nerves. His jade eyes hold your gaze steady. 

“Have you ever heard of a bucket list?”

Chapter Text

Winter is the season of grief, death, heartbreak, and rest.

A pregnant pause fills the booth that you’re in. As the seconds tick by, the more nervous he felt.

You slurp the rest of the noodles in your mouth and chew.

“I mean, I used to have one. But isn’t that something that’s done in movies?”

“Yes and no,” he pauses and looks at the table. “I have a bucket list and crossed out a couple of things. Have you?”

You set your chopsticks down and ponder for a second. You stare into the large bowl of ramen as you grip the ceramic bowl with your fingers. What have you completed in your life that you wanted to do?  

You got married. There was that. You graduated high school and college. You work as one of the chief editors of Pro Hero Weekly. But is that it? You are 27 years old but can’t seem to answer the question. Have you done anything you wanted to really do?

“I mean, I think so?” You look up at the green-haired man in front of you. You really look at him.

You notice his fresh tapered haircut. He looked like he shaved today and missed a spot right by the edge of his sharp jaw. You see how much space he took up in the booth. His knees probably bumped the underside of the table. His black puffer coat around his body unzipped to reveal the light green turtle neck he wore underneath.

You drag your eyes up to his Adam’s apple, freckles, up his chin, his smooth bow-shaped lips, freckles, up to a nose that most people get plastic surgery for, freckles, to his downcast jade orbs. He was still staring at the table. Your orbs land on his forest green messy waves and curls. You wanted to run your hands through them.

Izuku was very attractive.

Sometimes, you wonder if your life would have been any different if Katsuki didn’t admit his crush on you. What if you didn’t agree to the date? How different would your life be—

“(Y/n), are you okay?”

You blinked. Crap. He probably noticed you staring.

“H-huh?”

You let out a cough to clear your throat.

“O-oh, yup. Totally fine,” you awkwardly laugh.

Smooth.

Izuku decides not to press the topic. He folds his hands together, and the dim overhead lights cause the white gold band on one of his fingers to glint. Reel it in (Y/n). He’s a married man.

“Why don’t you try making a new one?” He asks, not looking at you. Instead, he’s twiddling his thumbs.

“Maybe if we could complete it all within one year, you’d see that life is more than just what has happened to you,” he adds, scrunching his face a little bit from how corny that sounds.

“Why should I?” You ask rhetorically. Your eyes stare solemnly at the table, and you can feel the rawness of your emotions crawl into your throat again.

“Your dream was always to be a hero that would smile and tell others it would be okay. I’m not worth the energy, Midoriya-san.” You pause and clench your fists on your lap. You try to will the tears away, but one escapes, rolling down your blotchy left cheek.

“Why try to save someone who doesn’t want to be saved?” You give him a bitter smile as you wipe the tear from your face. Then you look at the ceramic bowl filled with warm brown broth and vegetables. You fail to see his reaction, the way he visibly flinches as if you slapped him. If you had taken a second to look, you would have seen the heartbreak written so clearly on his face.

Thankfully, the All Might theme song blares through the booth you are in. Izuku fumbles around, checking his pockets until he fishes out the smartphone that looks so small in his hands. For a second, you swore you saw the letters ‘PR and another word you couldn’t make out.

Izuku clears his throat and shoots an apologetic look your way. You wave it off, trying to shift the energy of the room.

Izuku answers the call with a simple “Hello?” His timbre voice sounds warm and smooth, like honey.

You could hear someone screaming on the other side of the call. Izuku began to mutter apologies to the person on the other line.

I might as well continue eating. This is going to be a long call, you thought.

You ignore the dark voice that whispers ugly words and phrases. You saw Izuku’s soft smile when you took that first bite. You want to see that again.

You managed to finish most of the ramen bowl before you were too stuffed to finish anything else. You almost forgot what it felt like to be full. The discomfort of your stomach stretching to accommodate the space being taken up by food sloshing with stomach acid. It feels a bit gross to you.

Once you set your chopsticks down on the ramen bowl, Izuku sighs and finishes the phone call.

“That bad?”

He scratches his cheek, “Yamamoto-san is not happy with me because I didn’t attend the parade this morning.”

Right.

Izuku is Deku. Japan’s number 1 pro hero. A part of the country’s favorite couple. It looks terrible if he ditches a parade in honor of his best friend.

“She wants me to go to a press conference later today to speak about Ka-chan,” he continues. He begins to gnaw the side of his lips.

Stop that, you think.

Unconsciously, you reach over, and your hands flies to his lips, pinching the bottom one. He stops. His eyes were as wide as dinner plates as he looks at you, almost terrified.

Shit, shit shit, shit shit, shit shit—

“I’m so s-sorry,” you apologize quickly. Your hands quickly release the pink lip, and you sit back in your seat. It was softer than I thought it would be.

“I d-don’t know what came over me. I’m so s-s-sorry M-m-midoriya-san,” you rattle as heat rises from your neck and settles like a hot towel on your face. Why the hell did I do that? Your brain tries to scramble for an answer.

Izuku continues to stare at you with those wide pine-green eyes.

“Alright, alright, let’s get this table cleared off before you attack each other,” a raspy, loud voice calls out. The owner begins to howl and belly laugh while you sink into your seat, mortified.

Izuku waves his hands, flustered and red as a lobster. “It’s not like that, Yamada-san!”

“Yeah yeah yeah, whatever you say, kid. Now get out of my restaurant before y’all make this establishment not so kid-friendly.” He cackles as he finishes cleaning the table.

“Yamada-san!”

Living inside the sewer would be nice right now. You could adopt a rat the size of a small child and build a house out of garbage.

Yamada kicks both of you out with a take-out bowl of your favorite ramen. You climb into Izuku’s car, a Mercedes AMG G-63. It’s pretty modest compared to Katsuki’s old sports car, which was a two-seater Porsche Syder.  

He makes sure you’re buckled in before he shuts your door. Then ,he quickly jogs to his side of the car to sit in his seat and close the door behind him, effectively closing off the cold December air from coming into the chilled inside of the vehicle. Izuku turns on the heat on full blast and flips through a few radio stations before landing on Japan’s Top Hits.

You almost roll your eyes.

He shrugs off his coat and throws it in the backseat of the car. Izuku places his seat belt on and rolls up his sleeves a bit, exposing some of his forearms and the expensive metal watch donned on his left wrist.

Rich people and their damn fancy ass watches. At least he smells good, you thought as you shift around in the grey leather seat.

He shifts to driving mode with a touch of his fingers. His foot steps gently on the gas as he makes a right turn out of the large parking lot. He merges with oncoming traffic effortlessly. After driving for a few minutes, the anxiety of being in a car starts to wane. You sink into the seat and unzip your coat halfway.

Then Izuku opens all the fucking windows in the car.

“Midoriya-san, why do you always do this?! It’s December. It’s fucking freezing!” You all but shriek.

“It’s okay. The heat’s on full blast.” He shouts as the frigid air whips around you both.

“At least close them a bit! You don’t need them fully opened!”

“Yes, I do! M-my car, my rules,” Izuku squeaks out childishly. The loose spirals on his head whip wildly as he merges onto the freeway. Pink dusted his cheeks as jade orbs were glued onto the road. His fingers gripped the wheel so tightly his knuckles were white. You roll your eyes.

You zip up your coat and open the glove compartment to fish out your emergency hat and gloves. You decide to close your eyes, trying to picture hot springs and everything warm.

Slowly, you start getting comfortable. 

You had fallen asleep by the time the car came to a complete stop.

You feel a nudge on your shoulder. You crack open one eye to look at the windshield: dirt patches and gravestones.

Both your eyes were alert, and anger started to wash over you. You're more than awake now.

“I told you I didn’t want to come today.”

“That’s fine, but I did. You could stay in the car if you want.” He grits out, his voice stern and octaves lower. He grabs his coat from the back seat.

You grind your teeth, mulling it over. He wouldn’t leave you in the car by yourself. Right?

-------

‘“Mrs. Bakugo, is this your husband?”

You were in a dark room in the bowels of a hospital two hours away from Musutafu during the peak of a terrible snowstorm. The room smelled like anti-septic and dried formaldehyde. The room felt like death.  Luckily, the hero’s commission transported you in a tank-like vehicle designed for any weather. 

The mortician unlocked a grey locker, sliding out a human-like figure covered in a white sheet.

Your heart thumped wildly in your chest, and a cold bead of sweat ran down your back. It was 2 in the morning, and you still had your ‘I love Dynamight’ sweater on with red flannel PJ bottoms. Your hair probably looked like a rat’s nest.

You had just spoken to him six hours ago. He promised he’d be home soon. He promised.

Please be wrong. Please be wrong. Please be wrong, you prayed to whomever. Whatever force was out there. Just please don’t let it be him.

Kirishima, Izuku, and Mina stood near the back of the room with grim expressions in their hero outfits. You wanted to joke with him, say that the mortician was wrong. He was, because Katsuki promised he’d be back.  

The mortician’s gloved hands peeled back the sheet revealing a mangled, bloodied version of what should have been your husband's face. There was barely any skin left on his face, just raw dark fleshy meat and one garnet orb staring blankly at the ceiling. The eye didn’t have a proper eyelid anymore. The other eye was gone, leaving a hollow dark dome. The neck of the person was littered with bruises around it, swollen. You fail to notice the first time that it was bent out of place, at an almost 90-degree angle. You almost didn’t recognize him. The teeth looked like it was straight before it was knocked back from the impact they took when the car crashed. The corpse did not have lips either. The only semblance of skin was just a flap of ivory skin found on what was left of the right cheek.

You finally notice the bent neck when you look back at up again. You briefly wonder what impact could create an almost perfect right angle. Your eyes then catch the necklace you gave Katsuki on your fourth anniversary, right before you married.

No. He was going to back soon. 

You stare at the necklace as your lips quiver. The design was identical to the one you had selected. Your blood turns cold.

Your memories with him flashed before your eyes. His soft smile when he thinks you aren't looking. Him cooking in the apron you got him that read 'World's Best Hero'. His voice at 5 am in the morning when he kissed your forehead, never forgetting to tell you that he loves you, right before going to the gym. The little hand written notes he left in your homemade lunch for work. 

A loud guttural wail resonated in the room as your vision shifted. You felt like you were watching the scene, like a movie. You watched while your body reacted. You didn’t even realize you were crying and on the floor until Kirishima and Mina tried to lift you. Once you did, you went straight to the body. Your hands gripped the blood-soaked cold flesh of Katsuki’s pale shoulders like a lifeline.

“No! Not Katsuki! Anyone but him, please!” You begged hysterically as fat tears ran down your hot cheeks.

Mina and Kirishima attempted to pull you away from the corpse, but you kept reaching out for it crying and wailing.

“You were supposed to come back! Y-you promised-” you screeched as you attempted to wrangle yourself out of their hold. Cold blood covered your hands as you continued to free yourself. Your eyes were wild and leaking streams of tears, and snot was already coming out of your nose. You looked wild.

Izuku doesn’t even move from his spot, his hands clenched into fists. The green orbs are fixed on the patterned linoleum floor.

“Katsuki, WAKE UP!” ’

------

The slam of the car door on his side answered your question. Panic seeped into your body. The first wave of despair and fright of being inside a vehicle begins to bloom in your chest.

You quickly unbuckled your seat belt and jumped out of the car, “Hey!”

Izuku continued walking up the paved road that led up to cobblestone stairs.

You ran after him, “Hey!”

Izuku stopped and stuffed his hands in his coat pocket. He bent his torso to look behind him, to see your short form running the black graveled paved path. The pants from your mouth leave small white vaporized clouds in front of you. You look like the Pillsbury dough boy with all those white layers you had on. It's adorable.

He frowns. No, not adorable. 

The light grey sky looked somewhat darker than before. It might snow soon. We should be quick. She hates the snow, Izuku thought.

-----

After you visited Katsuki’s grave, you were silent on the ride back to your apartment. Your gaze was fixated on the road ahead, not even complaining about the cold air thrashing your hair around. Izuku frequently glanced over at you as he tried to focus on the road. He knew you didn’t want to come today and couldn’t blame you. But he knew you would regret it if you didn’t.

Four years ago, you wouldn’t have minded staying inside a car by yourself. That changed when Katsuki’s car swerved off the road down a cliff during a bad snowstorm in the middle of a mission.

 Izuku knew it was wrong. He did.

He just couldn’t let you drown in more grief and regret if you didn’t see Katsuki today.

When the car came to a stop in front of your building, you mindlessly grabbed the ramen under your seat and unbuckled your seat belt. You muttered a quick goodbye to Izuku when you shut the door behind you, loudly. You didn’t dare to look at him.

After you returned to your apartment, you kicked off your snow boots and threw the ramen bowl in your fridge. You didn’t bother fixing the door because Izuku or your brother would do it sometime today. You lived in one of the safest parts of town, with pro heroes patrolling non-stop.

 You decide to sit on the grey sectional couch in your living room.

 You stare at the ugly beady-eyed cat clock, the very same one Ochako got you last Christmas. It was hypnotizing, the way its tail switched back and forth every second. The large, poorly drawn eyes were too big for its ceramic face. You hate it. Especially the way the pink Pepto-Bismol color of the body clashes with the rest of your living room, a mixture of shades of grey, white, and black.

Your cellphone ringtone broke you out of your trance.

You reached over and looked at the cracked screen,

‘Mina’

With a green and red icon at the bottom.

You contemplate answering it. After a couple of seconds, you sigh, press the green button, and place the cool rectangular piece of metal on your ear, “Hello?”

“Shortie! What are you up to?!” She was louder than you thought she would be. Is she drunk already?

Every year, it was a tradition that you and the rest of your friends would go out and sing karaoke on the anniversary of Katsuki’s death. Initially, it was planned for you not to be alone with yourself, but it quickly morphed into a drunk karaoke tradition.

“Is that short stuff?” you heard, muffled over the loud music. It sounded like Etsuko’s voice.

“I-I’m not doing anything yet.” You mumbled, picking imaginary lint off your cream-colored slacks.

“Then hurry up and GET OVER HERE BITCH! Wear something SEXY~” Mina yells into the phone.

“Mina, you can’t expect her to dress in anything other than business clothes at this point!” someone yelled. Jirou.

“Oi Shortie, wear that outfit that I got you. You know the forest green dress with the deep v in the front? You know what, don’t come. We’re going to the CLUB!”

Panic sets in, and you try to back-peddle your way out of this situation.

“Nope, we will be there in 15! I got the drinks~” Mina sings and promptly hangs up.

Fuck.

You stay on the couch, awaiting your fate, staring at the clock again. It was only 2 in the afternoon. There was no way they could be so drunk already.

16 minutes later, Mina breaks the rest of your front door with her acid quirk.

“Whoops,” she belches and walks into your living room with Jirou, Etsuko, and Momo.

Mina is wearing a two-piece blood-red strapless body con dress that left little to the imagination. The top piece looked like a crop top, while the bottom half barely covered what it needed to.

The others wore similar scantily clad outfits, and you want to die.

Keep not eating, and you might be with Katsuki. The intrusive thought appealed to you a bit.

Mina stands by your door and grins, triumphantly holding a bottle of gin. Etsuko holds up five shot glasses with an evil smirk.

You feel all the blood drain from your face.

So, three hours later and one drinking game later, you found yourself at a club at 5:52 in the afternoon with five shots of gin and one singular white claw inside your stomach in a forest green velvet dress that barely reached your mid-thigh and clear heels. It was a front twist long sleeve with a VERY deep v cut in the front that reached your sternum.

Your hair is pin straight cascading down your neck, and shoulders. You have freshly painted white toenails and hands are painted in a jelly nude pink. Your face was decked out with a smoky-eye look. The mascara made your eyelashes almost look fake. All thanks to the flat iron Momo used her quirk to create, makeup Etsuko had conjured from thin air, and Jirou’s ability to paint your nails with the steadiest hand. Mina stood there handing you shots.

Music blares through the club, making it hard to hear anything else. 

There was a time

I used to look into my father’s eyes

In a happy home

I was the king, I had a gold thro-one

You squeal, “This is my sonnnnnnng.” The alcohol was definitely hitting you now.

Mina grabs your arm, and you grab Etsuko, who manages to down a shot of tequila right before you drag her with you on the dance floor.

Upon the hill across a blue lake

That’s where I had my first heartbreak

“I schtill ‘member how it all schaaaaaaannnngggeeeeeed, My father saiiiiiddddd,” you and Mina slurred, as you wrapped an arm around each other’s shoulders.

“DON’T YOU WORRY, DON’T YOU WORRY, CHILD,” Etsuko yells out in front of you, tears streaming past her gold eyes.

The flashing lights of the dance floor dimmed and moved to the front of the stage where the DJ booth was.

See, heaven’s got a plan for you

Don’t you worry, don’t you worry now~

Yeahhhh

The bass drops. Then the infectious beat comes back, and you are jumping and fist-pumping with the crowd to a Swedish song that fills you with nostalgia. You almost want to cry with Etsuko.

“Take another shot (Y/n)!” Etsuko says, holding the small clear shot glass filled to the brim with clear liquid.

“Kanpai!~”  6 shots and one white claw now.

---

“It is now 6 in the evening. We will begin December 4^th’s press conference with Japan’s number 1 pro hero Deku-san,” his manager speaks into the podium stand’s microphone right at the end of the large in the front of the room. 

Izuku sits in a chair with multiple microphones hooked up to a table right in front of him. The dark blue background of the Pro Hero Commissions committee curtains behind him.  He was in the middle of the table, squished between his attorney, publicist, assistant, and a sidekick that he barely remembered the name of.

The room filled with camera clicks and people shouting over each other, predators vying for attention.

His manager pointed at someone in a khaki suit,

“Deku-sama, why did you not attend the parade dedicated to your friend Dynamight?”

Reporters hold their microphones in the pro hero’s direction.

Izuku licks his lips, hoping the dry feeling goes away.

“To be honest, I went to his grave instead today. I wanted to spend time honoring him with my presence rather than standing on a float.”

Crap, was that too harsh?

Izuku’s manager gives him a side eye, “Next question.”

“It’s been three years since the loss of your childhood friend. How are you still processing, or have you processed that grief?”

That’s a great question that I don’t have a response to. How have I processed his death? Izuku ponders for a moment before he speaks.

“I’ve been surrounding myself with loved ones and reminding myself that our time can end at any moment. We should never take it for granted. Processing grief is never linear. There is no clear path to healing. It’s okay that some moments we take two steps back. It’s important to take it one day at a time and keep going.”

Izuku sees his publicist and manager smile from the corner of his eye. He spouted out the cookie-cutter shit that they wanted him to say.

“Next question.”

“Deku-san, you were speaking about taking it one day at a time. What are some goals and dreams you have in mind for the upcoming years?”

Izuku feels his heart thud so loudly he swears his publicist hears it.

----

‘Hey, nerd, promise me something. Promise me that you’ll take care of (y/n) if shit ever happens to me. You better not fucking say this to anyone, but she’s the most important person to me. So please, promise me you’ll fucking take care of her if I take a dirt nap.’

----

Izuku grips the green fabric of his pants, hands trembling.

----

‘I’m not worth saving.’

----

In that instant, determination sets on his face. His green eyes, bright with resolve, peer at the crowd in front of him.

“I will be taking a leave of absence for a year, effective immediately.”

Gasps echo around the room. Looks of pure astonishment and terror fill the rows in front of him. Izuku watches his manager faint right by him.

His publicist takes the microphone, “He’s just joking, everyone.”

“I’m not.”

Panic sets on his publicist's face.

“Is it because Uravity is finally pregnant?!” A reporter shouts.

Izuku wants to laugh at his face. He hasn’t had sex with Ochako in more than a year. What kind of husband am I? Have I even thought about children with her? The bitter question makes his chest tight.

“No, she’s not pregnant. This leave of absence is due to personal issues.” He takes a breath. Does he really want to say this?

He does.

He smiles wistfully, “How can I be the public’s hero if I can’t be a hero to someone who's important to me?” A beat passes.

“No further questions,” Izuku says dismissively into the microphone before he walks away. His team is in hysterics, rushing behind him.

---

Izuku manages to avoid the questions from his team with a “We will figure it out tomorrow.” By the time he gets home, he’s exhausted. He wants nothing more than to crawl into his bed and stay there curled up in a blanket burrito, flipping mindlessly between the weather and hero channels.

Izuku opens the door to his penthouse suite to find the dining room light on. Strange. Ochako is supposed to be on her shift today.

“I’m home.” The words sound strange coming out of his mouth. For the past year, this place didn’t feel like home. It feels like a place where he showered, watched TV, and ate.  

He sets his keys on the dish by the door. The key dish reflected the picture of his wedding day, the broad smile on Ochako’s face as he stared nervously at the person taking the picture.

He kicks off his shoes and completely bypasses the dining room and kitchen to enter his bedroom. He immediately changes from his hero attire to the usual t-shirt and basketball shorts. Izuku looks over his hero suit and gently lifts it for inspection as if he was questioning it. Did the woven fabric make him a hero? Did this costume make him happy? He stuffs it into a box.

A weight he didn’t know he was carrying disappears from his shoulders. He sighs with relief.

Izuku pads to the room where the light was emitting from. He finds Ochako sitting with a small stack of paper, a stamp, and a piping cup of hibiscus tea. Izuku frowns.

“Hi h-honey, what are you doing here?” The question almost didn’t come out of his mouth. He walks over to stand next to her.

“Izuku, what was that today?” The curt tone in her voice made Izuku freeze next to her. Her large brown eyes cut to his face, fury blazing behind them.

Nope, not today. Izuku walks over to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. What was the last thing I ate today? He thinks casually.

He vaguely recalls a burrito from the convenience store and chastises himself.

Ochako appears near him, standing right by the Miele gas oven that cost more than he thought was necessary. Her toned arms crossed across her chest. She was wearing her hero attire still. Her long chestnut hair was pinned up into a ponytail. Did she leave in the middle of her shift? Why do we have an oven if we barely cook?

“I asked you a question.” The curt tone remains a tad colder than before.

Déjà vu.

“What do you mean?”

“The press conference today? You know, the one where you casually announce that you will quit being a hero?”

“Leave of absence,” he corrected.

“Does it even matter?! You never even spoke to me about this. I don’t even know what’s going inside your head anymore.” She is practically yelling at him.

He feels nothing.

It was like he was watching a stranger getting upset at the phone about something. Her words were meant to sting a little bit if he cared.

But it didn’t.

If anything, he feels guilty for making her feel this way. To make her feel like he was keeping her at arm’s length. He wonders when was the last time he held her in his arms. Told her that he loved her? That he appreciated her for all that she did?

Izuku didn’t recall.

He feels guilty that he’s apathetic toward her. He knows he shouldn’t be. He’s her husband. The white gold band on his finger was a reminder that they had exchanged vows to each other. Yet, he feels like he broke every single one of them.

“SPEAK TO ME.” She all but cries in front of him. Her tone pulls him out of his reverie.

“What do you want me to say?”

Smooth.

“Why don’t you start with today? Where were you today?” Izuku knows she’s trying to start a conversation. He also knows the reaction to what he’s about to say won't be pretty.

 “Do you want me to tell the truth or a lie?” He turns on the faucet again and fills the empty glass he is holding.

“The truth Izuku, always the truth,” she says softer. Ochako looks away solemnly, almost near tears.

Nothing.  

“I was with (Y/n) during the morning. I took her to eat ramen, then we went to visit Ka-chan. I dropped her off back home, went to my agency to prep for the press conference, and now I’m here.”

Her face twists, making the delicately placed features on her face look unpalatable to Izuku.

“You were with her.” Ochako’s face spoils even more. Her cheeks were dusted red.

Izuku furrows his brows in confusion.

“Why’d you say it like that?” Idiot, you knew she always reacts like that whenever (y/n) is involved. He scolds himself.

“You are always with her. It’s always (Y/n) this, (Y/n) that—”

“If you weren’t going to like the answer, why bother with the question?”

His eyes widened at the sarcastic tone he spat at her. Did that just come out of my mouth?

Ochako looks at Izuku incredulously.

Shit. You were rubbing off on him. No, that wasn’t right. Ka-chan rubbed off on you, which then rubbed off on him. Yeah, that was it, he internally reasons.

“I-I mean, w-why do you have that reaction whenever it comes to (Y/n)? We’ve been friends for years.” Izuku started to sip the glass that was in his hand.

Better.                      

Ochako steps closer to Izuku and stops right in front of him. Her brown eyes analyze his features. It makes him feel like he’s a science experiment on display.

She closes her eyes for a few moments and breathes in slowly. She holds it and then exhales it. A trick taught by their marriage counselor to do before one of them said anything that could hurt the other. Izuku wanted nothing more than for her to spit it out so he could curl into a blanket burrito. While watching the weather channel.

“How long are you going to continue this for?” Her voice was neutral. A trap.

He’s going to willingly and stupidly play into it. Izuku wants this drawn-out conversation to be over with more than anything. He can feel guilty about it while he showers later, with the hot steaming water melting away his worries.

That sounds nice right about now.

“Continue what, Ochako? You’re being cryptic.”

Ochako scoffs as if he said something ridiculous.

Still nothing. Should I pretend to be mad too? Maybe it’ll make her feel like I still care about her. Izuku does still care about her. She was his wife. Those feelings don’t go away overnight.

Were they even there to begin with? The intrusive thought buzzes in Izuku's mind.

“Continue with this ‘promise’ that you made to Bakugo-kun.” She adds air quotations in her response to mock him.

Now that slightly irritated him.

“Ka-chan was my childhood friend. He never asked me to promise anything before. He was too prideful for that. So, for him to ask me that was because he trusted me. Not Kirishima, not Kaminari, me. So, this ‘promise’ is not something that goes away. It’s something that he meant it was for life.” Izuku feels his voice deepen during his response, signaling his irritation. His jade eyes held their gaze on her for the first time in this conversation.

Izuku saw Ochako’s lips tremble. She bits her lips. She was trying to tip-toe around the elephant in the room. 

Izuku sighs and puts the now empty glass of water in the sink. Was I too abrasive there?

He crosses his arms across his broad chest, his scarred forearms on display and dimly visible that’s to the light emitting from the dining room.

“Ochako, what are we doing here? What are you really saying?”

He waits a few moments. Then he turns around and flicks on the kitchen light by the faucet. Tears glisten in her brown orbs, and her face scrunches like a chipmunk.

Izuku thins his lips and raises an eyebrow at her, waiting for her vocal response instead of an emotional one.

“Is your hero complex that big, or is there something else you are not telling me,” her voice wobbles.

Izuku scrunches his face in confusion. What was going on here?

“Look Ochako, I know sometimes I’m dumb as bricks. Today is one of those days. You have to help me out here.” He feels like he’s aged decades with this conversation.

“Does your leave of absence have anything to do with (Y/n)?”

The cat was finally out of the bag.

He runs a hand through his messy forest locks and peers down at her small form. There was a massive height difference between the two of them. 188 cm and 154 cm, just over a full foot. It felt like she was looking down at him right now.

Izuku himself didn’t know the answer to the question. Rather, he didn’t want to admit to himself the real answer to the question Ochako posed.

 Seconds ticked by, and Izuku’s palms felt clammier with each passing second. The thoughts lobbied back in forth through Izuku’s head.

Tell her the truth.

Lie.

Tell her the truth, Izuku.

Lie.

“No. I just needed a break from hero work.” Lie.

Ochako’s brown eyes narrow, and her mouth presses into a thin line.

“I want to separate for a while, Izuku.” Her voice was barely anything but a whisper. As if she didn’t want to say it herself.

The air left Izuku’s lungs as he scrambled to piece it together. He was trying to interpret the meaning of what she had just finished saying. Did she really mean a divorce or just a break? Did she not love him anymore?

She continues to speak.

“I-I realize that we gave it a good try. We went to counseling sessions, w-we’ve tried going on d-dates again,” she sniffles and hiccups.

“But in the end, I-I’m no match for (Y/n).”

“Ochako, this leave isn’t about (Y/n),” he croaks out. Lie.

Ochako softly smiles at him, her lips thin and trembling. Pity was the emotion he recognized behind her gaze.

“Oh Izuku, either you don’t want to admit it to yourself, or you’re just as clueless as she is.”

Tears well up in Izuku’s eyes as he stares down Ochako.

----

‘ “Uraraka, Ochako, do you take Midorya Izuku as your lawfully wedded husband to be together in matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”

Ochako’s chocolate eyes gazed lovingly at Izuku’s face, radiating joy and happiness.

“I do”’

----

What happened to that gaze? That sparkle of joy in her eyes when she looked at me. Izuku questioned as he began to think back to when the joy she radiated began to dim. Was it around the time Katsuki died?

“Why are you saying this?” His voice cracks. The strength in his voice is fading, like the rest of his resolve not to cry.

Ochako bites her trembling lips, trying to quell the soft sobs emitting through her mouth.

“I feel like you need to figure out what you want.”

He clenches his fists. Then opens them.

“Is this what you want Ochako?” His voice came out like a whisper as his body trembled. He felt powerless. His actions defeated him. I caused this, he conjectures. The weight breaking his marriage surrounds him with grief. He's losing something that he's been tearing down brick by brick. 

It's my fault. The thought stabs him sharply. 

“No.” Her voice was confident and sure. Hope sparked in his chest. Perhaps, she's not entirely broken. 

 “B-but I can’t keep trying to ma-make you love me, Izuku,” she all but breaks down in front of him. “It’s so painful being in love with someone who doesn’t even want to be in the same room. My h-heart can’t much more...” she hiccups in between her sobs, her hands on her face attempting to catch the tears.

Those words felt like a bullet through his chest.

---

You stumble and hobble down the club's street with Mina and Kirishima. Kirishima is holding Mina like a sack of potatoes on his shoulders.

“I can go home by myshelf,” you slur to Kirishima.

“Nope, nu-uh. You had too much to drink (y/n)-chan. I’m driving you home.”

Then you trip and fall right onto the concrete, scraping your knees and hands.

Almost effortlessly, he picks you and places you like another sack of potatoes on his other shoulder.

“Let me gooooooo~” you whine as you pound his back with weak punches.

“I’m floatin’ (Y/n) look! Looooooook! Wheeeeeee~” Mina giggles as she grabs your arm.

“How much did you guys drink tonight? You’re acting like children,” Kirishima mutters as he trudges to his red pick-up truck. The manliest of all cars.

“Two,” you quip, muffled by the black coat on his back. 

“Two?” He questions innocently enough. 

“Two bottles of gin and three rounds of tequila sunrises~” Mina mischievously grins and turns to you.

“Ooo, and 2 White Claws!” You exclaim triumphantly as if you could win a prize for drinking. Kirishima is suddenly dreading this car ride.

Suddenly, something cold touches the back of your thighs. You perk up.

“Mina, I think Kirishima is crying,” you reason.

“Babe are you crying—Oh I felt it too! You’re crying?!”

You tilt your head up as best as you can muster upside, inebriated beyond belief.

White delicate, intricate flakes gently fell from the dark sky above you.

Snow.

Tears well up in your eyes as Kirishima pauses his strides next to his vehicle. He attempts to fish out his keys with two people on his shoulders.

“Put me down,” you say in a clear voice. Kirishima pauses because it’s an odd request for a drunk person.

Kirishima looks at you as innocently as he can with your barely covered ass near his face. He opens his mouth to begin protesting but decides to close it shut. He sets you down and uses his now free arm to look for his keys.

You stare up at the sky, watching the cold fragments fall in a distinct individual motion. Pain twists at your heart.

Snow

It’s so cold.

Snow

Katsuki

Snow

The dam breaks, and you begin to sob. Then you begin wailing with no regard for the people around you. Your cheeks were blotchy, and snot was leaking from your nose. Rivulets poured down your eyes as you fell to the cold concrete, not caring if you got your dress dirty. You feel a hand on your shoulder and look to the source. Kirishima. His face is solemn.

 Mina sits down on the concrete beside you and wraps her warm pink arms around you. She begins to soothingly caress the back of your head.

“It’s okay. You can let it out now. It’s all right,” she coos. Her voice is thick with emotion as tears well behind her closed eyelids.

You cry.

You cry for the heels that broke while trying to climb the stage and party with the DJ.

You cry about the broken doors in your apartment.

You cry for arguing with Izuku when you know he’s just trying to help you.

You cry because you sleep alone and wake up lonely.

You cry because your life has been miserable for the past three years.

You cry because it’s been three years, and your Katsuki will never return to you.

“It’s so beautiful,” you wail into Mina’s shoulder. Snot and tears covered the pink flesh in a disgusting cesspool of bodily fluids.

“What is (Y/n)?” Kirishima questions softly, now sitting near you both. Kirishima stares at the red truck in front of you, then looks up, trying to hold back the tears from surfacing. Your sobs were affecting the people around you.

“The snow. It’s so beautiful.”

Kirishima wipes the tears from his cheeks and grits his teeth. He understands. Katsuki was like a brother to him.

“Now I’m crying and shit,” he mumbles frustratedly as you continue to cry in Mina’s embrace.

---

The day after was a blur. You woke up with the worst hangover since college when you studied abroad in America. You pop two pain relievers and drown it with a glass of water mixed with a splash of vodka. It does the trick usually.

You call your brother and demand that he fixes your front and shower doors. You shower and get dressed for work, fixing your wet hair into a crown braid. It’s somewhat decent.

You flip through 24 channels quickly before landing on the weather channel. Izuku picks you up at 8:15 on the dot and drives you to work in silence with the windows down. When you’re at work, you succeed in keeping your eyes from crossing over as you read the print on your computer monitors.

When it was time for lunch, you chug three cups of coffee like an Olympic champion. Then you manage to eat half a deli sandwich with a cup of fruit while sitting in your office, watching anime. After work, you take the train back home. It was crowded and uncomfortable.

 When you open your apartment door, you see your older brother lazing on your sectional. He was scratching his ass with your remote while watching Abbot Elementary. You mull over either being proud that he knows English well enough or wanting to fight him for using your remote as toilet paper.

You decide to say hello, attempting to be nice. You disregard that he’s watching the latest episode you haven’t watched yet. Asshole. But when you open your fridge, all hell breaks loose. You yell at your brother, hitting him with the newspaper on your coffee table. The shithead ate all the food in your fridge.

You remember to thank him for fixing your doors as you throw his shoes out the door. Then you kick him out.

You strip butt naked, shower again, put on at least underwear and a ratty t-shirt before falling unconscious on your bed at 9. Starving.

The next day was no better. It was the same except when you wake up with an excruciating migraine and your stomach howling for its long-lost lover. You skip breakfast again. Izuku texted you saying that he couldn’t take you to work, which was odd. He always took you to work. So, you take a cab to work. You didn’t bother with lunch, either. You manage to impress yourself when you put on a facemask after your shower after work. You decide to drink three glasses of water and munch on some clean grapes you had packed in Tupperware. You knock out like a light with it on your face.

Your brother decides to take you to work the day after that, telling Izuku that he wants to surprise you. You get a bit upset at the change in your structured routine. You didn’t want your brother, you wanted Izuku to pick you up. You immerse yourself in work, skipping lunch. Mina and Jirou visit you after work to gossip about pro-heroes. You ate some shitty takeout, your first meal of the day. You write out your bucket list.

Before you knew it, it was Friday. Dress down Friday. Today for some reason, you were excited to dress casually. You wear a white t-shirt tucked into slightly baggy blue jeans that you roll up at the bottom. You pair it with some white canvas sneakers and a black sweater cardigan whose hem skates the waistband of your jeans. You dry your hair with a five-hundred-dollar blow dryer that Mina gave you for your birthday last year. There was no way in hell you would spend that much for a blow dryer anyways. You wrestle with smoothing the flyaways in your hair for a ponytail and a white tied-up scarf as a headband. Finally, you finish the look with some dangly gold earrings. You frown at your reflection, unhappy with the look. You take down the ponytail. Now you were done. It was serving the look of college students in the ’80s. You feel cute…today.

You didn’t see Izuku today, again.

Instead, Momo picks you up and gave a lame answer for Izuku’s absence. You don’t push it. He probably was busy with Ochako or pro-hero business.

It’s because you yelled at him. He’s pushing you away. It would be best if you didn’t have friends, the dark voice seductively whispered. You try your best not to let your insecurities get the best of you.

After playing three computer games and responding to emails, you walk around the editing floor to check in on your team and the projects you’ve assigned. You feel social.

Most of the team are huddled by someone's desk in front of a computer monitor. You could hear whispering and giggling. What is going on over there? You wonder as you walk towards the mass of people.

They are engrossed in their conversations that they don’t hear your sneakers as you infiltrate their little meeting.

“Hey guys, what’s going on?” You ask casually. It was supposed to be a jump scare, but it didn’t work. Unlike most managers in your company, you’ve tried to make everyone feel welcome. You care about their opinions and take their ideas seriously, even if it is risky. That’s why instead of flinching and changing their screen, they turn to you and smile.

“Ah (l/n)-san, come look at this. This is craaaaazy,” one of your new staff members, Tobi, laughs, pushing you through the swarm of people gathered around the 29-inch monitor.

“So crazy! This will sell off the shelves when we print these stories.”

Your ears perk up as you turn to the team member that said that. Hikaru.

The video they were watching was from a major news network website. You peer down at the corner of the screen, ‘12:34’—almost lunchtime.

Maybe I’ll watch that new episode of Bleach that came out yesterday, the stray thought comes to your head as the team members bicker at Honda to replay the video. She fumbles with her mouse as the screen freezes. Most likely due to site traffic.

You giggle and tell her to take her time.

She rewinds the video, and the image of ‘Breaking News’ comes on the screen paired with the corny music that all news stations play at the beginning of a program. You roll your eyes. Everything was breaking news these days.

“This just in, Japan’s number one hero, Deku, is taking a leave of absence. Good afternoon Japan, I’m Nakamura Yuki, and this is Breaking News.”

So dramatic.

The news anchor continues, “On December 4^th, the young hero held a press conference on the anniversary of Dynamight’s death.”

You scrunch your face in disbelief. Who made up this rumor? Then you briefly recall when you were at the ramen shop with Izuku. The angry phone call.

“Wait (L/n)-san, it gets better!” Someone shouts.

“Today, the press conference footage was released to the public and broadcasting stations. We are now going to play back the footage.”

The video cuts to Izuku sitting behind several microphones perched on a table. The signature blue Pro Hero Commission curtain behind him. He was in his hero attire, his green hair mussed even more. He was probably nervous. When he is, he runs his hands through his hair and makes his hair even messier.

“Deku-sama, why did you not attend the parade dedicated to your friend Dynamight?”

Izuku licks his lips before he answers with probably the sassiest response he’s ever had-well in public- to a reporter’s question.

“To be honest, I went to his grave instead today. I wanted to spend time honoring him with my presence rather than standing on a float.”

Burn.

You want to give him a high five for finally saying something that wasn’t rehearsed or scripted. You feel so proud of him for finally speaking his mind.

With your excitement, you barely hear his manager moving on to the next question.

“It’s been three years since the loss of your childhood friend. How are you still processing, or have you processed that grief?”

You thin your lips and bite the inside of your cheek. That was a tricky question. You could see the gears clogging Izuku’s head as he paused to think about that question. You got this.

You notice the slight bags under his eyes in his brief pause to reflect the question. The constellation of freckles on his skin stands out just a bit more under the fluorescent lights.

“I’ve been surrounding myself with loved ones and reminding myself that our time can end at any moment. We should never take it for granted. Processing grief is never linear. There is no clear path to healing. It’s okay that some moments, we take two steps back. It’s important to take it one day at a time and keep going.” His timbre voice is clear, and the tone is meant to inspire.

You see it as cookie-cutter bullshit that they made him say. You frown.

The clip jumps a bit to the next question.

“Deku-san, you were speaking about taking it one day at a time. What are some goals and dreams you have in mind for the upcoming years?”

It was a typical question, but it looked like Izuku paled in response. He freezes at that moment, his emerald orbs filled with every emotion under the sun. The look in his eyes feels raw and almost like you’ve seen something private of his, like a hidden secret.

Then the video paused.

“There, right there. Did you guys see it?” Honda says excitingly as she points to the monitor with a thin porcelain finger. Her tawny brown bob shifts in sync with her bouncing up and down.

The group groans.

“Just play it!”

“This is like the third time you’ve done this.”

“You paused it right at the best part!”

“Hey! Don’t be mad at me because I’m trying to describe to you what’s so obviously there,” Honda-san chides.  You look at Honda, and your brain flips through memories and information you buried.

Her quirk.

You hired her because her quirk can pick up a person's real emotions through a monitor, regardless of facial expression or their expertise at lying. For example, during a movie, if the actor is going through a scene and acting their wonderful heart out, the audience usually doesn’t see anything the actor is experiencing. People are usually engrossed with how good of an actor they are. Honda can read deeper than their acting. Like if they're feeling sad, lonely, sick, or anything right through the actors' carefully executed façade.

It’s pretty neat to learn how people felt during an interview while reviewing video footage. 

“I don’t fucking see it now play the damn video.”

Oh, Hikaru.

“What do you see, Honda-san?”

She smirks wolfishly at you. “He’s feeling emotional, almost like he’s going through different memories that make him sad. But I also pick up that he’s desperate. Maybe to try to save something?”

She scratches her head, “I wonder what he wants to save?”

A loud gasp is heard in the group. You turn your head to Suzuki, the conspiracy theorist.

“What if this is bigger than his issues and One for All came back to finish us all off? Or what if aliens told him that he must stop being a hero to save the world?”

You heard groans and people sucking their teeth, waving him off.

“Man, come on!” Tobi scolds.

You laugh and tell Honda to keep playing the video.

“Gladly,” she mutters.

The video resumes, and you can tell Izuku’s whole demeanor shifts. His eyes look bright with newfound resolve. It was a good look on him. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him have the ‘I’m Deku, the pro hero’ face. Your lips quirk up a bit at the thought.

“I will be taking a leave of absence for a year, effective immediately.”

You blink. Did you hear that right?

“Honda-san, can you play that part again?”

“Of course (L/n)-san!”

Honda rewinds to the part where Izuku is about to answer the question.

“I will be taking a leave of absence for a year, effective immediately.” His tone is firm and bold.

Gravity shifts around you as black starts to narrow your vision line. You briefly recognize a thud on the floor.

You vaguely hear, “Oh shit, the chief fainted! Give her space, you fucktards” Hikaru.

“Crap, pull out the emergency contact list.” Honda.

“Call the fucking –” Your hearing starts to ring before everything muffles out. Like they got plugged up with cotton balls. You quickly turn unconscious.

---

You feel like you’re on lying on a large cold brick. You feel a scratchy thin sheet covering your body, which does nothing to stave away the cold. Your body shivers. It starts to tremble to keep homeostasis. You feel goosebumps sprout out on your arms.

Suddenly, you feel warm thick material cover your torso. A jacket? A coat? It smells really nice, like sunshine and warm memories. Something woody as well. Like warm woods or the mix of sandalwood with amber.

Home.

With a hint of something like rain? No. Mint? No… Cucumbers? Something... Is it fir or pine? Like a sharper note that candles have when it's the holiday season. A characteristic of fresh air.   

You overhear chopped-up phrases like “so many accumulated vacation days” and “We suggest at least three months off.”

"Perhaps--"

"---year?"

You want to frown. You like work now. It beats the lonely apartment you have to go back to.

You get another whiff of the smell permeating what you now believe is a coat covering you.

This is a great cologne. I should get the name of it to spray it in my apartment. Whose coat is this?

Then you hear chopped-up phrases like “duddddeeeee can I” “autograph” and “you shouldn’t-”, “it’s fine”.

The last phrase echoes through your head. That voice sounds familiar.

You inhale and catch another whiff of the coat. This is better than anything I’ve ever smelled before. Did they lace this with someone’s quirk or something?

 Wait. No, I think I’ve smelled this before.

“Is it true that you’re —”                                            “Shit”

You seem to have no concept of time. You try opening your eyes, but they were too heavy.

After a few seconds, you are floating. Surrounded by a warm wall and that smell. It was glorious.

It smells so delicious. It’s so good that it’s making me feel a little funny.

I can’t stop smelling it. I don’t want to ever stop. 

As you nod off, you feel your body nuzzle the warm sturdy wall.

Home.

---

Chapter Text

You feel yourself lying on something softer this time. A mattress?

The smell is gone.

Why is the smell gone?

Your eyes burst open. It’s dark. Your eyes gaze around your surroundings and notice that this is your bedroom. Did I not go to work today?

Your eyebrows pinch together. That assessment didn’t feel right. You could feel the fabric of jeans on your legs. Your head throbbed.

What happened?

Your eyes stare at the dark ceiling as you try to flip through your day chronologically. Work. Video. Izuku. Leave of Absence.

Realization sets in, and you gasp softly. You sit up.

Izuku is taking a leave of absence.

Shit.

How did I get home? Then you remember the voices before you passed out. How one of them saying something about an emergency contact list.

You hear the small groan of pipes before water running in your bathroom. Is someone taking a shower in my house? Whoever this person is, they’re BOLD.

Did they not know you have pro-hero friends? Before you call anyone, you flick the lamp on your nightstand. Your eyes blink to adjust to the light, and your head throbs a bit more. That was a nasty fall you took today. With the pale beige light on, you could see your surroundings better. You were definitely at home. Your orbs veered off to the other side of the room, finding a coat and several articles of clothing on top of the leather chair facing the curtains.

Your eyes shifted their gaze to the grocery store bag underneath the clothes. As quietly as you can, you get out of your bed and reach underneath the bed to find the steel bat your brother gifted you. You have two options, be snoopy and possibly die… or call someone for help.

Whoever was in there just started their shower. You gulped as your clammy hands gripped the smooth handle of the bat. Your ex-husband would go for a sneak attack while they're naked. Your lips quirk up.

Against your wits and all of your training, you decide to be snoopy.

You pad over the grey carpet. Again, you thank whatever is out there that made that decision when you got this place. You walk as quickly as you can to the clothes. It was men’s clothing. The bag was filled with tags and a paper receipt. Most likely, they bought new clothes. Perhaps not to be identified as easily?

You cautiously lift and shift the articles until you find a pants pocket. No wallet. You shift the clothes more as quickly and quietly as you can find another, no wallet. Sweat beads at your forehead. This is the last chance before I call for help instead.

You try again. You find something leathery and a set of keys with a fob on it. Car keys, you quickly pocket it.

You don’t drive anymore.

You grab the leathery item and find that it’s a wallet. You could cry. Onehandedly, you flick open the wallet and find the ID picture of the bold person who is definitely in your shower—wasting your precious warm water. Your eyes read the typed characters.

Izuku Midoriya

Oh.

Then you look at the license picture to see Izuku’s face when he was around, maybe 20? He looked younger then and eager to get his driver's license. His eyes were bright, and they reminded you of a golden retriever. Your lips quirk in a soft smile.

Your body sags as the adrenaline leaves your body in waves. You place the wallet and keys back in the same pocket. You crouch down and roll the metal bat under your bed. What good would this steel bat do against Midoriya-san anyways?

I might as well leave him to it. I should make some food.

It wasn’t like Izuku had never showered in your apartment before. It’s rare but usually when you both go to a group outing and you’ve been drinking. You mostly don’t remember what happens, but he always ensures you get back home.

You pad off into the kitchen, prepared to make something from your fridge. You grab the metal handles and pry the doors open. You see a sticky note with words scrawled all over it. It was messy. The kind of penmanship that only your brother could have.

‘Stocked your fridge. You’re welcome.

Ps. Get Hulu premium because yours sucks.

-your favorite older brother.’

He was your only sibling.

You scowl and rip off the sticky note. You slam it into the drawer beside the fridge, home to dozens of your brother’s handwritten notes. I need to change my locks, you decide. You won’t.

---

Izuku turns on the shower, dialing to the left to the blue indicator. The water sprays out from the overhead chrome fixture, jetting streams of water. It’s frigid. He notices that from turning on the shower, he bent finger-like grooves into the handle. He curses silently and promises to replace it.

His heart thunders behind bone and the wall of muscle in his chest. Fuck. He’s sweating profusely, and it feels like his body is in a sauna. Green tendrils of hair cling to his forehead.

Get into the shower Midoriya.

Don’t do it.

Get in.

Thousands of thoughts swarm through his head, none related to the shower in front of him. “Fuck,” he grumbles and reaches for the messy forest colored locks his head. Gripping it. The pulling sensation only barely registers in his brain.

Get into the shower.

His heavy legs won't budge. His feet are bolted to the cold marble bathroom floor.

He gulps. His head is swirling, and he feels like he’s been laced with some drug. He glances at the door and bites his bottom lip hard. He’s so tempted. The metal tang of his blood fills his tastebuds. His body is screeching, ‘it’s the wrong flavor—the wrong fluid on his tastebuds.  

Fuck.

Do I have a fever?

Izuku glances at the mirror, and he doesn’t even recognize his reflection. His cheeks were decorated with a blotchy red, camouflaging the freckles that littered the bridge of his nose and cheeks. Tacky sweat coated his body, and his pupils were so dilated that only a thin ring of green remained. He looks like an animal in heat.

He groans.

——-

‘Izuku shifted uncomfortably in the plastic chair in All Might’s office, holding a pillow on his crotch. He felt dizzy, and he couldn’t catch his breath. His mind felt like mashed potatoes, with one thing rattling through it. You.

All he could think of was how good you smelled. If you tasted as good as you smelled.

Holy shit. He just met you two or three weeks ago and he’s thinking about devouring your pussy like it’s his last meal. Is she really quirkless? Is this part of her quirk?  He questioned internally as he fidgeted uncomfortably. 

“Breathe, young Midoriya. You need to take deep breaths.”

The throbbing organ fights against his dark uniform pants. It was the only thing he could even think of. He was sweating rivers. He ripped open his school uniform and shrugged it off. Tossing the soaked fabric on the floor.

“All Might,” Izuku swallows a bit of air, trying to control his heavy breathing.

“What- What- is- this? Am I dying? Does (L/n)-San have a quirk that causes this?” he all but panicked. He squeezed his eyes shut. Every nerve on his body felt sensitive. Desperately begging for one more inhale of you. A taste. To have your skin under his finger tips. Your body under him. Something.

He gritted his teeth.

This was painful.

Aizawa rolled his eyes, “No. (L/n) does not have a quirk. We tested for that when she entered the school to be sure.”

“Well she only got one question wrong in the written part of the exam. That’s only happened a handful number of times,” All Might said.

“She’s so smart but yet she’s always late to everything,” Recovery girl scolded.

Izuku’s fingers clutched the wood seat of the chair, causing it to splinter and crack.

“So what is this?”

“You’re too young to know about that for now. Remember, your body enhances everything, including your sense of smell.”

He wanted to cry. Fuck, was he already?

Recovery girl was on the other side of the room, smirking and whistling. Izuku’s head snapped at her direction and his eyes glared at her. Was she mocking him?

Selfish bitch, the impulsive thought erupted to the forefront of his mind. 

Woah.

“How many weeks are left until your project with (L/n)-san is done?”

Izuku almost didn’t hear All Might. The clogs in his brain were jammed.. He shifted in his seat again. Saliva pooled in his mouth as his clothed dick grazed the pillow pressed on his lap. Good God, that felt good. It felt like an itch was being scratched . Did he just moan?

“I-I don’t know,” his voice trembled. At this point, Izuku just wanted to go home. He didn’t dare look at them. His face was flushed and sweaty. He wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Here he was, in an office with the hero he’s looked up to since he was a child and a boner. No. With the biggest erection of his goddamn life because he caught you from falling and decided to breathe.

If it weren’t for Aizawa standing nearby and pulling him away from you, Izuku would have fucked the shit out of you in that hallway. In front of everyone. He would have bent you like a pretzel in every position he had the stamina for. He would have torn your uniform to get enough of your smell. Izuku’s tongue would have been in heaven, exploring every part of your body. He didn’t give a shit if anybody watched. Showing everyone that you were his.

He swallowed, hyper-aware of his weeping dick all over his boxers. If only he could leave this room, he could find you. Bend you over right on your desk in front of your whole class. He’d lift up that skirt and rip your underwear, and—

Fuck.

Consent dude.

Izuku wasn’t exactly skillful in the bedroom, but he was not a virgin either. He lost his virginity not too long ago to some nameless girl at a party he went to a couple a few months ago. He knew nothing of the female anatomy and sex to even know where to start. Well, except for putting on a condom and where the vagina was. The thoughts in his head seemed to know exactly what to do.

I wonder if she’s a virgin?

Just a taste. The voice was echoing in various volumes  in his head. The wood underneath his fingertips crush under the pressure.

Tears pool in his eyes. He can’t stop sweating, and his skin is melting and screaming simultaneously. This is how I die, Izuku thinks dramatically.

How did Aizawa even know? Was it the look in his eyes? The dilation of his pupils? The way he held you for an abnormally long amount of time while his mind wrestled with his body?

Maybe he could jerk off in All Might's private bathroom.

“C-can I use the b-ba—“”

“Don’t even think about it, Young Midoriya.”’

Izuku manages to get his overheated form under the cold stream. He’s gripping and tearing away at the white subway tile in front of him with his fingernails. Chips of broken ceramic tile fall onto your bathroom tub. I’ll fix that later. He grinds his teeth. Stomach and balls cramping from the neglecting his erection for this long. The red fat tip leaks small eruptions of pearly pre-ejaculate. Only to be quickly washed away with streams of icy water. The thick appendage bobs mercilessly, smacking his lower abs and grazing his belly button.

Don’t touch your dick.

1 Mississippi breath in, hold 2-3-4…1 Mississippi exhale. 1 North Dakota inhale

He regrets carrying you. His mind is swirling with thoughts and imaginary scenarios. Dangerous thoughts.

Her pussy probably tastes delicious. One taste, Izuku. Just one.

What would your face look like when you cum all over his tongue?

Have you ever squirted on someone’s fingers before? If not, he’ll make it happen.

When was the last time you’ve been fucked? Would he have to open you up with his fingers and tongue first?

You’d probably look so pretty crying for him. Fat tears rolling down your blotchy cheeks as you claw at his back. Your naked legs pressed by your ears, begging him to-

Fuck.

A shiver wrecks through his body, and he’s trembling like a wet puppy. He bites into his fist as choked whine wrecks through him.

Don’t touch your dick.

Make her cum on your face.

He chokes out a sob.

No, he doesn’t regret carrying you.

---

You peer at the cat clock as soon as you wrap up cooking. You made Izuku’s favorite as a silent thank you for today. He was your emergency contact other than your brother, and he hates picking up phone calls. 

 I hope Izuku likes it, you ponder as you turn off the stove, putting the last breaded pork cutlet to rest on the side. You used a rice cooker to make white rice. You made three other side dishes that you thought would complement the main dish. Growing up, you used to cook a lot, making meals for your family to come home to while they worked hard to afford your UA education. It didn’t stop when you met Katsuki. Your love for cooking only grew because you did it with him.

You stare at the ugly pink clock again. I should get a new clock for my living room, you think, scowling at the tail swishing. It was mocking you.

Izuku has been in there for a while… Is he okay?

It’s been a little over an hour. You wave off the thought. He probably is taking a bath right after his shower.

Should I make a dessert too?

Should you? Do you even deserve to be alive right now? The thought caresses and tickles the forefront of your mind. You contemplate the idea.

You frown at the thought. You break even. You’ll cut some fruit for dessert instead.

-----

Izuku feels guilty as soon as he comes out of the shower. I’m no better than a high school teenager. Much to Izuku’s trouble, you leave your laundry bin in the bathroom. Needless to say, you’ll never see a particular pair of lilac panties again. He was nervous to be in front of you. You’d probably smell the sin he’d committed in your bathroom from his pores.

When he allows himself to come out of the bathroom, he realizes that your bedroom door is open. A medley of different aromas fills the air, and he’s thankful you’re not in the bedroom.

He stuffs his used clothing in a plastic bag. Your underwear is at the bottom of the bag. He ties the bag and leaves it on the foot of the chair where his coat is draped.

This wasn’t the first time Izuku showered at your house. In fact, you have a large emergency bag of his favorite toiletries labeled ‘Midoriya Izuku’ with a Deku and All Might sticker. Next to your brother’s emergency bag is labeled ‘Lovable Shit Head’. It’s funny how hard you act like you hate your older brother.

As he walks away, he notices a yellow paper on your nightstand. It piques his interest. What is that?

The ever-curious pro-hero treads to the nightstand and carefully lifts up the yellow paper to read it.

‘BUCKET LIST’

He stops himself from continuing. While he was glad you made one after shooting down the idea, he feels like he’s invading your privacy. Should he even read this?

1. Go to Hokkaido  Watch a meteor shower while camping
2. Get married  Go sky diving

This must be an old bucket list that she edited. It still didn’t stop the sting in his chest reading the second item.

3. Go to a concert
4. Enroll and attend clay sculpting classes to make a vase and teapot
5. Learn how to jumpstart a car and change the tires  Learn to drive again
6. Go apple picking
7. See the cherry blossoms
8. Feed the Nara deer
9. Visit NYC in America
10. Watch the sunrise at the golden temple in Kyoto
11. Adopt a cat

Izuku doesn’t fail to notice the change in your handwriting. It’s straighter and less loopy. He wants to hate it. The new handwriting was one of many representations of how much you’ve changed after Bakugo died. Yet, he was filled with hope that maybe you wanted to try.

To love what life has to offer again.

Emerald orbs stare hard at what’s listed as number 5. The gaze could set the paper on fire.

He chuckles bitterly to himself. He’s been driving you everywhere because you were so fearful of driving. He feels responsible for coddling you instead of encouraging you to drive again. Just like he was responsible for breaking up his marriage.

He folds it in two and puts it inside his pocket. He will bring it up later.

---

You start setting the dining room table with the food and utensils. By the time you are wrapping up, Izuku comes out of the bathroom dressed in green flannel pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt that spans over his broad chest. He’s barefoot. Barefoot in your apartment. Like if he was at home in your apartment.

Unfamiliar emotions stir in your stomach.

He’s attempting to dry his hair with the towel as he’s walking into the space. He’ll catch a cold if he doesn’t blow dry that soon. The thought gave you chills. You sounded like your mother.

“Ah, you’re out of the shower,” You smile as you place the final plate on the table.

Izuku looks up. When you both lock eyes, he glances away quickly. He looks flushed. His hair is dark from being damp, dripping slightly.

You catch his eyes shifting to what was on the table. The look of surprise on his face was almost comical.

“Woah! You-s-shouldn’t have done all of this! You should rest. If I had known you were doing all of this, I wouldn’t have-- Icouldhaveorderedsomefoodand—” He rambles, panicking.

“It’s okay. I actually like cooking.” You cut him off and usher him to sit. “Think of this as a thank you for all the trouble I caused you today.” 

You both sit and begin eating,

Izuku smiles lazily once he takes a bite. “I’ve missed your cooking so much. It’s so good.”

You beam at him, “Really? I was a bit nervous about how it was gonna turn out. I haven’t made meat dishes in so long.”

“It’s better than takeout. If you decide to cook more, I’ll have to be invited for dinner.”

You pause and give him a questioning look.

Izuku’s cheeks flush red, “I mean n-not like in a b- bad way. Y-you can cook whenever you wanttoitsyourapartmentandifyouwanttoinviteme-”

You giggle, effectively cutting him off. You haven’t seen Izuku this flustered since high school.

“You’re fine! I should cook more often anyways. It’s a good stress reliever.”

He sags in relief, content that you didn’t take it badly. He continues eating-no- inhaling the food as a man starved.

“You don’t have to worry about offending me, Midoriya-san, I told you to eat a dick the other day.”

He choked a bit while swallowing his food. The mentioning of a male appendage startled him. Does she know what I did in the shower?

“You’re free to come in anytime. You should invite your wife too!”

Izuku freezes in his movements, his expression grim. His body language is tense.

“Midoriya-san? Is there something—“”

You stop talking when you see him grip his utensils, almost bending them under his grasp. His hands begin to shake, and his eyes are downcast, head hanging low.

You can feel the energy in the room shift. You regret mentioning Ochako.

“(Y/n) I have something to tell you.”

You place your utensils down and look at him, empathy written clear on your face.

“You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to. Just know that when you do, I’ll be here ready to listen.”

Your words brought tears to his eyes. How is it that you could be so compassionate? How are you the same person that slammed the door in his face and got him so angry that he broke your front door?

You were like dice. Each day he rolls and gets on a different side of you.

Oddly enough, it was interesting. It made him excited to see what new ones you would show him.

Izuku opens his mouth to speak. He’s going to tell you. Suddenly, your front door slams open. You both turn at the sudden noise.

“Honey, I’m home~~! I heard you passed out like a wimp, so I brought some ice cream to watch--- Oh.”

You immediately dread not changing your locks now.

“Wait, Izuku-san? Why are you here at my lame-ass sister’s house?”

You curled your lip. You were about to pop a blood vessel.

“(B/n)-san, you shouldn’t be rude to your sister like that,” Izuku nervously smiles.

“Why did you just slam my door open like that as if you pay rent, you little fucktard?” You seethe.

Izuku pales. Oh god, please no.

Your brother slams the door closed with a shit-eating grin, “Ya happy now?” Then looks around and takes a deep sniff. “OOOO you made food?! Don’t mind if I help myself~”

You want to choke him. You want to choke him and make him see the other side.

“Besides, I’m not the one who is little here. Last time I checked, I came out of Mom’s vagina three years before you did. Plus, how tall are you again, like 164 cm? That’s waaaay shorter than me,” The shithead adds, giving you a small smirk. You swear you see a glint in his (e/c) eyes.  

Izuku feels the rage pouring from your skin. He feels dread sink to the pit of his stomach. Yet, Izuku doesn’t know if he should stop or continue eating. Was it rude to confuse eating during this interaction? But, the food was so good.

Your eye twitches as you see your brother hang up his coat, take off his shoes, and insert the ice cream in the freezer.

“There’s no food for you,” you say as you take another bite.

“Lies, I see another cutlet right here.”

Izuku feels like a bystander while you bicker like cat and dog while your brother decides to fix a plate for himself. Was this what it was like to have siblings?

Your brother decides to sit next to Izuku, diving into a meal you made that he had no permission to eat.

“So, pipsqueak, why did you faint?”

Right, Izuku forgot to even ask you that question.

You suck your teeth, “What’s it to you?” Your brother peers at you through his lashes, “Because I have embarrassing baby photos on my phone, and I will not hesitate to show Izuku-san over here.”

Fuck.

“What kind of embarrassing photos?” Izuku asks. Your brother grins like the grinch. Your heart thuds loudly in your chest.

“Okay-okay, I’ll answer. Just don’t show him.”

Izuku wonders what kind of baby photos your brother has of you. How bad were they?

You scratch a bit at the side of your neck and look at your meal. You mutter your answer.

“Huh? Speak up?” Your brother is just eating this up.

You sigh in exasperation. “I fainted because I saw a video at work that surprised me. My diet also has been shit for the past week.”

Both look at you, waiting for more details. Your jaw ticks. You catch your brother reaching into his pocket, retrieving a sleek smartphone. Your eyes widened like a deer in headlights.

“Okay okay, you asshole.”

The asshole in question smiles innocently.

“The video was about Midoriya-san taking a leave of absence.” You look away from Izuku and off to the side, the tips of your ears lobster red.

Silence fills the room.

Then howling laughter breaks it. “You fainted because of that?!” he roars as he continues laughing. Heat crawls up your neck.

“Well, of course, I would. Midoriya-san is Deku. I never imagined that Deku would ever take a leave of absence. Let alone for a year.” Your defense was mild at best.

“Oh, you think that is news? Wait ‘til you hear Uravity and Deku are taking a break,” your brother laughs.

Your look of bewilderment makes your brother stop in his tracks.

“What did you say?”

He looks at Izuku, whose gaze is fixed on his nearly empty plate. Your brother turns to Izuku beside him.

“Aw shit, man, you didn’t tell her?”

Izuku now knows why you always want to slap your brother.

“Midoriya-san, is that true?” A genuine look of concern is present in your features. He’d much rather crawl into a hole a rot away for life. He should have told you earlier.

You give a tight-lipped smile, “It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything you’re not comfortable sharing. Just know that I’m always here to listen when you are.”

“No bitch. Stop being so fucking selfish and being a good friend because I’m nosy, and I want to know. So, spit it out.” Your brother shovels another bite of his food.

Izuku bites the inside of his cheek and mulls over, deciding in telling you both. Before he can decide, you start arguing with your brother about how he can’t read the room. Izuku silently thanks whatever gods are out there.

Soon enough, you all finish dinner. You and your brother are bickering about anime characters while Izuku is tasked with putting on the latest Bleach episode. He doesn’t know where to start. Bleach? As in Clorox? Why are we watching an episode of Clorox? His thoughts swirl in a circle. He’s frantically googling by the time your brother comes back and pries the remote from Izuku’s hand.

“(Y/n) went to go shower. So we can hold off on starting the show,” your brother informs him. Izuku gnaws on his bottom lip. Shit, the ceramic tile—

“Midoriya-san? What happened to my shower?!”

Izuku shouts a half-truth, something somewhat believable. You seem to accept it with no backlash. You usually take around twenty or so minutes to shower. While you’re there, your brother decides to show Izuku the baby pictures. Izuku sees the one where you’re naked, covered in your own excrement, holding an obviously dirty diaper as if it was a medal. The broad gummy smile on your chubby face was hysterical. Izuku laughs at the one where you were taken to a circus, where a clown was holding you. You were crying hysterically, and your eyes were bulging out.

“Izuku-san, why did you and Uravity taking a break?” Your brother suddenly asks Izuku, his facial expression lacking the humor that it did at the dinner table. It stuns Izuku. He doesn’t recall a time when your brother was ever serious since he’s met him.

“I-I,” Izuku pauses and looks solemnly at the floor. The bitter emotion of regret and hurt surged in his heart.

Your brother gives him a tight-lipped smile, the one you gave him earlier. That’s when Izuku sees the similarities in your facial features with your brother. You both had the same eyes. The same ones that told a thousand stories with one gaze.

“Izuku-san, has she ever told you my quirk?”  Izuku stares at him, drawing a blank on his encyclopedia of quirk knowledge.

“I can read what’s deep inside people’s hearts, your fears, your hopes, what makes you sad,” he pauses and smiles sardonically, his gaze focused on his hands.

“All from just looking at the person’s eyes.”

Izuku’s heart thuds in his chest. No.

“There is a limitation, though,” he adds. Your brother's smile transforms into something he can’t quite tell the emotion.

“I was never able to read my sister or my parents. Something about the genetic similarities made it like a biological protective shield from my quirk. Cousins and aunts were difficult to read, but I was usually able to do it with some effort.”

Izuku swallows audibly, “I see.”

“It’s not something that’s on all the time. Sometimes it activates if the person is overwhelmed or brimming with emotions, but for the most part, I can control it. That’s why I work as a detective.”

Your brother was one of Japan’s greatest detectives, working alongside pro-heroes in large police operations to take down organized crime in the Musutafu. He’s been praised in magazines and interviewed by many broadcasting stations. Izuku never thought to think if your brother even had a quirk.

“It’s a rare quirk. Quite honestly, I’m not even sure where it came from because our mother has a fabric quirk, and our father can manipulate liquids into ice. Doctors told our mother that quirks are usually passed down from either parent or a combination of both. Doctors later ran a genetic test and saw that they were descendants of one of the first people to have a mind-reading quirk. Neighbors shunned our parents because I was a freak.”

“(Y/n) never paid any mind to their treatment towards me.  When she was younger, she looked at me like I hung up the moon and stars. Imagine a little five-year-old telling an 8-year old whose been treated like shit that he’s your favorite person. She did that until she hit puberty. Then she became a little shit,” he chuckles.

“When (Y/n) brought home Bakugo, I swore to myself I wouldn’t read him. I wanted to save myself from possible guilt or heartache. But low and behold, you come around one day, and it suddenly activates.”

Izuku shifts uncomfortably. His hands feel sweaty and sticky. His heart thunders in his chest.

“You were brimming with all of these fears, hopes, dreams. It was overwhelming, honestly. I almost passed out.” He chuckles.

“But then (Y/n) said something and smiled at you. That’s when I caught it. There was no denying it.”

“You were in love with her.”

Your brother smiles softly as he closes his eyes. It made him look almost fatherly and wiser beyond his years.

“The reason for your issues with Ochako is because you’re still in love with my sister. Isn’t it?”

All of the air wooshed out of Izuku’s lungs. The words feel heavy on Izuku’s shoulders. The weight of guilt and the admission of his forbidden feelings for you.

“There’s no need to answer me, Izuku-san. I already know the answer. But you wanna know something?”

Izuku gazes quizzically at your brother, his chin trembling.

“I was always rooting for you, even since you were in high school.” Your brother gives Izuku a bittersweet smile and a thumbs up.

Izuku’s eyebrows raise up, jade eyes wide like saucers.

“As I said, my quirk, for the most part, is controlled by me. Unless there are overwhelming emotions in a person. Not once did my quirk activate for Bakugo. While I can’t say he didn’t love her because I never got the chance to read him. But you,” he snorts.

“You have activated my quirk several times.”

Izuku wanted to crawl into a hole right now.

“So know, that bucket list idea will pan out okay. Just pull it out of your pocket and go with it. Don’t let that fear of rejection shoot you down.” Your brother gives Izuku a thumbs up.

Izuku blinks. How the hell…He’s known all this time. Yet, he didn’t say anything to (Y/n). In those short minutes, your brother spoke, Izuku’s view of him shifted. He was no longer the supporting cast character with a two-dimensional personality. Your brother has more dimension and depth than he originally assumed. It’s changed what Izuku will think of him from now on. He had so much more buried under the crazy personality he often presented around you.

‘I was always rooting for you.’

The words ricochet back and forth in his head.

Before Izuku could respond, he heard the shower door open. A few seconds later, you walk over to the sectional with a blow dryer with matching hearts and stars PJs. Your brother cocks his head.

“Where’s mine?” Just like that, pandora’s box was shut again, hiding the layers of your brother’s personality.

You roll your eyes, “They’re in the closet. Honestly, it was very weird that you even asked for that.”

He shrugs, “What can I say? I’m just a simple man who wants matching pajamas with his favorite sister.”

“I’m your only sister,” you quip, setting the blow dryer on the coffee table.

With that, your brother stands up from the plushy cushions, stretching his limbs as long as possible. “I’m going to go shower. Don’t start the episode yet!” he takes off like an excited child and closes your bathroom door.

Izuku can hear you grumble, “Did this idiot plan on using my towel?” It makes him laugh a tiny bit. The relief unclenched his tense muscles from the earlier conversation.

“All right Midoriya-san, it’s time to dry your hair before you catch a cold.”

You might as well have told him you would break his arm. He would much rather fall off a 20-story building than be so close to you again. First, he attempts to wave you off. You don’t take no for an answer and decide to plug in the hair dryer with the extension cord near the sectional. Second, he tries lying and saying that it is almost dry.

It was dripping wet.

Eventually, Izuku folds under peer pressure.

You card through his soft forest locks, waving the blow-dryer around nonsensically while he sat on the floor. Your legs dangled around his form by his arms, very close to touching his arms. The raspy hum of the blowdryer and your blunt fingernails scratching his scalp made him feel like this was normal. The warm air relaxed his nerves as he felt the bitter chill of his damp hair slowly fade.

Thankfully her scent is hard to capture with the blow-dryer, even if I am right between her legs. He blinks. He blinks again. Heat flushes up his neck as he thinks about what he did in your shower. The panties that you’ll never see again.

“Hey, Midoriya-san, is it true?” Your voice cuts through his daydreaming.

He knew what you were asking. If it was true that they were splitting up and he was taking a leave of absence. His mouth lacks moisture all of a sudden. He clears the discomfort from his throat. You didn’t stop your movements with the blow dryer. His hair lazily flowed with the warm air away from the direction you were pointing at.

“Y-yes. All of it is true.”

You swallowed the ball of spit that collected in your mouth. You pause in your movements for a split second. You began mulling over what you would say to him. What could you possibly say when the world he built by boring brick was crashing in front of his eyes?

You lick your lips and swallow again. Shit.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” you paused, then thought. Should I even ask?

Izuku chuckles bitterly. The sound grates your skin.

“You’re probably wondering why, right?” `You could see him clench his fists back and forth, then leaning back slightly on the couch.

“I hurt Ochako with my selfishness,” He  starts. You blink, and one of your eyebrows quirks up. What does he even mean by that? Izuku was one of the most selfless people you’ve ever met. Even though he was hurting, he went to pick you up from your job after you fainted. He didn’t have a familial obligation to you. No, he did it because he was selfless. He has been by your side after Katsuki died, despite it being three years.

“S-she has put up with a lot in the past couple of years and I wasn’t there for her. How can I be a hero to the public if I can’t even be a good husband to my wife?” His plaintive tone made you squirm a bit. You didn’t like hearing him so down on himself.

You take a deep breath and sigh. You turn off the blow dryer You leave your hands on his scalp and continue massaging the warm skin. Much like he did to you earlier this week. He won't ever admit it, but this felt wonderful. He practically melts under your touch.

“I-I don’t think you should say that about yourself. Midoriya-san, you are human. You’re not Captain America, and even he has his faults. I-I think that--,” you pause, swallowing the lump of guilt inside your throat. This was probably your fault. If you hadn’t been so weak- then their relationship could have…

“Deku is the pro hero. Your job. She should know she married Midoriya Izuku, the stubborn but would gladly risk his life for you man that she’s known since she was a freshman. Nobody is perfect, but we are who we are. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but I believe the people whom we are meant to end up with see our faults and say, ‘okay, so now what? How can we work together as a team and build from here?’” You gasp and pause your massage on his scalp for a second.

“N-not that you both didn’t try or anything!” You add quickly, embarrassed that you probably assumed something false.

“While I think- hope-know? Gah,” you sigh exasperatedly. You really don’t want him to feel like he couldn’t rely on you.

“I know Ochako still loves you, and you still love her—”

He huffs accidentally. He stiffens, the action is completely unexpected. You blink a couple of times, did you wrongly assume?

“Midoriya-san… Do you still love Ochako?” You felt like you were stepping on eggshells with this question. Were you prying too much by asking this?

“I do still care about  Ochako, but I’m not sure if we’re going to make it out of this.” His voice was clear but he seemed cautious. Like he didn’t want to explain it to you.

He didn’t really answer if he was still in love with her, you realize.

You continue messaging his scalp, your blunt fingernails going over a raised patch of skin located near his right temple. A scar. His eyes practically roll back, if he was a dog, his tail would look like helicopter blades.

He clears his throat. He couldn’t let you know that he was enjoying this a bit too much right now.

“We’ve tried counseling for a year. I… I couldn’t open up to her. I never let her in. All my life, I’ve been worried about other people and when she tries to delve deeper, I freeze.”

The words hang in the air, filled with guilt. But for some reason, saying this to you feels cathartic. As if he didn’t have to pretend anymore. Like the shackles of perfection were released from his limbs. He could just be him, and you wouldn’t judge him. It was liberating.

You hum, mulling over his words. You spend a couple of moments in silence, carding your hands through his soft curls.

“How long have you been holding that in?” You could read him like a damn book.

He lets out a breath and mutters a ‘long enough’.

You smile, “Well, I’m happy that you felt comfortable enough to share that with me. That makes me happy that you trust me to say these things.”

His heart thuds against his ribcage. A light blush dusts the tips of his ears as he nods. Why do you say things that make his heart race like that?

“I think it’s great that you are taking a leave of absence to deal with what you —and you don’t have to tell me the reason— but I think it’s a great time to delve deep. It gives you an opportunity to learn about yourself, not the Pro- Hero Deku. Maybe to learn how to feel comfortable with the not-so-perfect parts of you and share that with others? Hopefully, you’ll release those expectations you perceive others have of you. You’ll hopefully learn that it’s okay to be selfish sometimes.”

You pause and think about Ochako and how she probably feels.

“But also, this is a great time to reflect on how she felt during all of this. Like I sure wouldn’t be happy about my husband spending so much time with another woman. E-even though I know I should be the last one speaking about this. I think it’s important to recognize that this didn’t come out of the blue.”.

You should take your damn advice, dumbass. You wave off the insecure thought, focusing on the warmth on your fingertips—the small feeling of energy thrumming between your skin and his.

Your words permeate his brain. It sinks into his gut as he recounts the words. Was it okay to be selfish sometimes? Just how comfortable will he become with the ugly buried deep inside? Moments go by. Comfortable silence between the two of you covers the area.

Your nose twitches. You inhale again, this time paying attention to the smell.  Huh. Was it coming from Izuku? Then you sniff his shirt subtly, careful not to smash your face into his scalp. Your eyes roll back and you stifle a groan. He smells good. Did he always smell this good?

You try to card through your memories. Suddenly, the smell brought back something you forgot about. .

In college, you were coming off the plane and returning from your semester abroad studying in New York City. It was bittersweet to leave behind all of the friends you’d met and had grown accustomed to the fast-paced lifestyle. But you were returning home to your boyfriend, Katsuki, and all of your friends here. When you reached the airport exit, you were shocked that it wasn’t your boyfriend picking you up, but Izuku and Mina. You don’t remember why he wasn’t able to make it, but you do recall how excited you were to see them after so long. You almost drop everything to run towards their smiling faces, jumping on Mina and Izuku.

You smile, reminiscing the odd memory because you asked Mina what shampoo she used that day. You recall the confused look on her face when you said that it smelled amazing. Days later, you had bought that shampoo and was bitterly disappointed that it was not that scent.

You try to subtly inhale the air, leaning in a bit closer. Is this his body wash that smells so good? You wonder. From what you remember, his body wash was very similar to Katsuki’s, but more mildly scented. Something about rainforest green? It definitely does not smell like this.  

Little did you know, your scent is making Izuku’s eyelids droop —dizzy and warm. Crap, the air from the blow dryer isn’t there anymore to dilute it. He could practically feel his pupils expanding. His tongue is starting to feel heavy in his mouth sweat starts to form on his brow.

Izuku hears a door being opened from a distance over the whooshing sound of blood in his ears and the slight electricity of your touch. “(Y/n) I need a towel! I forgot one!”

“Of course you did!” You shout, walking to your bedroom. Once Izuku heard you slam the bathroom door. He relaxed his body completely, his head falling back on the couch seat.

“That was so close,” He whispers to himself. He was still breathing heavily, and his hands rested on his knees. At least it doesn’t affect me so much as it did when I was younger. He mentally takes note for how long that close contact interaction lasted compared to high school.

He gets himself up from the hardwood floor and decides to fish in his pocket for the bucket list. He quickly glances over it and looks at begins to think strategically. He begins planning for a year instead of a couple of months. Maybe it was selfish of him. Most of these things could be done by June, but he wanted to spend more time with you.

 He blinks and takes a sharp inhale. Why did he want to spend more time with you? I mean, that’s what friends do… Right? That’s normal. People do that all the time, he thinks. Trying to convince himself that there are no underlying emotions other than friendship. That wanting to spend more time with you is a normal friend feeling.

You pad back from the bathroom, muttering to yourself. “Why do I have such a dumb ass brother? Who the fuck asks for rubber ducks to play with. A grown-ass man,” you trail off. You walk to the kitchen to grab Tupperware.

You figure why not start packing any leftovers you may have before you get too lazy.

“Do you need any help?”

You jump at the sudden voice, your heart beating at a thousand miles an hour. Your hand clutches at the fabric covering your chest, “You scared me.”

Izuku smiles slightly. You were so stuck in your own head that you didn’t notice him at all. It was cute.

He shakes his head, trying to rid the unwanted thought. Not cute at all, stop it Izuku. Get yourself together. You’re grieving, and you’re looking at (Y/n) weirdly.

You tilt your head, watching Izuku weirdly shake his head. Is he okay?

Nonetheless, you take Izuku’s offer for help as you guys get into a comfortable rhythm. You both take care of the food packaging fairly quickly. There wasn’t much to package but having an extra set of hands made it a lot faster. You both move on to cleaning up the dishes and the kitchen area in a smooth transition. You wordlessly communicate items that you need and hand them to each other before they even need to be said. It almost looked like a well-run machine operation, programmed to know what the other would do or what was missing.

Izuku pauses in his dishwashing. He completely forgot to ask if he could stay over tonight. His heart starts to this in his chest. It’s not like he’s slept over before as your guestroom. But what about Ochako? The thought hits in like a cold splash of water. He mentally groans. He hadn’t even called her to let her know he was here. He just left her to eat lunch by herself, alone. That was hours ago.

--------

‘ Izuku presses the end call button with a shaky finger. The room felt like it was spinning.

“It’s okay Izuku, (Y/n)-chan is in trouble. It’s no worries. Go make sure she’s okay.” Ochako smiles politely. It falters a bit as Izuku stares at her. Obviously, Ochako didn’t like the idea that he was called while spending time together. He knew that. But, he was your other emergency contact if they couldn’t reach your brother.

Izuku stares at the smartphone in his hand. His nerves were yelling at him, and the adrenaline rush came in droves. He wanted to run to you so badly that every second he sat there hurt him. But why? His wife is sitting right across the table from him. She should be his top priority. Not you.

But all he’s thinking about is you. Are you okay? Did you eat? He chews his lower lip, almost tasting the metallic undertone beneath the rosy flesh.

Before he knew it, his legs stood up so fast, it made the chair behind him fall backwards. The sound of the chair falling to the floor startled everyone around them at the restaurant, causing stares and murmers.

“I promise I’ll make it up to you.” He didn’t dare look at her—the acrid taste of guilt heavy on his tongue. 

She nodded with a close-lipped smile. With that, the adrenaline unlocked some of his quirk by accident. The sparks of green swirled and crackled around his body as he ran out of the restaurant to his house. It took him less than a minute to get to his house and get in his car. He didn’t even bother adjusting the mirrors properly in his haste. He backed off the driveway, barely even glancing behind him, opened the gate of his property, and sped off to your job. His hand gripping the steering wheel so hard, it bent under his fingertips.

Please be okay.’

—-

“Um (Y-y/n), is it okay if I call Ochako? I forgot to let her know I was here.”

You wave him off, “Of course. You don’t even have to ask. Please don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. I’m pretty sure my brother is going to try to sleep in my bed instead of the couch.”

Izuku's eye twitches. What kind of weird relationship do you two have?

You roll your eyes, “No matter how many times I kick him out, he’s always like, ‘(nickname) you’re really gonna let your onii-chan sleep out on the couch, where he could get kidnapped by scary monsters?’” You try to mimic his voice the best you can, all whiny and pouty.

You sigh as you finish wiping the countertop. You put all of your cleaning materials back into their original spot inside your cub boards.

 Izuku’s face pales. Your brother has a sister-complex. Izuku has no doubt in his mind that he’s right. Would she be okay with him there? He thinks while chewing the inside of his cheek. He wasn’t confident that you would be. He almost feels bad for you.

Izuku finishes drying the dishes and you start placing them back into their spot, aligning them to ensure they’re stacked neatly exactly where you like them.

He walks away to your guest bedroom and shuts the door. He fishes his phone out of his pocket, unlocking the screen to see three notifications from his wife.

‘1 missed call from Midoriya Ochako’

‘1 New Voicemail from Midoriya Ochako’

‘1 New text message from Midoriya Ochako’

Fuck. He rubs his hand on his face, frustration bubbling quickly. Why didn’t he text her? Why couldn’t he be a normal husband to Ochako? When did Ochako become on the back burner of his priorities? He thinks about the words you said to him.

He gulps some air before he lets it out. He presses the voice message and holds his phone close to his ear to hear it.

“Hi, Izuku. Is (Y/n)-chan okay? I haven’t heard from you yet, so I hope everything is okay. Let me know if you’re coming home for dinner tonight.”

“If you would like to save this message, press 1. If you would like to delete this message press 2,--”

He hangs up and presses on Ochako’s contact, not bothering to read the text message she wrote. His thumb presses the call button and puts the screen to his ear.

After a few rings, she picks up with a “Hello?”.

He sighs with a bit of relief. She doesn’t seem too mad, he thinks as he sits on the foot of the bed.

------

Once Izuku briefly explained what happened, he could hear the worry in Ochako’s tone. He didn’t explain that the reason why you fainted was because of his leave of absence. No, he explained that it was your poor diet, like the nurse at your job had mentioned, and stress. She briefly asks him if he ate anything and he guilty admits that he did. The disappointment in her tone settled uncomfortably in his stomach. After some back and forth, they both hang up the phone.

I should head back soon, he thinks as he opens the door. He turns the corner and walks past the hallway that is connected to your bedroom, heading to the kitchen. Once Izuku steps into the living room, he can see you through the open bar that separates your living room and kitchen, like a pillared frame that reminds him of a TV. It feels like he’s looking at your life through a screen rather than being in it.

Izuku takes a moment to look at you, leaning on the frame of the hallway opening. You’re meticulously separating and organizing the cutlery, ensuring that not even one is out of place. Your lips are pressed together as you glare at the cutlery. A small crease is painted on your forehead from furrowing your eyebrows in frustration. His fingers tingle at his sides as he frowns at your frustration. His grimace deepens at his sudden urge to rub the crease from your forehead away. He wonders if this intense need for organization and cleanliness came from Katsuki’s death.

The bucket list feels like it’s burning in his pocket.

He peels himself from the frame and walks over to you. Once he’s in the kitchen, he stands by the fridge.

“Umm,” Izuku begins, trying to catch your attention. You turn your head toward him, raising an eyebrow curiously.

“I didn’t mean to pry, b-but I found your bucket list on your nightstand.”

You frown a little bit and turn away from his gaze. You set the cooking chopsticks right where you’ve labeled them in your utensils drawer. You didn’t want to answer what he was really questioning. You never minded when Izuku was a bit curious, but you were a little embarrassed that he found it. Especially because of what you wrote.

You chew the soft tissue on the inside of your cheek.

“Yeah, that was the old one I had in college. I went through it the other day and crossed out what I’ve already done since then. Minor changes is all.”

“So, I have it right here… Do you want to talk about it?”

You close the drawer and look at the countertop, “I mean, you’ve already looked at it. What is there to say?”

Izuku takes in a shaky breath, regretting not talking to you earlier about it.

“I wanted to know if you were still interested in doing the bucket list challenge.”

“I..” Did you even want to do this? Why else would you rewrite the bucket list? When you sat down with the old list, you didn’t know why you dug through your storage closet to grab it.

As you hesitate, Izuku peers at you with a sudden look in his eyes. His entire demeanor shifts causing a chill to run up your spine. It startles you a bit as your hands feel clammy. He walks towards you and stops right where there is enough personal space between you. His eyebrows are slightly furrowed, and his emerald eyes are sharp. His lips were downturned in a slight frown. You’ve only seen this look on replays of broadcasting stations for work. This determined look Deku does when he’s fighting villains. It makes your stomach flip.

“(Y/n), I’m tired.” He pauses. His voice gets deeper, signaling his frustration.

“I’m tired of seeing how fear, guilt, and despair control you. I’m tired of seeing how you continue to hurt yourself over the past three years for something that wasn’t your fault.” The words impact you, causing your eyes to water slightly. You hold back the emotions from rising to the surface.

“You deserve to be happy.”

“I-I’m fine,” you smile shakily. The smile fades quickly as you set your gaze on the floor. You missed the way Izuku’s eyes glow with unbridled anger. The way he grinds his molars at the lie that you told him. It was obvious to him because when you lie, you look at the floor, and your feet shift slightly inwards.

His fist bangs on the countertop beside you, causing a hairline crack throughout the marble.

“Why are you lying?” His voice was cold and bitter with rage. Although he was spot on, you feel a flicker of irritation.

How does he always know?

You scoff and roll your eyes, “Why do you care? Riddle me this, Midoriya-san, are you asking me these questions because of an obligation or because you’re my friend?”

The question turned his cheeks pink as he gave you a dirty look. Little did you know, this question has been thrown at Izuku several times this week, and it hit a nerve.

He steps closer, causing you to crane your head just a bit more to hold his furious gaze. “Obligation? You think the promise to Ka-chan has anything to do with the bucket list idea?” he grits out.

You suck your teeth, “So you’re saying that is all from the kindness of your heart?” You throw the cleaning towel on the cracked countertop. You cross your arms against your chest as you clench your jaw.

A brief look of hurt flashes through his features before fury fills them. His pine-green orbs are cold, ruthless even.

He laughs bitterly, “So you think I’m acting like this out of obligation?” He squeezes his eyes shut as he releases a sigh. He pinches the bridge of his nose, covering some of the splattered freckles on his face.

For some reason, the action made you ticked off. Although it’s a normal reaction to irritation, it didn’t sit well with you. It feels almost mocking. It reminded you of an adult talking to a child who said something ridiculous. You weren’t being ridiculous.

“(Y/n) you’ve been my friend for almost ten years? Of course, I’m worried about you.”

“Well, I don’t need your worry.” You bite out.

“Are you serious right now? (Y/n) you fainted today because of your eating habits lately. You barely eat, and I can feel your self-hatred when you do.” He lets out a harsh laugh. If anybody in Japan thought Izuku couldn’t be mad, they’d be in a coma from what goes on inside your apartment.

“You flip through 24 channels daily to end up on the weather channel. You meticulously organize everything in your house and clean until you have bleach burns on your hands. Not to mention, everything inside every drawer is labeled. You cry whenever you see snow. You think that that’s fine?” Izuku raises his voice at you.

“So what? So what if I flip through channels every morning? So what that I like to organize and clean my things? So what if seeing snow makes me sad? None of that matters to anyone. The earth is going to continue spinning at 1670 kilometers per hour. Life  is going to continue moving, and I’ll be alone.” He didn’t fail to notice the way your voice cracks at the end.

“What you really want to say is that your life doesn’t matter because Kaa- chan is dead, right?”

You took a sharp inhale at the sudden jolt in your heart. Your chin wobbles as fresh tears make their way down your cheeks. Izuku didn’t break eye contact with you. His gaze is blazing and filled with emotion.  

A mix of resentment, anger, embarrassment, and grief barrels through your veins. You want to slap him. You want to cry into a corner and never come out.

For now, you mutter a ‘I need some air’. You walk quickly to the front entrance, grabbing your hung up coat and quickly putting your shoes on. You grab your keys and phone from the table right next to the entrance. You close the door behind you without glancing back.

You take a shaky inhale as you try to exhale it. That fucking hurt coming from Izuku. Tears begin blurring your vision. You held the rush of emotions, not here. You walk out of your building and turn corner after corner with no sense of real direction. The cold winter air nipped at your fingers and cheeks. You stop walking when you reach a semi familiar coffee shop almost a train ride away from your apartment. You go inside, greeted by the warm rush of air and bright lights. You order a hot matcha latte with your milk preference and sit at a booth until your order is ready.

You look at the wooden slab of the table. The dam finally breaks. You release all of the frustration and anger, the hurt, and the guilt you’ve kept in for so long. You cry because you’re embarrassed. You cry because it feels so good to finally let it out after holding it for thirty minutes.

By the time the server comes to you with your drink, you look like a mess. You are crying and snotty with the deepest under eye circles that they’ve probably ever witnessed on anyone. You blubber a watery thank you as the person sets the drink down taking your payment and tip. You thank what ever force is out there for whoever came up with phone payments.

You continue crying until you calm down and your breathing normalizes. You decide to wipe your face with the tissues on the table and take a large gulp of the glass of water the server brought after the latte. You set it down and for the first time, you reflect. Why did you leave your own apartment instead of just kicking Izuku out? How long have you been here? How’d the day wind up like this?

Having arguments with Izuku made you feel a combination of emotions that you don’t experience at the same time. The only experience you had arguing with people was from your brother. You e never argued with anyone except for Izuku. All you know is how to run away when the argument gets you emotional, you sardonically think. You recognized that you weren’t equipped with the ability to continue communicating when you are emotional. You recognize the faults you had when you decide to put up walls instead of breaking them. You know that. It’s just hard getting past it.

You think back to when you met Izuku and Katsuki, the group project you worked on your final semester. During those years, you preferred Izuku to hang out with. Katsuki was harsh and abrasive towards you to the point where you actually told your teacher you’d take a failing grade than continue the project with him.

You smile bitterly. Katsuki was forced to take anger management classes three times a week as an agreement to continue the project. But by the time winter rolled around, you had a mild crush on the forest green-haired teen you worked with three times a week. You had no clue Katsuki even had a crush on you until white day when he confessed his feelings with the spiciest chocolates you’ve ever tasted. At first, you were hesitant to go on a date with the hotheaded teen, but Ochako convinced you to give it a go.

From there, the brash personality disappeared completely around you. It was shocking to see him so sweet towards you, and it made you fall in love with the straw-headed UA menace. You briefly broke up at one point in college but got back together after a few months apart. Yet, you never once argued with him. At least, not having a screaming match as you did with Izuku.

You seemed to argue with Izuku more than you ever thought possible. When you talked to your therapist about it, he told you healthy relationships have disagreements. He also wanted you to consider that not arguing was a sign that the relationship would lack growth and depth.

You sit back as the thought runs through your head. Did your relationship with Katsuki lack substantial things? The question made you wonder, did you even know Katsuki's deepest darkest fears? His regrets? You rack your brain trying to think of a time when you’ve both been vulnerable and not talked about superficial things.

After a few moments, you grimace. You couldn’t seem to find a memory.

Katsuki was a private person. But that doesn’t help that you had been together with him for seven years, and you don’t know his insecurities or regrets. The thought swirls around your head.

You knew some of Izuku’s deepest regrets. The listed items came easily to the forefront of your mind. Your mind took you down memory lane as you gazed out the glass of the café.

One of them was when he was tasked with a mission to Bali for six months while his mother was receiving cancer treatment. Inoko had a risky removal surgery for the tumor located in her brain. Izuku wasn’t even in the country while that was happening. She had almost died and that would have been the last time he’d ever see her. He regretted going on that trip and still does.

Another regret was a moment when he fought a villain; he didn’t get the chance to lead him away from the city. Izuku had gotten distracted for one second from the villain telling other civilians to evacuate the area. In that short time frame, the villain had gotten his hands on his assistant’s young son and killed them right in front of Izuku’s eyes. He regrets not telling his assistant to take the day off for their birthday. If he did, the child wouldn’t have been going to pick up their parent that day. If he had kept his eyes on the villain, rather than turned his head, the villain wouldn’t have grabbed that child, spewing a sarcastic lesson.

Yuta wouldn’t have died.

You grip the cup in your hand. That day was almost two years ago. Your mind wanders to recall the events of that day—the phone call you received from Todoroki at work that made you rush out without a moment's notice.

After detaining the villain, nobody knew where Izuku had gone. You began to run down the city blocks when you left your job. Turning corners as your legs pumped as fast as they could. You knew exactly where to go.  He was on the rooftop of Musutafu’s highest tower, overlooking the city. You’re soaked in sweat and panted so hard when you get there. You felt like your lungs were dying. Without a quirk, it was tough for you to convince the biased security guard of the building to let you in.

You remember the harsh insults the guard had spat at you, calling you names under the sun, when he saw the dark blue circle on the corner of your ID- a branding for every quirkless person. You don’t even remember what you said to him to let you get on the special fright elevator to the rooftop. He decided to stop it in the middle of the ride up to harass you. You walked so many flights of stairs, your legs almost gave out. The security guard murmured something about quirkless weaklings, and you quelled the urge to punch him in the throat. You remember the loud gasp the security guard had seeing pro hero Deku in front of his eyes. Thankfully, the guard gave you space after that.

You remember calling out Izuku’s name tentatively. You were the zookeeper trying not to upset the tiger. In a flash of green, his arms wrapped around you. His bloody hands gripped the fabric of your clothes as you both fell on the floor. He cried in your arms that day.

Ah crap. You feel the wet drop hit your folded hands.  Recalling the sobs and guttural cries Izuku made seems to make you shed a few tears. You grab another tissue and wipe your eyes, discarding it to the small mountain of used tissues on the table. 

Izuku never looked at work the same again. Now all employees at his agency get the week off on their birthday. The office employees must leave at six every day and work from home on Fridays. His agency was the first to enforce familial leave that was fully paid for an entire year and available to take at any moment.

But Izuku is your friend. Katsuki is-was your husband. The thought makes you wince as guilt swirls in your stomach. Did you ever know your husband?

You sigh. This feels like too much to think about right now, you thought as you stared at the patterned design of foam in the ceramic cup.

You take a sip of the matcha latte and your tongue bursts with excitement. The sweet, frothy mixture was creamy and had notes of the grassy herbal flavor of the matcha powder. It was just what you needed.

“(Y/n)?” A familiar voice causes your head to turn to its source. Your eyes land on a woman with brown hair, and big brown eyes. Ochako. You see some patrons gasp seeing the pro hero, others decide to take pictures. You frown slightly. Heros don’t get privacy, huh?

Your lips quirked up a bit at her as she walked towards you. The sepia orbs train on your face, then sharply move to the tissues, then back to you. You squirm sheepishly under her gaze.

She smiles kindly at you, “Are you waiting for someone?” You wonder if it’s rehearsed or genuine.

You shake your head, and she asks if she can sit. You stammer a “s-sure.”

She slides almost gracefully into the booth across from you. You would have looked like a mess attempting what she did. Well, this is Izuku’s wife.

“I haven’t seen you in so long! It feels like forever,” She smiles, her bubbly personality present.

Your smile trembles, “Yeah, sorry about that”

Her eyes cut to the tissues and analyze your face meticulously. She notes you look a lot thinner than she last saw you, your cheeks looked sullen and your eyes a lot wider. They look sunken, and the puffiness of what she assumes you crying makes it look worse. Your clothes look two sizes bigger than your frame. You look sick.

Were you wearing pajamas?

Ochako bites the inside of her lips. She takes a moment to look at your hands. You were picking at the skin at the edges of your fingernails. You look nervous.

Your hands were skeleton hands, skin stretching over the bone. There was barely any muscle or meat left. Guilt swells in her chest. I should have been more empathetic to Izuku. The thought brings tears to her waterline. You were quite obviously underweight. Guilt clogs Ochako’s coat. All Izuku was trying to do was make sure (Y/n) was okay. I’m so selfish. The thought tastes bitter in her mouth.

While she has every reason to be jealous of her husband, spending so much time with his high school crush and the fact that you’re good-looking didn’t help her jealousy one bit. Despite looking so much weight, you still looked cute. Even though you look underweight, it also looks like you’re a supermodel that adopted the waft-thin trend. She notices your hair still looks like something from a commercial. Shiny and healthy. Your lips still looked enviable.

Ochako clears her throat. You look at her, and guilt pangs in her chest again.

“What are you doing around here?” She’s trying to lighten the mood.

“I…” your hands clench into fists. You plant your feet a bit more firmly on the floor. You’re going to be honest with her. You figured she’d learn about it anyways when Izuku goes home.

“I got into an argument with your husband, and I’m too much of a coward to go back and face him.” The words fall from your lips quickly, and you look at Ochako’s face sheepishly. She’s never seen Izuku get so mad that he argued with her. Let alone she hadn’t heard him curse unless they were having sex. I wish we had arguments, passion, something, she thinks bitterly. Ochako didn’t know whether to be jealous or feel empathetic. The two emotions wrestle and clash against each other. She takes a sharp inhale, and her hand covers one of yours.

“Do you want to talk about it?” This is the most information she’d get about you in a while. Ochako is going to take advantage of it.

Then you spill exactly what happens—leaving out specific details that would probably make her angry. She wouldn’t want to hear that you fainted because of the video. I’ll give her the secondary reason.

She hums when you finish. Contemplating your words as the server brings the dessert she ordered and a green tea. She thanks him politely, and you think the server leaves. However, the server places one more dish at your table in front of you. A crepe cake dusted with matcha powder topped with two chocolate-covered strawberries.  You notice the chocolate writing decorating the dish. ‘Feel better. You’re stronger than you think.’

“I-I’m sorry to intrude on your conversation Midoriya-san. I’m Etsuko’s older sister.” Your head whips to look at them, and your eyes widen in realization. You didn’t even notice her when you came in. How could you forget about the same person who sent you care packages whenever she did to Etsuko? She helped you when you moved in with Katsuki.

“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t even see you there, Yuki-chan! I’m so sorry I didn’t notice you sooner.”

Yuki smiles at your flustered reaction. She leans over to give you a bone-crushing hug, you wince as you return the hug. She releases you and pinches your tear-stained cheek.

“I hope this will lift your spirits. I’ll see you soon, okay?”

For the first time in hours, you smile and nod. She ruffles the hair on the top of your head in a sisterly way, then steps away. Yuki waves and walks away, going behind the register to talk to her employees.

You rub a hand through your face and groan. I’m so fucking stupid. I just walked into her café mindlessly.

Ochako giggles at your embarrassed reaction. It was cute.

“I take it you didn’t realize you walked in here?” She laughs. You shake your head slowly, heat rising in your cheeks.

Ochako releases a belly laugh at your embarrassment, wiping tears that prick at the corner of her eyes. She continued to laugh as you feel your ears burning. As Ochako’s laughs quell, she realizes that she hadn’t laughed like that in so long. A thought surfaces in her mind, and jealousy flickered a small ember within her. Then her eyes focus on you and inspect your form. Guilt washes over like a wave and effectively puts the fire out.  I’m probably going to regret this, she thinks.

“I think you should do the bucket list that Izu mentioned.”

 You blink at Ochako. Then you blink at her again. Your jaw drops at her, “Wait, you’re agreeing with him right now?”

You never thought someone’s wife would willingly allow their husband to go gallivanting with another woman to complete their dying wishes. I mean, that’s what a bucket list is, a list of dying wishes for those who don’t know when their last day is. To have something memorable to look back at, you think somberly. That’s not even considering that they are filing for separation.

“I support Izuku in most things. At first, when he took the leave of absence, I thought he wanted to take it for a different reason.” She thinks bitterly about spending time with you and falling more in love with you.

“But after seeing you today, I think it’s selfish of me not to. No offense, but (Y/n)-chan, you look sick.” The blunt words spear into your chest.

She thins her lips, and her jaw muscle flexes, “Maybe this would be a great wake-up call for you. Because you’re throwing your life away for someone who would beat us all up for letting it get this far.” Your eyes watch as she glares at the table.

“No. Bakugo-kun would kill us if he found out you look like this,” she mummers.

Your lips quirked up a bit. Then you frown as a sour thought whirls in your head.

“Ochako-chan, why’d you get me that cat clock last Christmas?”

Her brown eyebrows furrow with confusion. “How is this related?”

You rub the back of your neck, “I just wanted to ask before I forgot.” No, I want to know if you got it in spite because it’s ugly.

She blinks, “Oh, I thought it would make you laugh from how ugly it was.” You breathe a mental sigh of relief. You thought she got the gift because she hated your guts.

“Ah, okay. It’s still in my living room.”

She smiles brightly, “No way!” You nod in response.

“But (Y/n)-chan, if you’re worried about me being jealous or anything, please don’t be. I mean, yes it’s natural to feel those emotions. I have no doubt in my mind I will be at certain times,” She pauses and cuts into her dessert. “But my jealousy shouldn’t matter because you matter more. You deserve to put yourself first for the first time in three years.”

The words make you teary, “Thank you.”

Ochako smiles, and this time for sure, you know it’s genuine.

“I’ll do the bucket list.”

---

After you and Ochako talk and catch up, you guys get ready to leave the restaurant. A flash of green passes outside the window, and you blink. The air is quiet between the two of you.

“Is it just me, or did you see a streak of green out the window too?”

She mindlessly nods. Seconds tick by, then the flash of green returns. Not even a second later, the door of the café bursts open with a man with pine green cropped curls. You could practically feel his anger as you twiddle your thumbs, humming. You turn to the window, trying to avoid seeing his rageful glare like a child who stuck their hand in the cookie jar.

“Where. Have. You Been?” He grits out with every footstep. People start taking pictures of the pro hero and whisper ‘lovers spat between Japan’s sweethearts?’

You look at the ceiling as you start to sweat, Wow, Yuki-chan did a nice job with the lights in this place. I should really ask her-

“(Y/n) I’m waiting.” The slightly raised voice is practically right next to you as you flinch. His temples pounded with rage.

Your orbs slowly land on the pro hero's face as you bite the inside of your cheek. You feel like you’re getting scolded by a parent. His hard emerald eyes flickered with rage, and his face set to a scowl so deep, you almost thought you killed a child or something.

Your eyes glance at Ochako and back at Izuku. Thankfully his wife steps in.

“Izuku maybe you should calm—”

“Your brother and I have been looking for you for an hour and a half. What if you had fainted again? You didn’t think to check the missed calls on your phone at all?” The vein in his neck is prominent as he admonishes you in a raised volume. You shrink in your booth at his harsh tone.

Did he not hear her?

Ochako’s eyes take in her husband’s demeanor as he continues to scold you. His piercing stare at you as his left foot tapped while he waits for you to respond. He looks so angry at you. At first glance, you would think you did something terrible. But after listening, you could see the worry on his shoulders as they sat higher than usual. The hurt etched on his face. His shoulders began to sag, relieved that you were found.

Ochako’s never heard her husband yell before. Let alone completely ignore her while she was in the room. The insecure thought hit her as she bit the inside of her cheek. She grinds her back molars as she watches you develop some spine and speak back at him. You both look like a bickering couple.

“Do you understand how worried we both were?” His tone hoarse and quieter than before. It cut through you like a knife.

It makes your lips tremble as tears well up in your eyes. His words hurt because you didn’t mean to make him so upset. It also brings tears at the sheer discomfort of this situation. The fact that Izuku is scolding you in front of his wife makes you feel like a five-year-old. It bothers you because what if she actually hates you for this?

 He closes his eyes and cards a hand through his forest green curls.

He sighs and couches down at eye level with you. His thumb wiped the set of tears that fell from your lash line.

“I’m sorry,” you mumble and sniff.

Ochako’s ears catch the mummers in the café.

“Woah is that Deku with another woman?”

“No, Uravity is right there.”

Ochako wished that she could bleach her eyes. Jealousy swirls in her chest. The way his eyes look at you is undeniable. His expression softens as he wipes your tears and apologizes for yelling at you. The creases on his forehead smooth, and his lips quirk into a soft, gentle smile. His eyes crease in the corners, filled with something Ochako’s never witnessed. His fingers pinch your nose, and you weakly glare at him. She feels the air whooshing out from her lungs as he laughs.

 He’s never looked at me like that. The thought makes her skin white-hot with irritation.

The mummers in the café continue to feed Ochako’s growing insecurity and jealousy. She almost regrets telling you to do the bucket list with her husband.

“But they look so in love with each other.”

Something inside Ochako snaps as her ears catch that. It wasn’t just her who saw it.

“Is Uravity just a fill-in for the cameras?”

“This other woman is pretty, but a little too thin for my liking.”

Ochako clears her throat, disrupting whatever personal bubble you both had formed. Izuku’s head turns, and his eyes widen. He pales at the sight of his wife. He stands up and takes a step toward his wife.

“O-Ochako, I-I didn’t even see you there.” He rubs his neck sheepishly as a small flush color his cheeks. Her temples begin to throb.

She decides to smile politely at her husband. The rehearsed one that she’s done millions of times for cameras.

“Hi, Izuku. Sorry, we didn’t text you that we were together.” She says with fake cheeriness. Make a good show for the cameras, Izuku.

Instead of paying attention to what’s happening before you, your anxiety causes you to dissociate. The uncomfortable situation makes your body switch to auto-pilot, where you eat your cake. You didn’t want to think about how you saw the fake smile she gave Izuku. Your brain didn’t want to think about the possibility of how this bucket list will be the straw that probably breaks their marriage.

No.

It's.Too. Much. 

Your brain shuts off and decides to eat cake.

To Ochako, it appeared that you were oblivious that your interaction with Izuku moments ago made the woman you sat across green with jealousy. Ochako wanted to buy you a one-way ticket to America and ensure you never returned to Japan. He’d probably follow her. The thought bitterly swirls in Ochako’s head.

Izuku blinks and breathes a little gasp, “Oh, that just reminded me, thank you, Ochako.” Izuku fishes out his phone in his jacket pocket and presses a few buttons. He goes into the booth and sits next to his wife.

The wail of a police car approaches only a few moments later. Not one second later, there’s a sudden loud screech of tires. You move to spoon another piece of the layered cake into your mouth. Your brother slams the door of the café, similar to Izuku. You turn your head and roll your eyes. Your brother suddenly starts sobbing while running to you—Ochako’s eye twitches.

Your brother practically tackles you. He is rubbing his face on your cheeks, smearing fresh tears and snot.

“Where have you been? Onii-chan was so worried about you.” He says, wailing as you try to pry him off.

“Let me go, you idiot!”

What is wrong with her brother, Ochako questions internally. She watches as you struggle, trying to get out of your brother's hold. Your brother continues to nuzzle his cheeks on yours like a smiling cat. Her ears perk up as she hears her husband chuckling at the scene before him.

Everyone’s attention was on you, and it makes her sick.

Ochako doesn’t want to be here anymore.

Winter

Cold     Wet

Chilly

Winter

The time where everything

Just dies.

Some say this season brings new life

However, it also causes death.

Death with nature is fine,

but, how do you live during your darkest days?

Winter

The season of death

*A original poem from Emily K.

Chapter Text

The spirit of new beginnings, opportunity, hope

Hehehe.

Before we start: I wanted to make it known that my mental image of adult Izuku might vary than those who are reading. Here are some images of what I imagine Adult Izuku to look like. (I do not take credit for this artwork, nor do I own this. Image sources were from Pinterest)

Adult Deku is around 188-189 cm in the story, so around 6’2

Now here are some images of what I imagine Adult Katsuki to look like. (Again, I do not take credit for this artwork, nor do I own this. Image sources were from Pinterest)

Remember, Katsuki’s around 195 CM in this story, so 6’5.

Poor reader-chan is 164 CM- 5’3.5 ish (I chose this height because it was average height T^T.)

‘ “Why are you so damn far?” A voice behind you grumbles. You felt a muscled arm snake around your waist and pull you across the bed to a wall of lean muscle. You squeal at your husband.

His body spooned yours from behind, leaving a small amount of space between the two of you. His warm body heat acted as your mini heater under the covers. Your clothed legs tangle together as his chin slots near the juncture of your neck. Katsuki’s arm draped around your waist, “Too damn cold.” He let out a yawn and nestled further into the position.

“’suki, you must hate the cold, huh?”

You can almost see him rolling his eyes as he scoffed with a bit of annoyance. “Of course I do. What kind of a question is that?” he grumbled and stifled a yawn. Your lips stay in a smile as your fingers dance and trance the corded muscle beneath his sandy complexion. A devious idea popped into your mind as you smirked.

“You know, I’ve read somewhere that there are some ways to keep people warm a lot better than this.” Your fingers begin making nonsensical shapes on his skin, like a paintbrush on a blank canvas without a plan.

He let out a grunt. You felt the grin on your face growing wider.

“But the best way only takes two people.” You can picture Katsuki’s blank face as the mental clogs start turning. After thinking, he got closer to you, leaving a sliver of space between the two of you.

“Oh really?" His tone was questioning. His large hand inched slowly down and went underneath the hem of your Dynamight pajama shirt.

"Mmmhmm, they say that it's better to have skin-to-skin contact to—" you get cut off by his hand cupping one of your breasts, his thumb rolling over its peak gently. Teasing it. You let out a soft moan as your hips backed into his hardening erection.

"I'm listening." Katsuki's teeth scraped the shell of your ear, nipping the earlobe. His warm breath caused goosebumps to erupt on your skin. 

You licked your lips as you felt him pinch your nipple.

“I-I also hear that one of the best methods for skin-to-skin contact is—nngh." You felt a warm wet appendage slide against the side of your neck, leaving a wet trail. Then his lips began nipping and sucking on a spot he knew was particularly sensitive.

Liquid beat began to pool in the junction of your thighs.

"Go on princess, don't be shy." His gravely voice caused you to shiver as his other hand snaked from behind you, fingers deftly slipping under the waistband of your matching pajama bottoms. He rolled the nipple of your breast again with his thumb.

Your mind felt foggy- What was I about to say? The thought scrambled around your brain as Katsuki's hard length prodded your butt, demanding attention. Fuck. I can’t even think right now.

Katsuki rumbled a breathy chuckle, “You can’t think right now?”

You shot a weak glare at the pro hero. His long fingers reached below your waistband, no panties. “No panties? Good girl,” Katsuki murmured as his fingers slid through your wet folds, grazing the perky bundle of nerves. His middle finger drew lazy patterns on your clit very lightly. A feather-light touch. He did this for a few moments, winding you up. It started to frustrate you. You needed more.

It made your mind foggy as your breaths became labored.

“You were talkin’ ‘bout something, right?” His fingers rolled a taut nipple between his pointer finger and thumb. Simultaneously, the finger between your legs applies the perfect amount of pressure in a circular motion. The combination makes your eyes cross. You choked back a moan. More viscous liquid heat dripped from your entrance.

He took his hand to cup your pussy. His palm pressed against your clit so good, inserting two finger tips inside your throbbing heat. He groans inside your ear, feeling just how ready you are for him. How wet you are for him. Your pussy clenched the tips of his fingers. Without notice, Katsuki removed his hands from your flannel Dynamight pajamas. You bucked your hips at the loss of his warm hands.

 Before you could question it, he flipped your body to be on top of his. Your legs straddled his hips as your pelvises aligned with each other. You’re confident that he felt the wet patch staining your pajamas. His hands gripped your hips as he moved them in a way that caused the most delicious friction on your clit with his length. You whined at the feeling.

“Come on, princess,” he said.

You glared weakly at your husband's face. With the moonlight, you can see how blown his pupils were, leaving a thin rim of ruby in his eyes. The boyish smirk was present on his handsome face. His fingers reach under the hem of your pajama shirt, only to rip the fabric cleanly off your body. He tossed the scraps unceremoniously on the floor by the side of the bed. His grin deepens, staring at your naked torso.

Katsuki’s eyes dragged up to meet yours, “ You gotta help get me warm, right?’”

---

Beeep beeep beeeep beeep

Your eyes shot open in panic as you jolt up from your bed, your arms flailing. It causes the sheets to tangle around your limbs. You try to fight it off of you as your alarm clock wails. The sheets begin swallowing your limbs, wrapping and tangling around. You continue to struggle until you fall off the side of the bed with a loud thud.

“Shit.” You groan, feeling the impact on your left hip bone.

Beeeep beeeep beeep.

You struggle with your bed sheets for a few moments before you free yourself from their clutches. You walk around your bed and hit the alarm clock with anger.

“I had a great fucking memory dream, and you decided to cock block. I should burn you,” you threaten the alarm clock as you move to grab your tangled sheets. Your cheeks warm as you remember how you kept Katsuki warm that night. You shake the memory from your head and continue making your bed. You didn’t want to start off the day sad and horny.

As you shower, you think about the tasks you had to get done today.

Brush your teeth

Get dressed and dry your hair

Eat breakfast

 Sign up for a gym membership

Go on a walk and sit in the park.

Therapist appointment is at 10 am

Go shopping for groceries and other personal items

Lunch with Etsuko

Help Izuku decorate his new apartment

Fill out adoption paperwork for a pet.

Is it too much for one day? You question as you rinse the suds off your body. You go for your third and final wash and apply a hair mask with your parents' homemade tea rinse. You’ve done it since you were old enough to remember. Your parents thought that everything medicine came from nature. You swore it was the sole reason your hair didn’t fall out from the weight loss and copious stress.

After scrubbing your body, you rinse yourself, ensuring the conditioner mix is off your hair. You grab a towel for your body and hair and step out of the shower. You pad to sink and the vanity mirror above it. The frame is decorated with small bright green post-it notes Izuku wrote for you.

You wipe off the condensation to view your reflection. You’ve managed to put on five pounds over the past couple of weeks with the help of a nutritionist and therapist. Your skin is starting to become more vibrant again. The dark circles have faded significantly. You no longer must slather yourself with more than ten different products to make it look like this. Now, you slather yourself with three. Progress, you thought as you looked into the mirror.

You take a deep breath and hold your gaze at your reflection. Your eyes look over the small green papers. Then it sets back on the mirror.

“I am smart. I am kind to my body and will not tear it down. I will not listen to the negative voices in my head. I am happy with myself. I am conquering my fears and getting stronger each day.  I—” you pause. Your hands grip the edge of the sink.

You can do this.

No, you can’t, the dark voice echoes back. Your jaw clenches as you try to steel your nerves.

“I l-love m-myself.” Your lips tremble as the words passes through them. Your vision blurs as tears begin to form. You close your eyes. Breathe, you coach yourself. You take one inhale, hold it, then exhale.

You take another shaky inhale and open your eyes again. You blink the tears away as you sniffle.

Your eyes peer at the last sticky note. “Fuck,” You mummer.

You can do this.

You sniffle again and wipe the stray tear that falls from your eye. Breathe. You read it in your head, mulling over the words.

You grip the marble even harder, your knuckles white.

You look at your blurry reflection as another tear rolls down your cheek.

“My f-feel-ings and th-thoughts matter be-be-because I-I matter.”

You scrub a hand on your face and wipe off the tears you’ve shed. I did it. Elation and relief flicker in your stomach, and you take a moment to breathe again.

After a few moments of calming down your rapidly beating heart, you finish off your hygiene routine. You decide to wear black skinny jeans and an oversized beige hoodie that you stole from your father. You pull out some black combat boots that do very little to make you look taller.

You wear your hair down because you can’t bother putting it up. You apply mascara, sunscreen, chapstick, and a couple of drops of cc cream to smear all over your face to even out your complexion. You wear some gold stud earrings in the shape of a ladybug. The irony is not lost on you. You were unlucky. You put on deodorant again, just in case.

After dropping off the shoes you’d wear by the entrance of your apartment, you look at the ugly cat clock. 8:37.

You eat a couple of grapes and blueberries while you flip through a random set of 24 channels.  

“Listen, I think Deku-san is in love with that girl we saw in that video last month. Did you see the way he--” Flick. 19.

“It’s a new year. Does that mean a new you?” Flick. 20.

“Today is Monday, January 8^th. People nationwide are celebrating Coming of Age day-” Flick. 21.

“Studies have now proven that there is such thing as soulmates-” Flick. 22

“Pro hero Deku and Ochako, on the fast track to Splits Ville?” Flick. 23.

“Several couples have filed for divorce after recent revelations through a new patent genetic test called SoulDNA” Flick. 24.

“And you could expect mostly clear skies in Musutafu with a high of 3 Celcius.”

You sigh happily as you drop the remote on the cushion next to you. You pop a few more grapes and blueberries in your mouth before you start to get disgusted. Once the feeling washes over you, you stop immediately. You close the Tupperware container and move off the couch to put it in the fridge. You grab your phone to listen to music while preparing some tea for a travel thermos.

Doko made ikun dakke (How far will we go?

Kimeta koto wa nai ne (I haven’t decided yet)

Machi no hate nara (If it’s to the city’s edge)

Mazu wa haiwei da na (Then it’s the highway first, right?)

Kimi wa nemuru ka na (I wonder if you’ll sleep on the way)

You tap your feet rhythmically to the pop beat as your head bobs up and down. You place the tea kettle on the burner and take out the tea leaves you got from a special shop in town. Today is going to be a good day. You recite your inner mantra preparing everything.

“Mieru wa fuukei kimi no haikei da (The landscape we see is our backdrop)

Wasureru hodo daiji na koto (It’s so important that we sometimes)

Onaji mainichi ga onaji koe ga (Living the same days, with the same voices)

“tokubetsu” wo umi dashita (Creates something “special”)

Futari nanimo shinai mama (While the two of us do nothing),” you sing softly as you get out the travel thermos from your cabinet.

Landscape by Ryokuoushoku Shakai continues to play its infectious melody from your phone's speaker as you pack fresh fruit and a half sandwich into your travel bag. You throw in two red apples with a small knife to peel for Izuku later today.

“Me ga samete sugu ni miseta kono keshiki wa (The scenery you showed me the moment I woke up)

Kimi no yorokobu kao ni boyaketa mokutekichi da yo (Is a hazy destination upon your happy face)

Koko wa kimi no egao (This place is your smile),” you sing loudly into a spoon, tapping a foot to the beat. It was a good attempt trying to mimic a singer.

As the song ends, you pause the music on your phone. You grab your travel bag, thermos, keys, headphones, and wallet. You set it down on the floor beside you. You hastily put on your boots and coat. Once you have everything and do a quick double-check, you rush out the door.

You put on your headphones and turn on the Bluetooth to connect your phone. Once it was synced, you mindlessly walked to your therapist appointment, music floating in your eardrum. You could have taken the bus, but the walk was part of your to-do list. You arrive at the park near your therapist’s office and sit at a nearby bench. You start people-watching and reflecting on the past couple of weeks. You take a sip of the scalding hot tea in your thermos.

Take a walk and sit in the park. Check.

—

“So, you’re helping Midoriya-san today?”

You nod and smile, “I’m actually excited because it’s been so long since I got to help Midoriya-san with something. He’s always trying to help me, and I get to return the favor this time.”

Your therapist hums as he jots down his notes on a notepad.

“Friendship isn’t transactional. Just remember that.” He warns gently as he continues to write his notes.

“Last time we spoke, we wrote your leave of absence for work. How has that been for you? Changing your routine?”

You scratch your cheek as you swallow the lump in your throat.

“It’s hard, but I’m trying to fill my days to the brim.”

His eyes cut to your face, and he shifts in his seat, “Interesting. Can you run through a typical day for you?”

You give him an example of a day when you had everything sandwiched back-to-back. “Sounds like you had a busy day. How did you feel at the end of it?”

“Tired.”

“Do you eat dinner or lunch on those days?”

You swallow, “Sometimes.”

His eyes feel like hot beams.

“But I have been eating breakfast every day! I know it’s only a small amount of fruit, but hopefully, I’ll move on to something heavier.” You say while fidgeting your hands on your lap.

His orbs shift to your hands, and he writes down a few more things.

 Without peering up from his writing, he speaks. “Try to have days where you do nothing or just a couple of things. I want you to try this two days out of the week until the next time we meet.”

You grumble out an ‘okay.’ His face remains stoic as usual.

“(L/n)-san, let’s go back to Midoriya-san for a moment.”

You pale. You don’t like to approach this subject because you feel that your therapist thinks Katsuki isn’t the right person for you.

“You both met in high school?  UA, right?”

You nod, picking invisible lint from your pants, “It was due to a school project where the business course worked with students of the pro hero course to make a portfolio for them summarizing their work, highlights, a business proposal, and a detailed summarized report of their abilities. It spanned over the fall all the way to graduation in the spring.”

Your therapist crossed one leg over the other, “How often did you two work together on this?”

Your eyes go up to gaze at the ceiling as you try to recall, “I think it was twice a week individually and once with all three of us.”

“Ah, yes Bakugo-san was a part of this as well. I tend to forget since we rarely talk about him.”

You nod.

He frowns at you. The last part of his sentence flies over your head. It breaks his stoic mask, demonstrating his frustration. He quickly recovers and wipes the frown from his face before you notice.

He’ll try to dive deeper later.

“Was there ever a moment when you and Midoriya-san hung out unrelated to the project?”

——-

“(L/n)- pass the ball over here!” A voice called as you dribbled to the basket of the opposing team. You do a quick chest pass to your team's center right at the 2-point line. She dribbles the ball as she is now faced with an opponent. You quickly glance at the scoreboard. 56-55, UA was only up by one. If your team didn’t make this basket in the next twenty seconds, the game would go into overtime. If the game goes into overtime, you’d be late meeting up with Izuku.  

“You think you’re going to win? Quirkless bitch,” one of the girls from the other team sneered at you, blocking your vision of your teammates. You smirk, “I might be quirkless, but I don’t plan on losing.” You two-step quickly around your opponent. It left you open and ready to shoot. Your center player looked around to see who she could pass the ball to. At the right moment, she made eye contact with you. She passed the ball back to you, the ball bounced on the floor once on it’s journey to your hands. You gripped the texturized rubber with your elbows bent.

You dribbled a few times. This was your chance. You lean and lunge with a big step using the foot on the side you dribbled on. In a rapid succession, you hopped backward off the front foot as your opponent tried to block you. She was too late. While in mid-air, you flicked your wrist to shoot, shoulders square with the basket. Right before, her hand could have blocked the ball.  

“3.”

The ball glided through the air as it spun.

“2.”

You landed with both feet on the ground.

 “1.” The crowd chanted.

Swoosh. The scoreboard blared.

You pulled your collar up to wipe the sweat accumulated on your forehead again. You made eye contact with the person blocking you just moments ago. You flicked both middle fingers at the same one who called you a quirkless bitch. Her face contorted in rage as her fists clenched. She bares her teeth at you.  

“UA wins Sakura High School from the Chiba prefecture 58- 55. UA IS GOING TO THE QUARTER FINALS,” Present Mic shouts excitedly.

“THAT’S MY FUCKING LITTLE SISTER! LET'S GOOO!” Your left eye twitched. Don’t look at him.

The crowd cheered wildly as you got tackled by your teammates. Your brother somehow wormed down the crowd and tackled you into a hug. You smiled sheepishly as they praised you for the shot. Your coach, Hound Dog, pried your brother away from you and told him to go home. Then he yelled at your team to stop horsing around and hit the showers because you all stink.

As you walked off the court right behind your team, your coach stopped you with a hand on your shoulder. You turned your head, ready to ask what was wrong. When you turn around, he gave you a thumbs up, “Great work (L/n).”

You smiled before nodding.

Once you get out of the shower and hold a team mini-celebratory dance session with Yamamoto’s speaker, the team gets dressed back into school uniforms.

You go out of your way to put on extra deodorant, just in case.

“(L/n)- chan, Minamoto-san, Yuko-chan, are you a bit sad that this is your last year with us?”

You looked at the second-year student and ruffled her orange hair, “Of course I am. But that doesn’t mean I’m not proud of you guys for working so hard with us this year.” You smiled brightly at your bashful teammate.

You stepped back and straightened your uniform jacket. You grabbed your bag and slung it over your shoulder. You fished out your phone and glanced at the time. You choked on your spit.

‘Monday, January 4^th 2xxx

18:48’ your phone read.

You slammed your locker closed and quickly slipped on your outside shoes.

“See you guys tomorrow for practice!” You yelled out as you ran out of the locker room. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, you internally monologue as you dash down the school corridor. You slowed down to turn a nearby corner,  then sped up again down the hallway of your classroom. Once you were in front of 3-I’s classroom door, you slid it open with more force than necessary. You rushed down the first row, right by the door. Once you reached the second to last desk, your arm blindly fumbled inside the opening to grab your notes and laptop. You crammed it into your bag, right next to your sweaty uniform. You run out of the classroom. Shit, shit, shit, shit.

You bomb rush down the stairs, jumping off halfway through each flight. You saw Izuku sitting by the lockers on a bench. He wasn’t looking at anything in particular, but he looked as though he was pensively thinking about something.

You took note of his outfit since he wasn’t wearing his school uniform at all. One thing about the hero course was that students were at their internship every Friday instead of being at school.

Your project partner, Izuku, was at his internship at Hawk’s agency. Just like most of his classmates.

 (I do not own this image or have the copyright to this material. Image source was Pinterest/Wattpad)

“Midoriya-san!” You waved as you ran down the hallway to the lockers. The yell snapped him out of his introspection. He looked at you, and a brighter expression graced his face.

You stopped before him to hunch over and clutch your sock-covered knees. You attempted to catch your breath but struggled. You panted for a few seconds, trying to gulp as much air as possible.

“I’m so sorry I’m late! I had extracurriculars that almost went over, but—”

“I know. I was there.” He smiled shyly.

“Nice shot, by the way.” He adds while rubbing his neck.

You looked up at his face. Your eyes take in the broad grin on his face, the pearly whites on display—those freckles paired with those eyes.

Your heart thuds in your chest. You felt your armpits start to prickle with sweat. You quickly stand-up rim rod straight. Heat crawled up your neck as you stiffly smiled. You laughed a nervous thanks with heated cheeks.

Your smile faltered. Wait, if he was there…

“Wait a second, how’d you know I was on the basketball team?”

Izuku scratched his cheek with his pointer finger as he looked away. “Uraraka and Jirou m-mentioned it in class a f-few times. So, I l-left the internship e-early to see the game. I heard this was an important game for the girls’ basketball team,” he stuttered. His voice was quiet as he barely made eye contact with you.

Butterflies erupted in the pit of your stomach from his confession. “Wow, I-I don’t know what to say. Umm, should I still scold you for missing your internship?” You joked.

You smiled as he laughed. He stood up from his seat, standing in front of you.

It left very little space between the two of you.

Your nose caught a wafting smell: Sunshine and comforting warm woody notes. Your body relaxes slightly as you process the scent. Hmm, something smells good. The thought bounced out of your head quickly. Your face was at eye level with his chest. Your head started to spin as you were mere centimeters from touching him. The proximity made you skittish.

You took two steps back from him and laughed nervously, “Sorry, I probably smell like sweat, and I don’t want to subject you to my stinky uniform inside my bag.” You just showered, you idiot, your mind seethed, upset that you just ruined your chances of making a move on the very same guy you had a crush on.

Well, small crush.

It’s not like you imagined fake scenarios of counting the speckled brown dots that splattered across the bridge of his nose as he sleeps next to you.

“You don’t smell bad at all,” Izuku said hoarsely. He cleared his throat. At first glance, it looked like his eyes were unfocused. Is he sick?  You wondered.  

You watched him carefully, your eyes scrutinizing every detail you missed at first glance. There was a slight flush in the apples of his cheeks, muting the color of the speckled dots on his face. You noticed that his eyes dilated rather quickly. Too quickly.  

You contemplated his words again. Your cheeks warmed. “Shall we go now?”

“Y-yeah.” His voice cracked, and he flinched at the sound. He cleared his throat again before taking another step back from you. You probably do stink, and he was being polite.

“Do you mind if we stop by somewhere really quick?”

-

“This is soooo good!” You exclaimed as you held the ramen bowl close to your face. You held your chopsticks in one hand as you tilted the ceramic bowl with the other. Your cheeks were filled with chewed food as you continued to slurp noodles in your mouth.

You didn’t realize how hungry you were until now.

Izuku looked at you with noodles hanging from his mouth. “I fould youf!”

Izuku had taken you to a ramen place about a ten-minute walk from UA that you’d never seen before. According to the green-haired teen, it was a brand-new restaurant that blew up from everyone recommending it on social media.

You chewed on the food you slurped quickly. You don’t realize that you took too much into your mouth. You power through your overstuffed mouth before you try to swallow it. You struggled to bring it down as you choked a bit. You set everything down to try and slowly breathe the large lump of food down. You pounded your fist at your chest to help it go down. Once it did, you sighed in relief before you continued shoveling food into your mouth.

“Slow down kid, the food isn’t going anywhere,” the older gentleman shook his head at you as he wiped his bronze hands with a dishrag. You continued to chew and swallow the rest of what was in your mouth.

“This is so freaking good. I’ve never had ramen that tasted this good. My compliments to your chef!” Your praise made the gentleman smile at you. Izuku nodded while slurping the noodles into his mouth.

Then he glanced between the two of you sitting at the barstools. A wolfish grin slowly forms on his lips.

“Don’t thank me kid. Thank your boyfriend for bringing you here.” He winked at Izuku with a broad smirk on his face.

You both became flustered over the accusation. You stammered over your words that both are just partners on a school project. Izuku’s face was as red as a tomato.

You shyly glanced at Izuku from the corner of your eye as he struggled to hold his chopsticks, still flushed. You looked at your uniform skirt. Disappointment twinged in your chest. I wish he were.

“Yeah yeah. You guys come back here next time. My name is Yamada Ichiro. I’m the owner of this joint.”

Your eyes widen as you take in the buff man in front of you. “You?”

He rolled his eyes, a scowl marring his masculine face. “Yeah. Me. What? You don’t think this handsome guy could cook and be the owner?”

You felt a cold sweat on your back. You cross your arms in an x in front of you, ears covered in flames. “N-no that’s n-not—”

Yamada cut off your rambling with a belly laugh, “I’m just joking. Feel free to come in anytime.”

You nodded, “I’ll definitely be coming back.”

“Make sure you don’t forget to bring your boyfriend here too. He’s been staring at you like a lovesick dog for the past twenty minutes.”

Izuku let out a warbled noise, and before either of you can deny it, a loud yell comes from outside.

“Hmmm, who the flying fuck is that? Do you both know that guy outside the door?”

You both turned and saw Katsuki opening the door with a slam.

“DEKU.” His voice dropped with venom. You both jumped in your seats and looked at each other. Both pairs of eyes silently relaying to each other, ‘how did he find us?’, ‘what does he even want?’ 

The 195cm menace stalked towards you, his glare fixed on Izuku.

“So, you think it’s funny to take our partner and bribe her with ramen for a better grade?”

You furrowed your brows in confusion. Wasn’t he supposed to be at anger management?

“N-no, Ka-chan, it’s not like that at all. Wewerejusteatingramenbeforeweworkedontheproject. She just finishedabasketballgameandIfiguredwe’deatfirst.” His words ran a mile a minute while his hands were up in surrender.

“Huh?” His scowl deepened. His ruby eyes peer over at you and your bag. The vermillion eyes glanced over the lettering, ‘UA Girl’s Basketball Team.’

Then his narrowed eyes cut to you. Your muscles tensed.

“Oí, quirkless—”

“Hey!” You hear a shout from beside you. You look at Izuku incredulously. You never thought the green-eyed teen was capable of getting angry.

You stared at his face. His jaw was clenched with a distinct scowl on his face.

“That’s not her name. Say it properly.” Izuku growled out. He shifted to stand from his seat, blocking Bakugo’s view of you. His eyes narrowed coldly at the straw-haired teen. There was no trace of nervousness in his body—just plain irritation.

That’s kinda hot, the fleeting thought escapes from the forbidden box you had tucked deep inside your brain.

Nope. Not the time.

“Or what, Deku?” He sneered, mockingly tilting his head. His hands were stuffed in his grey uniform pockets.  

“Or this owner is gonna kick your ass out of my fucking restaurant.” Yamada appeared right between Izuku and Katsuki. You turn to the bar and back to the square off. When did he come from behind the bar? Although Yamada was shorter than both of them, the stern look on his face displayed dominance.  

That’s when you realized the guy was holding a giant fish. It was probably as big as your whole leg.

“Chh, old fart. Why are you protecting someone who's quirkless and useless.” Katsuki scoffed and broke eye contact with Yamada.

SLAP.

The force of the impact turns the future pro-hero’s face to the side. The scales made thin small red scratches on the pale skin of his cheek. The look on Katsuki’s face would have been priceless if not given the current situation.

“Did he just slap him with a giant fish?” You deadpanned.

Izuku’s jaw dropped as Yamada held the silver fish in his hand like a bat. 

“The next time you call this little lady that, I will not hesitate to shove my foot so far up your damn teenage ass. Do you understand me?” The restaurant was silent. Your eyes nervously look away to notice everyone seems to have their eyes glued to the scene in front of you.

You turned back around as Izuku

“This owner is badass,” you heard someone whisper. You are definitely coming here again.

Katsuki grumbled something.

“I said, do you un-der-stand me?” He roared, raising the abnormal-sized fish.

“Yes, you old fart,” he grumbled while cupping his rapidly swelling cheek.  

“Good. Now sit down or get out.”’

—

Go to therapist appointment. Check.

“You know, (Y/n), to be quite frank with you, it’s a mystery to me that you and Bakugo ended up marrying each other.”

You lift your fork to your mouth and take a bite. You consider Etsuko’s words as you chew.

“That’s what my therapist said too.” You lean forward to cross your legs under the table. “Today, he asked why I never dated Izuku,” you say as you dig your fork into the pasta dish in front of you.

Etsuko slams her hand on the table with a smile, “Great minds think alike.”

You look up at her face and see your mauve-haired best friend smiling like a proud father.

You roll your eyes, “No way. Yes, Katsuki and I had our rough patch when we met at first. But that was the perfect enemies-to-lover troupe.”

Her arms fold against her chest. Etsuko leans back in her seat, “I personally think the friends-to-lovers troupe is better.”

“Anyways—”

“Aren’t you helping Izuku-kun decorate his new apartment?” Her daffodil eyes glint deviously—this little brat.

You huff, setting your fork down. “Yes. Yes, I am.” The exasperation in your voice made her grin.

“Sooooo, he cares about your opinion on his space. Isn’t that a sign for something?”

“A friend asking another friend about different paint swatches sure sounds like a sign for something,” you respond dryly as you roll your eyes.

She shakes her head while crossing her arms.  “No (nickname), don’t you see it?”

You quirk up a brow, “What that he values my opinion?”

She sighs, “No, he obviously sees a future with you.” You lift a single brow as you try to suppress a smile. Your lips tremble as you try to keep them pressed together. You try to hold it, but you start bursting with laughter.

Etsuko rubs a hand on her face. “You’re so freaking oblivious it hurts,” she whispers as you continue laughing.

Once you’re done having lunch with Etsuko, you go grocery shopping and shop for new underwear and clothes. You make sure to buy another lilac set because your lilac-colored panty disappeared from your hamper weeks ago. You’re confident it’s the pervert in 3F in your apartment building who’s always there when you do laundry. You’ve lost multiple articles of clothing to that old man before, so this one had to be another incident. After hearing stories from your neighbors, you aren’t his only victim.

You head back over to your apartment with shopping bags in hand. Have lunch with Etsuko, check. You mentally go through the rest of the tasks you want to complete today as you stroll through Musutafa’s streets. You bump into Kirishima, who is on his way to Izuku’s new place. He decides to walk you back home so you both can walk together.

“Are you helping Midoriya-san decorate?” You ask the spiky redhead as you place things where you’ve labeled them.

“Ah, no, actually. I’m just going to grab a couple of things from him.” You hum as you continue to ensure everything is exactly how you like it to be presented. You spend some time taking extra care to make sure everything is lined in rows and stacked neatly in your fridge.

“Woooaah, your fridge looks so clean and neat. Can you organize Mina and I’s fridge?” You smile and shake your head. “Honestly, I can’t organize other people's things to save a life. Besides, you guys are rich. Just have your maids do it.”

Kirishima pouts, “They won’t do it as nice as yours.” You laugh as you close your fridge. Kirishima glances around your apartment, “Honestly, your whole apartment looks like something out of a magazine. It’s so organized. I even saw labels inside your cabinets.” You gape at him.

 Kirishima never fails to surprise you with his perceptive eyes.

You clear your throat and wipe the look of astonishment from your face.

“It makes my skin itch if I don’t do it that way. If it’s out of place, I need to wash it four times before putting it back.”

Kirishima purses his lips into a thin line, “That doesn’t sound like it’s fun to do.” You blink. You’ve never really given it much thought. It wasn’t that you exactly hated it. It just always felt like you had no choice but to do that. Your skin would crawl and feel like it could breathe until you did that exact routine for something that was out of place.

Was that not normal to do? Have I always done this? When did I start developing these habits? The questions start popping up in your mind as you finish putting the ‘one-time’ use items-- garbage bags, plastic bags, plastic storage bags, and parchment paper-- in their designated cabinet under the sink. 

“Are there other things you do that have a similar sort of routine to that?”

Fucking curious-ass-red-headed cinnamon roll.

“I have to flip through 24 channels in the morning before I can put on the weather channel.” He lets out a laugh. You laugh nervously, hoping he doesn’t see the trembling smile.

The tall red-headed hero props his forearms on the kitchen bar as he leans his torso in the open space and watches you move around in your kitchen. He tilts his head, “Is 24 your favorite number?”

You shake your head, “Not really. I don’t even know why I do it.”

Especially when Midoriya-san already called you out for it. You grimace at the thought before it wipes away. 

You grab your travel bag again and put the sandwich you had packed earlier this morning back in the fridge. The conversation ends naturally as you both shuffle to the entrance of the apartment, sitting on the genkan.

You start putting on your coat and boots again. Suddenly Kirishima shouts, “Oh wait, didn’t Baku-bro die at 24 years old?” Your lips part as you stare at the door.

He died at 24 years old, your thought reverberates, and the room tilts slightly. What was once a dirty window has been completely dusted and cleaned, allowing you to see the truth behind it.

Your temples throb as you close your eyes. Did these habits start because of his death?

“You okay (L/n)?

You nod, “Y-yeah.”

You’re not okay at all.

“Actually, there’s something I have to do. Sorry to ditch you like this, but I’ll be there soon!” You didn’t bother to see Kirishima’s confused reaction.

You toss him your house keys and tell him to give them to Izuku before you rush out the door. You hear a muffled “wait” as you turn the corner and run down the stairs of your apartment building. You reach the ground level and walk pass through the main entrance. You briskly walk opposite where you planned to go, passing apartment buildings, convenience stores, and small boutiques. You left at the end of a particular block before you walked straight down.

---

‘“UA High School is up by three points with only minutes left of the final quarter! This is the first time UA has been in a championship game in a decade. UA made it to the quarter-finals last year but lost to the very same team they are facing today. Will they be victorious and hold the All-Japan High School trophy?” Present Mic speaks in his announcer tone as players rush down the basketball court in front of him.

You’re crouched with your hands out in front of an opponent. You mirror her movements as she tries to pass to her teammate on her right. Your hand shot out instinctively and slapped the ball in mid-air, blocking the pass. You leap forward and grip it with your dominant hand. Your legs barrel down to the other side of the court as you dribble.

“(L/n) with an excellent steal. so far this game, she’s made 16 points and 4 assists. She’s a shoo-in for two-time MVP!” The other announcer yelled.

You look around the court, now filled with players taller than you. You dribbled one-handedly and wiped the sweat from your eyes with your other elbow. You stare at the opponent in front of you, determined to get the ball in. You walked two steps back and glanced around to see someone you could pass it to. They’re all blocking them. You peek at the scoreboard to see how many seconds you have left to shoot.

Not enough time.

You walked while dribbling, skating along the two-point. You’re on the right side of the court, right at the spot where you make the most three-pointers. Suddenly, a human wall is in front of you, crouched. Only seven seconds left to make a shot. You faked left, then stepped back to jump and shoot. In mid-air, the player attempts to swipe the ball at you but instead pushes you backward. Your hands lose grip of the ball from the impact. She steals the ball as you fall to the ground. Your right hip hits the hardwood floor first as the rest of your body follows. Pain radiated from your hip and rooted itself into your veins. You ground your molars.

“Ooops.” The blue and white uniformed girl smirked down at you as they shrugged.

“FOUL!” Your coach barked at the referee.

The referee blew their whistle and halted the game.

“Technical foul, UA High School Number 19” Your eyes widened comically in disbelief. The crowd booed as your team’s center, Yamamoto, helped you up.

Some boos and mummers are heard throughout the gym.

“What?! She pushed me!” You yelled, hands in the air in frustration.

“Ref, that’s a bunch of bull, and you know that. I’m reporting you to the commission,” Your coach snarls loudly before he starts to growl and snarl like a rabid dog. In mid-howl, he snapped his clipboard in half. His eyes narrowed at the smaller referee, and he marched up to them. The game stops as the two coaches and referees deliberate your foul.

You paced nervously as your teammates tried to reassure themselves. If it gets turned over, UA could still win. If not, then the player that pushed you gets a free throw. You waited on the sidelines with your team, biting the flesh inside your cheek.

Hound Dog walked toward you dejectedly, “(L/n) you’re benched.” Some of your teammates gasped.

“B-But coach, that clearly wasn’t her fault. They pushed her! We saw it with our own eyes!”

He sighs, “That referee is bought by Tokyo High’s coach. It’s pretty obvious the way they’ve been favoring them. But, if I don’t bench her now, they could give her another technical. If she gets another technical, it mars her record. She might not be able to play colligate basketball.” A sense of dread fills the air.

You decide to hold your emotions. It doesn’t help if you start crying or getting upset. You put on a brave face for your team. “Don’t worry about it, everyone. There are about two minutes left on the scoreboard. We’ll still be up by two points if they make the free throw,” You smiled. The encouraging words taste bitter in your mouth.

You sat on the bench as your coach subbed you out for a second year. You watch as the player who should have been fouled make a shot from the free-throw line. It’s a clean shot. You nervously tapped your foot incessantly as the game continued. To your horror, they steal the ball from your team and score a three-pointer. Your false hope crumbles around you as you watch your team struggle to keep up at the last minute. A teammate passes it to the second year, who attempts to score. It doesn’t make it.

Bitter disappointment filled you as you clenched your fists. Tokyo High got the ball. You pry your eyes away from the game and stare at the floor. You couldn’t bare to watch if they made it or not.

They do.

The scoreboard blared.

“After a close game in the fourth quarter, Tokyo High wins against UA High School 79-76! Tokyo High is going home with the All-High Japan Championship trophy!”

You felt numb. This was your last high school game, and you didn’t win.

You lost.

You don’t remember what happened when you returned to the locker room. You don’t remember your coach's speech. Even your acceptance of your MVP award was a blur. You plainly couldn’t give a fuck about your speech either. You spared a ‘thanks’ to whatever cameras pointed at you. You barely answered any questions about what college you’re going to. You just wanted to go home. Not your dorm room.

Home.

When you left the locker room, you murmured goodbye to all of your teammates. You’d see them tomorrow morning anyways. You get past the front entrance of your school in a blur, you don’t even remember how you got to this point.

We lost. Bitter disappointment crawled at your throat. 

You heard a voice shout as you walked on the winding path to the school gates.  “Oi!”

Don’t cry yet.

You stiffly turned around to see Katsuki walking up to you without his uniform on. You scowled. He was the last person you wanted to see right now.

His hands were stuffed in his bomber jacket pockets, and his face held its usual scowl. You almost forgot that today was Friday. He stood tall in his black and orange jacket with black cargo pants. You pray to whatever is out there to give you strength.

“What do you want, Bakugo-san?” Your voice came out harsher than usual. Your eyes narrowed at your project partner. He’s had it out for you since you made the announcement during that assembly months ago.  

He sucked his teeth, “Why are you being so damn respectful? Don’t say my name like how you say that nerd’s name.”

Your scowl deepened as white-hot fury ran up your spine. It was the beginning of February. Instead of feeling cold like everyone else, your rising anger made you warm.

“Why should I? We’re not friends Bakugo-san. You made that clear,” you sneered.

He took a step toward you, entering your personal space. Your jaw ticked.

You glared at his face while he looked at you nonchalantly. His eyes cut to your bag and then back to your face. He opened his mouth to speak, then pressed it in a thin line. His eyes cut to the side, not looking at you anymore.

“I watched your game.”

Before you could hold it back, your anger washed over you. You stomped a few steps toward him and craned your neck up. “Did you come here to make fun of me? Rub it in my face that we lost today?” You jab at his chest.

 “What have I ever fucking done to you?” You emphasized every word with a jab. His vermillion eyes looked down at you as tears welled up in your eyes.

“Answer my question!” You yelled as you punched him in the chest. It does nothing. He doesn’t even wince. He just stared at you.

It served to rile you up even more.

“You treat me like shit every fucking day I work with you. I put up with your harassment and to be polite. You degrade me, criticize me, and consistently make sure I have a terrible time in your presence. I try so hard not to give up and do a good job on this project, and you still decide to be an ass.” You emphasized the last word with another punch in the chest—he blinked.

“The one day,” you grit out, looking down at the ground. “The one fucking day that I don’t need this, you fucking show up.” You punched him a bit weaker in the chest as tears blurred your vision. Your throat felt like it was closing up on you. A few moments passed as you stood there with your hands clenched.

Katsuki broke the silence.

“The referee was shit. You shouldn’t have been benched. You should have won.” His deep voice was as clear as day.

Your breath hitched.

His words confused you. He was never nice. You bit your bottom lip harshly as your chin wobbled. “Are you being sarcastic right now?” Your voice was hoarse.

He doesn’t answer. You want to slap him. Your fist pounded his covered chest again. He doesn’t react to it at all.

“I’m not.”

You punched again, your fist losing its strength as your forehead rested on his chest. Hot tears rolled down to the ground as you tried to quell your sobs by pressing your lips together. Sooner or later, the rope you held your emotions back with, breaks.

You started to sob as Katsuki stood there. He made no move to comfort you with words or even wrap his arms around you.

You gripped the fabric of his black jacket with both fists to steady yourself as your shoulders quaked. The guttural noises came from deep within while your body tremored. You both held that position as you cried.

Katsuki just stood there with his hands by his sides.

By the time you calmed down enough, the sky had turned a deep mauve. Katsuki accompanied you on your walk home, his hands stuffed in his pockets. The walk was silent. Neither one of you dared to utter a single word to the other. You both stood there for a second when you reached your childhood home.

You moved first. You stammered a ‘see-see you at school’ and brushed past him. Before he walked away, he waited for you to get through your front door.

You didn’t speak at dinner. You didn’t crack a smile when your brother bought your favorite cake to try and cheer you up. You went into your room and cried into your pillows.

The next morning, you woke up like shit.

You go through your routine and eat breakfast with puffy eyes and a hoarse voice. When you’re done with your breakfast, you decided to check your phone. You haven’t checked it since before your game yesterday. 

‘2 messages from Green Cinnamon Roll’. 

’53 messages from ‘UA’s Best Team.’

‘1 message from Blonde Dickhead’

‘5 messages from Bestie Etsuko’

‘1 missed call from Bestie Etsuko’

‘3 messages from Mina :D’

‘2 messages from Jirou :)’

You read Izuku’s first.

‘Hi (L/n)! I won't be able to make it to your game today because Hawk caught me the last time and punished me for leaving early twice :(.’ Yesterday at 13:03

‘But, I know that this is a super important game because the UA hasn’t been in a championship game in over a decade. That’s crazy! Either win or lose, you made history. Gambatte’ ٩( ＾ ◡ ＾)۶’ Yesterday at 13:05

You run your tongue over your teeth as the urge to cry comes back. You move on to the next message from Katsuki.

From Blonde Dickhead:

‘Feel better.’ Yesterday at 20:09

You don’t bother to read the other messages as you rush to grab your winter uniform jacket and bookbag. You kicked on your shoes, tapping your toes on the floor.

“I’m leaving!” You announced to your family members.

“Come back soon!” Your mother said while she waved.

“Hope you have a better day at school!” Your father called out. His eyes were glued to his newspaper.

You nodded and waved back as you walked out. The bittersweet goodbye left an odd taste in your mouth as you walked away from your house. It makes you think about coming back home more often instead of staying in the dorms.

Your walk to school was uneventful. You walked leisurely and took your time to take in the nature around you. You get to school earlier than usual, arriving at 8:11. You take your time changing out of your outside shoes to your school shoes and walked up the staircase to your classroom. When you land on the third floor, you turn the corner to your classroom’s hallway. You ignored the small crowd formed by the glass windows by your class and focused on the music you were listening to.

You slid open your classroom door and saw your classmates and Etsuko around your desk. You take off your headphones, and you can finally hear everyone.

“(L/n)-chan, when were you gonna tell us?!”

“I knew it!”

“Is that why you haven’t responded to me?”

“You two a couple?”

You eyed them suspiciously as you raised a brow. They lean forward, anticipating a response.

You walked slowly to your desk with furrowed brows. When you reached your desk, you held in a gasp.

On it was a small plushie of a cute chunky white cat, a small bottle of your favorite drink, and eyedrops. Your grip tightened around your bookbag’s strap as you stared at the objects.

You rapidly blink a few times before you come back to your senses.

“Umm, I have no idea who did this.” You said loud enough for your classmates to hear as you scratched your temple.

“There’s a note under that stuff!” One of your classmates quickly called out.

You rolled your eyes, “Didn’t your mother tell you it was rude to be nosy?”

He laughs and ushers you to read it. You scowled at him jokingly. You leaned forward to carefully pluck the stark white paper under the plushie and unfolded it in front of your face. The paper faintly smelled like burnt caramel. The handwriting was neat and easily legible.

‘The nerd told me you liked fat cats and this drink.’

There was nothing else on the page. No signature.

Nothing.

You stood as you pondered who calls someone a nerd that you might know—seconds ticked by as you re-read the paper again.

Realization hit you hard, and you gasped. Your grip on the page faltered. It fell from your hand and gently drifted onto the laminate floor. Your heart thuds as you looked at the objects on the desk again.

Little did you know, February 4th was a turning point in your relationship with Katsuki.’

But don’t you know the number 4 is considered unlucky?*

----

“Can I see the next one?”

“Ah, I must warn you, Kuro-kun doesn’t like strangers. He’s a biter.”

“Holy crap.” You whisper more to yourself.

The worker giggles at you, “Yeah, Kuro-kun doesn’t like anyone. He only doesn’t get grouchy when food enters his cage. Or when you bathe him for some reason.” Her giggles stop, “It’s been very difficult to find him a home. He recently turned three years old, and we rescued him when he was mere weeks old.”

“Does he have a quirk? I heard that there have been more cases of that now.”

“Yes actually! Kuro-kun has two! This is one of the ten cats in Japan to have two quirks.”

You’re not sure if you should look at this cat now.

“He has the ability to protect the people who carry him in an impenetrable bubble. He’s very intelligent. Enough to know when something is in danger, how to escape, and communicate mentally with a select number of people. We haven’t been able to experience it yet, but hopefully, with the right owner, it will happen.” She smiles.

You pale, I don’t want to look at this cat anymore.

“So impenetrable bubble and communicate mentally?” You recite.

She shakes her head slightly as you both continue walking down the hallway, passing several rooms.

“So, inside the bubble is the only time he can communicate mentally, according to the researcher. The second ability is that Kuro-kun can heal people when he’s on them. No matter what the injury. The researchers hypothesize that he’s able to do it in tandem.”

“So, you haven’t seen it yet? Either of those things?”

“Nope!” The worker smiles brightly.

Well, there’s a chance that this cat might have these quirks, you think.

“When is his birthday?” Why do I keep asking questions? What is wrong with me?

You both walk right up to the room where the cage is. “December 7^th- If I’m not mistaken.” You barely hear her as you stare at the door that has multiple locks for it.

There’s a whole separate room for this cat, you realize. You start to sweat. Your armpits probably already created a dark stain on your t-shirt.

The employee unlocks the first chain on the door, the numbered padlock, then unbolts the last padlock.

The door unlatches with a resounding ‘THUNK,’ and your stomach flips. This feels like the start of every scary movie.

The worker grunts as she pries open the door, almost pushing you to enter. You walk inside the room is decorated like a living room. In the middle of the room is a brown leather couch mysteriously not scratched over a blue rug, a lush plant in a corner, and a cat scratch tower near the couch. Your eyes take in the room, and it catches the extremely large swirl of pale snow-white fur curled on a makeshift bed of newspaper.

“That’s a cat?!” You shriek. Your eyes take in the spots that pattern the white fur and how much space it takes up.

“Ah, yes. Pure breed domesticated snow leopard,” the worker chirps. Her bright smile frightens you.

“Isn’t that a wild animal?!” Your raised volume causes the ears of the cat to twitch. All of your muscles tense, and your mouth dries.

“Ah, usually, but researchers have studied the breed since quirks appeared almost 150 years ago. They have successfully bred and created Kuro-kun’s breed to be like a domesticated house cat. Their claws aren’t as sharp as a regular snow leopard, nor is their jaw as strong. All of the dangerous elements of this breed of snow leopard have been watered down significantly to make it better adapted as a house pet.”

You lick your dry lips, “H-how long do they live for?”

“About sixty to seventy years. They were genetically bred to live longer.”

What in the flying shit is wrong with this society?

“Miss, society is trying to advance, so nothing is wrong with it.”

I definitely said that out loud.

A deep meow, too near for comfort, makes you jump. The animal in question is crouched about a foot away from where you stand. On all fours, its height reaches mid thigh but dangerously close to hip level. The “cat” peers at you on all fours, tilting its head. His white tail swishes lazily as the animal continues to stare. Its heterochromatic electric blue, and forest green eyes are piercing.

“I-I-Two? H-Hetero—” You couldn’t even speak. Your eyes frantically scan all walls of the rooms, looking for an exit. The worker is blocking it.

“Ah, his mother has heterochromatic eyes too.”

The animal yawns as he stretches. You watch with wide-open eyes, immobilized with fear. The animal takes steps toward you, and you start backing away. You both continue to dance until your back presses against what seems to be a wall. A bead of sweat falls from your temple.

The “cat” inches toward you, nose twitching. You can barely breathe. All you’re thinking about is how to get away. Your heart beats wildly in your chest. It beats so loud; you hear the blood pounding in your ears in an accelerated rhythm.

The worker watches with furrowed brows attentively but does nothing to stop it. You start to question what kind of animal adoption center this was.

Another deep meow causes you to jump a bit. Tears prick at the corner of your eyes. This is how I die.

The animal nudges its head on your leg.

Your jaw slacks as your hands shake. He headbutts your knee and begins to rumble lowly.

“Are you purring right now?!” You yelp. It responds with a meow, then continues to what you assume is a purr.

“Oh my…. Let me get the owner and scientist, I’ve never seen this before!” The worker rushes out of the room, leaving you alone with the beast.

You move slowly to the side, back against the wall. Kuro follows you, his predatory eyes trained on you. You try the other direction, the same thing happens.

Okay, he didn’t kill me yet, you think as you blow out an unsteady breath. Your tense nerves relax just a bit before you pry yourself off the wall and take a step. Kuro’s tail sticks straight up, standing on its fours right by your leg. You blink. Kuro gazes up at you and blinks slowly. You try again—same thing.

“What the fu—”

“Look! Kuro-kun hasn’t scratched or bitten this woman yet!” You hear the yell from down the hallway. You stiffly walk a few strides, getting closer to the door. To your luck, you stumble and trip on the blue carpet that swallows the middle of the room. The “cat” bumps you, and worms between your legs. The sharp two-toned eyes make you gulp. Alarm bells sound in your head.

“Woah woah woah don’t—”

Kuro plops right on you, causing you to let out a small grunt from his weight.  His way of marking his territory. That you are his owner now.

The fur-covered animal’s warmth covers your stomach and legs as he continues to purr.

“What is even-even happening to me right now?” You ask yourself as Kuro’s eyes close contently. Your body is drenched in sweat.

“I’m serious, Kuro—” Several gasps fill the room as you crane your neck at the door. Your face is pale.

“I don’t know what to do. I was backed into a corner then-then he kept headbutting me and purring. I tried moving towards the door to find someone. Th-Then I tripped, and h-he just went on top of me! He doesn’t stop purring,” You ramble in near tears. 

They all stare at you in shock.

Several beats where no one speaks. All you could hear was the deep engine-like rumble of Kuro vibrating on your stomach and thighs.

“Yuki GRAB THE PAPERWORK!”

“SUZUKI GRAB MY LAB JOURNAL”

Several voices shout at once, the echoes ricocheting off the stark white wall—half of the group scramble down the hallway.

An hour later, against your will, you have successfully adopted Kuro, the domesticated snow leopard with two quirks. They put him in a covered 3 x 4 feet metal cage and threw in the utility cart to transport him free of charge.

As you sit in the waiting area for your “cat,” your cell phone rings. You fish it out of your pocket and answer it without looking at the caller ID.

“H-hello?” Your voice was still wobbly from the adrenaline.

“Ah, you picked up! How’s everything going?” A rush of tranquility streams through your veins from hearing his voice, bursting the dam of emotions. You hiccup.

“I-I I—” You start crying, the delayed hormones caused by your perceived near-death experience make you a mess.

“Woah! Is everything okay? Are you okay (Y/n)? Are you hurt? Where are you?” His voice is frantic and panicked. You can hear the clattering of keys and the rustle of fabric.

“At the an-a-a—,” you sniffle wetly and cough. You try again, weeping.

“The A-a-animal uh-a-adoption center in the main p-plaza.” You continue to cry, wiping your tears with your other hand.

You hear the slamming of a door and a mutter of ‘crap, where the hell is that?’

He recites the address, and you sniffle a weak yes.

Not a minute later, the door opens harshly, and you turn to it. Your blurry eyes zero in on the 27-year-old pro-hero’s form. His green curls are messy and ruffled, and his brow is creased with worry.

“M-m-midoriya-san,” you wail and start crying even harder. Fat tears roll down your cheeks comically. He walks briskly over to you, concern written all over his body. His observant eyes analyze you for injuries and wounds. He relaxes a bit when he doesn’t see anything. He crouches in front of your sitting form.

“(Y/n) what is goin---”

“Alright, Ms. (L/n)! Kuro is ready to go home with you!” The researcher calls out in a sing-song tone, rolling in the utility cart with a month’s worth of specific food and a brand-new cat bed. You turn to the researcher and start crying even harder. Izuku’s jade orbs hop from your form to the researcher. His eyes narrow suspiciously. He stands slowly.

“Um, hello—”

“Ohmygodit’sDeku!”

“Deku?!”

“Holy crap!”

His eyes twitch as the staff looks at him in shock and admiration. He should have worn a disguise. His jade irises peer at you from the corner of his eyes. You are still shaky and wiping tears from your eyes.

 He clears his throat.

“Hi.” Izuku’s voice is terse. “What’s going on here? Why is she crying?”

“Oh, maybe because she just successfully adopted a rare breed, the domesticated snow leopard!”

“With two quirks!” Another employee adds. A wail cuts through the rooms, and you cry even harder.

Izuku’s eyebrows furrow as the information sinks into his brain.  He turns on his heel, facing you again.

“Nod once if it’s for happiness. Two for against your will.” He knew you so well.

You nod twice.

The researcher holds up his hands, “D-deku-sama, you need to understand. K-ku-kuro-kun hates everyone. There has never been a time where he swiped on someone or bitten someone because they have gotten close to him. This was the first time in all our time with him that he initiated contact, especially with such a positive reaction. We understand that adopting a domesticated snow leopard would be very scary for Ms. (L/n). But after three years of trying with hundreds of different people, Ms. (L/n) walks in here, and he doesn’t bite her. He sat on her while purring. H-he chose her.”

His emerald eyes pan over to the utility cart. That’s a big cat. No wonder she’s terrified. The thought makes him grimace.

He looks at the employee that said something earlier, “You mentioned this cat has two quirks?”

Your fingers twitch as you watch in horror as curiosity starts to change Izuku’s whole demeanor.

The scientist pushes up his glasses and nods. “Yes, Kuro-kun can protect a person with an impenetrable bubble and can communicate with the person he’s protecting mentally. He’s very intelligent. His second quirk is healing. He can heal the person he’s on no matter how life-threatening the injury is.”

Izuku’s ears perk at the employee's words. Izuku’s whole facial expression shifts.

You groan and cover your face with your hands.  “Oh god, no.”

Izuku starts asking the scientist rapid-fire questions, interested in every detail of the quirks and their abilities. You hear the over-excitement in his voice as he commits every answer to memory. I guess I’ll be going home with this animal, you think bitterly.

-

Ten minutes later, you’re at Izuku’s new apartment with Kuro, the domestic snow leopard. You’re hunched over, about to puke in his trash can.

“Sorry (Y/n), I tried going as slow as possible. I ran a bit too fast, huh?” His voice is embarrassed as he sets down the metal cage like it weighs nothing.

You give him a shaky ‘uh-huh’ as you lurch, hurling out the pasta you had for lunch. The acrid taste of bile and chewed food causes your eyes to water. You retch.

Izuku bites his bottom lip, wondering if he should check on you. His eyes stare at the cage. His obsession with quirk information wins.

He disregards you as he opens the cage, his excitement trumping his worry. He peers inside to see the large ball of snow-white fur with marbled patterned specks. “Interesting, the design of his fur is unlike most snow leopards. There’s very little patterning.” Izuku mummers as he writes it in a notebook. It only adds to the expanding collection of quirk research he’s started since he was younger.

Kuro’s fuzzy ears twitch and flicker. His eyes crack open. “Ah, heterochomatic eyes. Amazing,” he whispers in awe as you vomit again—the chunky liquid splatters in the black bag. You weakly grasp the lid of the trash can to hold you up.

Kuro’s eyes narrowed at the green-haired man in front of him. The pupils thin and shrink into slits. He growls lowly, baring his teeth. Izuku blinks rapidly.

He begins writing down furiously, sitting by the cage opening with his legs crossed.

“I really liked my lunch in my stomach,” you groan, trembling. Your face is still at the entrance of the garbage can.

Kuro’s ears flicker up, and the heterochromatic eyes land on your sick form. The pupil shape returning to normal. He meows deeply.

“Interesting,” Izuku chatters as he continues sketching his findings on the lined paper of quirk notebook vol. 51. The animal stalks out of the cage and saunters towards you. The pro hero stands on his knees as he shifts across the living area to get a better view.

“About 76CM (two and a half feet) at all fours, very large indeed.” His eyes follow the “cat” as it bumps its head on your leg.

You shriek, startled by the large cat. You slip on your socks, your butt colliding with the hardwood floor. The pain of the fall doesn’t even register.

Your eyes are wide in panic.

“W-ait-wait, please don—”

Izuku stares with rapt attention as the leopard crawls on you, purring as it curls itself in a ball. Kuro shoots a goofy kitty smile at you.

“Extremely affectionate to (Y/n) as mentioned by scientists that studies this breed.” He writes as he speaks.

He gasps dramatically, not looking up from the journal.

“Perhaps this is Ka-chan reincarnated into a cat?” He writes the question down and frames it with a box in his notebook.

Unexpectedly, a bright blue glow comes over the cat and radiates the both of you.

You shriek before squealing, “M-Midoriya!”

Izuku’s eyes bug out at the sight of blue light, “Holy crap!” He smiles brightly in excitement as he stands up clumsily with the notebook and pen. He rushes over behind the kitchen island and sees the bright glow emanating from the cat. It covers both of your forms like an electric blanket. He furiously scribbles what he witnesses down. His eyes and hands work overtime to catch every second.

“I should have had a camera to record this happening,” he says excitedly.   

Your eyes are wider than dinner plates as warm, gentle air flows out of the leopard. Your nausea quickly disappears. Your energy comes back immediately. You feel better. The bright electric blue glow dissipates as the cat meows at you and nuzzles his face on your stomach.

Your eye twitches as you stare at Kuro. Did that really happen?

“Did it work?!” Izuku practically shouts, breaking you out of your stupor. You crane your neck at him, slightly annoyed by how excited he looks. He’s bouncing on his toes, barely containing his excitement. The bright glee in his eyes reminds you of an excited child.

“Y-yeah. I feel a lot better. It’s like I never got sick….” You trail off. You look back at the content animal, draped over you like a blanket. You scrub a hand on your face.

I just aged ten years in one day, you thought bitterly.

You never got the chance to help Izuku decorate that day.

Chapter Text

The spirit of new beginnings, opportunity, hope

Days go by, and you start acclimating to a new routine. Adapting to having Kuro as a pet was strange, but less work than you thought. They told you that he was smart.

No, he is very smart.

Smarter than most adults. 

First, it was the litter box. The domesticated snow leopard refused to use a litter box when you had got it. You swore his eye twitched at the suggestion, letting out a snort as he turned away. The look on your face as you saw the large cat  sit on the toilet   seat  and poop was  wild . When he pawed at the bidet button ‘level 1,’ you audibly gasped. He flushed it with a paw as he stared at you mockingly.

You called Izuku and your brother that night.

Secondly, he picked up many commands in the first week. Everyone online said it would take one-to-two months for just one command. Your domesticated snow leopard gets it the first time on mostly everything. He knew his name, your name, and the others that frequently visited your place.

Also, the domesticated snow leopard is a pervert. Kuro is adamant that he goes into the shower with you. Everyday. He never cared about getting wet. The first week, you tried to ignore his insistent scratching and meowing at your bathroom door whenever you showered. So now you have kitty shampoo and conditioner next to yours. You don’t bathe him every time because you’ve read that it could cause issues, but once a week hasn’t caused any side effects of dry skin yet. You usually slather Kuro in coconut oil after you hop out of the shower, just in case. He loved being bathed. The domesticated snow leopard also liked to be brushed daily and ate certain brands of treats.

Kuro also sleeps on your bed. No exceptions.

You didn’t know cats liked to be walked at all. So you were surprised when you looked at the researcher’s notes about walking the snow leopard. Kuro likes to take long walks twice daily, which most housecoats don’t do. When you got home, you always wiped his paws, which the feline never complained about. You also slathered his paws in special paw cream—courtesy of Momo—right after. He especially liked strenuous walks up hills or by big rock beds.

Despite the rough introduction, Kuro tolerates people. Kuro behaved well around them — scratch that, he didn’t hiss or scratch at them after the first scolding. All except for Izuku, which he snarled at every so often if he got too close for the snow leopard’s liking. Even if Izuku is in the same room as you, Kuro hisses with flat ears. It only seemed to stop if you pet him.

You sigh, sitting on your couch as Kuro, the happiest lap cat, is purring all over you. You scratch the underside of his chin, and he practically melts at the attention. You run your hands through the stark white speckled glossy coat, loving how soft it is. You swear he vibrates harder.

Yes, your cat-leopard is  very  strange.

“You just like being on top of me huh?” you ask exasperatedly.

Kuro cranes his neck at you and meows, slowly blinking at you. A kitty kiss. At least you think based on your research-- but Kuro isn’t exactly a cat. 

“Yeah, yeah yeah, love you too.”

You grab the remote and press play.  Abbot Elementary’s  theme song starts playing. You grab your thermos beside you, taking a sip of your green tea. This was this week’s latest episode, and you wanted to see it before your brother spoils it for you.

“Honestly Gregory, same.” You gaff as the character stares at the camera with a withering stare.

About halfway through the episode, your cell phone rings on the TV stand.

Kuro looks at you as if mentally saying, ‘You gonna get that?’ You groan. ‘No.’ You pause the episode.

 Kuro hops off your lap and stalks toward the ringing cell phone, he carefully cranes his neck down as he opens his jaw, grabbing the cell phone with his mouth. He stalks back toward you with the vibrating cell phone between both rows of jagged teeth. You hold your hand out as he releases his jaw for the phone to drop on your hand.

Every day this cat surprises me. 

“Thank you, Kuro.” You smile at the cat and scratch his chin with your free hand. His tail swishes once lazily. He meows and jumps back on the couch. He sits with his front two legs straight and perpendicular to the seat.

You answer your phone.

“Hello?”

“Ah! (Y/n) are you busy right now?” It was Izuku. His masculine voice involuntarily relaxes your muscles. You sink into your couch unconsciously as you smile. Kuro’s fur-covered ears twitch, hearing the familiar voice.

You glance at the paused episode on your tv. “Um, not really. Why? What’s up?”

“W-well, I was going over your bucket list and saw that you want to go to a clay sculpting class. I saw on the news that they’re having some in this area. The teacher is a famous clay sculptor, and he’s hosting a class today at 7 PM.” He pauses before the sound of something crashes on his end.

You wince as he mutters something under his breath before sighing.

“I already called to see if they w-would let you bring Kuro with you. They said it was fine.”

“How did you get the number?” You hear silence on his side of the phone for a few moments. You figured he was trying to contemplate telling you about it. You decide to tease him, “Hello? Midoriya-san, are you still there?”

“Y-yeah!” He clears his throat, “IgotthenumberfromtheticketsIalreadybought.”

“What?”

“I already b-bought the tickets, so I got the number from there.”

“Oh.” You’re taken aback.

“Y-yeah.”

You think about it, looking at your remote. You look at the ugly cat clock. ‘14:57’

I have to throw out that clock, it’s a mockery of all cats. 

“Uh, sure. I guess. I’ll get ready then.”

“Great, I’ll meet you at your apartment at 6.” You inhale a sharp breath. The last time Izuku came into your house, it was not good. Kuro had a fit because Izuku touched your hand. The cat was very possessive of you around Izuku for some reason.

“No, I’ll meet you at yours. It’s a great walk for Kuro, honestly.”

“Oh! Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. It’s only like a fifteen to twenty-minute walk.”

You say your farewells, and you sigh. You glance down at your current attire: a ratty oversized t-shirt and no pants.

“I suppose I can’t go like this, right Kuro?” His heterochromatic eyes stare at you as he grumbles out a meow. ‘No.’

You hang your head dejectedly, “That’s what I thought.”

You fumble with your remote to get off your Hulu subscription and switch on the weather channel.

“Let’s take a look at the forecast for this valentine’s day weekend. We’re seeing rain for the day before but clear skies on the fan-favorite holiday.”

You look at Kuro, “You’ll be my valentine this year, right?” He gives you a lazy meow as he gives you another ‘kitty kiss.’ You take it as a yes.

You shower with Kuro—the cat did not understand personal space— and dry the both of you with a towel. You grab your specialized hair dryer, fit for Kuro’s fur, and dry his fur first. After you deem it dry enough, you slather some coconut oil all over his shiny fur. He stands still for the most part until your towel-clad torso is right at his face.

The cat licks your upper chest, the skin not covered with a towel. The sandpaper texture makes you shiver.

“Kuro, that tickles, man.” You giggle a bit.

His paw rises at the height of your towel. Then attempts to swipe at the knot that keeps the towel firmly in place. You dodge it. It’s as if he wants you to be naked in front of him.

“No, stop being a pervert.” You chastise, pausing your hands’ mission to cover his patterned fur and warm skin in a thin layer of nutty oil. He stops in mid-swipe and sets down the front leg. He gives you a glared snort.

You scoff.

“You just saw me naked for fifteen minutes, leacher.” He snorts again, turning his head away from you.

You gasp, “I’m gonna have to find you a kitty girlfriend or something because you—”

He cuts you off with a deeper meow, a slightly irritated tone. Then, he walks away from your hands. ‘No.’

Pervert cat , you internally grumble.

You finish getting ready and dressed. You wear black tights that are thickly lined on the inside but look like stockings, a black pleaded skirt that reaches almost to your knees, and a beige oversized turtleneck French tucked to the skirt’s waistband. You wear your hair loose; the glossy strands make your hair color vibrant. You pair your look with chunky hoop earrings.

You look at your reflection in the mirror, turn your legs to the side, and then back to their regular position. In the few weeks, you’ve had Kuro, your legs have been getting more defined. Your body is developing the lithe muscles you once remembered you had. You started to fit your clothes better. Your face is less sullen and brighter. You’ve gained seven more pounds since getting Kuro, finally reaching a less concerning BMI within the underweight range class.  All thanks to a snow leopard who loves to take the longest walks on earth,  you thought.

Foundation is too cakey, and my skin doesn’t need it. I go with a few dots of cc cream and put on mascara with light reddish lipgloss. Maybe do a tiny makeshift cat eye? Like with an eyebrow pencil? 

“How the hell do I do a cat wing?” You mutter to yourself.

“How did I put makeup on for so long without learning how to ever do a cat wing—cat eye?” The question makes you angry.

You groan in frustration as you sit at your vanity mirror in your bedroom. Kuro is napping on your bed, blissfully ignorant of the fact that you’re about to flip this whole table. You grab your phone and three-way call Mina and Etsuko.

“Guys, how do I do a cat eye?”

All you see is half of Mina’s pink face under covers and Etsuko’s throat as she walks to what you assume is her office.

“Babe, who is that?” You hear a male voice groan out in frustration. The owner of the voice peeks his head, messy red hair comes up in the corner of her square image.

“Hi, Kirishima!” Etsuko yells as she is now sitting in her office.

You hear some shuffling before Kirishima comes into full view, his face slightly flushed. His lips and chin glistened with clear fluid.

You blink. Etsuko smirks like an old man who just got a young woman’s panties.

“Mina is gonna have to call you back.” His voice was deeper than usual, and out of breath. Your cheeks heat up as you hear Mina stifle back a yelp and a garbled sound.

“OH SHIT! Y’ALL ARE NASTY!” Etsuko yells with a giant smirk as the call drops on Mina’s end.

You burst air through your lips. “PFFFT”

“Why the hell did she even pick up?!” You screech.  

“You saw how wet the bottom half of Kirishima’s face was?!” Etsuko cackles.

You let out a belly laugh as Etsuko’s hand slaps the table. She’s in tears.

“‘Mina is gonna have to call you back,’” You mock with laughter. You both laugh harder for a few minutes.

Etsuko eventually teaches you over the phone how to do a natural-looking cat eye that defines the eyes. Much less noticeable than a regular cat eye because she told you to use a noticeable shade but not too much darker than your skin tone. She also instructed you to shape your eyebrows in a way that flattered your face by using concealer and an eyebrow pencil. It was still very ‘I woke up like this’ but better. Etsuko also makes you put on eyeshadow that is slightly deeper than your skin tone, but lighter than the eyeliner.

She tells you to put clips in your hair or a slouchy hat. You decide against it. You spritz some perfume on your neck that matches your body chemistry but isn’t too strong. You spritz it on one wrist and gently dab them together. When you set it down, you notice the bottle is still full.

“When was the last time I wore perfume?” You wonder as you look at your perfume collection. There were full bottles of perfumes that people have gifted you years ago that remained untouched.

Kuro wakes up with a sneeze from the smell.

Well, this will be the last time I wear these for a while.

You pack items for you and Kuro before you get him ready with a harness. Almost like clockwork, this cat always used the bathroom before leaving. You hear a distinct toilet flush, and you shake your head.  This cat knows too fucking much , you think with pressed lips.

You jingle the harness, and he walks toward you faster than his regular stride. Oddly enough, he was usually ready to go as soon as you jingled the harness. You smile as you help him step through it, praising him as he works with you to secure him. You place his collar on him, which he huffs, avoiding it.

‘Emotional support animal’, the harness bib cover reads in bold colors. You silently thank your therapist every day for sending in that paperwork.

“I have to put this on you unless you’d rather be here by yourself? I don’t want someone stealing you”. He looks at you with a grimace.

‘You really think I’d let them?’

You giggle, “Okay. But every animal in Japan should have a collar with the owner’s contact information. Just in case. Look, it’s your favorite colors! I know you like orange and black, so I made it for you, Kuro!” You show the collar in your hands. He looks down at your hands, and you can see the leopard roll his blue-green eyes.

You blink.  Wait, can he actually understand me? No way. Right? I — he’s a cat.  You shake the thought out of your head.

“Plus, I want to let everyone know you’re mine.” That makes his ears perk up, and his tail is completely rim-rod straight.  Oh, he understood and liked that. Pervert. 

“So can I?” Kuro looks at you, the collar, then at you again. Finally, he reluctantly cranes his neck closer to your hands as if saying, ‘all right, go ahead’. You kiss the top of Kuro’s head; the white fur tickles your nose.

You place the collar around his neck. You stand up from your squatted position and admire your handiwork.

The orange and black collar is snug and secure around his furry neck. A gold square dangles from the collar’s fabric right in the middle of his neck.

‘My name is Kuro.

My owner is (L/n), (Y/n).

If lost, please contact XXX-XXX-XXXX’

It was very simple and expensive because it was real gold. You didn’t tell Kuro that the collar is a tracking chip connected to your phone and Izuku’s as backup. The gold was an excellent conductor for technology, according to the manufacturers.

You sit by the genkan and slip on some chunky black boots. You grab a camel-colored trench coat and your purse filled with all the items you need for the outing. You also did not fail to include extra things for a ‘what if?’ possibility.

You place the Patek Phillipe NAUTILUS watch on your left wrist — a gift that Katsuki gave you years ago for your 23rd birthday. You barely wore it because you hated walking around with something so expensive.

Rich kids… They love to buy expensive things so casually while others have to work so hard for them. He never seemed to appreciate how well off he was compared to Izuku or I when we were in high school. Thankfully it was never something he bragged about either,  you thought as you stared at the watch’s blue face.

Kuro held the harness handle between the two rows of teeth for you to grab. He craned his neck to place it in your hand. You thank the leopard by scratching his chin and smoothing your hand down his neck and back.

You check the time on your wristwatch.

‘5:32 PM’

It should only take you fifteen minutes to walk to Izuku’s place. You figured you could grab some more treats for Kuro at the pet store.

You walk with Kuro by your side down the city as you continue to think about your childhood compared to Katsuki’s. 

 He was praised so much as a child. In contrast, you were bullied for being quirkless and poorer than the rest of your classmates. You suppose it’s why you both clashed so much when you both met. So, you worked hard to get top scores across the board, attempting to prove to the adults and children that income didn’t matter when it came to doing well in school.

Both of your parents were teachers who barely made enough to be considered middle class. You would consider yourself in the well-off working class for most of your life. You weren’t living in the dumps, but your neighborhood wasn’t something to brag about. You were lucky to move into a house when you were ten years old after living in an apartment with only two bedrooms. You were forced to share your bedroom with your brother. It wasn’t the worst, but you often were bullied for it when you were a kid.

You smile, remembering how people didn’t think you would get into UA. When your teacher announced it to the class at the end of the year, your classmates were so shocked. They thought you had a connection or had bribed the committee, anything other than based on your many sleepless nights studying with your parents, who were teachers at another prestigious high school.

It wasn’t long before you both reached the fancy pet store that sold the treats your cat liked. You are perusing the aisles of the pet store, trying to find the expensive treat.

“Nope, nope, not it,” you say under your breath as you walk slowly enough to read the labels. Then, suddenly, the leash is taunt, and you are held back by it. You pause to see Kuro’s back hunched, his patterned fur raised and spiky. His teeth are bared, and his ears are twitching. His heterochromatic eyes are narrowed slits.

He hisses, staring straight toward the snacks on your left.  

You furrow your brows, concern etched in deep lines of the ordinarily smooth skin. “Kuro? Is every—”

A loud crash and explosion suddenly cut you off.

It causes part of the aisle next to Kuro to creak forward slowly. Your eyes widen.  Shit, that’s gonna fall.  You had to act quickly. Adrenaline begins rushing to your veins, making your body warm.

You rush towards the snow leopard and grab him by the waist, his body extending and dangling like a limp noodle. You leap out of the way, falling to the floor, right before that half of the aisle crashes. You cradle the snow leopard protectively in your arms the best you can and take the brunt of the impact. The prickling pain on your back causes you to inhale sharply before grinding your molars.

“Fuuck, that smarts,” you harshly mutter through your clenched teeth. You crack your eyes and inspect your pet for any injuries. Your muscles relax a bit when you see no injuries. You sigh and kiss Kuro on the cheek.

Quickly, you begin to become aware of your situation again. You stiffen.

Wait, that explosion happened here. 

You concentrate and focus on every small noise you can hear. Your heart thuds in your chest as you hear a man yelling and a pair of heavy footsteps walking toward something.

A villain, perhaps?  You question internally with wide eyes.

Clutching Kuro in your arms close to your chest and lap, you scoot yourself behind the edge of the other aisle. You try to turn your head a bit to take a better look without trying to be seen.

“Where’s the girl that came in here with the leopard, you old fart?!” The villain in question is gripping the store clerk by their collar from across the register. You see how the villain is dressed in a bright yellow and purple overalls costume with a matching yellow beret. He has a brown mustache under a wide pointy nose.  He looks like a tall buffier version of Wario , you think dryly.

You look at the time on your wrist,

‘5:48’ PM.

You bite your bottom lip. There go your plans to make it to Izuku’s apartment by 6.

You try to devise a game plan as you carefully fish out your phone from your trench coat to alert anyone that you are in trouble.

“I-I don’t know w-who you’re t-talking about! P-please just l-l-let me go.” You pick up the distressed voice of the store clerk owner as you unlock your phone and press the message app icon. Your fingers tap on the recent chat bubble, you don’t even take a second to read who it might be.

‘Villain in the pet store looking for me.’ you text one-handedly as your hands start to feel clammy. You make sure to hit send with a pin of your location.

‘Not sure if I can escape.’ You text.

You wait for the bubble to say ‘delivered’ before you put it back in your pocket.

“What do you mean you don’t know?! She’s walking a fucking snow leopard like a dog-” You hear Kuro huff, offended. You quietly pat his back. “Shhhhh,” you whisper very lowly. Your heart is pounding in your chest as you briefly check around you for an exit. 

“I’m s-sorry sir! I-I don—”

You hear a loud whack and thud. Then your ears catch a male groan out in pain. Your eyes grow wider than dinner plates as your eyebrows raise.

You needed to get out of the store  fast. 

You hear heavy footsteps striding away from the counter, taking measured strides down that aisle. Should I make a run for it?  You ask yourself. You hear the footsteps heading towards the back of the store. 

Now.

You take the chance. You pray the villain didn't have a gun. You clutch Kuro a bit tighter and get off the floor, your purse still surprisingly in place on your shoulder. You make a beeline towards the door and leap out the broken glass panel of the store entrance, your boots crunch on the broken shards of glass as your leggings rip due to a sharp piece on the frame. Your ears pick up a “You sneaky bitch” from behind the store. Your heart beats even more frantically in your chest as you swivel your body and make a left, away from Izuku’s apartment direction. You didn’t need a villain knowing where the pro-hero lived.

Your feet pound with your long strides as you pant, running aimlessly past innocent civilians as you hear heavy boots behind you. You hear screams and people yelling as the villain casually throws the civilians out of the way to incoming traffic or walls of buildings.

You grind your molars as you recite an inner mantra, ‘don’t look behind you, don’t look behind you, don’t look behind you’ . You clutch Kuro tighter, feeling his warmth through your trench coat. Sweat starts to bead on your forehead as your breath becomes more labored. The villain yells something behind you, and you attempt to run faster. The voice sounded too close for comfort. Your lungs are on fire as you run down another city block, arms straining under Kuro’s weight.

You finally get a bit of clarity as you turn the corner to a busier street.

“Help! A villain is after me!” You screech as loud as you can. You continue to try and escape before something wraps around your legs before it harshly whips you backward. The inertia steals all the air from your body.

The vine or rope hurls you and the snow leopard you are clutching, several feet in the air. You let out a scream as you wiz upwards through the cold February air.

You’re now several stories in the air, and your brain is running on pure adrenaline. You quickly turn your body to make sure you land on your back. You mentally prepare yourself to take the impact as you clench your jaw and squeeze your eyes shut.

“Someone call a hero!” You hear someone yell on your descent to the grey concrete. The wind whips your trench coat and hair in every direction as you clutch Kuro, waiting for the impact.

-----

She should be on her way now , Izuku mentally deduces as he looks at the large simple clock on his living room wall. He stands up from the couch and heads into his bedroom to pull out his black winter boots. Once he has it in his hands, he pads over to his vanity and grabs his favorite watch with his left hand. The cold metal on his ring finger suddenly feels heavy on his finger as it catches his eye.

He grimaces. The last time he heard anything about Ochako, she had already been to dinner with a few men. Out of the few men, one was her ex. Shoto Todoroki. Ochako had never told him that she would go out on dates or see other people. He assumed the separation meant space, while they both took time to figure things out. Alone.

She obviously had a different perspective on it.

Last week, headlines were made with a scandalous photo under a bold headline.

‘Uravity Leaving Deku in the Dust?!’ Read the bottom on most of Japan’s television screens as the population watched a brief clip of Ochako and Shoto eating at an intimate restaurant. Izuku changed the channel. He didn’t want to see that. It had only been two months since the courts approved them both for separation. Yet, it looked like she was moving on and with such  ease. 

It makes doubt swirl in his head. Did a separation allow for grounds to date other people? Was this technically considered infidelity? Yet, one thought managed to haunt him since, and it bothered him daily.

Is she trying to search for happiness? Is she moving on? 

His hand drops the boots on the hardwood floor, landing with a muted thud as he stares at the white gold band. It was confusing to him.  

He did love her, that much he can confidently say. But, he wasn’t  in love  with her. When he saw that on the news, he was never angry, nor was he green with jealousy. He was hurt that she couldn’t be honest with him and cut the cord clean. He was hurt that after being together for so long, she’s kept this part locked away and didn’t tell him.

The irony causes Izuku to scoff bitterly at himself.  Karma’s a bitch.

He loosens his grip on the watch, the metal links impacting the dark wood with a soft clatter. His other hand places his thumb and forefinger on the metal band. He pinches it gently and twists it off his fingers. He stares at the lighter line of untanned skin branded on his ring finger—the air shifts around him.

The feeling of removing it made him feel  different.  Izuku couldn’t explain it, but he felt something  shift  inside him. He places the ring on the dark wood next to his cologne and All Might bobblehead. He looks at himself in the mirror—Jade orbs on a quest to see if there are any minute differences on his face.

His face looked the same.

His hair looked shorter, and his hairline donned sharp edges and lines, but it was because he got a fresh haircut yesterday. It was the same undercut haircut he usually got. He’s freshly shaven.

But nothing different. 

Izuku sighs. He grabs the A. Lange & Sohnewatch watch, placing it on his wrist, before hooking two fingers inside the boots and lifting them off the hardwood. He pads over to his living room and walks past the furniture, turning the corner past the kitchen island before reaching the genkan. He places the boots there and strides back to the living room area.

“This just in. We have Breaking News of a villain spotted near Musutafu’s affluent neighborhood, home to many pro-heroes.” His eyebrows furrow as he hears the voice from his new TV—Izuku pads over to see the screen.

Before seeing the news, his heart thuds in his chest.

His vision eerily skews and tilts everything at a 90-degree angle in slow motion before the air is knocked out of his lungs. A scarred palm shoots out to search for a wall to help hold him up as the random attack on his body hits him. His vision turns grainy as his legs give out, and he collapses on the floor. His ears can’t hear anything but a sharp, piercing ringing noise. He gasps for breath as he clutches blindly at his heart, searching for a wound or warm blood.

Nothing.

The pain is sharp as if the beating muscle is deeply punctured with a glass shard. A horrid sense of dread fills his stomach as he tries to swallow a breath. But no matter what, he can’t seem to breathe . The emotion tastes acrid in his mouth.

Sweat starts to form beads quickly all over his body. His fingertips feel like ice.

He curls up in a fetal-like position on the floor for a moment, waiting for the feeling to dissipate. He briefly wonders if he is having a heart attack.

A moment passes before the feeling is completely gone. 

It left as quickly as it came.

He sucks a gulp of air as his shaky hands palm at the cold floor. His hearing rapidly comes back, registering a phone ringing. Now he can feel the vibration in the front pocket of his pants. He struggles but manages to sit up, holding himself up with a hand on the floor. He fishes out the vibrating device from his pants pocket and cracks out a hello. His voice is hoarse and labored.

A voice on the other end shrieks and cries simultaneously, and he can barely recognize any of the words.

The voice sounds familiar to him as he peers back at the TV’s screen. But, the bright glare from this distance made it hard to see anything.

“Sumimoto-san?” he questions, unsure if that’s the right person calling him.

“Midoriya IsweartogodyoubetteransweryourfuckingphonewhenIcallyouthenexttimethere’safuckingemergency.” She rapidly fires at him. The wails take out the bite from her threat. He could barely understand her from how fast she spoke.

“Huh? Emergency? What do you mean?” His eyebrows knit together, and his lips turn downward.

“THAT’S WHY WE ANSWER OUR PHONES, YOU DUMB FUCK—” He moves the phone away from his ears and rolls his eyes. He was too busy on the floor in sudden pain. How could he answer anything?

“I’m sorry?” He cuts her off, wincing at his blunt tone. “Can you please tell me what is so urgent?”

“A villianisafter(y/n)andshe’sintrouble. Haveyounotseenthefucking---” His heart drops on the floor. His soul is leaving his body. He drops the phone, his fingers momentarily losing strength.

In a heartbeat, Izuku staggers and clumsily rushes to stand up. He leaves the cell phone behind as Etsuko yells into the receiver. In his first few strides, he trips, catches himself, and rushes towards the TV screen to see a woman with a brown trench coat clutching a large cat to her chest on the ground. There’s a protective shield around both of them as the villain lifts a car with a stretchy arm and hurls it toward them. The impact of the vehicle pushes the protective shield back to crash into a nearby building.

He can’t even breathe as he stares at the screen.  No. You are on your way here. There’s no way. There’s no way. 

Then explain that feeling before you picked up the phone.  A dark voice swirls around, echoing in his mind.

The screen pans to the villain, whose clothing vaguely reminds him of a character from a video game he’s played before.

The malicious intent exuded from the yellow and purple-clad villain. He lets out a sardonic baritone laugh.

“Get up bitch! What’s wrong? Can’t even come out and fight me? Or are you waiting for your Deku—”

The words fade as the piercing ringing in his ears is much louder.

Bright green sparks hiss and fizzle around him as his curls lift from his brow, moving as if a fan was hitting from below. Before his brain could even process what was happening, his body  acts  He runs and jumps out of his balcony with a coat and no shoes, hopping rooftops at a speed that even  he  would be surprised at. Each time he lands causes a large crater in each building’s rooftop. The force of each jump got progressively harsher and more forceful, damaging the buildings that he could, quite frankly, give less of a shit about.

-----

‘Hey, nerd, promise me something. Promise me that you’ll take care of (Y/n) if shit ever happens to me. You better not fucking say this to anyone, but she’s the most important person to me. So please, promise me you’ll fucking take care of her if I take a dirt nap.’

----

‘I’m not worth saving.’

-----

‘- you’re still in love with my sister.’

-----

‘  “Hey Midoriya-san!” 

You smiled at him, waving a hand in front of his face. It brings him back from whatever daydream he is having. He blinked once to make his vision focus. 

“Y-Yes?” He stuttered, sitting up straighter. The sun was about to reach the horizon line, painting the sky with red and orange hues that seemed to swirl together. The shimmering clear blue waves of the cold sea mirrored the setting sun’s radiant face. Izuku turned his neck to face you. 

You grinned, resting your head with your fist as it smushed your cheek. Your elbow was propped on your crossed legs. You were still dressed in UA’s uniform, and your hair was in a messy bun. Locks of hair seemed to frame your face intentionally rather than slipping out accidentally. 

The sun’s golden hues highlighted your features, making the apples of your cheeks more defined and your eyes wider. It made your eyes shine brighter. It made his heart burst.

The way inky lashes that framed your eyes looked longer at this moment. Your lips seemed so soft and— oh god. You’re more beautiful than the sun. More beautiful than anything that he’s ever seen before. So beautiful that it hurts . 

He wanted to tell you so badly. The admission of his feelings bubbled underneath the surface of his skin and seemed to climb up his throat every time he saw you. 

But, he was afraid. So, as difficult as it is, he had to bury it. 

 You both were just project partners. Who knows if you’d still know each other years from now? At least, that’s what he told himself. 

“I’m glad we got put in this project together, Midoriya-san.” 

Wait. 

Did I hear that right?  The words echoed in his brain as he tried to replay them repeatedly. 

The words made his heart flip and his body tingle. Blood rushed up to his cheeks, “H-huh?” He stuttered out. 

Smooth. Can you stop stuttering around her like a mess? He chastised himself. 

You giggled as you stared back at him as his green brows knit together in self-frustration. Your eyes sparkled and danced over his features. It made his brain fuzzy and tongue stupid. 

“I said, I’m glad this project put us together.” You smiled genuinely, and it caused all the air to woosh out of Izuku’s lungs. The intensity of his feelings for you clogged his throat as he tried to speak. Should I say it?  

No, you idiot. 

It would be best if you went for it. 

His mind battled for a decision. A decision that could change the course of his friendship with you. 

But what if she’s grossed out or doesn’t want to work with me anymore?

The thought created internal chaos. 

You waved another hand in front of his face. He blinked and came out of his deep thinking. 

“You okay today?” You asked, lines of worry etched faintly on your brow. Your lips tilted slightly in a pout, and your eyes were big and wide like a puppy’s.

He stumbles out an ‘I’m f-f-fine’ and rips his gaze from your face to stare at the sea in front of him. 

Fuck, can he even say it?

“Midoriya-san,” His jade eyes flicker to your face. You seemed hesitant about something, contemplative as you looked at your lap. You shook your head a few times like you were shaking the thought away. You turned your face to him and a brighter expression radiated from your face. 

“I hope you’re in my life for a long time. I hope we continue to hang out past this project.” 

You chew the inside of your cheek for a moment, but you continue, “I know that we’ve been project partners for only three months, but, I feel at peace when I’m around you. Like I can be completely myself, you wouldn’t judge or view me any differently. I feel comfortable talking about things that make me uncomfortable with you. Not even Etsuko knows about some of the things you know. Isn’t that strange because she’s my best friend?” You let out a short laugh. 

Izuku’s mind started to spin. 

Is he under a quirk spell? Why are you saying things that sound like music to his ears? What did you mean by he knew more than your best friend did? 

“I’m sorry if you think I’m being weird. You could forget —”

“No! No, you’re totally fine,” He said, waving his hands frantically, trying to reassure you. 

You smiled again, and he wanted to cry.  I’d do anything to make her smile.

 His heart squeezed again. 

“Thank you, Midoriya-san. I’m really glad I met you.”’

—-

You open your eyes weakly to see if Kuro is injured. You took the brunt of a lot of hits, and Kuro has managed to heal you at every turn. You  know  his stamina is going to run out soon. His face is scrunched up from distress and exertion.

You sigh with relief to see your cat is fine, with no scratches or injuries. Just him breathing heavily. You reach into your pocket and fish out a treat from him. You wince and take a sharp inhale as you twist your arm to try to take it out.

Wait, my arm actually hurts.

The realization hits that Kuro didn’t  heal  you, which meant this protective bubble could give at any second.

 You slowly put the treat near his mouth on your chest, and his sandpaper tongue scoops it into his mouth as he’s lying on you like a blanket. Too tired to even curl up on you. You rub his furry back soothingly, “I’m so sorry you have a quirkless owner Kuro. We wouldn’t be in this mess right now if I had a quirk. Thank you for taking such good care of me. You’re the best cat I could ever have.”

He shuffles up slowly, and his head weakly sets on your neck as he continues panting.

“OI!”

You grind your molars, as you lay on the rubble of the building you got flung through. You are in pain, but you don’t think anything is broken. Hopefully.

You try wiggling your legs, but a sharp pain shoots from your spine down your legs, causing you to gasp.  Okay, so we are not trying that again for a while,  you figure.  

Kuro probably used almost the last bits of his stamina to heal any major injuries you had while jousting inside the protective bubble as it crashed. You would have been dead long ago if it weren’t for the snow leopard. For that, you are more than thankful.

The villain steps into view as his gummy arms wrap around the light-yellow shield.

“You can’t hold this up forever. I’m going to have fun  killing  you. It gives me such a thrill that I’m gonna see  Deku suffer  seeing his little girlfriend dead.” He evilly smirks as you lay at the bottom of the protective sphere.

Why did the universe decide to make you quirkless? Irritation boils inside your chest.

“Not his girlfriend, you asshole!” You sneer at the yellow and purple-clad villain.

Your orbs widen as you catch it flickering in some corners.  Fuck. 

The villain catches your look of terror before he hurls you like a baseball in another direction. To protect Kuro, you clench your molars as you ensure your back is retaking the brunt of the impact. The weightless feeling of falling isn’t what causes you to shriek. It’s because the yellow protective sphere shatters and floats its remains around you like pixie dust.

Your eyes are wide and filled with terror as you fall backward, clutching your domestic snow leopard while protectively cradling his head. Kuro is knocked out cold from quirk overuse. You figure you have about three seconds until you splatter all over the fucking floor.

You close your eyes, and tears prick at the corners of your eyes. Wind howls around your ears—the cold, bitter chill of the air whips around your clothing.

I don’t want to die .

Four months ago, you would have welcomed death with open arms. Now? You wanted to  live .

I didn’t even complete my bucket list with Izuku.  You wait for the impact of the hard ground.

But it never comes.

Instead, you feel a warm arm under your thigh and a calloused hand cradling your head. You open your eyes, and you blink again. You glance around frantically. You are lying with Kuro on the ground nearby. You’re on the ground, alive.

I didn’t splatter all over the floor. 

A bubble of wild laughter bursts through your lips, “I didn’t splatter on the concrete.” You laugh wildly as you look at the night sky.

“Can you walk?”

You blink and look up from the floor to see bright green electricity clashing and sparking around a tall person facing you. Your eyes focus on the figure as you squint. Wind pressure hits your face as the person steps closer to you. The smell of sunshine, comfort, and warm woods hit your nostrils.

Home.  The internal voice recognizes.

Your bleary eyes make out the taller person’s form, their wild bright green eyes glow under the night sky.

Your eyes catch freckles—that wonderful constellation of freckles splattered on the bridge of the person’s nose and their cheeks.

“M-midoriya-san? Did you just s-save me from being r-road kill?” You blink incredulously.

“Yes. Now can you stand?” He crouches in front of you, and the pressure dissipates. His eyes return to their regular shade. The sparks of electricity that form chaotically around him fizzle and die out.

You try to swing your legs to the side of you or even lift up your torso. White hot pain hits you like a gut punch as you shriek. Your eyes see stars and fat tears roll down your cheeks unforgivingly. You relax your muscles on the floor, holding on to Kuro’s passed-out form.

“Yeah, no, I’m gonna stay just like this. Thank you for saving me, though,” you say hoarsely. Izuku hands balls into fists beside him. Regret twists bitterly in his stomach.

This wouldn’t have happened if he had just insisted on picking you up. If he hadn’t shown up at the right time—Izuku’s mental sabotage is interrupted by a sharp sound.

You both hear a slow clap as the villain steps into view again. The yellow and purple overall-clad Wario wannnabe is grinning, obviously amused that the person he wanted, came.

“The great  Deku,  stepping out of his—-”

“Shut. Up. ” The curly green-haired 188 CM muscular man grits out. Your eyes flick to Izuku as he stands up from his squatted form. His voice didn’t even sound like him.

He turns to the villain, who is in shock by Izuku’s tone. It seems like you both have never heard Izuku as angry as this.

The villain clears his throat, trying to get rid of his nervousness.

You peer at the floor again and finally notice something strange.  Did he come outside without shoes?  You shake the intrusive thought out of your head.  Focus, you have a knocked-out cat whose quirks are essential for your survival and a stretchy, rubbery villain who wants to kill you .

“Did you mean to say that out loud? Because we all see that he’s not wearing shoes.” The villain sneers at you.

You roll your eyes, “And you look like a wannabe Wario. It seems like we both have our faults.”

The villain bares his teeth at you, “Stupid b-”

“Finish that word, and I’ll kill you right here,” Izuku cuts in coldly. His electric green eyes illuminate his face. The bright glow highlights the freckles splattered on his cheeks and nose while his lips tilt into a deep scowl paired. Neon eyes are narrowed into slits. 

Silence fills the air as your lips form a tiny ‘o’ in shock.  Did he say kill? 

Heroes don’t ever  kill. That rule was drilled into your mind while you were studying at UA. It’s in the hero guidebook.

 Izuku wouldn’t kill a person. Right? He’s Japan’s number-one hero. He wouldn’t break all the codes and regulations.

Wind pressure begins to build around Izuku, and his open black coat harshly swayed against it. Green static and electricity bolts start to form around Izuku.

You squint your eyes from the sudden wind, trying to shield your irises from rubble and dust.

“Why did you do this?” He asks. The villain laughs before grinning.

“You came a little bit too early to see why. I wanted to kill her first and have you find her dead co—”

—-

‘“Thank you Midoriya-san. I’m really glad I met you.”’

—-

Something within Izuku  snaps. 

A thunderous clap following a loud crash is heard. Your eyes catch the image of a nearby building folding inwards as an inky black vine slams into it. The building collapses completely. More black tendrils seem to form almost uncontrollably at first. The tendrils wrap around his arms and legs as multiple neon green sparks crackle around his form. Then, before your eyes, a thin green veil begins around him.

Kuro’s ears twitch rapidly as a protective bubble forms around you. It saves you from flying away from the immense wind pressure: the wind and rubble hit around the light yellow translucent shield.  

“Kuro?!” You look frantically at the snow leopard who cracks open his blue-green eyes at you. Tears well up in your eyes. Your cat is okay.

Oh, thank goodness, you thought as you craned your neck to kiss the top of the cat’s head.

With wind and rubble not hitting your face, you can better see what’s happening around you. Your ears catch what sounds like a bomb explosion, and the dark gravel concaves from the intense energy. It craters deeper into the city’s grid map. Your eyes widen, and panic fills your body.  Holy fuck, I’ve never seen any video of him like this at work , you think as you try and see past all of the debris flying everywhere around the shield.

“What’d you say?”  It sounds deadly—each  word dripping with lethal intent.  The tone is a stark contrast coming from the person known as Japan’s sweetheart.

A cold chill travels up your body, while pure dread settles into your stomach. His voice sounds  wicked. 

A black tendril wraps around the protective shield, craning it away from Izuku. The wrapped protective shield moves with you and your cat in it. Almost as fast as a bullet train, it takes you to a makeshift medical area with ambulances and first responders taking care of injured citizens. The black vine sets you both down on the ground, right in the middle.

EMS workers stop what they are doing and look at what is going on in awe. The black tendril retracts quickly from your sight as you hear a deafening boom. The protective shield flickers again as Kuro realizes you will be taken care of. The shield shatters to yellow glowing dust around you, causing you to cough on the floor.

Silence.

“What the—”

Another deafening boom paired with a loud thunderous clap. A bright flash of green illuminates the night sky.

You try to crane your neck up to see but let out a groan.

Suddenly, the medical personnel realizes that there are two injured are in front of them.

“Get me a gurney-”

“Ishida page the animal hospital—”

You start to shiver as your adrenaline and endorphins wane away rapidly. You begin to feel the beginnings of searing pain branching from your back to all of your limbs. You let out a loud hiss, biting back a shriek.

As a man lifts you, another separates you from Kuro, and you start becoming hysterical. You start clawing, moving your arms to push the essential workers in an attempt to get your cat despite your intense pain.

“Ma’am it’s okay. Your animal will be going to the best possible animal hospital. Please calm down, you were in a villain attack.”

You pause and look at EMS’ face. Although he states the obvious, the words sink into your brain. You were in a villain attack.  Something that’s never happened to you before.

You lay back and close your eyes as the EMS team cut open your trench coat to attend to a wound you didn’t even know was there. You crack open your eyes to see the trench coat in a crumpled heap on one side of the vehicle as another EMS worker closes the door. You saw a large wet patch on the brown fabric. You are  bleeding.  When did that happen? Why didn’t you notice?

You start spewing curses as the EMS team urges you to calm down.

A set of hands carefully places an oxygen mask on you while another pricks you with a needle.

“BP 101 over 67 and dropping!”

Your ears start to ring as your eyes slowly close.

Darkness.

—-

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

Your ears catch the familiar rhythmic sound of the heart monitor and steady clicking. You hear the crunch of a plastic bag.

I feel so tired. What did I do? 

You piece together the fragmented memories of what happened to you right up until the ambulance.

Right... I’m at the hospital. 

Your nose catches the smell of hospital antiseptic and a famous brand of sanitizing air freshener. A smell that you are very familiar with, given your ex-husband’s and Izuku’s career. You wiggle your fingers and your toes.  Okay, my body is intact, you assess. 

“Where. Is. She?!” A distant voice roars, slamming something.  Oh, Midoriya-san sounds  pissed . Your ears make out other voices.   

“Mr. Deku, calm down, or we are going to have to sedate you.”

“Let me see her!”

“Midoriya, calm down! They said you have to wait until she wakes up. Jesus, I’ve never seen you this mad before. I think you might be worse than Bakugo.”

Ah, Etsuko.

“Sedate me then, I’m going to go see her!” He all but growls.

“Deku, stop it!” A feminine voice cries out.

Mina.

“Mr. Deku, please calm down!”

“Nurse Watanabe, please page Dr. Saito!”

Silence.

You crack your eyes open and wince at the room’s bright, fluorescent light. Your eyes focus on the stark white ceiling tile and the overhead lights.

You try to breathe through your nose. You can’t. You sputter out a cough, but your throat constricts on something. You struggle to take in a breath through your mouth but can’t. You start to choke.

“Ah, you’re awake.” Your panicked eyes move in the direction of the voice’s owner. A nurse dressed in light blue scrubs around her 50s smiles kindly at you as she rushes to the side of your bed. She presses a button, and it slowly lifts half of the bed. It slowly allows you to sit up.  

“Let’s get this tube out of your mouth.” Her warm hands take off the oxygen mask and carefully remove the breathing tube down your throat with meticulous precision.

You cough a few times, take a lungful of air, and sputter a wet exhale.

“Sorry about that. Most patients react the same way after surgery. You’re lucky to come out with such minor injuries, considering how you’ve been flung around like a pinball.”

“What did I have surgery for?” Your voice is raspy from the intubation. The nurse hands you a glass of water. You weakly smile in thanks at her, taking the glass.

“You had a lot of internal hematomas around your stomach area, which the surgeons were able to heal with their quirks just fine. You had a minor laceration on your stomach, which left a thin scar, but it won’t be noticeable,” she pauses to grab your chart.

“You had spinal injuries, including a fracture in your C-2 area, which probably felt like everything was on fire for you when you moved any part of your body. They healed it up with no problem since it was a clean fracture. You broke your nose and also have a mild concussion.”

You briefly remember the searing pain whenever you moved before being transported in the ambulance. You didn’t think you had a bone fracture at all.

The nurse giggles, “Honey, you better close your mouth before flies go in there.”

You close your jaw that you didn’t realize was open. You take a slip of water, the cold liquid soothing your scratchy throat.

“On your chart, it says that you’re registered as quirkless. But when we reviewed the footage, we saw you were with a cat. Does the leopard— I mean cat— have a quirk?”

You raise two fingers.

She gasps, “Oh my. The animal must have a healing quirk as one of them because you really lucked out.”

You nod, “He does.”

You hear a loud clatter and things colliding onto the floor. You hear a vase breaking into a million tiny pieces. You both stare at each other as you hear voices yelling and things crashing.

“LET ME SEE MY BABY SISTER, YOU SHITHEADS!”

“Mr. (L/n), please calm down! Don’t make us sedate you too.”

“What?! You gotta be shitting me. I’m going in there.”

“Here we go again!”

You hear more yelling and then silence.

“Sounds like you have people worried about you,” your nurse chuckles, writing down your vital signs on your chart.

You laugh sheepishly. “I guess I do.”

Your room door knocks, and a pink-haired woman clad in a winter ensemble and a purple-haired woman clad in business clothing and a trench coat appear at the entrance of your room. Despite the commotion in the emergency room waiting area, pro heroes were on a different level with their special privileges. If it were you, you would have been kicked out. 

“(Y/n)~” They both begin whining, their faces contorting with tears in their eyes.

You open your arms, “I’m fine, guys.” They rush toward you, and their bodies collide with yours. You let out a small oof from the sudden weight of them. They’re crying, and you rub your hands on their back soothingly.

“I’m fine, guys,” You repeat. You smile gently as Etsuko and Mina are wailing and leaving wet patches on your hospital gown.

“Ah, (Y/n). I’m so glad you’re okay.” You perk up at the voice, your eyes catch the massive red-headed pro hero who ducks his head to enter the hospital room. You don’t fail to notice Kirishima carrying a knocked-out Izuku on one of his shoulders, like a sack of potatoes. You also notice your brother is bowed limply, limbs dangling, as Kirishima’s arm is wrapped around his waist.

Your mouth twitches as you try to hold back a laugh. Kirishima casually carries them like a father with two rebellious children who finally took some nighttime flu medication.

“I’m just going to set them down on these chairs if you don’t mind.” His face looks apologetic. Your brother snorts and mumbles something, remaining unconscious.

Kirishima sets your brother down first on the pair of chairs close to the window of the private room. His head falls dramatically to his chest. He sets Izuku down on a chair next to your brother. Izuku almost falls over before Kirishima readjusts his body to stay on the chair.

The nurse chuckles, “I’ll talk to the nurse in charge. They’ll have to stay overnight because visiting hours are almost over and they’re sedated.”

Etsuko wetly inhales from her nose with force, causing mucus to shoot up her nostrils.

“So we need to leave?” Etsuko mumbles as she looks at Mina, passed out from sobbing.  I would be tired too considering what she was doing before I called her.

You hear two pairs of footsteps with a hasty pace coming down the hallway. Your parents appear in their pajamas and unkempt hair not a moment afterward. Your mother smiles in relief while your father rushes to you as well. Now three people are on you.

“Guys, you’re going to have to get off of me. I’m the injured one, remember?” you grunt under the weight of their bodies—a vein throbs under the skin of your temple area.

“I’m so glad you’re okaaayyy,” your father wails, fat tears running down his stubbled cheeks like a man-child. Your mother pries him off of you, “Stop embarrassing her, dear. Don’t you see (y/b/n) has been sedated over there?” She points at the general direction of your brother.

Your father sniffles and takes a tissue from the nearby box on the nightstand. He blows his nose loudly, and you grimace, disgust clear on your face.

Your nurse looks at you and then snaps. 

“All right everyone, there are  too  many people in here. Ms. (L/n) needs to stay overnight for observation, so please come back during visit hours in the morning before she gets discharged.” Your nurse grips the collar of both Mina and Etsuko’s coats, forcing them to stand up.

You sigh with relief as their weight is removed from your torso.

“We’ll come back tomorrow to pick you up. Okay, honey?” Your mother calls out to you, holding a supportive arm around your father as he continues sobbing. She uses her fabric quirk to animate her scarf to wrap around your brother’s leg like a lasso, slowly dragging him out as his coat squeaks on the clean floor. The men in your family are so alike.

“Okay!” You wave your hand from your lap as you smile.

Kirishima looks back and smiles at you, making his way out behind Mina and Etsuko. “I’m glad you’re okay. I’ve never seen Midoriya so concerned like that before. It’s honestly refreshing.” He pauses, and his fists clench before it unclenches. He looks like he wanted to say something. You knit your brows together.

“Is there—”

“I’ll see you at your apartment tomorrow. Just text us when you’re there.” Just like that, the moment is gone.

You nod as you watch him grin broadly at you. Once they file out of the room, the nurse closes the door behind them. She sighs in relief.

The room is finally silent. You melt into the stiff hospital bed, releasing a breath you didn’t know you were holding. You close your eyes to relish the bliss the silence has brought.

“Who would have thought I would see Deku sedated for being too rowdy in a hospital waiting room?” You crack one eye open to see your nurse mumbling to herself as she places a thin blue blanket on his slumped form. His head tilted to the far left, neck bent at an odd angle. Izuku’s neck will definitely hurt when he wakes up. 

Once she assesses her work, she presses another button on the right side of the bed. Your bed starts to lower to a comfortable angle you could sleep in.

“Get some sleep, I’ll be your nurse for the night, so I’ll be making hourly checks on you.” She places a pen in the front pocket of her blue shirt.

“Wait!” You call out as she walks towards the door. She turns her head and looks at you curiously.

“You mentioned footage,” Curiosity starts to fester in your brain before you can hold it back. “Can I watch that?”

Her brown eyes widen a fraction before she smirks, “You’re a curious cat, aren’t you?”

You grin as she reaches into her shirt pocket to pull out a small device, heading toward you.

She unlocks the phone and taps on her phone before scrolling a bit. “Ah, here it is!” She says to herself and taps on it before handing you the smartphone.

You gingerly gasp at the device out of her hand as you can see the opening theme of a popular news channel.

“Breaking news of a mysterious villain after a young woman and her snow leopard. Key witnesses say the villain’s motive was because she appeared close to Japan’s number one Pro-hero,  Deku.”  The newscaster reports in a professional tone as the video demonstrates you; a few hours ago, holding Kuro as a shield appears after you make your first harsh fall on the ground.

“Back in December, Japan was in shambles after seeing what appeared to be an intimate moment between the pair.” You furrow your brows at the statement. What intimate moment?  The question is answered immediately as you see a picture of Izuku squatting low, wiping your tears away as you weakly smile at him with red-rimmed eyes. You pause the video, pinching your fingers to zoom in.

“When the flying fuck was this,” you mutter as you attempt to scan the image for details. Your eyes catch your pajamas and the coat you wore. You were sitting in a booth of some kind of café. You search through your memories to try and figure out when it was.  Oh, wait... that was that Friday I fainted at work.  The Friday before you took your leave of absence for a year.

You move your fingers to zoom in on Izuku’s face. The gentle expression he gave you as he wiped the tears away from your cheeks. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he softly smiled at you.  Ah, I can see why they took that the wrong way . If you were looking at a picture of two strangers, you would definitely think that way too.

Has there ever been a picture of Katsuki looking at me like this? 

The thought is unsettling. 

“Yeah, that look was--ooooo girl, I wish a man would look at me like that the way he did at you right there.”

You crane your neck at her, confused. “It’s not like that at all. We’ve been friends for years.”

Her eyes narrow as she thins her lips. “Mmhmm.” She doesn’t believe you.

“I’m serious!” you retort as you wave your free hand, trying to dismiss her accusation.

“When you get to my age, that’s  the  look.  That look spoke a thousand words.”

You laugh, “He’s married.” The argument fell on deaf ears.  

“And I’m 58. Are we done saying random things?” Her tone is sarcastic as she rolls her eyes at you. You shake your head, pressing play on the video.

“This photo coming days after Deku and Uravity confirm their legal separation.” The reporter pauses before the video changes to footage of Izuku catching you right before you could splatter across the street.

“It can be confirmed that this woman is the widow of the late number two Pro hero, Dynamight, who passed away three years ago. A trusted source confirms that the three have been long-time friends dating back to their senior year of high school almost ten years ago.”

The nurse whistles lowly, “Damn, they did their research.” You nod in agreement. You’ve worked very hard to remain out of the media unless it was absolutely unavoidable. You didn’t have social media accounts (except one with only five people friended) or speak to people about your personal life. Quite frankly, it was none of people’s business. So props to this news station for getting so much information.

“However, are the two more than friends? Let’s look at the most recent footage of the Pro-hero savagely beating the villain just a few hours ago. We had to slow the video so that viewers could watch it. Please be advised that the following content is graphic and may be inappropriate for children.”

“Savagely? You scoff. “What is he, an animal?” The nurse ushers you to continue playing the video. You press play.

You could see yourself lying on the cracked concrete of a broken street filled with rubble and shards of glass. Your arms clutched around your snow leopard, which probably looked like a stuffed animal if you didn’t pay close attention enough. You press fast forward on the brief exchange of words between the villain and the curly green-haired man. You briefly catch when Izuku’s power transforms into something completely entirely. Black whip completely reinforces his whole body, something you haven’t seen, maybe ever. You let the video play at regular speed once you get to the point where you are transported to the emergency medical team.

The camera barely catches how fast Izuku pummels the villain into a pulp. The barrage of fists on the stretchy man looked like it meant to kill, as his fists sent the yellow and purple villain flying back. Black whip grabbed the villain only to bring him right back to each punch. You stare in shock as you see the cold rage in Izuku’s eyes as he continued to pummel the Wario-look-a-like in a repeated cycle. Each punch’s back blast crashed into a nearby building, breaking all windows.

You gasp as you watch the villain beaten to an inch of life. He was covered in dark red blood, stark white bones jutting out of the skin in odd angles from his legs and arms. Black whip launched the villain in the air like a toy. Izuku jumped up, creating a crater so deep that it could be used to build a new stadium. The camera follows the pro-hero rocket up to the Wario-look-a-like. Before Izuku could deliver a punch that would surely kill the villain, someone else grabbed the villain from the left, missing the life-ending punch. A dart flew and hit Izuku’s neck before his power flickered away like a firefly. Another person with wings caught the green-haired man mid-air several stories high. Hawk. 

You pause the video there, “I saw what I needed to see. Thank you.”  Izuku would have killed him.  The thought brings fear to your veins.

Izuku would have  killed  the villain. Pro heroes aren’t supposed to kill anyone.  A chill runs up your spine as you squeeze your eyes shut.

This is all my fault. If I hadn’t stopped at the pet store—

If you weren’t quirkless,  the thought whispers darkly, cutting off your previous thought. 

You feel a hand on your shoulder. You open your eyes to see the nurse giving you a sympathetic look. “How about you get some rest?”

How could I sleep knowing that this happened?

“I mean it, I won’t hesitate to sedate you too.” The nurse wags a reprimanding finger at you.  

You contemplate the idea of sedation. On the one hand, you’ll be knocked out for the rest of the night. However, it’ll leave you with unresolved conflicting emotions until tomorrow. You bite your bottom lip.

“Actually, do it. I won’t be able to sleep either way knowing all of the city damage and –”

“I’m sorry, but who gives a flying fuck?” The nurse scoffs at you. Your eyes widen at the words.

“W-what do you mean? If I hadn’t—”

“Listen, I barely know you, and you seem like a sweet girl. But you’re being a complete dumb ass if you think any of that is your fault. The villain went after you to hurt Deku, and he achieved his mission. What he didn’t expect was that Deku wasn’t going to sit quietly about it.” She pauses to hold your gaze, a small frown on her face.

“That’s on the villain for going after someone completely innocent and quirkless on top of that.” The sentence didn’t fail to sting. The population of quirkless people is the bottom feeders of this society. You are viewed as weak and helpless automatically compared to others.

It hurts.

You chew the inside of your cheek as you clutch the fabric of your hospital gown under the covers.

The nurse sighs, “Listen, Deku didn’t get in trouble for using his abilities. If you finished the video, you would see how his popularity score went up. Not that anybody gives a shit about that, but the Hero Commission seems to eat that up. You’re not at fault here. The only thing you’re at fault for was taking so many blows while trying to ensure you protected your pet. That’s more heroic than half of Japan.” The nurse shrugs and then looks at the clock on the other side of the room.  

“So, get some sleep.” You hear her scrubs shift before she speaks again.  

“Actually, while you weren’t looking, I put some sedatives in your IV bag. So, whether you like it or not, you’ll be asleep in twenty minutes.” She smiles at you, her brown eyes kind. She flicks the light switch, turning off the overhead lights.  

You smile and thank her as she walks out of the room. You stare at the ceiling of the hospital room. The typically low ticks of the overhead clock sound louder in the silence.

Today didn’t go at all how I expected it to. You reflect as you glance at your heart monitor and IV bag.

You hear a faint groan, and your head shifts to the source. With enough light coming out of your door’s window and the moonlight from the window, you didn’t have a problem seeing in the dark.

You catch Izuku panting, his chest moving up and down rapidly. Clear beads of sweat start to form on his brow. His face is all wrinkled with distress as he flinches at random intervals.

“Is he having a nightmare?” you whisper to yourself.

Izuku whips his head quickly to one side, his face looking paler. Your heart clenches for him. You knew first-hand how much nightmares could affect someone. You had nightmares every night for six months after Katsuki died. Waking up in fright from such a realistic situation was jarring.

You move your sheets aside and swing your legs to the edge of the bed. The action causes you to wince.

Although your wounds have been healed, your spine needs to be set from the surgery. Given what you know about bone repair quirks, your spine was probably as fragile as glass. 

You slowly rise from the bed as you hold on to the monitor’s metal pole. You slowly amble as you drag the machine with you, making sure not to tangle your IV line. Once you reach Izuku’s increasingly agitated state, you shake his trembling shoulder.

“Midoriya-san.” You whisper, trying to wake him up. Nothing.

“Midoriya?” Maybe dropping the honorific will wake him up? Nothing. Some clear beads of sweat race down his face, and you wipe it away with your free hand. You blink. I can’t believe I just did that without even thinking about it. You wipe the clear liquid spread on your palm on your hospital gown. 

You lick your cracked lips- here goes nothing .

“Izuku-kun?” He flinches but continues looking distressed. You get closer as you try nudging his shoulder, “Izuku?”

His eyelids pop open in an instant, revealing bright glowing green eyes. The sudden action makes you hold your breath. He stares at you for a moment, then blinks. The glow disappears when he opens them again.

“Hi.” You wave your hand a bit.

 “You looked like you were having a pretty n-nasty dream there,” You stammer out.

Izuku blinks a few times rapidly before he says anything.

“Why do you never call me by my first name?”

You move a few steps back at the question, putting physical distance between the two of you as your cheeks heat up.

“I-uh, you never asked?” You answer nervously, staring out the window. Your hand begins fumbling around with a lock of hair.

You could feel the heat of his gaze as you look out the window. You hear a short laugh. You knit your eyebrows in confusion. What’s so funny ? The irritation pricks at you.

You turn to see the pro hero’s chest in front of you. You tilt your head up, about to question him, before you feel a set of arms wrap around you. Your eyes widen like dinner plates as you take in the warm embrace.  

Izuku is hugging you.

He’s never hugged you before.  Ever.

You stiffen as muscular arms tighten around your frame, your face pressed to his hard-clothed chest and open coat. A rush of heat ran up your neck to your face as your stomach flipped like a flapjack.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again .” The anguish in his tone makes you stop breathing. You feel his hands scarred, and calloused hands tremble as a wet drop falls on your head.

You can’t speak as your heart thuds in your chest. Electricity hums throughout your body, soothing your tense nerves.

You don’t know how to respond. So, you do the next best thing. You wrap your free hand around his form, rubbing his back soothingly.

“It’s okay. Do you know why? You were there, right?”

You could hear a rumble in his chest as he let out a wet laugh. “Did you just quote All Might?”

Izuku sniffs as he unwraps one arm to wipe his face.

You take a long inhale. Sunshine, warm woods,  home.  You smile and press your cheek into the space between his chest and stomach.  

“Yes, yes, I did.”

A few seconds tick on the clock as you soak in the feeling of his arms around you. You haven’t been hugged like this in so long.

Your eyes open as you blink. You narrow your eyes.

Wait a damn minute. 

Before you can quell the intrusive thought, it spills out of your lips.

“So, since I fell out of the sky a few times today, does that mean we could cross skydiving off the bucket list?”

Chapter Text

---

“Hey Katsuki, how was your day?” You smiled as you heard your boyfriend kick off his boots and slam the door. 

“Fine.” The tone was dismissive at best. 

You chewed on the inside of your cheek as you heard his heavy footsteps stride past you. The slam of the door jolts you.  Bathroom. 

You gripped the fabric of your sweatpants and let out a shaky sigh. It’s been three days since your classes finished for the semester, and you still have yet to have a decent conversation with your boyfriend other than pleasantries and ‘can you pass me the soy sauce’? You both haven’t been in a room for any longer than five minutes together until he mummers out something and then leaves to go to bed. 

He was the one who asked you to stay here for the week. 

You get it. You do. He’s just starting his career as a pro hero and is under an internship with Todoroki’s father to get new ideas for using his quirk to its maximum potential. You get that Todoroki’s father is stiff and has high expectations for him. But you haven’t had a conversation about anything since the summer. 

Is this really okay? I know that Katsuki is a private person, but it shouldn’t be to this extent, right? We’ve been together for a year. It’s been tough managing our schedules to see each other because of school and his job, but we should make the most out of any opportunity we have. Right?

You blew out a breath. 

You were going to walk in there and get time with him, even if you had to use sex as the metaphorical carrot. Then, you were going to talk about considering studying in another country for six months. If he were uncomfortable with it, you wouldn’t go. 

You wanted to be considerate of such a stressful time of his life. Since adding distance and a time difference could only make matters worse, it could be a reason why he would say no. You’d respect his decision either way. 

You get off the couch and walk towards the bathroom of Katsuki’s apartment, where you can faintly hear him sigh and a low murmur of his voice behind the sound of rushing water. Your eyebrows knit together as you concentrated on his voice. Then, when you hear another low mummer, you scrunch your face in confusion. 

Was he on the phone?  

You stepped closer and pressed your ear on the door. 

“No, I—” You heard your boyfriend sigh and a slight thump on the wall before he continued speaking to the person he was on the phone with. 

“We’re partners, but I don’t have to tell you everything I’m doin’,” he gruffs. 

Ah, typical.  You continued to listen for a few moments-it appeared to be a normal conversation between him and his partner. They speak about the day’s patrol and the underlying mission. You were about to step away and unlock the door before your eyes widened. 

“No, listen to me, you idiot. I have a girlfriend. Do you know what that means?”

Your orbs stared at the wall as you tried to focus on what the conversation morphed into. 

“No, she’s in school.” He paused before he replied, “Yeah, she’s quirkless.” His condescending tone made you wince. 

“No, you dumb ass. She might be quirkless but she’s not an idiot.” He barked. 

You pressed your lips together as you reflected on his words. It was degrading and hurtful. Just because you’re quirkless doesn’t mean you are street trash. 

Katsuki had gotten better at holding his tongue around you when he’d bash quirkless people. Yet, his views never seem to change. He still thought quirkless people were second-class citizens in the world. 

You were getting sick of it. 

You pressed your face against the door more, smushing your cheeks against the hardwood. 

“Hah? Do you think I’m gonna  marry  someone quirkless? You’re out of your fuckin’ mind.” 

Your stomach dropped. You stared at the painted wall with your hand covering the gasp that almost left your lips.  

What? No. Did I— Maybe I—

You tried not to overreact and wait to see if he said something else. 

And the blood drained from your face when you heard his following words. 

“No. I’m just— look, my future wife will  never  be quirkless.”

Your arms drop down to your sides. Tears pricked in your eyes as you shuffled back a few steps. What are you still doing here if he  didn’t  want to marry you? Did he even like you to begin with? Are you a joke to him? 

Your trembling hands wipe a few stray tears that fall on your face. You clenched your fists at your sides and took a deep breath. 

Channel your inner Sasha Fierce. 

You swiftly turned and hastily walked into his bedroom. The bedroom was decorated with a modern touch. The walls were white except for the dark grey wall his bed was flush against. The dressers matched the grey accent wall, and the knob handles were gold. You stopped in front dresser to rip open the drawer he had designated for you. You begin throwing all of the articles of clothing on the floor until the drawer is empty. When it was, you held your trembling hands for a second and stood for a moment to breathe.  Get yourself together and be Sasha.  You rushed over to the closet and grabbed your ratty duffel bag. You sweep all of your clothes into the bag, stuffing and cramming it until you can zip it. You swung it over your shoulder and walked to the living room, setting the duffel bag right next to the couch you were sitting on earlier. 

You rest your elbows on your knees and hunch over to cover your face with your hands. 

“I’m so fucking  stupid .” You gritted out through your teeth as your chin trembled. You squeezed your eyes shut to hold back the salty liquid as it formed on your waterline. 

If Ochako hadn’t encouraged you to date Katsuki, you wouldn’t be here. In tears with a packed duffel bag next to your feet. There was a reason why you both butt heads from the very start. 

Your phone vibrated beside you before you heard the ‘All Might’ Theme Song’. You lifted your head slightly to weakly glare at your phone. 

You saw

‘Cinnamon-roll Midoriya’ 

on the screen as your phone buzzed and moved along the couch cushion. You sniffled before you reached over and picked up the phone call. 

“H-hello?” Your voice sounded feeble. You coughed and cleared your throat to try and fix it. You didn’t want him to know that you were crying. 

“H-Hi. I was just wondering if you’re at Kaa-chan’s place or your h-house?”

Well, when this man gets out of this shower, I’ll be on my way home instead. 

 “I..” You glanced at the door of the shower. “I’m leaving Katsuki’s house soon to go home.”

“Oh, okay. My mom made your favorite cake because she heard from your mom that you were coming back home. I was wondering where you were so I could deliver it for you.”

You heard Izuku’s mom yell out, “And don’t forget to bring her the apples too Izu-kun.”

“I got it mom, jeez!” He whined back as you heard shuffling of some fabric and something zipping up. 

You perked up, “Is that her famous candy apples?”

You heard fabric rustling and crackling before it quiets. “Yeah, it is.” 

You sniffed the wetness in your nose up through a sharp inhale. 

“Are you getting sick (Y/n)-chan?”

You should lie and say you are. It would be better than telling the truth. 

“Uh. Y-yeah. I am,” You gave a fake cough at the phone’s receiver. Hopefully, he bought it. 

“You’re a terrible liar.” He deadpanned.  Wow, how can he always tell?

“I’ll be at Kaa-chan’s in fifteen—”

“No!” You shouted. Your eyes widen as you cover your mouth with a hand. 

Crap. 

I need to lower my volume.

You pressed your lips together, “I mean, why don’t you just meet me at my house?” 

“O-okay? Then, I’ll be there in fifteen.” You frowned. It takes 35 minutes to get to your house from his on the bus.

“Huh? Are you running there?”

You caught a car engine turn on before you recognized the sound of a seat belt clicking into place. No—is he?

“Wait, Mi—”

“I got my license, and All Might got me a car. It’s not the newest model or anything butI’mreallygratefulforit—”

“You got your license?!” You cut him off with a broad smile. Genuine happiness for his accomplishment bubbled above the emotions of the earlier situation. 

The last time you came home, he was going through the motions of his permit. He never told you that he was driving yet. 

“Y-yeah.” You heard him stutter. 

“Well, if that’s the case, you should pick me up then!” You smiled. 

“Who should pick you up?” You heard a gruff voice from across the room. Your breath hitched as your stomach dropped like a lead weight. 

Crap.  How long was he there? How did you not hear the door open? 

You turned slowly to see your boyfriend in a black tank top and shorts, his muscular arms folded across his chest. He stood just about a foot away from you. 

“Midoriya-san, I’m going to have---”

“Are you speaking to that  nerd ?” He seethed through his perfectly white teeth before marching over to you. 

“(Y/n)-chan is everything o—” Katsuki snatched the phone out of your hand before he pressed a button to disconnect the call. His large hand dwarfed the small device.

You moved toward the couch end to get ample space away from your angry boyfriend .

“I was just—”

“I don’t care!” He spat roughly as tiny puffs of smoke emitted from his palms. His eyes narrowed into slits as his grip tightened. You could see the cell phone dent under his heated fingers. 

Your eyes widened.  Wait no—

By the time you reached out to grab it, it was too late. 

Within a fraction of a second, Katsuki crushed the cell phone with his fingers. The broken pieces of plastic fell from his hand, littering the hardwood floor under him in a small pile of jagged pieces of plastic and glass. 

You jumped up to your feet as your face tightened to a menacing glare.

“What the fuck Katsuki?!” You shrieked with raised arms. 

“I told you I don’t like you talking to that fucking nerd.” His voice was irritated but not raised. 

Your eyes narrowed into slits, “He’s not a fucking nerd. He’s my friend! He’s  your  childhood friend.”

“I don’t give a flyin’  shit  if he’s the fuckin’ pope. I. Don’t. Like. You. Talking. To Him.” He emphasized and stepped toward you. You leaned away and took a step back. The urge to slap him made your muscles tense and your vision blurry. 

With a lifted chin, he looked down at your form, “Besides, who would want to be friends with someone fucking quirkless anyways?” He sneered with cold, vermillion eyes. 

Your body flinched in response as if his words were a physical blow. Your mind blanked. Your arms drooped as you blinked rapidly, still processing what he had just said. 

Your hands felt clammy as you clenched and unclenched your hands. The motion eventually allowed your brain to function again. 

You chuckled mirthlessly at the ground.  No matter what I’d do, it will never be enough.  The somber thought served as a reality check. 

You looked up and stared at his perfect complexion. Katsuki’s lifted chin and haughty expression caused bile to rise in your throat. How could someone who looked so good be such a complete asshole?

You clenched your hands into fists. Disgust quickly morphed into contempt and anger.

“Oh? Just like how you wouldn’t marry someone quirkless, right?” Your voice was barely a whisper as you glared at his more extensive form. 

Katsuki’s jaw slacked as his eyes widened. He peered down at your angry form. The look of shock is gone as quickly as it came. Instead, a smug smirk graced his features, making you all the more more furious. 

“You fucking sneaky little brat—”

The door latch clicked before the door slammed open, revealing your brother and Izuku with similar concerned expressions. 

You’re completely taken aback by their sudden appearance as you owlishly stare at them. 

How they opened the door is another question your brain struggled to answer. 

“Is everything okay? Midoriya called me super worried about you, and I came rushing over here. When I got here, I heard yelling from the elev—” his orbs bounced between you and the taller male near you with their arms crossed and legs stood apart. Then, his eyes slowly scanned what was on the floor behind the taller male.

His eyebrows stitched together, and the mental clogs in his brain began to turn. He stared at the pile of broken glass and plastic bits for a few beats. Realization rushed through his brain like a freight train. 

“What. The.  Fuck ?” Your brother carefully pieced the words together as his (e/c) orbs squinted, and his lips slowly transformed into a scowl. 

“I just bought her that fucking phone!” Your brother roared as he stepped into the apartment with his shoes on. 

Izuku opened his mouth and stuttered out garbled noises. His jaw dropped as he stared at your brother walking into the apartment with his shoes on. 

“How the fuck did  you  get in here?” Katsuki sassed with a scowl. 

“You should think about where you leave your spare key. It’s pretty common to leave it under a fucking rug, dipshit.” Your brother mocked as he approached you. 

His hands gingerly grasped your shoulders as his expression softened. “You okay?” His (e/c) orbs scanned your form, checking for any injuries. 

You waved him off with a small smile, “I’m fine. I was leaving anyways before he broke my phone.”

He dropped his hands from your shoulders and sighed in relief. Then your brother glared at the blonde, “You wanna tell me why you did that?” He snapped. His anger returned. 

Katsuki scoffs as he stuffed his hands in his shorts. “You should blame your fuckin’ sister for that ‘cuz I told her I don’t like her talkin’ to that fuckin’ nerd,” Katsuki barked as he jammed his thumb, pointing to Izuku at the door. The blonde talked as if Izuku was the cause of all of this. 

You swore you could hear ringing as you milled your teeth. All you saw was  red. 

Your eyes narrowed at Katsuki. “Okay, you know what, that’s  it . We are fucking  done. ” You said with finality while clenching your fists.

Katsuki juts out his chin before he sucks his teeth. “Yeah? Good luck finding someone who’d want your quirkless ass any—”

Before he could finish that sentence, you saw a flash of green, then Katsuki flew through the living room. His body crashed into the wall, creating a significant dent in the plaster.  

“Don’t you  dare  finish that sentence.” His green eyes glowed with ire as he stood with slightly bent knees. Izuku was still holding his raised fist, the crackling green energy around the hand quickly dissipated. 

You and your brother stared at Izuku with parted lips and wide eyes. 

Did Midoriya-san just-

“Midoriya… Did you just..” Your brother whispered, trailing off as he looked at you. You shook your head and shrugged, your eyes still wide with confusion. You were both equally confused by Izuku’s out-of-character actions. 

Katsuki stood up slowly before rolling his neck and cracking the joints. He turned his face to spit accumulated blood out of his mouth. 

When Katsuki’s face turned toward your green-haired friend, chills ran down your spine.

Ruby orbs narrowed into slits as they blazed murderously toward Izuku. His hands were in claw-like position as small explosions emitted from his hands. Katsuki’s lips pulled back in a sneer, exposing gritted teeth. 

Reminding you of the time you watched the freshman sports festival. How terrifying he was as he harassed and bullied several of his classmates. 

You gasped lowly as your wobbly hand covered your mouth.  Is this who you were in a relationship with?

Your brother glanced at you from the corner of his eye as you trembled like a wet puppy. His eyes scan over your form before a deep scowl marred his face. 

“HEY!” His shout broke the staring match between the two childhood friends. Pairs of green and red orbs flit at your brother. 

Fury crackled behind the iris of his eyes as he clenched his fists. “I don’t give a  fuck  who you think you are. I don’t care if you’re her boyfriend or ex right now because my sister looks fucking  terrified of you  right now. So, I’m gonna take her, and the cinnamon roll turned Kenshin Himura* [1]  here home. If I see your face on my property without her permission, I will not  hesitate  to call my buddies at the station to put a bullet in your skull.”

“ Got it? ” Your brother thundered with a bulging vein in the column of his throat. Although shorter than the budding heroes, his form looked like it filled the room. 

Katsuki glared at him as your brother snatched your hand and grabbed the duffel bag near you at the side of the couch. He put his arm through it and secured it on his shoulder. He stomped past the couch and grabbed Izuku by the collar before leaving with both of you out of the pro-hero’s apartment. 

That night, you ate a slice of cake numbly as Izuku and the rest of your family watched the latest episode of One Piece. Your dad laughed obnoxiously as your brother tried to imitate Luffy’s power moves on a smiling Izuku. Your mom laughed as she poured soju shots for the rest of your family and Izuku. 

You’re silent for most of the evening. Your brain was overstimulated by the various extremes your emotions flipped between in such a short time frame.

More importantly, you were still processing how your relationship went from “fine” to “tattered into bits and pieces’ within an hour. 

The next morning, you wake up to everyone passed out in the living room. 

Your mother and father were the first ones you saw when you walked down the stairs with your laptop. They’re on the floor, curled on their sides. Your mother had dried crumbs of cake on her face and mouth wide open. Your father spooned her from behind, snoring with his glasses askew. Somehow, they reminded you of two Pringles potato chips. Two pieces that fit together perfectly. They never seemed to argue as badly as you and Katsuki did. 

But you’d see how they’d apologize to each other when they did argue, how they would work to correct their previous actions and work as a team. Even though their PDA was embarrassing as a child, you craved a relationship similar to theirs as you got older. You wanted a guy who would look at you like your father looked at your mother every day, with pure adoration and devotion. 

How would your father massage your mother’s feet if she wore heels at work, while watching TV. Or the way your mother smiled brightly whenever your father loved an article of clothing she made just for him. Better yet, how your mother would decorate the whole house every year it’s your father’s birthday and bake his favorite cake from scratch, claiming that she’s pouring all of her love into the batter. Better yet, how your father still goes monthly to use his teaching discount to go to that fabric store your mother loved—you wanted  that.  

The ‘Have a great day at work honey, I love you, ’s or the ‘one more kiss before either one of you leave the house.’ kind of love. 

Your parents weren’t perfect, but you swear their relationship is the closest thing to the word. 

Tears pricked in your eyes, and you quickly blinked them away. You felt a sharp twinge in your chest as you remembered your now ex-boyfriend’s words from last night. 

‘Yeah? Good luck finding someone who’d want your quirkless ass.’

The words still stung. 

Your brother was only a foot away from them. Your older sibling held a pillow as he slept on top of the table, spread like a starfish. His other hand barely held on to a liquor bottle as it hung precariously in his slack grip. You sighed and walked over to place the liquor bottle down on the floor as quietly as possible. Your brother stirs for a second before he completely stills. The soft snores return. 

You turned to see Izuku only a few feet away from you.  

Izuku was the most normal looking one as he slept slightly curled on the couch. His tall body didn’t fit on your living room couch. The way his muscular legs spilled over the couch end and hung in the air made you wince. He still managed to sleep on his side with an arm tucked under his head. 

Your lips quirked up at his twitching nose and open mouth. 

You padded over to your dining room table and opened your laptop. You clicked on the opened internet browser tab containing your email mailbox and opened one. You stared at your laptop screen as you read over the email from your advisor for the third time this morning. You swallowed thickly. 

Your fingers hesitate over your keyboard before they type a response. Your eyes scanned the typed words before your index finger moved over the trackpad and pressed send. The soft whoosh noise from your computer made you sit up straighter. 

You just accepted your school’s offer to study abroad in New York for next semester.  

-----

—

Etsuko looked at you with concern woven across her face. 

“When was the last time you visited your parents (Y/n)?” As you stared down at the concrete under your feet, your legs halted their movement. 

“I think since the holidays?” You said, unsure about when you last saw the two. 

“(Y/n), it’s May.” 

“Wait a minute,” She held up a hand as she blinked. “Do you and Bakugo ever visit your parents?”

You looked up and continued walking, “Not really. It’s honestly really awkward when we do anyways.” You said with a disinterested tone. 

Translation, your parents didn’t like your husband. They made it pretty apparent on his birthday last year when they gift-wrapped a one-way ticket to the Netherlands and  Deku ! sweatshirt. Your husband shook with silent rage as he gritted out a thank you. The way they laughed off with an ‘Isn’t Izuku-kun the number-one pro hero? You should be so proud of your childhood friend!’  

Katsuki burned both items when you got home that night. 

Over the holidays, your parents invited the Midoriyas for dinner. They spent most of the time talking to Izuku, his mother, and anyone blood-related.

Katsuki sulked for the entirety of the dinner. 

Your mother would say, ‘even though he’s different now, I still don’t trust him. When someone shows you who they are the first time, believe them.’ Your father would clap every time she said that. 

Teachers. Aren’t they supposed to be less judgmental and open to people changing?

So when you told them you were back together, your parents gave you a speech about self-esteem. They yelled at you with such discontent when you announced your engagement to them. During your rehearsal dinner, your mother makes a speech about how important it is to be genuine and be a loving partner, all while she stares at Katsuki. Your father glared daggers at Katsuki as he walked you down the aisle. When he reached the end of the aisle to hand you off, he gripped the collar of his suit and threatened to murder him if he hurt you. When he turned around, he smiled in Izuku’s direction with a tiny wave. The menacing body language had vanished entirely within an instant. 

Honestly, he should have been an actor with how fast he could switch between tones and facial expressions depending on the person. Yet, your father continued to practice his professional-level mask-switching as a teacher. 

It was  obvious  who they preferred of the two childhood friends. 

It stressed you out every time you had dinner with them. 

Even Ochako commented on it over a holiday dinner when you told them that Izuku was engaged to Ochako. Your father looked like a kicked puppy. ‘Wow. That’s really disappointing,’ he said with a pout and glassy eyes. He didn’t look embarrassed at all to say that out loud. Your anxiety levels were through the roof as your armpits started to sweat. 

Ochako’s face scrunched up tight before she said, ‘I’m right here, you know? It’s a bit weird how much you like Izuku-kun when he’s not your-son in-law.” Your mother only tilted her head in response. She turned to your father while pointing at Ochako, ‘Who is she again?’

It caused most of you sitting at the table to choke on your food or drink. Etsuko, your aunt, and your grandmother laughed while your grandfather sighed and patted Ochako’s head. You spent all night apologizing to Ochako for their rude behavior. 

You’d never forget how awkward that was after when your parents changed the subject. Since then, you haven’t been back. 

Though, you still call them frequently because you love them. 

“Don’t you ever wonder why?” Etsuko suddenly said to you as you both held on to the metal poles. The train swayed every so often when it passed random rough patches. 

You blinked, “Why what?”

“Why Bakugo stopped yelling at you? He hasn’t even argued with you since you broke up that first time. That’s a bit weird, don’t you think? It’s like it’s not really  him .”

You rolled your eyes and huffed, “Etsuko, he’s changed.”

Etsuko pursed her lips into a line, “I don’t know (nickname). I don’t buy it completely. I know that that might have been a giant wake-up call for him, but it doesn’t explain the nearly two-year relationship prior to that.”

You don’t disagree or agree with her as you give her a thoughtful look and shrug. 

“Plus, he’s all affectionate towards you only? It sounds strange and unrealistic. Like he’s trying to please you rather than be himself.” She sighed and scratched her head. 

“But then again, it’s been years since you got back together. He’s been like that ever since. So maybe this is really him now?” The mauve-haired woman pressed her glossed lips together in thought.

You shrugged, “I think so.”

Her daffodil orbs stared at you for a moment, trying to look deeper for answers. After a few seconds, she closed her eyes and sighed. 

She decided to change the conversation for now.

“Anyways, you excited about your promotion?” She asked with a quaint smile—a neutral conversation. 

“Of course I am! I get to have my own team as a chief editor. I have minions!” You cackled as you rubbed your hands together. 

You both talked for the rest of the train ride to the karaoke bar, not once mentioning Izuku or Katsuki again as you delved into Etsuko’s dating life and her new hobbies.  

When you get to the karaoke bar, you are greeted by a hostess before you both walk up a set of stairs taking you to a higher floor. The higher floor held the largest karaoke room, and you are very grateful for being regular customers at this place because they barely charge you all anymore. But that could also be because most of the group were famous heroes. 

 When you went up the stairs, the hostess opened the grey door that sat right at the top landing of the stairs. It felt like the entrance to an attic; instead, it was a large dark, soundproof room that could hold fifty people comfortably. 

You were greeted by various old 3-A UA high school classmates and some of your classmates from 3-I. You smile and greet them as Etsuko squeals as she sees an old classmate and dashes toward them. 

“Oi, Ms. Tokyo University, it’s been a while!” One of your classmates said with their arms outstretched for a hug. You smiled broadly as you tackled them, swaying back and forth in their embrace. 

“Ken! How have you been, buddy?!” You squealed. 

Ken was part of your class council and always brought food for each meeting. They also remembered every birthday of your class and celebrated it by bringing homemade desserts for everyone. It was fate when they got partnered with Rikido for your high school project. They’ve been together as a couple ever since. 

“I’m great! Remember last time I told you that Sato and I were thinking about adoption?” 

A smile broke out on your face as they continued hugging you. You nodded vigorously. 

“We got approved! Obviously, there’s a lot of paperwork and other things we have to do before she can go home with us, buuuut,” Ken unwrapped their arms around you and pulled out their phone to show you a picture of an adorable infant with smushed, puffy cheeks and black hair. The baby’s eyes were closed with a closed fist near her face. She was so cute and small! 

“Awwwww, she’s adorable,” You cooed and smiled. Your eyes gazed at the child a few seconds longer before you looked at your former classmate.

“Right?! Hopefully, fingers crossed, we will bring her home next week if the paperwork goes through.” They said as they swiped through more pictures of the baby. You ‘aww’ and baby talk at the images before someone handed you a shot.

“Okay everyone! Ready? 1. 2.3. Kanpai!”

“Kanpai!”

After four shots and a few songs, Kirishima and Izuku show up with duffel bags, dark circles, and messed-up hair. 

“Look! The top ten are here!” Someone shouted as you were conversing with Mina about different songs to sing. 

You both peered near the room entrance to see Izuku and Kirishima’s taller forms. Mina smiled, waved at her boyfriend, and ran off to him. She left you completely alone on the black leather loveseat. Izuku chuckled when Mina tackled the redhead while nuzzling on his chest. 

“The newly wedded pro hero!” Kaminari yelled as he slapped Izuku on his back with a bit too much force, which caused Izuku to wince. “How are you, buddy?” 

“Mrs. Bakugo!” You peered in the direction of the voice to see a microphone pointed your way. “It’s your turn to sing!” You shook your head and waved a hand. 

“Nah, I’m okay.” You smiled. 

“No no no Ms. Tokyo University, you are going up, and we are going to sing!” Ken pulled you out of your seat while you continued to protest. A few seconds later, you had a microphone in hand next to Ken and another one of your classmates from high school. 

You gulped a breath before the soundtrack to Let Go by BTS started blasting around the room. Ken started singing the purple highlighted letters while you sang the green ones. The person next to you sang the orange letters. 

You weren’t shy about singing in front of people. You were just nervous singing in front of friends and family because they  knew  you. 

“I’m your light I’m your light

itsu da tte (Always shine)

kimi no kokoro ni sashikomu (Into your heart)

I’m your light I’m your light

donna ni (No matter how far apart we are)

hanarete ite mo todokeru (Your light shines on me)”  You sang into the microphone as you read the lyrics on the big panel. You knew the song enough to match the tempo of it pretty well. 

I’m going to need a shot after this,  you thought as you sang into the microphone again when it was your part. You smiled as Ken turned to you and sang as they stared into your eyes. When they turned around, your smile quickly dropped. You weren’t drunk enough to sing confidently in front of your friends. 

When the song ended, Ken held your hand up and bowed. Their grip on your hand forced you to bend as well. 

“(Y/N)! I didn’t know you could sing like that!”  Mina ran up to you as Etsuko smirked, sipping her drink. You knew that this was her doing just from the smile alone. 

You rubbed the back of your neck, “Yeah, I used to sing for a band club in college when I wasn’t at basketball practice.”  And since Katsuki was working crazy hours, it filled up my time , the thought added.  

“Wow! That’s amazing!” Kaminari clapped as Kirishima nodded. 

“Best one up there.” 

You snorted at the compliment, “Alright, stop it.” 

“Wait a minute, did you say basketball?” You looked over to see one of your former teammates and grinned at each other. 

“Wait, weren’t you primed to go overseas for basketball? What happened?”

“Yeah, you were all the rage in the college sports channels. What  did  happen?”

Your heart hammered in your chest as the painful truth swirled in your brain. 

You give a sheepish smile, “I got nervous. Plus, that wasn’t something I  really  wanted to do for the rest of my life. I wanted to work and pick apart the brains of heroes instead.”

You don’t catch how Izuku balled up his fists at his sides from across the room as he gave a tight-lipped smile at a joke some old friends made about Aizawa. 

While he can admit, this was probably the best you’ve ever lied. If he didn’t  know  you, it was incredibly believable -- it didn’t even look like you were lying. 

But, the curly-haired hero can  always  detect when you’re lying. Maybe it’s a hidden quirk of his, or it’s entirely possible he can subconsciously pick up a change in your scent; he didn’t know why. Yet, he always  knew  when you did .

“Oh, I see!”

“Man, that would have been cool, seeing you beat the odds like that. Especially because you’re tiny.”

You laughed and lightly pushed the person’s shoulder at the small jab. 

Your rehearsed lie came effortlessly and was very natural from saying it repeatedly. 

The truth was that Katsuki shot down the idea. He told you it would affect his career with the public if they saw his fiancée playing overseas and not by his side. 

While basketball wasn’t something you wanted to do as a career, you would have  loved  that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a team in another country. 

Your parents were  livid  when he said that in front of them and your sports rep. 

And now he’s in the top ten and rich, so maybe it wasn’t for nothing , you reasoned internally. 

You walked to the couch you were sitting on earlier to grab your phone and announced to the room that you were going downstairs to get a drink. 

“Get me a Midori Sour!” Momo shouted from the corner of the room. You nodded as you walked toward the entrance and opened the door. You were just about to close it before you heard a voice. 

“Ah, I’m coming with you.” Your spine straightened. 

Izuku. 

Crap. I can’t tell him no, either. It’ll look weird.

You held open the door as he grabbed it. You began walking down the steps without even looking back. You marched stiffly to the bar and sat at one of the barstool chairs, ordering a Midori Sour and a Long Island Iced Tea. You prayed it’d get you fucked up enough to get through this night. 

The bartender asks for your ID, and you press your lips into a thin line while you hand it to him. 

“Ah! You’re—”

“Yes, Yes. Please make the Long Island Iced Tea strong.” 

“Please.” You strained a smile as the man nodded vigorously, clutching onto your ID. Then you saw him freeze; his eyes widen like saucers as he sputters, “Y-Y-Your—”

You heard a chuckle, and you stared at your manicured fingernails. You almost winced as the man exclaimed the pro-hero’s name.  Why did he come down here?

“You’re ranked Number 4 on the charts! W-what can I get for you.”

“I’ll take a,” You felt him look at you before the jade eyes returned to the bartender, “A Long Island Iced Tea too.”

You bit the inside of your cheek. 

“R-right away s-sir—”

“Ah, could you give my friend back her ID?” The tone is polite. It made you scowl because you knew he was giving that polite pro-hero voice he often did for the public. The bartender blushed before handing back your card while bowing his head, apologizing profusely. 

“No worries,” you say while offering a small smile at the bartender. You see his face completely flush before the man darts off to the other end of the bar. Your polite smile dropped as soon as he left your line of sight.  

The tension in the air was palpable. You stared with feigned interest at the hung glasses and the different bottles of alcohol. Your eyes scanned through the various alcohol labels as you thought about it you’ve tried them or not. 

From the corner of your eye, you could see Izuku fidgeting with his scarred fingers as he sat a chair away from you*. You decided to avert your attention to the TV that hung up in the upper corner, at the right-hand side of the room. You watched the baseball game with a bored expression. You would have been okay with blatantly ignoring him, until Izuku stupidly decided to address the elephant in the room. 

“I wanted to invite you to the wedding.” 

The words made the room freeze. The bar sounds muffled to a low ringing sound for a fleeting moment before your hearing came back. Hot rage bubbled in your stomach. You blinked a few times as you chewed the inside of your cheek.

'Do you think a half-assed apology at a fucking bar would make me any less angry at you?' is what you wished you could say. But, instead, you shook your head, unable to control your reaction.

You skimmed your tongue around your teeth before you wryly smiled. “That’s funny. You’re hilarious.” Your cynical tone was sharp against your tongue. You didn’t dare to look at his remorseful face. 

You huffed out a small breath before you shook your head again. Your (e/c) orbs returned their attention to the small square screen. Your quiet rage grew inside you, snowballing into something bigger. 

“I…” He hesitated before he spoke again, “I tried to persuade them but—”

“Save it. You could point fingers all you want, but ultimately you let it happen. So please save the ‘I’m the victim’ speech to someone who cares,” you sneered as your eyes stared at the baseball game. The colors of the televised image changed a bit. It became sharper and tinted with an orange hue. 

You were fuming as you tried to keep a calm exterior. 

You failed. 

A harsh derisive laugh made its way past your lips. “I’ve been close friends with you since high school. I’ve invited you to holiday dinners with my family  every  year. I invited you to my graduation. My damn grandmother gives you birthday presents. I guess friendship doesn’t mean a fucking thing once you become a pro-hero.”

Izuku stiffened in his seat. You saw his jaw tick from the corner of your eyes. Good. 

You chuckled sardonically, “You invited my parents, my brother-- my own damn  husband  was your best man, but I wasn’t invited?” You turned your face to glare at the green-haired man. 

“Do you know what it’s like to read that invitation card for it to say, “Invitation only for Katsuki Bakugo, no plus one’?”

Izuku’s lips morphed into a frown as his eyes looked down at the wooden bar slab. Before he could say anything, the bartender from earlier rushed over to you both. 

“Two Long Island Iced Teas and a Midori Sour,” the bartender called out happily. You grabbed one of the amber-iced drinks and gulped it down like it was a drinking competition. You set it down with a harsh bang before placing two crisp 20,000 yen notes (~ 310 USD) right next to it. You grasped the Midori Sour meant for Momo and got up from your chair. 

You’re going to get the fuck out of here,  now. 

If you had known he would be here,  you would have never came . You’ve ignored his phone calls since the wedding in late March and his texts. You changed his name on your phone from ‘The Green Cinnamon Roll’ to his full name. You considered deleting the number but couldn’t bring yourself to do it. You  hated  that you couldn’t. 

You turned on your heel and walked past the green-haired pro-hero before walking up the stairs. Your heels did not fail to click angrily on the tile flooring. You swung the door open with too much force before putting on a brave face. You handed Momo her drink, and she thanked you with a drunken hug. You smiled a ‘you’re welcome’ before it slid off your face when you turned. 

As perspiration started forming on your forehead, you felt like this place was an inferno. Your armpits felt that familiar slick. 

You needed to get out. 

You grabbed your purse and told everyone that you had to rush home because your brother was waiting at your house to give you something. It was believable as people groaned or sucked their teeth. 

Your brother was in Kyoto for an undercover mission for a few months. 

You waved everyone goodbye and told them it was nice to see them before you practically ran out of the karaoke place. 

“Wait!” You heard a male voice yell as you turned the street corner. 

You looked up at the cerulean sky and mouthed, ‘Why God? Why me?’ You furiously scratched your head before you turned around. 

“What?!” You snapped. Regret hammered its nail into your heart when you see hurt jade eyes paired with a frown on his freckled face. He looked like a kicked puppy. You didn’t like it. You  hated  that it made you feel like absolute shit. 

 You let out an exasperated sigh. The number four pro-hero walked toward you with the same expression. His eyebrows furrowed and his emerald orbs swirled with mixed emotions, making them look darker. The hurt painted itself on his forehead, creating creased lines. Your heart betrayed you by wanting to rub your thumb to make it disappear. Your brain told you to curse him out and never speak to him again--that you weren’t friends . 

He stopped a foot away from you, and you silently cursed at yourself for not wearing bigger heels. The height difference made you feel inferior all of a sudden. 

“Kaa-chan was the one who asked me not to invite you,” his voice was barely a whisper as he looked at the ground. You froze. 

Your limbs felt like jelly as you stared at the pro hero. Izuku was lying. Right? Your husband wouldn’t do something like that. 

But if he did, what was the reason why? 

You know the reason. The bitter thought made your hand grip the purse strap tighter. He couldn’t think that anymore. Izuku was married now. Otherwise, why would he marry Ochako and waste her time? More importantly, if he did , why did he never tell you? 

Because it’s not true,  you thought and were adamant that you were right. So, if Katsuki’s theory of Izuku being in love with you is not true, and if he recognized that, then there was no way he told Izuku  not  to invite you. Right?

Your brain whirled with the conclusion. You shook your head as your hand tucked your hair behind your ear. 

“No, he wouldn’t do that.” You scoffed. 

Izuku’s face lifted up, and he gave a small tight smile. “Why don’t you ask him for yourself?” 

You don’t remember how you got home that day. The train station you got off at was a kilometer from your house. You don’t remember the walk, but you remember thinking about Izuku’s words and how your husband told Izuku not to invite you. It didn’t make sense. 

But then you remember his words at the bar and how he tried to persuade  them. 

He never once said the name of the person.  I assumed it was Ochako-chan based on how my parents treated her. But she’s not the type to invite my parents and not me,  you thought as you went through the affluent neighborhood gates, located just outside Musutafu. You greeted the security guard with a nod, who responded by tipping his hat to you. 

You walked for a few minutes before you reached your house, a newly constructed mansion that the number 6 pro-hero convinced you to move into. You saw the brand-new Lamborghini Aventador parked in your driveway. Your husband was home. You were no longer drunk enough to rely on liquid courage. 

Should I even bring it up? 

You unlocked your front door with your fingerprint and the six-digit password. 

It was your wedding date. 

You walked into the house with a sigh and closed the door behind you. You reactivated the security system, which locks the house door automatically. You ripped off your heels and sighed in relief before placing them next to your husband’s much larger shoes.

“’ Suki I’m home!” You called out as you stepped up from the genkan. Your nose took in the aroma of different spices as your mouth watered. He was making your favorite tonight. You walked past the grandiose staircase and headed straight into the large living area. You walked through the modern furnished area and turned into one of the five hallways that connected the living room to another space. When you stepped into the contemporary kitchen of every chef’s dreams, your face stretched into a genuine smile. Your heart warmed at the sight of your husband checking the rice inside the rice cooker, clad in the ‘World’s Best Husband’ apron you bought him. 

His sharp instincts detected your presence within a few seconds of your entrance. Katsuki blinked before his face turned toward your direction. His narrowed eyes softened at the sight of you as a small smile stretched across his face. Your chest warmed as he walked over toward you, passing the two kitchen islands, and placed a gentle kiss on your forehead. Right after, he swooped down to kiss your lips. You melted into the kiss as you wrapped your arms around him. 

The smell of his cologne and caramel made your heart flutter. You giggled as he wrapped one strong arm around your waist and deepened the kiss. 

I’ll ask him later. 

You don’t even discuss the subject until a month later when Ochako drunkenly blurted it out at your birthday party. 

“Yeah, yer usband told ussss to not nvite you,” She slurred as she took another swig of her beer. Her cheeks were blotchy, and her mouth slanted from the alcohol. 

You blinked owlishly. You felt that you had left your body for a few seconds. You blinked again. 

No. He— why wouldn’t… 

You slowly turned your head to look at your husband standing with a laughing Kirishima and the drunk but animated Kaminari. 

Did he do that? Did he really tell the pro-hero couple not to invite you? 

Izuku was your best friend. His mother had a photo album of you with every major event since high school. His mother makes you candy apples when it’s your period. You’ve held Izuku’s hand when he was in the emergency room and had to get an injection with the biggest needle you’ve ever seen—which, for someone who had broken so many bones in his life, you’d think he’d be less terrified of needles by now. You were the first person he came to when he found out his mother had cancer. Hell, your mother was his mother’s best friend. 

Why would your husband even  do  something like that? 

You turned your head back and looked at the cards you were holding. 

“What?! I can’t believe that.” Momo gasped as she picked up another card. 

“No way, that makes no sense!” 

Ochako nodded uncoordinatedly, “Yuuup. It wa a deal wit Zuzu in order to bees hi zest man,” She garbled as she pointed at her husband from a distance. Izuku held a canned drink as he smiled at your 94-year-old grandmother while she spoke. 

Mina turned to you with a worried expression. “Did you know about this at all?” 

You opened your mouth to speak, but no words came out. Izuku told you, but you never approached your husband about it. 

“Mina, of course she didn’t. Look at the shocked look on her damn face,” Etsuko scowled as she slammed a hand on the green table. Her golden eyes glared daggers at the pink-toned woman across from her. 

“But why would Bakugo ask for that sort of deal?” Tsu questioned as she tilted her head, looking at the small pile of plastic chips on the table. 

“It’s your turn (nickname).”

You looked down at your hand and placed the cards down in front of you. 

“Royal flush.” You murmured as you stared at the green table. Your mind was in chaos, fast and out of control.  Filled to the brim with doubts and theories. 

You rubbed your bare arm as you looked down at your lap. 

Groans and curses flew around the table. Etsuko threw her hand on the table, and Jirou mumbled something about university graduates. 

———

——

“Push me harder, minion!” You cackled as you sat on the wooden swing, falling backward as your legs swung with the motion. 

“(L/n) if I push you any higher, you’d go flying.” Izuku deadpanned before he pushed you with a gentle hand. You smiled brightly as your body ripped through the air going up as your hands gripped the metal chain links of the swing. Your legs were out in front of you to gain the maximum amount of height before you fell backward, swinging your legs inward. 

“No I won’t! Besides, you wouldn’t let that happen,” You shot a grin back at him as he muttered under his breath. He pushed you forward again. 

“Oi!” 

Izuku turned his head before his lips pressed into a thin line.

Izuku grabbed the metal chain of your swing, pulling you to a stop. The inertia of the sudden halt jostled you around before completely stopping. You blinked up at the green-haired teen in confusion. 

“Hey, why’d you—”

You heard the crunch of sand before you looked toward the spiky-headed blonde in front of you. 

“Ah Bakugo. What brings you here?” You smiled. The blonde’s eyes shifted to the green-haired teen before resting on your form. You tilted head at him, wondering if he had a question. His cheeks tinged pink as he gritted his teeth.

“Is everything okay?” You asked gently. You didn’t want to anger the short-tempered giant in front of you. So far, when you both worked together alone, Katsuki was less harsh and listened more to your words rather than reacted. He’s also brought snacks for your individual weekly meetings as of late. His behavior has been strange, but you weren’t going to question it. 

In fact, you refused to question his attitude change with you. You’d take what you can get.   

“Are you comin’ to school on Monday?” 

He asked. His harsh tone made you grimace. 

“I-I mean I hope so?” 

“’ Kay.” With that, the blonde stuffed his hands into his pockets before walking away from you both. You turned to Izuku with a raised brow, ‘ What the hell was that’ ? 

He shrugged back at you with his lips downturned, silently communicating back an ‘ I don’t even know. ’

The following day was Sunday. You met with both project partners to discuss anything that needed to come up. Since this was a group project, your instructors came up with even more for you all to do. You all finalized what kind of merchandise they each would promote within their pro-hero brand, the fabrication costs, how much each item would sell for, estimates of profit numbers annually and monthly, how it would help their brand, and their rationale of how it would be different/ similar to other pro-hero merch. 

This was only a small portion of the overall project, but you three worked on it throughout the whole day—only stopping for food and small breaks. When you three finished, it was around 11:30 pm. Usually, Izuku walks you back to your dorm room, but lately, Katsuki has insisted that he does. He nearly bit Izuku’s head off in the process, but Izuku didn’t back down this time. He has been wary of him ever since yesterday when he approached you with that strange question. 

So both of them end up walking you back to your dorm. 

When you wake up in the morning, you check your cell phone to find a few text messages. 

‘From Blonde Dickhead at 6:48

‘You better not skip school.’

You roll your eyes at the message before you respond, ‘Why? Do you have my murder planned out or something today?’

The response comes back instantly. 

‘No.’

You check your clock. 

Today was March 14th, 7:08 in the morning. 

When you opened your small shoe locker, you found several cards and candy from different people, mostly freshman boys interested in you. You didn’t even know them. 

“Woah! I guess all the boys want to get a piece of that MVP ass,” Estuko said as she slapped your butt. You yelped before you shot her a weak glare. 

“Yeah right,” You scoff as you stuffed all of the cards and candies in your basketball duffel bag. You stopped when you noticed a bright green package sloppily wrapped, but the bow was nicely done. 

“Ooooo is that from a certain green-haired boy?” Etsuko waggled her eyebrows with a mischievous grin. 

You rolled your eyes, “I don’t know. Just because it’s green doesn’t mean it’s from him.”

She looked at you with pressed lips as she pointed at the name tag. It was indeed from Izuku.

You sighed, “Besides, I couldn’t even confess Valentine’s day. I ended up telling him it was courtesy chocolate.”

Etsuko groaned and grabbed your shoulders. “Why are you so hopeless?” She yelled loudly, shaking your body like a McDonald’s Shaka Shaka chicken. 

“I know. I stayed up all night to make them so nice looking. I even made them look like his favorite childhood heroes. I’m fucking stupid.” You moaned as she continued to shake your body. 

She stopped shaking you and grabbed the green-wrapped package, “Well, let’s hope this isn’t out of courtesy.”

“Pfft. Have you seen how he looks at Ochako?” You dismissed her comment as you gingerly grabbed the green package from your best friend. You placed it in your school bag rather than the white duffle bag. You make sure both bags are closed and nothing has dropped. 

Your violet-haired best friend rolled her eyes. “Have you seen the way he looks at  you ?”

You scoffed but didn’t answer the question. Instead, you placed your outside shoes in the locker before shutting it. You go up the genkan before turning down the hallway, walking off with both bags without another word. 

She sighed before running after you. 

You spend most of your homeroom reading the various love letters professing their undying love for you. You laughed softly at each one. What did they know about love at their age if  you  didn’t even know what love was yet? You’ve only had a crush on one other person in your life; it was your brother’s best friend when you were a child. You might have a small—giant—crush on Izuku, but ultimately you were too cowardly to say anything. 

Damn. 

You carded a hand through your hair and tugged on the strands. You groaned out noise before you slammed your head on your desk a few times. After reading those letters, you realized you should have been more direct. From the cards you’ve read, they could clearly write down their feelings on paper. 

“I should have told him that they weren’t courtesy chocolates. I could have written a card or something…” You whispered to yourself. 

You banged your head one more time on the wooden desk. 

Your classroom door slides open before your professor announces class is starting. You stuffed the letters into your desk cubby before you flipped open your notebook. You turned to a new page and wrote the date and subject. You set your thoughts aside for most of your class until you had gym. 

“Stupid gym teacher. Just because I’m on the basketball team doesn’t mean you need to assert your dominance and ask me to get the bucket and mop. You could have sent anyone else,” You said as you walked the school’s corridors. You walked quickly up the first staircases you saw. Once you’ve made it to the third floor, you sighed. You were by 3-A’s classroom. You would have to go around the entire floor to get to your classroom. 

You sucked your teeth before you saw 3-A inside the classroom panel window near the staircase. You could see the bored expression on Jirou and Mina’s faces before your eyes caught the green-haired male who scribbled furiously in his notebook. Your lips quirked up a bit. He looked adorable as he tried to solve the math problem on the board. His hand delved into the curly locks to grip the strands as he shook his head. 

You knew the answer. 

You walked toward the classroom window panel. The first one to notice you was Tsu. You smiled with a tiny wave. You moved your lips, making sure to enunciate slowly so she could catch the message. She tilted her head and glanced at the front of the room. Your eyes followed hers, she was looking to see if the instructor was turned around before she mouthed something back to you. 

‘Are you sure that’s the answer?’

You nod with a thumbs up. 

She raised her hand. You quickly ducked down to lie on the painted grey floor so the teacher didn’t see you at the window. You lifted your head slightly, so it didn’t touch the hallway’s patterned tiling. Once you heard a muffled ‘Great job Asui, that’s correct,’ you clenched a fist in victory. You completed your side quest before your main mission. You lifted your body before slowly crouching to see if the professor had turned around. Tsu looked at you and gave you a small thumbs up, and you returned it with a thumbs up and a smile. 

That’s when you notice multiple pairs of eyes looking at you. Your heart stuttered when you saw a set of curious jade eyes.

“What are you all staring at?” 

All the blood from your face rushed down to your stomach when you heard those muffled words. If you got caught, the teacher would’ve known you were missing gym class. So, you ran. 

You sped down the hallway as fast as possible, hoping their teacher didn’t see you. 

During lunchtime, you decided to sit on a bench outside of the cafeteria to eat your packed lunch. UA tuition was not cheap, especially since you lived in the dorms. Your parents were both teachers, so they weren’t as well off as most of your classmates. You couldn’t afford a full meal plan at the school, so you made your lunch three times a week. 

You shivered a bit as you bit into your riceball. It was March, but it was still a bit chilly. 

You chewed your food while holding a copy of  Lovely Complex  Volume 3. You held back a snicker while reading a joke about the character’s height. It was so out of pocket. 

“Oi.” You tensed before you looked up from your manga to see who it was. You jolted when you saw Katsuki in from of you, peering down at you with indifference. 

“O-oh, hi.” You meekly said before you set your onigiri down inside your lunch box. You dog-eared your book before you set it down on your lap. 

“What’s up?” 

“Here.” The teenager’s hand held a neatly wrapped white box with your name printed in neat letters. He threw the box so hard; you almost fell back. You grimaced from pain as you held the box in your hands. 

You look at the wrapped package before you tilt your head at him in confusion. 

“What is this?” You asked as you inspected the package with inquisitive eyes. Your eyebrows knitted together when you didn’t hear anything after a few beats. 

You peered up through your lashes at the 195 CM guy in front of you, (e/c) eyes narrowed because of the bright spring sun. Yet, it wasn’t blinding because you could see him clearly. He’s  blushing.

You blinked before looking at the package again. Why was he blushing?

“If you think those are obligatory chocolates, then you’re stupider than raccoon eyes,” He yelled loudly, ears flushed red. He can’t even make eye contact with you. 

What does he mean--

Oh. OH! 

Your eyes widened as realization set in. Your eyes slowly looked down at what was in your hand. Was this a confession? Did Katsuki Bakugo actually like you?

You lifted your face to look at him. “Wait, wait wait, if these are not obligatory chocolates. Does this mea—”

“What do  you  think it means, you idiot?!” He yelled with reddened cheeks. He stuffed his hands in his pocket as he let out a huff. You’ve never seen Katsuki embarrassed before. It was cute. 

 You pressed your lips together as you held back a smile. 

“T-thank—”

Before you can even thank him properly, the bell rings. Lunch is over. 

“D-don’t even think about g-giving it to other people, got it?!” He threatened with a scowl and a cherry-red face. 

You smiled and nodded. 

After school, you met up with Ochako, Etsuko, and Mina as you ate the spiciest chocolates you’ve ever had. They were delicious, but each nibble made your tongue feel the pure flames of hell. Ochako convinced you to accept Katsuki’s lukewarm confession as she told you to give him a chance because he’s changed so much since freshman year.  

“Plus, doesn’t he remind you of Ichigo from Bleach?”

With that line, the innocent doe-eyed girl sold the idea to you. 

You respond to Katsuki’s text when you get back home. You giggled at his response, remembering how flustered he was when he gave you those chocolates. He texted you again. The message only has an address with a time for this weekend. 

You responded with an ‘Okay :).’

You forget about the green box-like package in your bag for the rest of the night. 

When you woke up the following morning, you unwrapped the gift to find a small green rope bracelet with a metal charm of your favorite flower and a piece of paper with sharp slanted letters that looked difficult to read. 

‘ l saw this at a stand one day and thought of you.

-lzuku’

You noticed that the note looked like the faint rubber shavings and old grey undertones of faded lettering wrote it a few times. You squinted to see if you could make out any previous etchings, but gave up quickly. You smiled at the words, reading them over again.

 You grabbed a photo album and flipped to a blank page. You opened the plastic covering and placed the letter on top of the sticky album paper. You seal it shut with the plastic covering before closing the album. 

You placed the green bracelet on your nightstand. You stared at it with a soft smile for a few moments before an emotion swirled in your heart. It felt familiar but wasn’t. 

Your breath hitched as your chest warmed. 

Huh, you thought.  That was weird. 

You shook your head to rid yourself of any other thoughts. 

You walked away from the area, grabbed your school uniform, and set it on your bed before grabbing your shower caddy. You put on your shower shoes. You closed the door to your room as the green bracelet rested in the middle of your nightstand. The metal flower charm glinted as a sun ray peeked through your window, landing on the green jewelry.

-----

------

‘“Don’t open your eyes until I say so. Got it?” You hear a male voice angrily gruff out as a warm, slightly sweaty hand guides you. 

“Aye aye Captain Katsuki,” you smiled, your heels hitting the floor resounded and echoed throughout whatever room you were in. The air smelled fresh. 

“I mean it. No fucking peekin’.”

You giggle as you follow the hand leading you. He lets go of your hand before you hear a chair scraping on the floor. He all but pushes you onto the seat and tucks you into a table. Excitement bubbles in your veins as you wonder what kind of surprise your boyfriend had for you. He told you to dress up because you were going somewhere. Well, he actually told you, ‘Get up. We’re leavin’. Take a shower first.’ Katsuki’s way of saying get dressed. 

So you wore a nice pale yellow v-neck sun dress patterned with tiny flowers with thick straps. The dress hugged your torso until it reached your hips, where it flowed effortlessly to your feet. You placed your hair in a carefully styled, messy bun with curled pieces to frame your face. You pinned it with small pearls in the bun, making it look like little raindrops. You wore pearl studs and a necklace that Katsuki had given you on your second anniversary. 

You hear a little  poof  sound followed by the slight smell of burnt caramel. Right after, you heard another set of footsteps echoing across the room before the clattering of silverware and someone setting a plate in front of you. 

“Thank you.” You smile, hopefully in their direction. 

You hear ‘you’re welcome’ and feel the person’s presence still near you. 

“Alright, extra, that’s enough staring at my fuckin’ girlfriend. Get the fuck out of here,” he bit out. You heard a meep ‘yes’ and hurried footsteps exiting the space. 

You rolled your eyes behind your eyelids with a little smile.  Oh, Katsuki . 

You hear another chair close by scraping the floor loudly, the sound echoing. 

“You can open your eyes now.” Your boyfriend’s voice was less hostile and softer as he said it. It made your heart melt. 

You cracked open your eyes with a grin, taking note of the dim lighting of wherever you might be, before you open your eyes completely. Your hands fly out to cover your audible gasp as you look around. 

You were in a glass enclosure that reminded you of a ballroom, dimly lit by candles perched on various-sized stands strategically placed around beds of ruby-red roses that thickly lined the entire perimeter of the room. It framed the area as if they were meant to be there. The beautifully stained ceiling glass resembled the Starry Night by Van Gogh. It was lined with a dim thin ring of low light, setting the perfect mood. You marvel as your eyes take in the sun setting right behind the glass, filling the room with golden hues and soft orange rays. 

You love sunsets.

Your eyes watered as you peered back across the circular table at your handsome boyfriend, dressed in a white button-down shirt and black slacks. The way the golden hues made his face look ethereal was so unfair. He was so fucking pretty, especially with those sharp vermillion orbs that looked a hue warmer as he looked at you with a rare soft expression. The hard shell of Bakugo Katsuki melted into a version of him that only you were so lucky to see. 

“This is so pretty, ‘Suki.” 

A faint blush dusted across the bridge of his nose and pale cheeks as he let out a huff. “Well, you deserve the best.” He muttered so quietly that you could barely hear it. 

Warmth filled your chest as you shot him a watery smile. You wiped your eyes with your fingers before the salty liquid could ruin your mascara. 

Your eyes caught the plate in front of you and saw red writing in a vaguely familiar language. It lined the raised thick rim of the plate. In the center is a round dome of dark chocolate with a thin coating of powdered sugar and caramel. Next to it, a few sliced strawberries with a small spoon. 

You blink. “Uh, we just ate dinner at home, Katsuki. Is this dessert? Wait, what language is this? It’s not English or Japanese,” you deduce as your eyes narrow to concentrate on the individual cursive letters. The words looked like English, but they didn’t form exactly like English words. 

‘Eres el amor de mi vida ¿Quieres casarte conmigo?’

(You're the love of my life. Will you marry me?)

“Um,” you scratched your temple as you tried to piece together the words. Nothing. 

You’re absolutely stumped. 

You look up at your boyfriend, whose scarlet cheeks remind you of the fruit on your plate-eyebrows furrowed. Finally, he scoffed, “Yes, it’s fuckin’ dessert. Just crack the shit already since you can’t read it.”

You tilted your head a bit at his sudden embarrassed expression. What was going on? 

“’ Suki is there something wrong?” The second you finished that question, you swore one of his eyes twitched as he gritted his teeth. His face turned redder by the second as he glared at you. 

A large ivory-toned hand with manicured fingernails slammed on the table. It caused you to jump a bit. 

“Just open it!” He spits out in almost a growl. He looked like an angry cat. 

You frowned as you looked at the chocolate desert and the lettering.  Why is he getting so mad?

Two could play at that game. 

You crossed your arms across your chest, “I’m not opening it until you tell me.” You puffed out your chest in false bravado as you pout. 

Your eyes narrowed as you could see his patience thin by the second. He never yells at you or gets completely upset. So, you weren’t scared of his reaction to your bratty behavior. 

He pinched the narrow skin between his eyes with his forefinger and thumb, “I swear to everything, princess, if you don’t open that—”

“But why should I? You won’t tell me what this says, and that hurts.” 

His anger reduced to a slow simmer as he looked at your frowning face as it looked at the dessert. The way your eyes narrowed, the hurt evident behind your (e/c) orbs. The way the rays of the sun made your skin glow like you were  his  little angel. His orbs soften as the wrinkles in his brow smooth. God, he loved you, and he hated seeing you frown. 

He sighs as he scrubs his hand on his face, “I’ll explain it once you open it. I promise.”

You peer up at him through your lashes, “You promise?”

“Yes, just open it already,” he said almost tiredly. He needed a drink. 

You uncross your arms from your chest as you gingerly grasp the tiny spoon. You reel back your arm and hit the center of the chocolate dome with a small thwack. 

The dome cracks. You gingerly grab a piece of chocolate that fell on the side with your fingers. You placed the dark chocolate in your mouth and wiggled a bit. “Soooo good.” 

The slight smile you make as you hit the chocolate sphere again completely eradicates Katsuki’s residual anger. 

The rest of it breaks open, and you gasp.  That was too fast , you thought as you grabbed another piece of chocolate to place in your salivating mouth. The notes of caramel and powdered sweetness burst on your tongue. 

A glint of metal behind various pieces of broken chocolate causes you to tilt your head in question. 

Why was there metal in chocolate? 

You blinked owlishly. Curiosity made you quickly gain interest. You begin to move aside the pieces of sweet goodness, to uncover the mysterious item on your plate. Once you remove a rather large chunk of chocolate from the top of whatever the metal seems to be, you choke. 

Tears pricked your eyes as your heart clenched and squeezed in your chest. 

“Katsuki, is that what I think it is?” You hoarsely whispered as a fat tear spilled down one of your cheeks. You heard a chair scraping the floor before a large hand plucked the object from the plate. 

“That’s why I kept telling you to open it. Instead, you wanted to be a brat,” he chuckled.    

You face your body to the side. Your stomach erupts with butterflies as your tall boyfriend bends down to one knee beside you. 

You were afraid to even blink because you wanted to commit everything to memory; the way his hair spiked, the few buttons he had undone near the top of his button-down. Those ruby-colored orbs were slightly crinkled at the corners as warmth swirled within them. The soft rays of the sunset cause them to shine and glitter even more beautifully than before. 

You weren’t going to blink. You didn’t want to miss a single goddamn thing. 

“The day I met you in that auditorium, I honestly thought you were a stupid extra.” 

You punched his arm. 

“Okay,” he huffed as you narrowed your eyes in a playful warning back at him. 

“I didn’t think a stupid high school project would send me into anger management.” You rolled your eyes. 

He sucked his teeth at you before continuing, “Nor did I think I would get paired with a know-it-all and stupid Deku . But, I’m so happy that it did. Don’t get me wrong, you were a pain in my ass the first two weeks.” His cheeks dust with pink again. 

“Then I started bein’ an asshole on purpose to get you to notice me because I liked you. It was stupid, and I didn’t realize that it was hard for you to work with me because I was emotionally constipated. I don’t know why you agreed to go on a fuckin’ date with me. I was a pile of shit to you, but you still gave me a chance.” His lips quirked up a bit as he looked at the object in between his fingertips. 

“You healed pieces of me that I didn’t think needed healing. You cared for me when nobody else did. Hell, you make my stupid heart beat so loudly in my fucking chest, even when you’re droolin’ on your pillow with a goofy smile on your face.” His tone was warm, and it made your veins feel fuzzy. 

You giggled as you sniffed wetly. 

“It’s you. It’s fucking  you . I cannot describe it anymore, but it is you. You are the only one that I will ever want—not being number one or any of the other shit. When I look at you, you’re the only thing that matters. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I would be a dumbass to let it go. So, would you marry me, princess?”

Your chin wobbled as you tried not to cry obnoxiously in his face. “Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes!” You shout as you throw yourself in his arms. His footing slipped, and you both fell down on the hardwood floor. 

“At least let me put the ring on before you attack me!” 

You smiled as you lifted your face to wipe the mascara stains on your cheeks. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”

He sat you both up effortlessly as he grumbled incoherently with no malice. You sat on his lap while he carefully placed the large oval-cut diamond with two “smaller” diamonds beside it. The white gold band was simple. Almost elegant even. The weight of the stones sat heavily on your finger. 

The main stone had to be at least four carats. 

You would have preferred something simpler and less gaudy, like a round diamond between 1 or 2 carats and a white gold band with something etched inside.

Nonetheless, you smiled at the opulent ring. It was so like Katsuki to get something like this— expensive and announced that you were  his  from a mile away. 

Because to him, now you were finally his.  The thought of you being his wife satisfied that dormant itch that’s been in his heart for years. 

He won . 

Your stomach fluttered with butterflies.  You were going to be his wife. 

You pressed a barrage of kisses all over his smooth, clear face, “I. Love. You.” You said in between kisses over and over again. 

“Alright, alright—” You silenced the rest of the blonde’s sentence by pressing your lips on his pale petal pink ones.

Chapter Text

  (Adult Deku )

 (Adult Deku)

(Adult Takeshi)

*Just in case if you were thirsty.

The spirit of new beginnings, opportunity, hope

In the weeks after you were released and picked up Kuro from the animal hospital, you started developing this appreciation that you're still alive. That you're experiencing every moment  because  you are alive. The villain attack in February was a big wake-up call for you. You've signed up for English classes to practice again. You go out with your friends more. Every day, you stumble less and less on your affirmations.

The weekend of that incident was Valentine's Day. You spoiled your Valentine, Kuro, with a cat cake and a nice grooming session with a wet brush. You made sure to treat him like a  king  that day and every day since.

Now, it's the beginning of April, and the weather is finally warming up.

"Finally, we could put away our stuffy coats and think about summer vacations!" Etsuko cheers with her fist in the air.

You both are watching the weather channel as if it was prime-time television.

You nod as she sits back, blowing out a long breath. 

"Man, that weatherman is so hot. I'll hold his umbrella for him any day." Etsuko sighs, placing her head on your shoulder. You snort. He looked like a regular guy with dark hair and a five o'clock shadow.

"He's not all that."

You feel a pinch at your side, and you flinch. "OW. What was that for?"

Etsuko golden's eyes narrow with irritation. "Of course,  you  won't think he's cute. Besides, you haven't dated anyone other than Bakugo."

You feel your cheeks warm as you try to sputter out an argument. All that comes out is non-sensical noises and huffs. You had no comeback.

"Ya see?" She rolls her eyes and looks for her phone under the blanket you wrapped around yourselves.

"So?"

"Didn't you guys break up at one point in college for like six months?"

"Five months and 17 days, to be exact." You announce matter-of-factly. She groans while rolling her eyes.

"My point is that even  Bakugo  had more experience than you. You weren't the only fruit that he sampled."

You blink at her. Katsuki did date Camie and other girls. He was honest with you when he did get back together with you. It stung, but you had to push it aside because you were in America while he was here in Japan, navigating the beginning of his career.

You never held a grudge against him for it, but sometimes the insecure thoughts would come to the forefront of your mind. It stung every time you thought how easily Katsuki could sleep with other girls right after you broke up as if sex was meaningless. It hurts because you have to ask him and initiate the mood to have sex.

Etsuko's thumbs scroll on the phone's screen before she taps on something. She promptly shoved the device in your face. You back your face away to read the screen better. You scowl and gently push her arm away.

"Nope, I don't do dating sites. That's so weird."

"That's how everyone meets now. You need to get with the times (Y/n). Plus, this app does a DNA analysis with the saliva you send. So that way, they can test the DNA for compatibility with others. It's really neat, given the soulmate scare going on everywhere."

She looks up from her phone at you, "I think you should get back out there and go on dates with other people. Maybe you'd discover you're as pansexual as me!" A devilish grin spreads across her face.

You quirk up a brow, "Soulmate scare? Aren't soulmates something from fairytales and werewolf romance novels?"

Cue an overdramatic gasp from the woman who owns a modeling agency.

"Girl, where have you been?! It's been going around the news for months! Several studies have confirmed that the same gene mutation that gives us all quirks is where the soul mate sequence is. A specific protein that gives intense compatibility to only one other person."

That doesn't sound like an invasion of privacy at all.

She shakes her head at your perturbed expression. "It's predetermined in your DNA before you can even count numbers or say your name. The studies have proven that you could find them based on scent."

You release a burst of air through your lips. You start howling in laughter, "No way. Who decided to spew this shit?" You laugh, clutching your stomach.

She waves a hand at you, "No, seriously! It's really all over the news. People have been getting divorced because of it."

You wipe the tears that threaten to spill from your eyes, "Oh shit, that's rich. What's next, reincarnation? Listen, people look for anything to give them a pass to get a divorce."

Etsuko scowls at you, grumbling something under her breath. You blink.

You give her a devilish grin. "You wanna say that out loud?"

She gives you a dirty look, "You don't believe it because you and Bakugo were probably never soulmates, to begin with."

You hold a hand to your chest in mock- hurt "OUCH! Alright, I'm sorry, jeez. That's a touchy subject for someone."

She huffs out a breath, "(Y/n) this is real. It's affecting so many people that my business has taken a hit. The modeling world is built off of looks that people desire to have or wish in a partner. None of that matters when you have a soulmate who could be the opposite of what you find conventionally attractive."

You blink.  Wow, this is something that a lot of people believe .

You sigh, taking the remote from your lap to change the channel.

"I think you should do it. Why not find out if you have a soulmate out there."

 You shoot Etsuko a terse look.

"I'm quirkless remember? Doesn't this affect people that have quirks?" You hold up the remote and press a button to flip through channels.

"Actually, it affects everyone. There are higher odds of you having a soulmate who has a quirk than not."

This is all sounding like that fake bullshit romance novel I was reading a few weeks ago,  you thought as your eyes focused on the changing tv stations.

"It's not a fake bullshit romance novel!" Etsuko huffs in annoyance.

Fuck.  You need to control what you say out loud.

"I'm going to order you a kit. Since you think it's so  fake , no harm, no foul, right?"

You groan, "This is starting to sound like the beginning plot line of a shitty movie from when we were kids."

You hear silence for a few seconds.

You glance at the purple-haired woman next to you. She's smiling manically at her phone screen, typing with her thumbs. She presses something with emphasis and shoots a grin your way. Golden eyes are glittering with mischief. 

"The kit comes tomorrow."

You release another groan and scrub your face with your free hand. "You got to be joking."

She shakes her head and shifts her body on the grey couch, cross-crossing her legs. "Listen, I want to test out a theory too."

You raise a brow as you continue flipping through channels trying to find something else to watch. "What's the theory?" You ask.

"To see if you and Midoriya were actually soulmates this whole time."

You roll your eyes for the umpteenth time, "Here we go again."

Etsuko glances around like a child about to tell an adult a secret. "Is Kuro not here?"

You pout at the mention of your beloved cat. The soulmate accusation is forgotten. 

"He's with my damn brother for this whole week because ever since the villain attack, the government has been frantic trying to splice DNA to recreate a similar quirk that Kuro has for dogs. So, my brother got Kuro a provisional hero license. It has some clause that stops people from trying to copy someone else quirk on purpose, almost like a copyright."

You scratch at an itch on your forearm.

"My brother also decided to take him on a secret operation of an underground quirk trafficking ring among the elite. Since Kuro is basically a defense weapon, my brother asked Kuro if he wanted to join."

"And you said yes?" You shook your head at Etsuko.

"Nope," You sigh, leaning back on your couch cushions. "Kuro telepathically communicated with us, expressing he wanted to do it."

Etsuko hums and leans back into the couch as well. "Kuro is so fucking smart it's crazy."

"Yup," You say, popping the 'p.'

"The perks of being an owner to a domesticated snow leopard that has two quirks."

You hear a loud click and the jingle of keys. Your door opens with a whoosh. Etsuko turns her body to see a familiar green, curly-haired pro hero with heavy grocery bags in just one hand.

"(Y/n) I'm back. I couldn't find that ice cream you liked, so I got the caramel one instead!" He announces as he looks down to take off his shoes.

Etsuko wraps a hand around your ponytail and pulls you down. The force of it causes you to fall back on the couch. "Oww, you bitch," you hiss.

"Since when did Midoriya get a spare key?" She asks with a confused expression.

You sit up while you chuckle, your eyes shifting around.

"Etsuko, did I mention how much I love your new haircut?"

She pinches your side , causing you to flinch back. "Answer me." She whispers harshly.

You look at your lap and start twiddling your fingers.  She's going to eat this shit up if I tell her,  you thought while chewing the inside of your cheek.

——

'The protective shield that Kuro supplied you with shatters around you, creating a yellow pixie-like dust that is swept away by the wind. Suddenly the weightless feeling flips your stomach as you begin to fall several stories. You clutch the furry creature in your arms tighter as you fall. Seconds away from becoming one with the street below.

"AH!"

Your eyes burst open as you rise from your bed with a gasp, panting as you look at your surroundings and feel for any dislocated limbs or pain. 

Your eyes adjust as it takes in the very little light from the closed shades of your bedroom. Once your breathing stabilizes, you look down at the weight on your legs. You breathe out a sigh of relief to find the furry creature splayed across the bed and on your legs with his belly up in a starfish manner. 

You turn your head to like at your clock. '3:27'. This was the third nightmare in a row this week. 

You let out a sigh through your lips and scratch your head.  I can't call my brother again because he'll make me move in with him. Etsuko is probably with a one-night stand. Who else could I call? 

Your mind conjures up the memory of just a few days prior when you woke up in Izuku's arms in the hospital bed. 

——

---

You didn't know how it happened. 

You saw Izuku sit back on a chair as you went back to your bed, as you both said good night to each other. You remember lifting up your thin covers and closing your eyes. You remember hearing Izuku shift in the cushioned seat as his sheets rustle around. Next thing you know, you groan weakly to a bright light beaming behind your eyelids and several hushed giggles. You let out a weak noise your face buried itself further into a warm plane of muscle. Your limbs tangled with another human. The smell of sunshine and warm woods with a hint of a citrusy male cologne fogged your senses as electricity ran soothingly through your muscles. The arms tighten around you, causing you to melt like a puddle— home. 

"Goodness, these kids have no shame now, huh?"

"Aww, but they look so adorable. It's about time that 'Zu-kun confessed his feelings to (nickname)-chan"

"You know Inoko-san, I never really like him together with that Gravity girl anyways."

"No honey, I think her name was Cavity."

The voices seemed to get louder as you tried to squeeze your eyelids shut. You hear a faint rumble as you feel the warm wall pressing on every inch of skin, your short limbs intertwined with a set of longer, more muscular limbs like two strands of rope. 

You take another inhale.  Home,  a voice whispered in the recess of your mind. 

Your body begins to melt against the warm wall again. 

"We're going to have to wake them up."

"They look pretty content being tangled together like that."

"I wonder if they realized they're like this in a hospital?"

Another light bursts behind your eyelids. You flinch, and so does the wall you're pressed against. 

"This is great blackmail material."

Wait, is that my brother?  You internally question. Your muscles twitch and tense. 

Your chest rises, filling with that heady comforting smell that makes all the tension disappear, and you relax completely.

This smell is fucking fantastic . If you could bathe in it every day, you would. But, instead, you feel yourself and the wall tense as the realization hits you. 

You crack open your eyes and crane your head up from the black t-shirt. You stare back into confused emerald orbs. A beat passes by. 

You both start screaming, frantically moving each other off. You fall off the bed as Izuku falls in the other direction. Laughter fills the room as you sit on your butt on the cold laminate flooring, bewildered. 

---

—

You sigh, rubbing your face as you hold your cell. "Would he even agree to this?" You whisper to yourself as your thumb hovers over his contact name. 

You bite the bullet. 

Ten minutes later, Izuku, clad in a white t-shirt that says 'shirt' and green flannel pajama pants, nestled away on your couch as you pad over to your bedroom. It honestly didn't take much to convince him.  He was so nice about it too, you thought as you crawled into your bed. You close your eyes, and Kuro pads over your blanket, the weight of his paws pressing into you. He curls up in a ball around your lap and purrs gently, lulling you to sleep. 

The following day, you wake up on the couch, limbs tangled together with the pro-hero. You both shout in fright as you fall to the floor.'

—-

"You both are soulmates!" Etsuko whispers harshly, pointing a manicured finger at your face as you both hide from view on the couch.

"No, we're not. That stuff is fake!" You whisper back.

“(Y/n)?” A deep voice calls out as you hear footsteps before you hear the muted rustle of plastic bags.

Etsuko's eyes dance with mirth and pure mischief. You could practically see a lightbulb turn on top of her head. You pale.

Before you can stop her, her head pops up from your hiding spot, "Hey, Midoriya, fancy seeing you here."

You smack your forehead with a palm.  Fuck. 

You rise slowly to see Izuku's confused facial expression in your kitchen. His jade orbs catch your face quickly, then return to hold Etsuko's gaze.

"Yeah, (Y/n) made me a spare key a few weeks ago." He politely smiles a bit before he turns around to take out the contents of whatever is in the plastic bag.

Etsuko grins like a Cheshire cat. She turns her head slowly at you, "Y'all fucking?" She whispers.

Your eyebrows draw up to your forehead.

You shake your head vehemently, "No! We're just friends that sleep on the same bed sometimes." You say in a hushed tone.

Her grin broadens sinisterly. "A few steps away from fucking ."

You hold back your tongue as your cheeks burn with the thought of you and Izuku even kissing. Heat rises up your neck at the memory of this morning.

----

' The covered  long, girthy appendage  pressed on your back this morning as he groaned, shifting you closer to him, made heat crawl up your neck. 

Damn, no wonder Katsuki hates him,  you thought as you tried to shift your body away. 

Your head is screeching at you to wrap your hand around his clothed erection.  To see if your hand could even wrap around it.  You remember how hot your body felt when you woke up to that embrace. The gathered slick created a sopping mess on your sleeping shorts. You distinctly remember how your vision felt hazy as your stomach cramped with feverish skin. How you heard a deep inhale and how his body shuddered. Izuku, although unconscious, definitely was able to smell you. The realization created more slickness as you shifted your thighs uncomfortably. The way your pussy reacted to another one of his unconscious groans was… You needed to get away. 

You had nearly pushed away Izuku's sleeping form to take a cold shower. The feeling of white-hot desire taking over your body felt unbearable. You never had a feeling of such unbridled desire like that in your life. So much desire that it  hurt  and caused your lower stomach to cramp again. 

Embarrassingly enough, the cold shower did  not  help. But the hidden waterproof rabbit tucked away in your bathroom vanity drawer did. 

--

You look at your hands, some fingers covered with cartoon-themed Band-Aids. The battle wounds of your teeth biting them to keep your actions a secret from the sleeping man outside your bathroom this morning. The embarrassingly fast orgasm you reached felt like sweet relief as the feeling dissipated. The evidence ran down your shower drain mixed with the frigid water pelted on your naked body.

You vaguely theorize if Izuku knows that this happens. Was it based on the smell you both emit? Which would explain how he never hugged you until a few weeks ago.  It would definitely explain those open windows whenever I sat in his car.  You ponder how prolonged exposure to his scent causes an insane amount of lust to fill your body like a sickness. Are there any side effects to this?

You pause your thoughts.  Would this mean Etsuko was right?

That you were never Katsuki's soulmate ? The dark thought makes you squeeze your eyes shut as a fresh wave of nausea rolls in your stomach.

"Hello? Earth to (Y/n)!"

You open your eyes to find that Etsuko is not next to you on the couch. The smell of ginger cooking in mirin and soy sauce. The familiar scent hugs your nose.

"Y-yeah?" You stammer out, back straightening. You were deep in your thoughts for a while.

"Midoriya bought pork, so we're making Shogayaki for lunch. Do you want one or two scoops of rice in your bowl?"

Your mouth waters at the thought of the gingery sweet pork. You swallow the pooled saliva in your mouth before you speak.

"One, please! Can I also have some salad on the side with the shredded cabbage?"

You hear Etsuko grumble before Izuku chuckles out a laugh.

After going to the bathroom and freshening yourself up, it wasn't long before lunch was served. Your excitement for one of your favorite foods doesn't go unnoticed by either of the other two people in your apartment.

"Etsuko, Izuku-kun, you both are wizards!" You melt in delight as you lift up your chopsticks for a bite of the savory pork.

"Just hurry up and eat before it's too late to go outside," Etsuko grumbles, taking a bite of rice. You smile brightly.

"Right! We're going to see the cherry blossoms today. Sumimoto-san, are you meeting someone?" Izuku asks her as he tilts his head a bit.

Her jaw drops open, "Is this your way of saying that I'm third wheeling, you broccoli head?!" He pales before he's waving his hands around in a panic, "No! I just thought that—"

"Thought what, Midoriya?" Golden eyes glare back at innocent jade orbs.

A giggle releases from your lips at dig.Both of them look at you, stopping whatever argument in its tracks. "Etsuko, stop playing with his heart like that. Aren't you gonna meet some guy off that app you were talking about?"

She stuck out her tongue at Izuku, who flinches next to you. "It's fun to mess with him. He gets so flustered."

Izuku sputters out a "No, I don't" before taking a bite of his food, pouting a bit.

"Speaking of the app," Etsuko pauses dramatically to give you a sly look. You narrow your eyes at her. 'Don't you fucking dare.'

"It's time for (Y/n) to get back out there, right, Midoriya?"

Izuku freezes, staring blankly at the food in front of him. Etsuko's lips quirk up.

"So, I made a dating profile for (Y/N). You know, see if she could find something that's worth her time." The smile breaks out into a slimy grin.

"Etsuko, stop it. I didn't even agree to do this!"

She shrugs with her rice bowl in one hand, and the chopsticks in the other. "Listen, your pussy is probably filled with cobwebs. You're practically a virgin since you've only slept with one person."

Your face practically steams as you cough, choking on your food.

"It doesn't help that everyone else on this table has explored other options. 'Sides, it is completely normal."

Sly marigold eyes flick to Izuku.

"Say, Midoriya, didn't you have a whole fuck-boy phase your first year as a pro-hero? Just because you didn't want to hurt their feelings. Do I remember that correctly?" Etsuko takes another bite of rice, chewing smugly.

He pales, and you watch him with rapt attention. He continues to stare at his food.

Holy shit, she's right .

"Midoriya doesn't want to admit it, but he was a horny little green-haired jack-rabbit then." Etsuko sniggers while taking a bite of pork.

You could see his typically sun-kissed complexion slowly transforming to something akin to a cooked lobster. Etsuko continues poking the metaphorical bear.

"Hey Midoriya, is it true what they say about —-"

You clear your throat, cutting her off. "That's enough, Etsuko. Stop making him uncomfortable."

She pouts at you. "But look at himmmm. He's all flushed and embarrassed. He's so easy to tease!"

You glare at her, and she grumbles. You assume it's her apologizing.

However, insecurity starts to show its nasty head. You've never been in a relationship with anyone other than Katsuki. Much less had sex with anyone other than spiky-haired blond.

Maybe I'm not pretty enough to even go on a date with anyone. Am I not attractive enough to sleep with?

You know it was silly to think about these things because they were. But no one had the courage to come up to you and properly ask you on a date. Nor find you sexually attractive enough to court you properly.

You knew that you looked somewhat decent, though. If any of the random catcalls as you walked with Kuro meant anything.

You both continue and finish your lunch without any issues. You get dressed in baggy jeans, and a t-shirt under a loose, striped cardigan. You decide to pull out your new brown trench coat and wear the watch Katsuki gifted you that somehow did not break from the villain's attack.

You walk towards the closet and grab a harness for Kuro. You jingle it, waiting for Kuro to stride his way toward you.

"Oh, right," you whisper and stare at the hand holding the harness. The bitter feeling of missing your pet pricked at your heart. You sigh and hang it in your closet. You shut the door and look in the mirror. Eyes scan your outfit and your bare face before realizing you're missing something.

You walk over to your vanity and put on a thin coat of mascara and some 2 in 1 cc cream that also acts as sunscreen. You carefully apply lip-gloss and drag bronzer on your eyelids and cheekbones. You apply another thin coat of mascara, which makes your eyelashes long and full. You put on a headband that matched the white t-shirt under the cardigan. You step back over to the full-body mirror. You shake your head, still missing something.

You put on some gold stud earrings and a simple matching ring to wear on your thumb.  I'm done. 

You decide to put on an extra coat of spray on deodorant.  Okay, now I'm done,  you thought to yourself. After giving yourself a once over, admiring how your legs look in the baggy jeans, you walk outside your bedroom door with your boots in hand.

"Sooooo, I'm really happy your my best friend because it's a double date, and I  really  need you to do me a solid and go on a date with someone's cousin." Her pleading tone shocks you as her hands are pressed together in prayer hands.

Izuku turns on his heel to look at you as you shrug and agree.

Did I hear that right?  Izuku says to himself. Bitterness coats his tongue.

He shakes his head. No. 

 He has no right to have any say in your dating life. It's been three years, and you're finally starting to emerge from this three-year depressive episode. This could be important to make that leap. To see you smile more freely again.

But she sleeps next to you almost every night. Are you really going to give that up? How  good  it feels to hold her after being too scared of her smell?  The saccharine voice whispers inside him.

It makes his muscles tense. Images begin to form in his head of you smiling and holding hands with some random man barely taller than you. The thought of someone holding your hand makes him bite the inside of his cheek so hard, he tastes metal.

He frowns.

Something twists inside his chest, tugging and pulling something he wasn't sure of. Before he could question what it was, you and Etsuko were getting ready at the genkan of your apartment. He decides to save the introspection for later.

Izuku's hand digs in his front coat pocket to take out a pen and the paper you wrote your bucket list.

1. Go to Hokkaido Watch a meteor shower while camping
2. Get married Go sky diving
3. Go to a concert
4.  Enroll and attend clay sculpting classes to make a vase and teapot
5. Learn how to jumpstart a car and change the tires Learn to drive again
6. Go apple picking
7. See the cherry blossoms
8. Feed the Nara deer
9. Visit NYC in America
10. Watch the sunrise at the golden temple in Kyoto
11.  Adopt a cat

( ) SEE (Y/N) 'S CAREFREE SMILE AGAIN. 

Although the villain attack stopped you from going to the clay sculpting class that day, it didn't deter your efforts in booking another ticket. You both went two weeks later, creating the vase on your dining table. The teapot was something that Izuku decided to do. He gave it to his mother.

Etsuko was in a heated debate with you about who is the best woman's basketball player of all time. It was safe to say, you weren't paying attention to Izuku as you all walked to take the bullet train to go to Tokyo.

Jade orbs scanned the list as he walked behind you, glancing up every couple of seconds to ensure you were still in sight. He ignored the gasps, flashing cameras, and shrieks-too absorbed in staring at the paper in his hands.

He mentally runs through what still needed to be planned and what has been planned already.

Number nine wasn't something that was easy for the pro hero. After much embarrassment, he booked a plane to visit New York City, coordinating the details to use All Might's chartered private plane. The trip was sometime in July for a week. Izuku made a bullshit excuse to All Might, stating he wanted to go away for his 28th birthday. Little did he know, All Might booked it for the week of his birthday with a sly smile.  He told me not to stain the seats in front of my mom. Who does that?  Izuku grumbles internally.

Three down, eight more to go.

After today will be four down, if everything goes according to plan. His eyes look at the written words at the bottom. He wrote the same day you had agreed to do the bucket list with him. The very same day Ochako became more distant from him. His lips terse in a blank expression.

Did she get the divorce papers by now?  He ponders while scanning his train pass. He figures there was no point in letting this separation drag on while she was now seen everywhere with Shoto, holding hands or fighting villains together. It didn't irk him as much as people thought it did. In fact, he came to terms with the fact that maybe they both were married but didn't want to be after a couple of months. Maybe he proposed too quickly and didn't give them a chance to really explore their relationship. He's wondered if they were in a relationship because they liked each other or because it was the only option available.

Speaking of publicity, unbeknownst to you, he also got a new publicist. They managed to take down every video you were in on all platforms for your safety. Izuku made it very clear to his new publicist that he would not hesitate to fire them if he saw one photo of you on the news or social media without written consent. Then he added that he would sue them for all they were worth, for good measure.

So far, they've been doing an excellent job at keeping your privacy and his.

After three train transfers and two hours on an uncomfortable train seat that barely had enough legroom, you all are walking through Meguro City. You and your sassy best friend are snapping pictures of everything that you see.

 "Look Izuku-kun!" You point a band-aid-covered finger at a rare bookshop excitedly, your eyes sparking with excitement. Etsuko is still flashing pictures of every object.

A dopey grin stretches on Izuku's face. He'll never get tired of you saying his name.

"Can we go in?"

He nods at you with a small smile. You grin, pearly whites on full display. His heart clenches.

You all walk into the quaint bookstore. The owner says hello to you and Etsuko and invites you to browse his shelves. But, when the owner looks at the taller green-haired mass behind you both, chaos ensues.

The owner foams at the mouth, greeting Izuku like someone who saved his entire bloodline.

"Do you want my store, Deku-sama? You can have everything! Take my liver if you need it!" The owner promptly rips open his button shirt, the small, cream-colored buttons scattering everywhere. He grabs a letter opener and lays down on the hardwood floor, pointing the sharp object at his exposed stomach.

You all pale in terror as Izuku starts trying to calm down the store owner enough from trying to rip out his liver. Finally, after some persuading, he calms down and hands the metal weapon to Izuku. Safe to say, Izuku will never return to that store again.

You each file out with seven brand new first-edition signed copies of different popular series.

You stare at the manga in complete disbelief.

"I can't believe he gave me the signed copy of  Bleach's  first debut." You hold up the manga gingerly as you walk down the street with Etsuko and Izuku.

"I can't believe that he gave me a signed copy of  Haikyuu! 's  first debut. Do you know how much I could make off of this?" Etsuko yells as she holds it out next to yours. You both chat back and forth, walking several feet before you realize a certain pro-hero isn't behind you.

You both pause before you turn your head to the side. You hear mumbling and sobbing. You turn on your heel and look the street to see a crouched version of the hero staring at his held book right by a street lamp, a few meters behind you. It was All Might's comic book series release number 247's Golden Edition, signed by All Might and Night Eye. There were only ten located in all of Japan. Tears are streaming from his emerald eyes as he mumbles to himself—Izuku's in his own world.

“ihavethegoldenedition. NightEyesignedthiscopyandthere’sonlytensignedversionsinallofJapa—”

You stare blankly at him. When it comes to All Might, he never grew up from high school.

"Should we ditch him?" Etsuko whispers to you, hand around your ear. Your eyebrow twitches as he rocks back and forth, mumbling to himself.

"Let's just give him a moment."

Etsuko snaps a picture of the pro hero. "It makes for great blackmail later."

You roll your eyes and pinch the fatty meat on the back of her arm. She jumps and almost drops her phone.

"OOOWW! That fucking hurts, you know!"

You both finally make it to the Meguro River Cherry Blossom Promenade. You gasp in awe. Your eyes flicker every which way, trying to take in the beauty of it all. Two long rows of pink and white billowy blooms line each tree branch. The tufts of baby pink paint decorate the scene before you as small, pink flower leaves dance with the wind. The river separating the two rows is what makes the view even better. Small white and pink leaves speck and dot the dark water like confetti. You rush over to the red gated bridge and grasp its handles, gawking at the view. You take a deep inhale.

"It smells so nice here! It's sweet but mildly bitter!"

Huh, since when could she smell the cherry blossoms? 

"Wait (Y/n), don't get too close!" Etsuko calls out like a watchful parent walking over to the beginning of the bridge. Izuku follows her until he's right at the start of the bridge.

You turn back and beam in her direction, your face glowing with uncapped excitement as your brown trench coat twirls with your movement. Your pearly whites are fully displayed as your eyes crinkle at the corners. The wind picks up a bit, causing your hair to sway gently. His heart clenches.

You are a vision.

Click. 

Izuku blinks out of his stupor at the sound. 

Verdant orbs glance down at Etsuko's phone. Her phone perfectly captures the moment he just saw right, displaying it clearly on the screen.

"I'll send it to you because you couldn't stop staring like an idiot."

"N-no I wasn't." He retorts back, stammering with heated cheeks. 

Not a second later, a pocket vibrates, and he silently thanks Etsuko.

Etsuko glances up at the taller man, "Don't worry, I was taken aback too."

She sighs and continues watching your eyes sparkle, overlooking the river and the cherry blossom-lined trees.

"I haven't seen her this happy in so  long,  Midoriya. Ever since Bakugo died,  I hated him.  I hated him so much for taking a piece of her with him without remorse. It was just like him to be so  selfish ." She spits out bitterly. Her daffodil orbs watch as you hold a palm out, trying to catch a pink flower petal.

"She actually saved my life, you know?"

Izuku stiffens as Etsuko rubs her glossed lips together, mentally weighing the pros and cons of what she will say next.

"It was the second year, and my sister was in college. (Y/n) was walking back from who knows where when she saw me about to jump from the bridge right on Main Street. It was my birthday, right before we became third years."

Etsuko scratches her cheek as Izuku stares at your best friend, whose eyes are on you.

"God, I wished she would disappear." She chuckles humorlessly.

"I would think, 'It's all her fault,' as my parents would hit me with rolled-up copies of test grades and report cards or lock me in a dark closet for hours just because I wasn't number one in the class. I'd think it was her fault that my parents hated me so much. So, I hated her. I became friends with her under fake pretenses during my second year, trying to figure out what made her tick. Can you believe that all I found was that she lived in a shitty neighborhood with parents and a brother who adores her more than anything?" She twists her lips into a bitter smile. 

"When (Y/n) found me, instead of telling me, 'No, don't jump.' Or 'Hey, why are you crying?' she offers me a warm red bean bun and tells me, 'You wanna go watch One-Piece?'"

Etsuko laughs as you try to make a child smile by sticking your tongue at them, and they respond by picking their nose with a blank expression.

"Honestly, as silly as it sounded, it saved my life. That night her parents took me in on days that I didn't want to go back home, no questions asked. They bought an extra chair, a blow-up mattress for the nights I would stay over, and some extra clothes just in case I was there for the holidays. I was more than jealous when Bakugo came around. I didn't want to share her with anyone. I hated him even more when she married the guy, too," she snorts.

Izuku grinds his molars.

"I was so angry when he died. No—Actually, I was  furious . Bakugo managed to take a piece of her heart that he had no right to take. Over time, the light in her eyes faded. She stopped smiling and—" Etsuko sniffs wetly.

"Yet, this year, she's  finally  coming back to life. Just like these cherry blossoms, (Y/n) 's being  reborn . So, thank you. Thank you for bringing my best friend back," Her voice wavers. The mauve-haired woman looks up at Izuku with watery golden orbs.

He swallows audibly. Izuku had no idea what to say. 

She sniffs and wipes the tears that drop from her eyes. "Damn these seasonal allergies."

Izuku didn't notice how blurry his vision was getting from the emotion clogging his throat. He wipes at the tears threatening to fall.

Damn, these seasonal allergies, indeed.

---

7. See the cherry blossoms 

Izuku crosses a line through the words as your group walks back to your apartment from the Musutafu train station. He folds the paper and puts it in his pocket along with the pen : four down, seven more to go .

It's already almost seven, and the sun has already set. The return trip took about an hour and a half, which was better than any of you anticipated.

"Jeez, people don't know the meaning of privacy. I'm really sorry you went through all of that." You apologize, stuffing your hands in your coat pockets.

"It's okay. I'm glad that Etsuko-chan helped by yelling at them." (E/c) eyes flicker back and forth between the two suspiciously.

"Did I miss something? Did you call her by her first name?"

Etsuko sighs dramatically with a hand on her forehead. "Yes, you see. Izuku-kun and I are…” She grabs his scarred hands, intertwining them in hers as she gazes longingly at him. "Lovers. We've been fucking for weeks behind your back. It's time you finally knew."

Izuku pales and pulls his hands away from her like scalding water. He steps towards you; his face doesn't hide his mild disgust.

You pick up the grimace that all too quickly fades from his face.  That's weird. 

You decide not to mention it. 

You roll your eyes with a smile. "All right, enough with the drama."

Etsuko sucks her teeth, stuffing her hands in her jacket. "You could have played along, you ass."

In a few minutes, your group makes it to your apartment door. Coincidentally, Etsuko's phone rings as soon as you stick your key inside the lock.

"Hello?" She pauses, holding the phone to her ear as you continue unlocking the door. You prop it open before you remove your boots and coat smoothly. You step up from the genkan and pad towards your living room.

"Mmm, yeah. Oh, so a group? Like a goukon?" Etsuko pauses at the entrance as you turn on your lights. Izuku walks past her and removes his shoes.

Her eyes shift to Izuku. Suddenly an idea pops up in her brain.

"Do you mind if we bring a plus one? But no cameras though or pictures." She grins as you turn and pad over to your bedroom.

"Yeah, we can meet you there at 7:30 PM." She quickly hangs up and kicks off her shoes, running down your hallway. She smirks mischievously.

Operation:  Make Izuku Confess His Feelings was underway.

---

Izuku looks at his watch. '7:19'

You both were taking a long time in your bedroom. He wanted to go home to take a shower and grab some more clothes.

Then head back over here , the thought finished.

The door clicks, and he hears two sets of heeled footsteps. "Don't you think this is too much for a goukan?" You whisper-hiss at Etsuko.

"Nope, not at all. Besides, we're taking your car in the garage."

When you step into his line of vision, he doesn't even notice the mauve-haired woman. His eyes are glued to you.

You were wearing a black pencil skirt that  barely  covered your ass with white pointed booted heels that reached just under your knee. Your skin is  bare.  His eyes scan up your form, and he swore he almost had a heart attack.  Was that my sweater? When did I leave that here?  His mind was in disarray.

The grey sweater is oversized on you and tucked into the pencil skirt with no visible bulges. Your hair is curled in beachy waves down your neck and past your shoulders. Your fingers didn't even poke out of the sleeves. His eyes continued their trek up and saw your face.

He cursed at Etsuko internally.

You donned a red lip that brought attention to your full pouty lips. You have makeup similar to earlier, except for a slightly darker eye shadow and a cat wing tht seem to make the color in your eyes look more alluring. 

Did she do this on purpose?

He shuts his eyes and counts to three before opening them. Nope, still staring at you.

Etsuko wore something much bolder. She wore tight black leather pants with high closed-toed heels and a white skin-tight sleeveless blouse with a sweetheart neckline. Her mauve hair is styled and curled with her bangs. Her eye makeup is sultry and paired with nude lip gloss.

Izuku sighs as Etsuko ushers him to get up and close his jaw.

"Where are we going?"

"To a freaking underground concert! Now you'll be the designated driver tonight unless you feel like drinking."

He blinks. His emerald eyes shift over to you as you're focused on texting someone.

Oh, he's drinking tonight.

Before long, you all cram into a private taxi, serviced by an agency specializing in maintaining hero privacy. Etsuko points out the direction, and the driver pulls up the partition. Before long, you all get there five minutes fashionably late to see a bouncer and strobe lights emitting from a set of stairs that went underground. Nevertheless, you all get inside with very little fuss, as the bouncer didn't even ask for tickets as soon as he saw Izuku. 

When you walk inside, your jaw drops. The large venue looks like a cave, with strobe lights adorning multiple points of the rocky ceiling as the stage is all the way to the other side. A large bar lined the space in all corners except for the entrance.

The place contained a crowd that seemed enormous. There had to be over 3,000 people in here.

The deep base of the music makes the insides of your chest rattle, and your teeth vibrate as the electronic music makes the crowd jump. You could barely make out the band or DJ from here.

"(Y/n) this is Yamamoto Takeshi. He has a sword maneuvering quirk that allows him to be an excellent swordsman*" Etsuko introduces while gesturing to the taller, bronzed man with caramel eyes. He was about the same height as Izuku. He smiles brightly as you gingerly smile back.

"This is---"

"I know exactly  who this is. Deku! The number one pro-hero, right?" A high-pitched voice shrieks.

You blink at the short woman with dark blonde hair and green eyes in front of you. She's honestly very cute.

She stood a couple of inches shorter than you, wearing an oversized sweater dress and heeled boots. Her hair was styled in half up, half down that reached to the nape of her neck, with sandy brown bangs that just brushed the top of her eyes. She looks like something straight out of a manga drawing with how big her eyes are and how small her nose is. Her pink lips are pouty and full.

"This is Yamamoto Yumi, Takeshi's cousin."

She winks at Izuku, who responds with a wobbly smile peering down at the smaller human.

"Are you hungry?" Yamamoto asks you, leaning down so you can hear him. You smile shyly. "Starving."

You end up ditching Izuku and Etsuko to go to a café and eat with Yamamoto. The café is small and homey. The shop is filled with potted plants and large coffee bean sacks on top shelves. You guys strike up an interesting and talk animatedly over baseball stats of different players around Japan.

"I'm going to have to disagree with you. Murakami is well-rounded and might get drafted to America next year. He's 22 years old, making homers like they're a walk in the park!" You exclaim as you chew the burger you just bit. You were specific on the type of burger, how well you wanted it cooked, and the toppings you wanted on it. You were sure that it would scare this guy away. But it didn't.

He closes his eyes and leans back, assessing your words. "Nope, sorry (L/n)-chan. I can't. He's so overrated. Sasaki is such an underdog, I think his pitching is something to watch out for."

You groan dramatically, taking a fry, "We will have to agree to disagree."

He cracks open his light brown orbs and smirks at you, "I've never met a girl who's been interested in sports."

A tiny smile stretches across your lips, "I was part of UA girls' basketball team ten years ago. I have to know something about sports."

His eyebrows knit, and his fingers rub his chin. "That sounds so ---Oh!" He snaps his fingers together. His expression is in awe.

"You were number 19! Oh wow, I'm in the presence of a high school legend."

You roll your eyes, and your smile broadens. "Oh please, Mr. MVP and two-time National High School Baseball champion."

He laughs at your joke, "Someone did their research."

You shake your head, "My dad is a huge baseball fan, so we went to watch it every summer. I just recognized you, is all."

You both continue talking animatedly for fifteen minutes before Yamamoto takes the check, much to your protest. You didn't finish your burger or fries, which gave you mixed feelings of guilt and a sense of accomplishment.

You'd talk to your therapist about it later.

You both walk back to the club, and the smell of sweat, spilled alcohol, and mud hits your nose. He orders a drink for himself. He asks you for your preference.

"Uh, can I get (favorite drink)?" The bartender nods at you and begins making your drink. You chat with Yamamoto about what he's done after high school, laughing at the trouble he's gotten into with his friends.

From an overhead booth, jade eyes find you at the bar near the entrance. Both of you are talking animatedly to each other before you're laughing while holding your drink. Something sour pools in his mouth as he glares at the profile of the man next to you. Izuku is so focused on what's going on with you that he doesn't catch what his 'date' is even talking about.

"Right Deku-San?"

His eyes peel away from the scene, meters away from him. "Hmm, what was that? Sorry I could barely hear because of the music."  A lie.  He wasn't paying attention.

She giggles. "That you know the next band playing? They're heroes too, actually. I think she's headphone jack or something like that."

"Ah, you mean Earphone Jack? Jirou- chan is playing here?"

The music cuts off. Izuku feels like he can finally breathe and gulps down his second beer bottle. The microphone screeches and tapping noises reverberate all over the club. People groan and start yelling.

"Sorry guys, my name is Earphone Jack, one of the singers for the band playing soon. I heard my friends are here, and I want to know if a (Y/n) is in the building?"

Izuku hears a squeak. Your date waves and yells, "She's right here."

Izuku grabs another beer from the table.

The people from the crowd start to grab you, and Izuku sits up straight. He can't find you in the mix of the crowd, and he's suddenly ready to burst into action because if he doesn't see you in the next ten seconds, he'll be pissed .

"Ah, no need to grab her! We all just wanted to say hi!"

The crowd stops pushing you toward the stage, and you can finally move an arm to wave at your friends on stage.

After they wave back, you signal to Yamamoto that you are going to go use the bathroom. He nods with a smile and points a finger up. You look up to see a glass Romeo and Juliet Balcony of sorts jutting out of the cave walls. You see two familiar heads of hair before you look back at Yamamoto and nod.

—

Izuku is trying not to punch Yamamoto in the face as he talks about how interesting you are.

Izuku's teeth are clenched so hard it hurts. His fingers are tight around the glass bottle of beer as he tries not to deck the stupid smile plastered on the man's face.

"I've never met a girl who likes to talk about baseball!" He says excitedly to Etsuko, whose looks absolutely tickled pick.

"Yeah, (Y/n) knows a lot. It honestly surprises everyone how well she's able to memorize things. They swore she had a quirk for that."

Yamamoto laughs, and Izuku puts the rim of the glass to his mouth, taking a big gulp, as the girl next to him takes a shot.

"Wait, but she has a quirk, right?"

 Etsuko smiles, "No, she doesn't. Why does that matter?"

Suddenly Yamamoto's happy expression drops, turning grim as he sets down his drink. He sighs. "I can't date a girl who's quirkless. That's too bad, though, because she's so hot."

Izuku's going to pretend that he didn't hear that last part.

Green eyebrows knit together, "So you're not interested in her because she's quirkless?"

He shrugs. "Look, no offense because you're her friends, but I can't. The possibility of quirkless children is —"

The microphone taps again, and Jirou is right then and there.

"Hi, everyone. My name is Earphone Jack, and we are a band of heroes that make our music and do covers for other songs. We usually play at charity events, but today my friend is here, and we used to spend so much time playing guitar and singing. So, a shout-out to her!"

The crowd cheers as Jirou moves back a little bit from the microphone to adjust her guitar strap.

"I wonder if (Y/n) is still in the bathroom? Lines are usually long at a club," Etsuko wonders, looking down at the crowd to see if she could spot you.

"So, this first song is a cover from one of my favorite bands and my friend's. It's called Shout Baby by Ryokuoushoku Shakai. I hope you guys like it."

The crowd cheers again for Jirou and begins singing,

"Itsumo to chigau kami no nioi (the scent of your hair is different from normal)

Odora sareteshimau kuyashii na (it's messing with me to the point of fustration)"

" Yurundeshimau kuchimoto mafura- ni sotto shizumeta (I bury those lips of mine that are so quick to open in my muffler) ." Jirou eyes close with intonation while her voice is soft, conveying emotion.

Kirishima hits on the drums as Momo plays the keyboard while Kaminari and Jirou play the guitar together. 

You step out of the bathroom during a small interlude of music. "That line was insane. Never again am I coming here mostly sober," you grumble to yourself as you go up a set of rock-clad stairs. You could only hope it led to that specific glass balcony your friends were on.

The crowd starts cheering and dancing to the music.

Jirou swings the guitar around her back as she grasps the microphone with both hands. She makes sure to make eye contact with the crowd every so often.

"Itsu kara watashi konna kaze ni (I wonder since when) 

Gamanzuyoku nareteita n darou (I've become like this, able to bear it)

Kodomo no koro kara nakimushi datte baka ni sareta noni (Because ever since I was a child I got picked on, being called a crybaby.)"

As Izuku watches his high school friends play in this strange cave-like club, he wonders where you are.

"Oh, this song is from a band that (Y/n) likes! It's not her number-one favorite artist, but she really likes it!" Etsuko points out to Izuku.

"Wow! Earphone Jack looks like a natural on the stage. It makes her look so cool!" The green-eyed woman smiles as Jirou continues to sing and interact with other band members.

Crap, I forgot she was even here. 

"Oh no, she's totally nervous. She probably drank a couple of shots in order to do this." Etsuko quips while looking at the stage.

Izuku gives a small smile before he looks down near the stage, trying to look for your face, or at least what he could make of it at this distance. You haven't been back yet, and he's getting worried.

“Mainichi no fuan o kakikesu hodo

Mune o kogasu akogare nado kienai

(This admiration that sets my heart aflame, like it erases my everyday worries

It won't disappear)"

The drums pick up and then stop. Jirou stops rocking her head to the drums., " Kawaritai (I want to change)."

The crowd roars as she sings that line.

"Oh, that part gave me chills!" Yumi cheers as the other Yamamoto family member looks at Jirou with rapt attention.

Etsuko calls the private server to get her more rounds of shots and a bottle of beer. As the server walks away, she rubs her free hand on her face. 

Some verses go on before Etsuko perks up.

"Hey Izuku-kun, you won't arrest me if I use my quirk, right?" Etsuko whispers to him from across the table. He shakes his head. He's on leave. He has no jurisdiction to arrest someone for using their quirk if he's taking a break from hero duty. At least, he thinks.

He hears the screech of a guitar and some electric riffs.

The song continues, and Etsuko leans over next to her date and everyone else on the glass of the perched square booth space. He turns back to the stage.

"Dare ni kikazu to mo wakaru (I know without asking anyone)

Aitsu wa shiawase o kureyashinai (This person won't make me happy)"  Jirou holds the last note.

WOOSH

Everyone gasps as shimmery clouds of dust rain down the stage and the crowd. It looks like silver confetti.

You sigh. You're still going up another flight of stairs, and your legs burn because you're a stranger to the gym. You hear the crowd gasp, and you figure that whatever is happening was planned to shock the crowd.

Izuku gapes as all the band members suddenly grow wings, and the stage is shrouded with mist. The glittery clouds of confetti transform into cherry blossom petals as they softly fall to the crowd.

Izuku glances at Etsuko, whose golden orbs are glowing like a flashlight. Her gaze focused on the stage. 

Her quirk…  Izuku files through his vast quirk knowledge and lands on Etsuko's. Her quirk is the ability to create visual effects on a specific area for a limited time. In sum, if special effects were an actual person.

The cherry blossom petals are an illusion. So were the wings that suddenly appeared on everyone. All done by Etsuko.

"Kawaritai (I want to change)."

The crowd roars as they all bow. Someone else takes the microphone, "Thank you guys so much! Our next song is going to be Vandalize by One Ok Rock. Hope you all like it."

Etsuko blinks with a sharp inhale, and the illusion disappears.  So, she can't blink when using it, just like Aizawa's quirk.  Izuku conjectures, mentally filing it in his massive quirk repertoire.

The crowd cheers as Izuku smiles. Then, Kaminari starts playing the am chord that happens at the beginning as Jirou joins him, moving past each other like a dance.

Once Kaminari gets to the microphone, his lips open.

"Sound the alarm

Shatter me like glass

Covered in scars

But roses are coming through the cracks."

Kirishima does a smooth transition solo on his set of drums, then continues a rhymic beat. Jirou and Mina play together next to each other, playing backup vocals.

The crowd roars.

Kaminari's eyes open, and he takes the microphone with him to move across the stage, making sure to make eye contact and touch the hands of the fans. He looks like a natural.

"Time that you killed

You promised to

Help me rebuild

You caught me off gu~ard

Sound the ala~rm."

"You know something? You guys might be right. Maybe her being quirk less shouldn't matter," says a standing Yamamoto staring at his smartphone lazily. Etsuko and Izuku give each other a side-eyed look. 

"Yamamoto, that's not going to fly with me. My best friend is awesome, and her having a quirk or not shouldn't be a deal-breaker until she has to show you how fucking well-rounded she is. She a catch, and she doesn't need a fucking quirk to be liked by anyone. She doesn't need more grief from someone like  you ." Etsuko grits out as she points her finger at him. Yamamoto's hazel eyes expand at her anger.

"W-woah, I mean, come on. So many people wouldn't date someone who's quirkless anyways. It's not just me." He scoffs incredulously as his cousin stares at him.

"nankai mo Trip (I take the trip again and again)

Soshite kimi ni Add shitai no ni (Wishing to add you in the end)

Tsukami you no nai (But you're too elusive)

Sou shiruku no you ni (Yeah, just like silk)”

Izuku's emerald orbs narrow, "Oh, so there are more narrow-minded people like you in the world? That's unfortunate."

Etsuko's jaw drops at Izuku's icy tone. The look of pure disgust on his freckled face was something she had never expected from him. The thought of if her plan worked a bit too well breifly crosses her mind. 

Yumi catches Izuku's expression and immediately starts apologizing, "I'm sorry, Deku-san. I swear I don't know where this is coming from."

Izuku takes a menacing step toward Yamamoto, his cold glare fixed on the caramel-eyed man. Yamamoto starts squirming in his seat.

"Listen to me, carefully: If you think being quirkless is a reason or justification not to get to know someone, then maybe consider the fact that there were millennia of generations without them. Consider that we need heros and the police to control others with quirks. Think about why we place so much emphasis on quirks as a society." Izuku strides toward Yamamoto, now entering his personal space.

"Why is having a quirk so important if that's not the sole reason that makes a person great? Would you like it if someone were to treat you differently if you didn't have your sword abilities? If you had  nothing ?" Izuku pauses and clenches his fists at his sides.

"No, because all your life, you probably had a quirk. So, the next time you want to judge someone for not having one, think about how dangerous that viewpoint can be. There are already enough people in this world that  kill  others for having certain quirks or those without them."

Izuku looks at the ground, remembering his childhood and how it was to be quirkless. His scarred hands clench into tight fists.

"They are real heroes. They go through life without fear. Knowing that every day they go outside, they risk being harassed or even killed."

His face perks up to look at Yamamoto. Izuku's eyes narrow into slits as his eyebrows sit low on his brow. His nose flared slightly.

"So are they the problem, or is it people like  you ?" Izuku snaps, the green in his iris' glowing in bone-chilling fury.

Yamamoto gulps.

The air's tension is so thick that someone could cut it with a knife. Before anyone could break the silence, the crowd cheers.

Izuku snaps his head to look at the stage.

"Thank you all so much!"

You watch from the threshold as Etsuko begins to yell at them to fuck off. Izuku doesn't even notice it as he's leaning over the glass, looking at the stage. Once you see them grab their things, you attempt to hide. You turn past the archway and squeeze into a little nook by the side of the stairs that goes into the cave walls. You narrowly avoid a grumbling Yamamoto and a crying Yumi. You let out a breath you didn't even know you were holding as you clenched your fists.

The same guy you were laughing with just moments ago turned out to think of you like this.

Did I really hear that? 

Your mind replays the scene you just saw, how Yamamoto would give you a chance  despite  being quirkless. As if it was an undesirable trait to be quirkless, you should be grateful that he's considering you as his partner. 

You'll never be good enough .  The thought swirls in your head as your heart thuds behind your rib cage. It didn't fail you how quickly your friends defended you. As he looked at Yamamoto while speaking, the rage and disgust in Izuku's eyes sparked an old memory. 

It reminds me of when Katsuki came into the Ramen shop, and Yamada almost beat him up.  All for calling you useless because you're quirkless. Even at that time, Izuku defended you.

Izuku always has to save you, just like the villain attack,  just like now . The realization makes your heart drop. Your stomach turns with rapidly rising insecurities. You suck in a sharp breath. The air in the nook was starting to feel stuffy.

Am I really that useless? 

The urge to leave tickles your nerves, and you act on it. You step out of the little enclave, rush down the pebble-fused stairs as fast as you can in your heeled boots, and turn left down the long rocky hallways leading to another exit. You hastily stride as you push the exit doors in seconds. The dim lights of the cave are gone as your eyes adjust to the downtown area of Musutafu. The night sky shrouds the cityscape as you look at the faint crescent-shaped moon.

Groups of people pass in front of you as eager conversations about night plans are the topic of many conversations—guilt pangs in your chest for a fleeting moment. You did want to be with your friends, but you also needed space.  If only Katsuki were here, I wouldn't have to go out with Etsuko. This wouldn't have happened. None of this would have happened. 

You gnaw at your bottom lip as you think about your options. If you go back up there, you know you wouldn't be much fun at this point. They didn't need someone to suck the fun out of the evening.  They wouldn't miss you regardless.  The thought causes you to still. You release your bottom lip from being abused by your row of top teeth.

You shake your head. No.  No .

You  know  that's not true.

You take a deep inhale, hold it, and then release it.

You just needed some space, just like what your therapist always says. Just enough to settle the self-doubt and lack of confidence those words gave you. You needed to hang around someone, but different people.

You rub your chin with your forefinger and thumb.

If you were by yourself, the thoughts would spiral. Who is someone who would slap those thoughts right out of your head? Who would be reassuring?

You turn left from the exit, walking down the city street block. You know where you want to go. Your new mission: Forget everything you just heard by trying to have a good time.

After about ten minutes, you see a familiar parking lot and sign. You stride past the parking lot and through the glass door. The smell of miso and beef makes you deeply inhale. You smile as you see Yamada behind the bar, shouting instructions and ingredients he needs as he expertly flips the ingredients in the large pan with a flick of his wrist.

You sit on a barstool and rest your elbows on the table. You draw out your phone from your jacket pocket and text Izuku that you are at Yamada's.

"Oh, hey kid! How you've been?" You hear a gruff voice ask as you feel a heavy hand ruffles the hair on the top of your head. It was Yamada's way of being affectionate.

You set your phone on the table and beam at him, "Nothin' much. I'm glad to see you because we're drinking tonight!"

Yamada's eyebrows shoot up his forehead as his jaw slacks. "Huh?"

"You are off the clock, mister.  We  are playing pool and drinking for every shot we missed," you announce while you point to the pool tables in the back of the ramen restaurant.

He smirks, "You think you could beat me?"

"I sure can. Doesn't the student become the teacher at one point?" You grin, cracking your knuckles.

"Let's see about that," he laughs as he throws a dishtowel to a nearby staff member.

Izuku rips his eyes from the stage to see Etsuko holding three Soju bottles. The two others were gone.

"Yeah, I told them to fuck off. You think you could get us down from here, Izuku-kun?" He nods and wraps an arm around the mauve-haired woman before his quirk sparks, allowing him to float and step through the air with the speed of a bullet. Not even a second passes by before he's backstage, right before Etsuko could blink. He sets her down, and her legs are like a newborn deer.

"Woah, did you teleport?" Etsuko stumbles over, tripping over her heels. Izuku catches her. He steadies her for a minute so she can find her footing.

"Hey guys! How'd you get back here?" Mina waves from the band group.

Etsuko turns to Mina, "We teleported. Now let's drink this soju to celebrate an awesome day and go back home!"

After Etsuko and the group gets through two bottles of Soju, Kaminari gasps as he looks around the backstage storage area.

"Wasn't (Y/n) with you guys?"

"Yeah, she said she was going to the bathroom," Etsuko trails off as realization punches her gut hard. She gasps as she sets her drink down on the plastic table in front of her.

That was forty-five minutes ago. The realization sobers Izuku up immediately. The green-haired man feels the room shift as panic starts to set in. Izuku checks his phone to see any messages, and Etsuko does the same.

'1 message from (Y/n)'

Izuku presses his thumb on the notification as his knee bounces rapidly.

Please be okay .

From (Y/n):

'Hey, I'm at Yamada's.'

Sent 23:19.

Oh, thank  god . 

Relief sweeps across Izuku's features as he releases a breath. He presses a button to lock his phone screen and stuffs it back into his pants pocket.

"She's at the Ramen shop." He announces to everyone. Pairs of eyes fix on the pro hero.

"Oh shit, she's at Yamada's?! What the hell are we waiting for? Let's go!" Mina beams as she stands up from her foldout chair.

It's around 1 in the morning when you get carried back to your apartment.

Izuku dropped Etsuko off before, ensuring she was in her apartment and tucked in bed while holding your unconscious form with black whip.

He grumbles lowly about limiting the amount you drink next time as he takes off your boots. You wake up with a groan.

"Why did she go to the ramen shop to drink anyways," he grumbles lowly as he puts your white boots nearly to the side, flush to the wall.

"Whoere am I? Is dere any more ramen?" You drawl out. You look around, your drunk brain still catching up to what's happening. "Oh, I'm homes."

 You goofily smile as you peer at the taller man taking off his shoes before you.

"I~Zu~Ku~kun! I'm sho happy to shee you!" You slur excitedly, lifting your arms in celebration. They stay up for a beat longer than necessary and then slap down to your sides as you smack your lips together.

He rolls his eyes as he hangs up both your jackets, "That's nice (Y/n). Come on, let's go get you ready for bed."

He ensures all the locks are on your door once more before he turns to you. You're currently seated on the genkan with messy hair from the speed he traveled and slightly smeared red lipstick.

His heart clenches and bleeds red. Even when you look like

"Noooooo!" You pout while crossing your arms. The sleeves of the grey sweater cover your fists. You hear Izuku tiredly sigh as he bends down to scoop you up into his arms.

"Wheeeeee~ I'm floatin'! I haves a quirk noaw!" You giggle as you kick your feet rapidly in the air.

"Yup, you have a floating quirk now," he yawns as he walks to your bedroom. He inhales, and he catches a whiff of your scent. His eyes widen before he holds his breath. You as you stare at Izuku's face.

"Did you snknow you have frecklesss?" You say with such a serious tone. The tone did not match your drunk slurring one bit. He bites back a laugh.

"I do." He strains out, trying not to breathe.

You dramatically sigh as he sets you down on your bathroom sink. The green sticky notes decorated the mirror behind you. You kick your legs back and forth in a child-like manner, humming a song that sounded familiar to him.

Izuku scowls as he opens and shuts the drawers in your bathroom sink.

He swore your makeup wipes were always inside the top right drawer.  Did she change it?  He wonders as he goes down the middle row, noting that they're weren't labels for different compartments anymore. When he gets to the bottom drawer in the middle row, his green eyes practically pop out of his face.

Your pink rabbit.

He continues staring at the bright-colored sex toy and harshly gulps. His mouth dries as his mind starts conjuring up images of you using it. Izuku's mind races as heat burn his cheeks at the thought of how frequently you might use it.

"Oooo, broccoli head is red. Do youse have a fever?" You innocently tilt your head, blissfully unaware of what he's staring at.

He all but slams the drawer with a little more force than necessary as he clears his throat. He tries to shake off the thoughts as he searches for your makeup wipes. Once he finds them, he opens the brand-new pack and wipes your face. You goofily grin as his large hands carefully take off your eye makeup with practiced precision. He inwardly notes it doesn't take him as many as before to get every visible trace of it off your face.

Izuku throws the two used wipes in your trash can before he looks for your sleeping attire. Once he finds a sleeping set in one of your drawers, he puts it on top of your toilet and sets you down.

"(Y/n) there's some clothes right there to change into. Make sure you brush your teeth and wash your face. I'll be right outside if you need me."

You nod enthusiastically and salute, "Yes Mr. Pro hero sir!"

Izuku would have thought you were being sarcastic if it weren't for your genuine excitement. But honestly, it was hilarious as you saluted him standing up straight as a board.

He chuckles softly and nods as he closes the door.  I'll give her about ten minutes. 

Just in case. 

While he waits for you, he finds something he could change into the drawer you emptied out a few weeks ago to put some of his sleepwear. He finds a baby blue t-shirt with 'blue' written across the chest and some black basketball shorts. Izuku peels off his hoodie and jeans like it's burning his flesh and changes into his selected clothes.

He grimaces as he puts on the t-shirt before pulling up the shorts over his boxer briefs. He's getting real tired of not being able to sleep in just his boxers.

He sighs as he places the clothes in a small laundry bin next to the dresser labeled "Izuku's Clothes!" with a broccoli sticker, an All Might in his silver age costume sticker, and some stars. He swears you should have been a teacher because of your sticker obsession.

He walks to the kitchen and grabs a glass inside the top shelf of your overhead cabinet.

"I need to stop putting the glasses so high. She can't reach them," he mutters as he fills up the glass from the filtered pitcher in your fridge. He gulps it down before refilling it again and then down it again. He sets that glass on the sink and quickly reaches for another glass. He fills it up three-quarters of the way before he puts the pitcher back into the fridge.

He grabs a bottle of pain relief medication and returns to your bedroom. Izuku sets both items down on the nightstand furthest from the door. The stand was right by the side of the bed you slept on.

The door opens, and he looks at you. Izuku notices that you manage to get dressed in pajamas. You're yawning with droopy eyes and white toothpaste residue smeared on your cheek. It looked like it was painted on with a thick paintbrush.

Your arms are wrapped around a pile of your clothes. The freckled man's eye twitches as he quells another laugh. Your laundry hamper is in your bathroom.

"I'm finito!" You smile. Your cheeks look radiant from the face wash, despite the toothpaste.

Please give me strength, All Might. 

He walks over to your smaller form with the straightest face he could muster. He bends down slightly and gingerly wipes his thumb on your cheek, trying to rub the residue off your face. You wrinkle your nose as you huff adorably.

Not adorable. No. She's drunk. 

You chirp a thank you to the green-haired man when he's done. He smiles and sees you look for your phone before you shout for it, then you finally notice that it's in your hand.

He lets out a short burst of laughter before he brushes his teeth with the door open, keeping an eye on you occasionally. You're humming and scrolling through your phone on your side of the bed.

He blinks, staring at the running water.

When did that side become my side of the bed?  The thought makes him pause his brushing to look at the mirror. He looks at the green sticky notes that are scrawled with his handwriting of affirmations you recite every morning. Since when did everything start to feel so domestic and normal? Like if he  lived  in your apartment?

 Since when did it become easier to be so close to you and ignore a rather uncomfortable reaction? Izuku continues brushing his teeth. It wasn't that it was easier. It was more like he was developing some resistance to it. Before, it used to be immediate or after a few short minutes just from being a few feet in front of you. Now, it varies.

Izuku spits out the foam in his mouth and wipes his mouth with some water. Then, he methodically flosses his teeth before using the bottle of mouthwash on the left side to gargle and swish anything left in his mouth.

It depended on a few factors now. Izuku doesn't react to your scent if you're in immediate danger. If you're both asleep- and for some god-unknown reason, this always happens--end up cuddling. He's not sure if he reacts to you. You're usually gone before he wakes up. Standing by you in public doesn't affect him either. Thankfully, wind and other scents miff yours.

If he is hugging you consciously, then yes. It still happens. Sitting next to you in an enclosed space for more than ten minutes, a reaction. If you're both with people, your scent gets diluted with other scents.

He's also noticed that when you shower, it mutes your scent for a given amount of time. Similar to when you wear any fragrance. Thankfully, you usually showered in the morning and at night, making it easier for him to be in the same bed as you. 

He spits out the mouthwash and washes his face quickly.

Wait, did she shower tonight? 

Izuku groans out a soft curse when he realizes how drunk you are tonight to even shower. It's also almost two in the morning, and even  he's  too tired to shower. The inconsistent pro-hero schedule and the perpetual dark circles are a faded memory. Now he typically sleeps at 10 PM with you and wakes up at 8 on the dot to go to the gym. A full ten hours of sleep. Something that he fantasized about having just a few months back.

He sighs with closed eyes. He's going to have to open some windows. Possibly all of the windows in your bedroom.

He needed to figure out this mystery soon.

"I~zu~ku-kun~ are you almosht done?"

He turns to you as he pats his face dry with a clean towel. He looks up to see that you're standing by the entrance of the bathroom, holding a brush and a silk scrunchie.

He bites the inside of his cheek. He wants to squeeze your cheeks together and kiss all over your face for how cute you are.

I'm begging you All Might, give me strength again. 

"Can you do me a flavors and elp me ties my hair?" You slur with a shy smile. The fact that you're wearing a button-down long sleeve matching your bottom pants makes you look so young. Your bare face and height difference didn't help, either.

"S-sure." He suddenly feels like a dad taking care of a five-year-old.

Thankfully, his hair bun-making skills were alright. It takes a few tries before you have a loose cinnamon-roll-looking bun perched on the top of your head, secured with the blue silk hair tie.

After he's done, he quickly opens all the windows in your bedroom in a flash. Your unfocused drunk eyes barely catch it. He sets down the brush on your vanity and crawls into his side of the bed. You flop on yours, giggling. You worm your way under the covers and sigh as you turn to him. You both remain a healthy distance away from each other.

"You snknow shomthing?"

One of his eyelids cracks open to slide a jade orb to look at you, who's grinning broadly at him. You are the happiest drunk he's ever met.

"What?"

"I think your freshkles are prettyyyy," you drone out, mildly slurring.

His heart thuds in his chest as you giggle.

"They're one of my favorite things about you." You manage not to botch the words.

His green eyes stare at the warm grin plastered on your face.

"Other than a whooolle lotchs of other things. Like hows you schmell 'upppper goods all da time. You're awesomes Izuku-kun. 'Schepechially when you schtand up to jerksss" You yawn and smack your lips a couple of times. Your eyelids drop lower.

Izuku raises a brow. Now, what the hell were you talking about?

"I might be quircksless, but I have a 23 inch verticals! I jumps high." You grumble childishly with furrowed brows. Your full lips tilt into a pout.

Wait, why were you-- Oh.

Oh.

She probably heard that whole conversation.  Izuku grits his teeth. It wasn't something you should have heard, and it's not fair that there will be people like Yamamoto.

And right now, he hated the man.

"(Y/n) listen to me. Being quirkless is not a defect. You are perfect just the way you are, quirk or not."

He blinks.  Fuck maybe I shouldn't have said it like that. Would that sound too much like---  Izuku's thoughts are cut off with a sound of giggles.

"Awwww you're soooooooo niceeeeeeee Izuku-kun." You coo as you pinch his cheeks. His cheeks warm a slight bit as you release his skin. You settle back into your side of the bed and yawn again, barely covering it with a hand.

"Did you know? I hads the biiiiiiiiigest crush on youse in high sschkool? Right until 'suki confess-"

You pause, your nose twitching. Then, you snap your head away from him as you release one of the cutest sneezes he's ever heard despite you not covering your mouth.

You sniffle and flop your head back to a comfortable position. You grin with closed eyes.

"I'm really glad I met you, Izuku."

—

'"Thank you, Midoriya-san. I'm really glad I met you."'

—

You said his name without any honorifics.

His heart flutters wildly.

Your soft breathing fills the room as your eyes are shut, your eyelashes grazing your cheeks gently. Small puffs of air come out of your ajar mouth as you breathe out. You're completely knocked out.

His emotions clog his throat as his heart cartwheels inches from you.

Did she drop that on me before falling asleep?

He quietly laughs at himself. It was just his luck to have missed his chance.

Jade eyes look over to your sleeping form. A gentle expression paints across his face, softening his features as his eyes convey every emotion he's kept a secret from you.

"I love you so much that it hurts, and you have no idea." The words tumble out of his mouth in a whisper before he can hold them back. You are still fast asleep, still in dreamland. Your body facing his with your knees bent and bandaid-covered hands curled by your chest. Your face looks so peaceful and unmarred by the stress that was all over it just a few months prior. You look like you're healing, and it makes him so  happy.  It honestly almost brings tears to his eyes.

Izuku's heart is still pounding as he shifts his body to look at your bedroom's ceiling again. Then, he bitterly smiles as he closes his eyes.

He hates his luck. So much.

Spring(birth)

The start

Green

Everywhere

Here, there

After the

Dark days

Come the

Bright days

Of spring

Bringing

Life back

into

Focus

Bringing

The light

Back

Into focus

The season

Of

Spring

An original poem by Emily K*

Chapter Text

Coined as the spirit of desire, abundance, and persistence

Your body is burning. This is the fourth morning in a row where you wake up panting with nipples so hard, they could cut fucking glass. Your vision is cloudy, and all you can smell is that God-forsaken scent that’s driving your body to its breaking point.

“Fuck.” You softly whisper as you try to untangle your legs from the cause of all this. You blench at the soft squelch of your sopping-wet shorts.  Have I ever been this wet before?  The thought dissipates as the girthy-clothed erection poking at your back seems more irresistible by the second. Your clit throbs and pulses in tandem with your heart.

Just do it,  the voice whispers salaciously. You clench your jaw in response.

Lewd images of pulling down Izuku’s pants and getting a full view of the promising erection rolled through your mind. Salacious thoughts of his genitals overwhelm your brain, whether his shaft curved slightly to the right or left, the veins that corded beneath the satiny skin of his cock, and the size of his balls.

Saliva pools in your mouth. The noise of soft squelches filling the room, and the thought of sucking them as you pumped lazily with both hands. How you’d peer through your lashes at the debauched faces, he’d make. His soft pink lips parted to release a throaty groan as you lick up to the fat mushroom tip. You’d lick off all the pre-cum collected and spilled there before gingerly sucking on the sensitive, reddened head. The way you’d moan at the taste of him because he would taste amazing. You were sure of it. You would roll your tongue around the velvety skin, flicking it every so often to get more of the rich cloudy liquid in your mouth.

Your clit twitches at the mental image of his red cheeks as he pants, his pupils blown with only a thin rim of dark green. The look of debauched pleasure plastered on his face.

You bite your bottom lip  hard ; you taste blood when he shifts closer to you. His nose flares, inhaling the scent of your hair as his hips press against your backside. You gulp as fresh slick pours out of your desperate pussy onto your ruined underwear and shorts. Fuck.

Again, no wonder your late husband had something against the freckled man.

Your pussy clenches around  nothing,  and you almost whine out loud. God, he’d fucking  ruin  you. That sounded like heaven right now. His massive cock would stretch your aching walls, filling you up so much that you couldn’t breathe. Until you could feel him rearranging your fucking  guts .

The room feels like a sauna as your shirt clings to your damp skin. You need some  relief . At this point, you’d take anything. You’ll cry with happiness if he so happens to brush his hand on your boob.  

Do it, and get a taste.   —

No. Nope.  No . That’s illegal.

This was your fault, and you won’t deny that. You wouldn’t be in this mess if you didn’t have nightmares. It’s like the universe was mocking you. Every time you spent the night apart from a certain pro hero, you’d wake up in the middle of the night, quivering in fear.

You weakly glare at your cat, the furball sleeping at the foot of your bed.

I thought you hated him, you traitor. You should be keeping him away,  you fire internally. The irritation disappears as you hear a low sigh, sending shivers down your spine. Your nipples beg for attention, poking uncomfortably inside the bralette you wore under your shirt.

Fuck, you should have gone braless. Maybe his hand would graze over your chest to give you some sweet relief. Or you could shift your hips so that the clothed bulge presses against your aching pussy. Saliva pools in your mouth before you thickly swallow.

Shit. It won’t be long until the stomach cramps start. 

His arms wrap around your form tighter, and you squeeze your eyes shut. You only had so much control left before you snapped. By snap, you mean full-on committing a crime on this innocent man. Your chest rises and falls rapidly, puffs of hot air come out of your mouth.

Would he even be remotely okay with me just taking advantage of him?  You shake your head at the thought.  Consent, you horny bitch. 

His longer limbs began to tangle around yours again, and you swear you almost see the light from being so fucking horny.

Yup, you’re definitely going to hell because all you could think about was Izuku’s cock bullying its way inside you. You gnaw at your bottom lip with so much force, you taste metal. Tears sting against your waterline as you try not to sob because it’s starting to  hurt .

It wasn’t that you didn’t find Izuku attractive. You do. You think he’s so attractive that you want to gauge your eyes out, so you don’t even have to  think  about crossing that line with him. He’s been your friend for so long, and the fact that the ink hasn’t dried on those divorce papers.

At least he’s been legally single since the beginning of May.

So, what about you? You’ve been a fun bag of mental issues since your husband died. So, you’re not the greatest option for a sweetheart like Izuku. He needs someone that had time for him. Someone that he could love and cherish. Someone stronger than you. Someone whom he didn’t need to  fix.

You could ask for birthday sex.

You groan internally. Today is June 09th—the day before your birthday.

So not technically birthday sex.

What about letting him eat your pussy out?  The traitor between your legs clenches at the thought—your stomach twists in agreement. You sharply inhale at the twinge of pain.

No.

Suddenly the wind is knocked out of you. Izuku’s bare knee bumps right between your thighs, and your eyes roll so far back, you swear you can see your brain. Your lips part, releasing an accidental moan before you clamp your mouth shut with your hands. You freeze completely.

Shit. 

Moments tick by as you hold your breath, stiff as a board while praying that Izuku didn’t wake up.

Your prayers are answered when you hear a snort and mumble something about All Might.

You need to get out  fast.  So once again, you practically push him away from you and avoid your sleeping cat when you jump out of bed. Your legs are wobblier than a newborn deer as you grab some clothes and go to your guest room bathroom. Your bathroom shower was a bit too risky to…help yourself. This situation is happening more often than not. 

You shut and turn the lock to hear a resounding click. A sigh of relief breezes past your trembling lips before peeling off your drenched clothes at a record speed.

You open a drawer at your sink to find a few more sex toys than just your rabbit. With misty eyes, you somewhat blindly choose your victim before turning on the rain head shower to the coldest setting possible. In your hand is a g-spot vibrator with a mushroom-like head you purchased a week ago. The toy wasn’t nearly as big or thick as you felt on your back moments prior, but it’ll have to do. Your core drools hungrily at the thought of an orgasm, the viscous liquid coating your inner thighs.

You shakily step into the shower and crank the cold water as high as possible. You plunge the vibrator into your core, the gathered wetness makes it easy to slip in. You turn it on and let out a short yelp as your eyes roll to the back of your skull. Drool escapes the corner of your lip at finally scratching the itch messing with your body all morning.  Fuck yes .

Your legs almost give out as you feel the device vibrate against that delicious spot nestled inside of you. Your free hand plucks at one of your hard nipples, rolling the stiff peak gently between the digits. The intense pleasure shoots up your spine, causing your eyes to cross, is something you never thought possible. One hand slides down your stomach, and the vibrating device continues assaulting that spot. Your eyes practically cross as you bite the inside of your cheek to muffle a moan that would have been so loud, it would have  definitely  woken Izuku up. The hand goes past your mound to swipe at the engorged bundle of nerves. You almost laugh deliriously at how  good  you are feeling right now.

Fucking finally. 

—-

Izuku wakes up to the smell of wafting spices and herbs. His eyes crack open as his nose twitches. The sheets still faintly smelled like you, and before his sleepy brain processes it, he inhales the sweet scent and sighs.

Then he instantly regrets it as his heart thuds in his chest.

He blinks several times to get his vision focused and realizes you’re not in bed. He frowns unconsciously before turning on his back to stretch all his limbs out with a small groan. He sits up, looking at nothing in particular for a moment, before shuffling himself out of bed. He makes up your bed, a habit that doesn’t die despite it not being  his  bed. He peers down at the clock on the nightstand.

‘8:07’

He doesn’t even need an alarm. He’s waking up at eight every morning anyways. He yawns before he steps into the bathroom. He shuts the door behind him and uses the bathroom like clockwork every morning. Izuku washes his hands, brushes his teeth, and washes his face. He cards a wet hand a few times through his hair, dampening it enough for the matted frizzy slept-on hair to return to its loose bouncy spirals and waves, at least something he deems okay enough for the gym.

I need to text Etsuko the exact address to make sure she knows where to bring her,  he thinks as he pats his face dry with a clean towel.

He was planning your birthday in his mind, keeping what he’s doing a secret from you.

Emerald eyes furtively shift to the hair dryer.

He skips it.

Izuku walks out of the bathroom and closes the door behind him, another habit that refuses to die. He shuffles groggily to your living room, following the smell of food. From the opening of the breakfast bar, he could see you chatting animatedly to the possessive snow leopard about your plans for this morning. You were rolling another layer of tamagoyaki with some cooking chopsticks, holding the small rectangular shaped pan up to ensure it doesn’t overcook.

But then he sees your outfit, and blood starts rushing south so fast, it makes him light-headed.

What in the hell are you wearing?

Jade eyes scan your body from head to toe. He starts with the black ball cap donned on your head, (h/c) locks in a ponytail. Innocent enough, right? Wrong. He is so fucking wrong. There was so much visible skin that he bit the inside of his cheek. Hard.

Your “outfit” is a black sports bra that reveals a wonderful amount of cleavage to his greedy eyes and matching skin-tight biker shorts that makes your ass look delicious. Your body is beginning to reap the rewards of your extensive walks with Kuro and your “pet and me” yoga classes—the smooth planes of your shoulders to your toned arms. The soft visible skin of your stomach is beginning to show lines of definition. With his mouth slightly agape, covetous mossy-colored orbs inspect every inch of your body, burning the image to memory. Izuku’s throat dries as he sees you lean over ever so slightly to plate the finished folded egg.

Shit.

God decided to punish him today.

As you talk to Kuro, sitting right by your leg with a small smile, you notice one of his furry ears twitches. Then his pink nose scrunches. The friendly expression drops completely. He begins hissing lowly, the irritated expression not completely directed at you since he stops facing you.

You pause and stare at him inquisitively, “Kuro, is something wrong?” You hear a brief snort as if something has been stuck in his nose as he huffs.

You turn off the stove and crouch down, placing your hand to rub his back soothingly. Was it a hairball? You had yet to see that from him, even though it’s completely normal. You’ve been grooming him frequently to prevent complications, mainly because Kuro is shedding his winter coat.

 His tail swishes as his fur bristles under your touch. He turns quickly and maneuvers quickly at your side, body turned to the living room, pointing to the living room.

You sigh in relief. You swear you thought it was a hairball.

It was just Izuku.

“It’s like you forget that we sleep in the same bed every morning.” You hear a deep voice grumble, accompanied by footsteps.

Kuro rumbles out a growl from deep within his chest. Translation: ‘It’s a momentary truce.’

You stand up and turn back on the flame. Then, with your cooking chopsticks, you grab the finished tamagoyaki and place it on the small serving tray by the side of the stove. Thankfully, technology has developed heated serving trays, which keep the food warm.

He continues growling, on all fours protectively between you and the taller green-haired figure. You coo gently at Kuro.

“It’s okay, baby. It’s just Izuku. Do you want some eggs?”

His ears perk, and he grumbles before he turns to you, his fur beginning to lay flat. You start folding the new yellow layer with your chopsticks before you pluck it with your left hand. You offer it to the irate swan white snow leopard. He looks at you with his two-toned electric blue and forest green eyes and then at your hand. He takes the rolled-up egg, chewing it gingerly with his head bowed. You scratch the top of his head, smiling before you continue with your cooking.

“Good morning Izuku-kun. I’m just making you breakfast before we go on our run.”

Izuku mumbles out a good morning as he walks into the kitchen, shielding his eyes from your form. If he looks at you, he knows he’ll start staring like a horny teenager.

Wait. Izuku stiffens. A run? In public? In broad daylight? His mind short circuits.

“A r-run?” His voice cracks and his vocal cords decide he’s suddenly 15 again.

You hum as you move the egg mixture to create a thin layer around the bottom of the pan. (e/c) orbs don’t break their concentrated gaze on the rectangular pan.

“Yeah, the group from the “pet and me” yoga classes find that runs are wonderful for exotic animals like Kuro. So, we’re going to run on the hiking trail three train stops away. I haven’t run since college, so let’s see if I could even keep up with this guy.” You say, smoothing a hand on the feline’s head.

All Izuku hears is that you’d be on the train.

“I could drive you.” The offer comes out of his mouth before he can stop himself.

You begin rolling the egg layer. Once it’s rolled, you slide it down the rectangular pan and smear the pan with a buttered paper towel with your chopsticks before adding another small amount of the mixture. You make sure to lift the rolled piece as you swirl the pan. In Izuku’s eyes, your fluid actions make you look like a professional chef. A very beautiful chef.

“You don’t have to do all that! Besides, aren’t you going to the gym?”

Fuck the gym. 

“I mean, I could always go later. Besides, I haven’t gone on a run on a hiking trail in a while.”

Please say yes. 

“Oh.” You pause as you press on the layer with your cooking utensil to check if it is ready to be rolled. It was.

“Well...” you start as you roll the piece, “If it’s not a bother—”

“It’s not.” He cuts off with a higher-pitched tone.

You smile once you finish rolling the delicate yellow food. “All right, just don’t laugh at me when I collapse after a mile.”

He chuckles, “I’m sure you’re not that bad.”

--

You are possibly the worst runner Izuku has seen.

He thought he was bad when he was quirkless and first training with All Might, but you?

You effortlessly snatched that title from him.

After half a mile in the mild terrain at what Izuku thought was a slow pace, you’re gasping for air worse than an asthmatic grandmother. Sweat coats your skin in a light sheen as your form worsens. After a mile, you call for a timeout.

It wasn’t tag, but Izuku understood. Kuro looked at you with genuine curiosity as he looks Izuku, who hadn’t even broken a sweat yet.

You sit on a nearby large rock and hunch over with your elbows resting on your knees. You wheeze and cough as you try to suck in air into your burning lungs.

You could walk for miles and miles. You could rock climb. You could play basketball. You could play the guitar. You could cook. You had an excellent work ethic and could study for weeks for a test to get a perfect score. However, running was something that you truly despised. You genuinely sucked at it. It was like your body rejected it.

“Okay,” you let out a hacking cough. “I’m done. I’ll stay right here. You could continue with Kuro.” Izuku frowns and looks at the snow leopard, who looks at him with what he thinks is a scowl.

There was no way in hell Kuro would go on a run with Izuku willingly.

Kuro stalks toward you and huffs, nuzzling your leg before a teal glow wraps you both for a few seconds. The exhaustion disappears as your lungs begin to feel normal. Your legs aren’t screaming at you anymore. His snout nuzzles your leg again as he sits.

Then Izuku notices something about Kuro that’s different.  Did the animal’s height always reach your chest ? Has the animal been getting progressively bigger since the villain’s attack?

“Hey, (Y/n), is it just me, or did Kuro-kun get bigger?” He asks you as you rise up from the small boulder. You tilt your head and look down at the snow leopard, who now stands more than a few inches taller than your waist. His head nuzzles your chest as you scratch his chin.

He swears he sees Kuro grin as his head bumps into your sweat-covered chest, nuzzling your sports bra.

You grip his scruff and pull him away. You scold him gently, “Stop being a pervert. We talked about this.”

His eye twitches. Was your pet  pouting ?

“Um, I actually didn’t even notice that. Technically, according to the researcher, he’s still in his toddler/ kid stage since he could live up to 70 years old. Kuro is only three. Regular snow leopards mature around four years old, so maybe for Kuro, it’ll be when he’s 7 or 8?”

Izuku looks at the pet that you are currently giving affection to. You knit your brows as you stare at the heterochromia eyes that gave you a kitty kiss.

“Well, it could also be that he uses his quirk freely, especially with his provisional license. Maybe it’s the constant quirk use that allows him to grow?” You smile and kiss the top of your pet’s head. His body vibrates.

“He probably also exercises much more than he did inside the animal hospital. Do you think it’s possible that they were trying to stint his growth so he would be more adoptable?” You hypothesize as you rub a hand soothingly on the bright white glossy fur that contains occasional marbled spots.

Green eyes glance at the snow leopard. Your theory makes sense to him. However, a nagging feeling in the back of his head tells him that there is more to the domesticated snow leopard than you both thought.

He looks at you. The way your sweat looked like glimmering specks all over your body. His eyes catch the bead of sweat that makes its journey to the middle of your chest, going down the middle of the swells of fatty tissue before disappearing into the fabric of your black sports bra.

He licks his dry lips. 

He wished he could be that drop of sweat.

I’m no better than a horny teenager , Izuku thought, disappointed in himself.

“Y-you could hop on my back while Kuro and I run.” The word vomit comes from his lips before he has a moment to analyze the meaning behind the words.  Wow, I am just a horny teenager.  The sinful idea of you clinging to him with your legs wrapped around him makes his heart flutter excited in his chest.

You blink, “No, I could just—” The thought of this morning causes your cheeks to warm. His smell— how you had to masturbate and orgasm embarrassingly fast. You swallow thickly, palms feeling clammier than before.

 If your theory is correct, this would be a terrible idea.

“I’ll stay here. That way, I’m not bothering you guys.”

“It’s f-fine. That way, Kuro gets his exercise. Right Kuro?”

The animal releases a mixture between a snort and a huff, before deciding to step away from the conversation. Kuro saunters to the nearby tree and sits there. He chooses to groom his leg fur with a dark pink tongue rather than listen to you both. 

You chew on the inside of your cheek before you hesitantly agree.

After forty-five minutes and 22.5 miles of being jostled around as Izuku and Kuro speed through the trail a few times, you’re finally sitting in the front seat of Izuku’s Mercedes. The muscles in your arms and thighs burn from the exertion of holding on for dear life. You’re extremely grateful to whatever higher power that his scent didn’t affect you as much because of the wind resistance of his running speed.

The freckled pro-hero makes sure your seatbelt is properly buckled before wiping the sweat on his forehead with the collar of his white t-shirt. You almost audibly gulp as your eyes ogle the newly revealed skin. All of Izuku’s delicious abs are on display, glistening with the overhead sun.

Is he fucking with you right now? Did he have any idea how sexually frustrated you were?

The irritation fizzes out as he shuts your door. You shift in your seat, the heat in your core sudden and unexpected.  Damn it, I thought I took care of it this morning,  you scowl as a fresh wave of warm, sticky arousal starts smearing onto your underwear. Not a second later, he opens the door to his side and closes the door, sighing once he sits. The 188 CM man takes a deep inhale, and he freezes stiffly.

Your eyes peer at him from the corner of your eyes. His expression is blank, and you can see his pupils rapidly expanding and swallowing the green irises. His eyebrows furrow suddenly, and you see the muscle in his sharp jaw jump. He swallows thickly and lets out a slow breath. Before you can ask him what’s wrong, he cracks open all windows, buckles his seatbelt, changes the radio station to Japan’s Top Hits, and pulls off a bit too roughly. All of this was done within seconds.

Kuro, who is lying in the backseat, hisses in displeasure. Izuku doesn’t even apologize. His knuckles are white from his grip on the steering wheel, the metal bending.

Your lips quirked up, and you wiped the expression from your face before he could see you.

So, his sense of smell might actually be really sensitive because you didn’t smell anything.

So, we both do react the same way. Checkmate. 

He barely speaks on the way back.

He drops you off and tells you he’s going to the gym for a while. You nod blankly as the sleek SUV peels away with a quick ‘see you later’. The rest of the day goes on normally as you read a book or watch anime, brush up on some English homework for your next class, and make dinner. Izuku comes after dinner is ready, to only eat like a starving man because he went to the gym for hours with Kirishima and Mirio. It turns out the run wasn’t enough exercise for him.

After dinner, he tells you he’ll clean up so you can take Kuro for a walk. So you go on a slightly longer walk with Kuro, trying to burn off any energy you have, so hopefully—hopefully—the reaction from this morning doesn’t happen. You walk 5.5 miles at a steady pace of an hour and a half before returning to your apartment. You shower with Kuro because the pervert doesn’t know the meaning of privacy unless it’s the morning. You take the opportunity to wash the dirt off his body with the special shampoo formulated not to dry out his fur. You condition his fur while murmuring praises of his coat. His sandpaper tongue licks the side of your boob when your chest gets too close to his face. You shriek.

You swore your eyes caught him grinning.

Fucking cat. 

Once you’re done with the shower and shaving your body, you wrap a towel around yourself. You begin drying Kuro’s fur while looking at your phone’s messages.

‘3 new messages from SoulDNA: The App’.

A few weeks ago, Etsuko ordered a DNA test that touted finding your soulmate through your DNA. The app worked by percentages and compatibility. A yellow match was 30 percent and below. A red match was anything between 50 and 31 percent. A purple match was anything ranging from 51 to 70. A blue match, labeled as the most desirable one, ranged from 71 to 80 percent. Platinum matches were 81 to 89 percent. The two rarest matches were black and green. Black was over 98 percent, which only less than 3 percent of the app population have matches that high. Green was 90 to 97.5 percent.

You sigh and open the messages. You had many yellow and a few red matches. But the date you had tonight was a purple match. Etsuko jumped and took your phone before you could even have a say. Now you had a date with a guy named Daniel with an attractive profile picture. But would he think  you  were attractive? Even if you were quirkless?

You shake your head. You finish by placing coconut oil all over Kuro’s fur and placing a special balm on his paws before kissing the top of his head. You dry your hair and read the affirmations slowly to yourself as you do in front of the mirror. You put it up into a styled messy top bun and leave stray pieces to frame your face. You do your makeup in the bathroom with Kuro watching you curiously. You managed to do a romantic eye look that was sultry but not too much so. The nude and neutral shades that blended on your eyelids and crease space made your eyes look bigger, and the eye color shone a bit more. You paired it with a black cat eye that wasn’t too long or big. You use mascara to make your eyelashes fluttery and long, cc cream as your foundation, and red tinted lip stain that doesn’t smudge.

You look at the dress Etsuko picked out for you, given the high-profile restaurant you’re going to. You frown.

She picked out a white sheath dress with thick straps that stopped at knee length. It hugs your form just right, accentuating your toned legs and curves. The only problem was that it was white and had an open back, making it more appropriate for the club.

And the fact that you don’t want to go. 

You scowl at the thought.

You go with her backup plan of a classy high-neck little black dress that hugs your form and stops past your knees. You pair it off with nude red bottom heels that were way too expensive for you to want to buy, but Katsuki bought a large bulk of your expensive heels. Scratch that; he bought most of your expensive clothing and accessories.

His wife should be wearing the best .

Guilt and shame start to gnaw inside you. The familiar feeling of tears begins to form at your waterline. You’d rather be on a date with  him  than some stranger. Was this too soon for you? Did this look slutty that you’re going on a date with someone, and it hasn’t been that long since he died?

A few weeks ago, you went on a group date with Etsuko and Izuku.

That wasn’t the same. 

You grimace at the correct thought. It honestly felt like meeting a new person rather than a date because it was very informal—Even though he turned out to be a complete asshole. More importantly, it was because Izuku was there you were comfortable. This time, he wasn’t going to be there. Was that why you didn’t want to go?

But when you hang out with  him , you don’t mind. 

The thought made the world still as you stared into your vanity mirror. You glance at the green sticky notes decorating the frame with handwritten affirmations scrawled with familiar handwriting. You look at his green toothbrush right next to yours. Your eyes peer over to his toiletries set on the other side of the sink, opposite to yours.

Your bathroom looked like he lives with you rather than just a night guest.

Come to think of it, you’ve hung out with Izuku so much during the past ten years, and you barely remember a significant memory without him in it past high school.

Why were you okay with hanging out with Izuku so much? Was it because he was a constant figure in your life for the last ten years? Or was your guard lowered because it was Izuku, your dead husband’s childhood friend?

You know why you don’t want to go on this date. 

Did you?

——

‘“ So (L/n), your weight is right at the cusp between underweight and healthy. This is amazing progress. I’m so happy that you’ve consistently stuck to your diet and exercise changes. So, we could finally put your weight as a nonimmediate priority for now.”

You smiled at your therapist as Kuro nuzzled your leg. Your therapist breaks his usual stoic expression to give you a rare smile. Your grin broadened. 

“So,” he cleared his throat as he crossed a leg over the other. “Have you been doing the homework about the labels we discussed on the last visit?” 

You nod, “I’ve also rearranged my drawers to make sure it felt like starting a brand-new page.”

He jotted down some notes on a white clipboard as he nodded. “Good. How are the nightmares? Did sleeping in the same bed as Midoriya-san help?”

You scratch your cheek sheepishly, looking away. “I um… I gave him a spare key to come over every night.”

Your therapist looked up from his writing and gave you a curious look. “What do you mean by every night?”

“I seem to sleep better with him? I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s the best night of sleep I’ve ever had when he’s around.”

“Even better than when your ex-husband slept with you?” 

Rage bubbles in your stomach at the accusatory question. Your eyes narrowed at your therapist threateningly, “That’s a low blow.” 

No, it felt like you were being attacked. 

He quirked up a brow, “Is it? I was just genuinely curious.”

You crossed your arms in front of your chest, “That was a fucked-up question, and you know it.”

“How?”

“It’s like you’re insinuating that I like sleeping in the same bed with Izuku more than my husband.”

“Your  dead  husband,” he corrects you as he jots more notes down. 

You scoff, “Same thing.”

“No, it’s not. As a defense mechanism, you tend to say he’s your husband, present tense. He’s your late husband when everything is fine.”

 The silence stretched throughout the room. You begin to fidget with your hand in your lap, picking at the skin by the fingernails.

“You’re picking at your hands because you know it’s true.” 

“Fuck off,” you sneered as you threw a withering look at your therapist. 

“Answer the question then.” A beat passed, and you continued to pick at the skin. 

He sighs and shifts in his seat. Seconds tick by before a sniff is heard. Your therapist looks at you. Your chin quivered as you looked at your hands. 

“If I sleep better with someone else, am I a bad person?” you asked wetly, as shame placed its weight on your shoulders. 

Your therapist blinks with no emotion. “You mentioned that you slept better with Midoriya-san in the same bed. Is it because you feel safer? More at peace?”

“It feels like...” You paused. What did it feel like to sleep next to him? 

Home.

“It feels like home,” you said hesitantly. “The way he smells makes me think of bright sunshine on a summer vacation that warms your skin. But also, warm, comforting woods that emit a sweet smell when you burn them by the fireplace, but without all the smokiness. Oh! There’s this faint smell of something crisp too. Like fresh snow on a fir tree that reminds you of the holidays.”

“What about Bakugo’s smell?”

“It smelled like caramel and his cologne.”

“How did each make you feel?”

You try to swallow the lump in your throat. “Katsuki’s smell was nice.” Your therapist looked at you, waiting for more of an explanation. Then, after a few seconds of silence, he moves on. 

He knew you had nothing else to say. 

“And Midoriya-san’s?”

Lie, don’t tell him the truth. 

“It smells like I’m finally home after being away for a really long time.”

It was a half-truth. Your therapist catches the way you squirm a little in your seat, avoiding his eye contact at first before returning his stare. There’s no way in hell you were going to tell him about the reactions you got. 

You both hold each other’s eyes for a few moments. The clock in the room ticks, and you swear it sounds like it’s getting louder by the second.  

“Has it always smelled like that for you? You’ve been friends with Midoriya-san for ten years, so do you recall a time it was different?”

You paused and briefly flipped through the long book of memories you had with Izuku. He’s  always  smelled like that for you. 

Your cheeks burn with embarrassment as the bitterness of shame swirls in your heart.

You shake your head.

No.

You grip the fabric of your jeans, “Does this mean I like Izuku-kun more than I’ve ever liked my late husband?” 

“Think deeper.”

“Wait,” You stared incredulously at your therapist. “Are you trying to say that I was always in love with Izuku-kun?”

“I think you already know the answer to that question (L/n).” 

You shook your head, standing up abruptly. “We aren’t doing this. I’m not letting you feed things into my mind.”’

----

Thud.

You hear the whooshing of blood pounding inside your ears and loud broken noises. You don’t realize that you fall to a disheveled heap on your bathroom floor.

You’re unaware you’re so loud that Izuku breaks down the door. Your mascara is running, and Kuro is on your lap, curled and purring to help soothe you.

You don’t even realize that he’s panicking because he doesn’t know what’s  wrong  with you, nor does he know how to help. You’re hysterical when he tries to ask you why you’re dressed and where you plan on going. Gut-wrenching sobs tear through your chest, no longer able to carry your heartbreak. Your grief pours like a flood as you grip the dress fabric covering your chest.

“(Y/n) please just tell me what’s wrong,” he begs as his heart clenches. He’s desperate to find what’s wrong so he can fix it for you.  To help fix you .

But, this time, he can’t, and it  bothers him . It makes him feel completely helpless, like he’s failing at being a hero. Like he’s failing you.

Hot rivulets of salt pour from your eyes as you wail and hiccup. Your hands tremble like a fallen leaf at the blinding pain in your chest. Sudden nausea rises up your throat, burning the smooth lining of muscles. You move quickly to the toilet, altogether dropping your pet on the floor before all the contents of your dinner splash on the toilet bowl and in the toilet water. You shakily grip the toilet seat as you continue crying.

You are a  mess .

Izuku can’t help but sit on the floor and stare, completely bewildered. You were  fine  just hours ago. Now, you’re in a tight black dress, crying so hard you’re vomiting.

What is he  missing ?

You feel like you’re drowning as you continue to choke on the air you try to inhale. Your stomach lurches again, spilling acrid bile and chunks from your mouth to inside the toilet. The pain in your heart was so all-consuming, so intense, you are sure that this is what it felt like to be  shot .

Twenty minutes later, you could barely hold your eyes up from exhaustion. Izuku wipes off the severely smeared makeup on your face before he carries you to your bed.

He wants to ask you—the desire to ask you what just happened—ask what caused this meltdown, claws inside his chest.

Instead, he opens all the windows in your bedroom and holds you until you both fall asleep. He doesn’t care that you smell like vomit and salty tears. Nor did he care about that heady combination of orange blossoms, honeysuckle, and a distinct ingredient   that drove him insane mixed with the acrid smell of bile and saline. You still smell like coming home.

He didn’t care about the blurred vision or the feeling of electricity underneath his fingertips. No, he didn’t give a flying fuck about that as he rubbed a scarred hand on your clothed back soothingly. The grip on his t-shirt was as if you were clinging to him like a lifeline.

Whatever reaction be  damned .

The next day he almost cancels everything that he planned for your birthday. You’re not even out of bed before he is. You’re still fast asleep in that damn black dress that rode up enough to see what color your underwear was.

They matched the dress.

Izuku tears his eyes away from your crotch and lets out a strained breath. He is grateful that you are asleep because he finally figured out the answer to his question a few weeks ago.

He does react to your scent in his sleep.

So much so that he untangles from your body quickly and rushes to the bathroom. He had to take a cold shower and stroke one out before returning to normal.

He gulps. You woke up before him  every  morning. Did that mean that— He shakes his head as he looks at himself in the bathroom mirror. Nope, he’s not going to think about it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to show his face around you anymore.

Izuku knows you’re not clueless. You know there’s a reason why he opens all of the windows or keeps a certain distance from you. What if you thought that he thought you smelled bad? Which is the furthest thing from the truth, because you smell so good it makes his cock hurt.

When he catches a whiff of your scent, he can barely keep his head screwed on. The longer he’s exposed, the more insatiable he is.

He spits out the foamed-up toothpaste in the bathroom sink.

Should he clear up any misconceptions you might have? That he’s not a pervert, and it’s just natural to have morning wood?

But you should know that since you were married before. The thought of your late husband pressed against you in a bed makes Izuku’s upper lip curl for a second.  

Izuku shakes his head. No.

What if she feels it too?

His brain hazily remembers yesterday morning’s odd noise and his knee coming across something wet. Like wet fabric? He blinks and narrows his eyes as he tries to piece it together. The memory is too fuzzy even to try to make a valid conclusion.

He needs to come up with the reason for this because it’s been puzzling him for years. So, he’s going to figure it out. Izuku prays you don’t hate him for it after he does.

Around the afternoon, you start acting more like yourself. Etsuko took you out in the morning for your favorite breakfast food and a spa day. It allowed for a much-needed Brazilian wax. Unfortunately, it was so bad, the lady asked you to come at the end of the month for a year to “reduce the number of follicles in your pubic region.” It was embarrassing, especially since you haven’t waxed since your husband died. You’ve trimmed, but you barely cared about keeping a regular schedule.

In her words, you were a forest ready to be cut down.

You sigh.

Your husband, Katsuki, preferred it entirely off, which never bothered you because it felt nice. You felt you were more aerodynamic, as silly as it sounded. From what you read online, the preference could be because of oral and to mitigate the whole hair-in-mouth thing. Yet, it wasn’t like he went down on you often, which made no sense for the preference. You briefly recall being so jealous of your friends talking about the wonders of oral sex, how much their partners always wanted to, and how amazing it felt. You can confidently say that your late husband was too much of a prude for something like that. He was the prude, and you were the horny virgin.

 He did make up for it by being so sweet, though. He was such a great husband.

Your heart squeezes.  Fuck. 

After you came to terms with your feelings yesterday, you felt guilty because you didn’t deserve your late husband. Someone entirely devoted to loving you with every fiber of their being. Your late husband would shoot daggers at someone for looking at you for a second too long.

So, it wasn’t easy to realize you were always in love with Izuku. The enlightenment made you sob so hard that you vomited.

It confused you because you loved Katsuki. You always will love him. You were sure about that.

 But those feelings for Izuku? It lingered there, buried beneath ignorance and denial. Yesterday was like turning the key to a locked chest, unlocking pandora’s box of confusion and repressed feelings.

It also made your heart break for someone who’s dead—That you never realized it until three years after he passed. How Katsuki never got your whole heart as you did his. It made you feel like a piece of shit.

So, it answered the age-old question, can you be in love with two people simultaneously?

Yes.

Yes, you can.

Love wasn’t a switch you could flip on and off. It was like a spectrum of intensity. Just like the old saying goes, you never forget your first love.

This situation pissed you off because it felt like something you’d read off a cheesy shojo. You hated feeling like those stupid characters who realized they were in love with their first love even though the second guy was the better choice.

Well, you picked the second guy, all right—he just spun right off a cliff while driving during a snowstorm.

Which then makes you ponder about the circumstance. Would you have been willing to run off to the distance with Izuku while married? You’d probably laugh so much that you’d be breathless if you had been asked that question in December. ‘Midoriya-san is my friend,’ you’d say. ‘Denial’ is the longest river in Africa.  

This had to be karma after always making fun of those main characters. You were sure of it.

“(Y/n) let’s get your nails done too!”

You shake your head, “Nope, I can’t have it chipping. Kuro could accidentally eat a nail polish fragment and get poisoned.”

“That’s a bit dark, don’t you think?” Etsuko questions disapprovingly.

You shrug. She rolls her eyes and drags you across store after store to buy every expensive item you didn’t possibly need. Honestly, you hated expensive luxury things because the quality could be found in something much cheaper. Of course, you weren’t the most frugal person, either. You’d buy the most expensive home goods items you could find because of the designer or how you do your weekly shopping at a fancy organic supermarket rather than a regular one. You also spoiled Kuro to death with the most expensive medical care team, medicines, custom shampoos, etc.

You didn’t see the point of paying someone’s yearly salary for a pair of earrings because a pro hero or celebrity wore it. Katsuki would have been foaming at the mouth that you’re not covered in diamonds and high fashion clothing daily. It wasn’t like Katsuki or Etsuko not to buy the expensive version of anything.

So, when you found out what Katsuki left you in his will, you almost walked away from the lawyers—thinking it was a joke when they slid the highlighted numbers of the cashout of Katsuki’s life insurance policy, total amounts in various bank accounts, and stock cashouts. When the lawyers told you he also gave you the agency, you immediately declined the right. You hadn’t had the first clue about being a hero, their duties, or even running an agency. You gave most of the agency away to Izuku and Katsuki’s parents, keeping only 15 percent of the shares. You are still well off and could retire at any moment.

But you don’t. You had been raised by parents who had struggled financially to put you through college and UA. So, all your income from those shares goes to an allocated account for your parents. They deserve it more.

Oddly enough, Katsuki’s parents still called once every so often to check in on you, sending you luxurious gifts that are tucked away in your closet. You honestly thought his mom hated you, but it seems the tsundere characteristic was in their genes.

You smile as you watch Etsuko gush about something she likes in this bougie boutique in the mall. A wide smile on her face only served as a warning of the next store you got dragged into.

You could say Izuku’s mom was a lot different. Izuku’s mom showed her open affection for you every which way. She started keeping your pictures in a photo album— filled with pictures of your high school graduation, college graduation, first job, and so much more. Your mother and Inoko had even become best friends, which was why she was there when you were at the hospital months ago after the villain attack.

“It’s her birthday today, so I want to get her a new watch. Which ones do you recommend for her wrist as a chief editor of a top magazine?” Etsuko asks the Vacheron Constantin representative. Since Etsuko owns her modeling agency with many celebrity names, she makes a  lot  of money. Of course, it didn’t help that she was born into a rich family too. So, the price of these watches wasn’t much for her.

It makes you slightly uncomfortable when she waves her money around without truly knowing its value.

The representative measures you and compliments you for having such thin, tiny wrists.  If only they knew. 

You end up choosing a model that you and the representative agree on. It wasn’t as expensive as Etsuko would have liked, but you pick the Caliber 5300. You promised her you’d wear it instead of tucking it into a closet with the remaining luxe items you owned.

You’re going to tuck it inside your closet anyway. 

You both grab some ice cream before going to her place. Mina, Jirou, and Momo show up, and you all start binge-watching a documentary about elephants. About a half hour into the movie, you start getting sleepy. Mina yawned right after you did every five minutes. You decide to take a nap on Mina halfway through. She also quickly falls asleep.

“Are they asleep?”

“Yeah, the formula is similar to sleeping gas.”

“Did we have to make Mina fall asleep?”

Momo nods, unplugging her nose as she creates a fan to point at her face. Jirou smiles, and Etsuko pulls out her phone. The flash is immediate and bright, but you’re completely unaware.

“So, this effect only lasts for two hours. What does Midoriya need from us?”

Etsuko smiles, “Well...”

------

You’re lying in the back of a moving vehicle when you wake up. Your eyes can’t see anything. You try to wiggle your fingers and hands; they’re not wrapped with anything. You gingerly sit up, and your hands gingerly touch your face. There was a silky blindfold on your eyes.

“Ah, don’t take off your blindfold. We are almost there.” Your older brother.

“I swear to all that is good in this world, I will  burn  all of your  One-Piece  manga if you don’t tell me what’s happening right now.”

“Wow, that’s not the worst threat you’ve given me. So, you’re not upset that you’re blindfolded right now.”

You could hear the smile in his tone before you heard him scream an ‘Ow.’

“You weren’t supposed to talk, dumbass.” Etsuko.

“Well, she woke up early! Don’t pinch my nipple again… Unless you want to?” You heard a smack and another ‘Ow.’

You snort.

“So, who’s taking care of Kuro if you’re here?” You ask.

“Mom and dad. They love that huge furball. You know, Dad’s trying to make a saddle to see if you could ride Kuro like a horse.”

His answer sends you spinning. What is going on right now?

“Surprisingly enough, Kuro is very docile around them and likes to help however he can. Good job at adopting a smart tiger.”

“Domesticated snow leopard,” you correct.

“Same thing. The little fucker is much bigger from the last time I saw him.”

So, Izuku was right. You hadn’t noticed too well because you spent so much time with him. You briefly wonder if Kuro is a snow leopard.

Comfortable silence fills the air before your brother breaks it. “Oh, I might need to borrow Kuro for about a week sooner or later. He was an immense help during the last large-scale operation and helped save lives. Maybe you should think about getting a quirk trainer for his abilities so that he could get a hero license, not just the provisional.”

You grimace. You feared the thought of Kuro getting hurt or injured, especially since he’s supposed to be a registered emotional support animal. A provisional license was acceptable for emotional support animals, but a hero license might be out of the question.

The idea of Kuro being in danger almost daily was not okay.

Was that selfish of you? Absolutely. But this was  your  cat.

You almost fall asleep by the time the vehicle comes to a complete stop. You groggily sit up and sigh.

“Don’t take off your blindfold until we tell you. Got it?”

You mutter out a yes before they help you out of the car. A similar-sized hand grabs yours to help you walk forward.

Katsuki used to grab your hand and surprise you like this for your birthday.

The sudden memory dampens your excitement like a wet rag.

Another birthday without the hay-colored-haired man that was once your husband. Another birthday without the smell of caramel wafting throughout the room as he smiled at you. The smile that only you had the privilege to.

A sharp pain pangs in your chest as your bite the inside of your cheek. How many more birthdays would pass until you’d finally be okay without him? When would there be a time when a memory of him wouldn’t hurt you? Right now, you weren’t sure.

You missed him. You miss the way he always cooked your favorite dishes on your birthday. His garnet orbs and how they swirled with warmth whenever you saw one of those ‘oh-so-rare smiles’ that you saw daily. You miss when you intertwined your fingers with his larger calloused ones, and he’d pull you closer to him. You miss the private notes he’d make for you in your homemade lunches. Small little squares that say, ‘Tell them to eat shit and die, because you’re awesome,’ or ‘They’re all idiots, so your presentation will be the best thing they’ll ever see.’

You’ve kept them all tucked away in a small black box under your desk. You’d open it and pull a random one out when it was a particularly tough day.

You feel wet spots on the blindfold as you inhale through your running nose. You stop in your tracks, causing whoever was holding your hand to stop.

“(Y/n), is everything okay?”

It was Etsuko’s voice.

“I want to use the b-bathroom. Can you t-take me there?” Your voice wavers as you sniffle.

“Oh. I-I… Sure.”

After making a few turns and walking through long hallways, you deduce you’re inside a building. Before long, you smell a myriad of different things. The smell of various notes of something musky and sweaty, cleaning antiseptic, floral soap, and hints o fabric softener—that’s when you realize you’re in a public bathroom. 

Etsuko gingerly removes your wet blindfold as you hiccup. You swipe the tears at your waterline hastily.

Golden orbs stare at your form as you continue wiping away tears. The mauve-haired woman sighs.

“I was waiting for this to happen.” She pinches your cheek, the pain causing you to wince.

“You cry on your birthday every year since Bakugo died.”

With blank teary eyes, you stare at the woman who has been your best friend for over fifteen years.

She walks to the sink and puts her black shoulder purse on the counter. She rummages through the insides before finding a pack of tissues decorated with penguins and polar bears.

“Here.” She tosses you the palm-sized pack. You barely catch it, still reeling from the words she spoke to you earlier.

You watch as Etsuko rummages again through her purse to take out a brown-compact bag, much larger than the shoulder bag it was in—defying all the laws of physics.

“Wipe your face before you wash it. I have some facial wash you could use. I’ll redo your eye makeup again once you’re done.”

You nod numbly before muttering a quick thank you. Your eyes droop to the floor as you clutch the pack of tissues to your chest. You stare at the large tiles on the floor without focusing as you try to answer your internal question.

Have you cried the past few birthdays since Katsuki died?

Your brain begins to rewind and flip through memories.

Last year, you spent it with Etsuko and cried while eating something spicy. You never minded spicy food, but it was triggering because  he  loved spicy food.

The year before, you went to a garden and saw a bumblebee. Then, you cried because you remembered when your husband got stung by one at an amusement park. In a blind rage, Katsuki set off an explosion on a nearby hive, but it turned out to be wasps. So, he spent a few minutes being chased by a swarm of angry wasps as he burned them all to a crisp. You watched the spectacle while eating cotton candy and cheering him on from a distance.

The first birthday—Well, that first year without him was hell.

You didn’t even get out of bed that birthday. You spent most of it alone, crying as you watched the food channel until Etsuko, Mina, Juro, and Momo busted through your large penthouse and took you to their house. You stayed there for a few days. You numbly watched the weather channel, curled up into a blanket ball until you were finally forced to shower. A month later, you sold the mansion you shared with your late husband to a lovely, wealthy couple. The estate was a gift to their snot-nosed asshole of a kid entering a prestigious university nearby.

You mule over the revelation your best friend gave. Another muddled window was scrubbed clean to see the truth reflected behind it.

So, has this become another routine/pattern I’ve adapted since his death?

Yes.

Do I still feel like I don’t deserve to be happy without him? Even if it’s my birthday?

The answer is yes, especially on your birthday.

Deep down, you wanted to punish yourself because the only birthday you should enjoy was one where Katsuki was there for it. That truth punches you straight in the gut.

Holy crap . The epiphany makes your eyes bug out. Grief works in such a fickle way.

“I’m guessing you finally realize that you’re just hurting yourself when you make yourself miserable on your birthday, right?”

You jump at how close her voice is. You blink a few times, rebooting your brain back to the present.

You peer at your friend, whose denim clad-hip is standing in front of you with her bare arms crossed over her chest. You nod once, ashamed.

Etsuko shakes her head, causing her bangs to shift back and forth on her brow.  Smack .

You gasp at the sudden sting on your face. Your throbbing cheeks squash against Etsuko’s hands, causing your lips to purse and open as she holds your head up to her burning gaze.

“Listen here, you loveable dummy.” Your bewildered eyes look into narrowed canary orbs.

She mashes your face between her hands like she’s playing the accordion. “Stop. Hurting. Yourself. Because. You. Deserve. To. Be. Happy.” She emphasizes with a smoosh for every word.

“Got it?” She threatens.

You nod furiously before her hands release your cheeks.

“Wait! Pleaaasssee keep punishing her. Onii-Chan wants to record it~”

You both freeze and stiffly turn to the public bathroom entrance, only to see your brother holding a phone in your direction like a disgusting pervert. The smile on his face is only something a mother could love.

No. Your mother would kill him for this.

It’s silent for about four seconds before your patience snaps and your earlier emotions disintegrate. You start yelling at him to stop being such a ‘fucking creep’ and to ‘get the fuck out of the women’s bathroom,’ before using physical force to get him out.

“Did using your brother as a punching bag help?” Etsuko whispers at you as you walk back into the bathroom.

You nod with a small smile.

Etsuko reapplies your eye makeup and rubs your face with some calming lotion in case if it looks puffier later on.

“Wow, you don’t even need to buy foundation anymore. Maybe I’ll take a leave of absence and cuddle with my best friend to sleep every night while pretending I’m not in love with them, too,” she sighs.

“Do you want to sleep with me every night?”

Your eye twitches before you pinch her stomach from your irritation. “OWWW!”

You stick out your tongue. “Serves you right.”

“What are we five? Is this TikTok?”

You roll your eyes at her with a slight smile on your face. She narrows her eyes and raises a brow at you.

“I should mess up your makeup, you little gremlin.”

You fake a gasp, “Ohhhh noooo. That means I would have to go home to go wash it off. How cruel.”

“Actually, you’d wash it off here. So those plans are ruined. Sorry.” She shrugs with a smirk.

You twist your lips.

While cackling, she sprays your whole face with some chemical mixture without warning. The random attack causes you to inhale it and choke.

She shrugs again with a devious smile, “Whoops.”

You give her a mocking glare before looking at your feet. You take note that your toes are painted for the first time since the day you went out with the girls—the nails shaped into professional squarovals and polished in your favorite color. You donned some nice sandals that you vaguely remember you had. It matched your skin tone perfectly, providing the perfect shade of nude.

“The shoes you guys picked out are nice. What exactly am I wearing, though?” You had a vague idea of what you wore based on the air that brushes certain body parts. You could confidently say you are wearing skin-tight pants that make it to your ankle. Yet, you can’t be confident about the top you are wearing.

“A bodysuit in some jeans. That’s all.”

You continue to stare at her, waiting for the ball to drop.

“Aaand it’s completely open back. So you’re not wearing a bra.”

You tilt your head, gazing at her blankly. “How did you—But, I feel supported if that makes sense.”

I could feel the air on my tits now that she mentioned it.  You become hyper-aware that you have no nipple covers.  

She nods slowly, “Yes, I used some invisible boob tape Momo invented. It does a great job of holding them. Figures because her costume shows off those massive tits left and right.”

Etsuko holds up a palm to your face, preventing you from responding. “So, before you say anything, yes. You should consider piercing your nipples because you have a great rack. Like people pay to have the kind of boobs you have.”

You glare at her, “Yeah, tell me that now, as my collagen production is dropping by the second. In ten years, I’ll Pro Hero Saggy Tits.”

Etsuko snorts, “I doubt that.”

Your eyes glance at the forest green long-sleeve that looks pretty modest in the front. It had an acceptable scoop neckline that only dipped to show a sliver of the beginnings of your breasts. It was almost akin to a tank top but with long sleeves. You shift to try and touch your back, and you gasp when your fingers touch your skin. Your jaw drops as you feel around to see where the fabric started.

There was no fabric on your back.

“ETSUKO!”

“Well, would you look at that? It’s time to blindfold you again.” She smiles tightly and places the blindfold over your eyes. Before you can protest or even get nervous, she practically drags you out of the room once she dumps everything inside her purse.

My whole back is open to touch and look at. What if I have a hairy back? What if there’s a pimple that I haven’t felt and popped yet?  Your mind continued to spiral as you walked.  What if someone sees that I have hard nipples? Would some ego maniac think it’s because I’m turned on by them rather than cold or a shit ton of other factors?

A few moments later, you find out what exactly is going on. This year’s birthday surprise, you find out that your friends and family manage to rent out a field of a few multicolored hot air balloons, and you start crying. You’ve always wanted to get on a hot air balloon but have never seen them in Japan unless they’ve gotten flown in from another place. But you don’t remember mentioning this more than once, back when you were a teenager. The fact that Izuku remembered this meant so much more to you than any luxury gift he could have gotten.  

You do remember asking someone how Izuku managed to do this, but your father ends up pushing you inside a purple and red hot air balloon with the rest of your family. The take-off was scary as the handler occasionally used his flame quirk on a small tunnel that shot inside the balloon.

But the view of the city skyline was something you’d never forget. The mustard-colored orb sat right above the horizon, and the entire sky filled with an intense assortment of reds, yellows, and pinks, setting the clouds ablaze. You watched the sun’s farewell to the sky with unshed tears in your eyes as the last few rays morphed into something calm. 

You love sunsets.

Your grandmother often said that even the sun had to rest, but before it did, the sun would make sure to paint its last image of the day. Before she died, she said the same thing to Izuku before she stared out the window. She died as the sun set, holding the hero’s hand.

This sunset felt like a bittersweet goodbye.

During the whole ride, your mother and father held on to each other as your mother cried. Remembering the way her mother loved sunsets just as much as you do. As you came down from the hot air balloon ride, all you could think was that this was the best birthday gift you could have ever asked for.

After, you all head back into Izuku’s apartment, which was fully decorated with birthday decorations. It has been a while since you’ve been here, and you forgot how much larger his place was than yours. However, you appreciate it because it was able to fit the number of people invited comfortably.

You all played various games, especially Mina’s favorite, Dance Dance Revolution. After about two hours, Yamada delivers catered food for your birthday. You cried for the second time that day as you shoveled ramen down your throat.

After, Etsuko and Izuku bring out a big circular cake decorated in your favorite color with white cursive letters that spelled ‘Happy 28th birthday (Y/N)!’

Etsuko pokes in a '2' and an '8' shaped candle before lighting it. The room claps while singing a version of the happy birthday song.

You close your eyes and make a wish.

‘I wish for everyone’s happiness.’

You inhale and purse your lips before blowing air out of both candles.

Your mother sliced the first piece of cake for you. It’s your favorite kind, which makes you smile.

While eating cake, your friends and family members around the room hand you birthday presents. Mina gifts you a new pair of red bottom heels. Kirishima gifts an art piece of a sunset from a local artist. Momo gives you a customized leash for Kuro that will grow with him if he ever gets bigger. Kaminari gifts a signed CD album of your favorite band, and Jiro gives you a giant stereo system. Your grandfather gifts you your grandmother’s favorite pair of earrings, and you cry yet again.

Your parents gift you a letter along with a box. They tell you not to open it until you’re ready.

Your brother gives you a giant poster of him cosplayed as Ichigo Kurosaki, and you grimace. Then he gives you a large bag of your favorite tea blend and a large bag of matcha powder from a really expensive tea company.

Yamada gifts you a picture of his restaurant. You question him at first, but then you notice that one of the high seats by the bar is a different color, and your name is etched on the seat. You cry for the fourth time that night and tackle the 38-year-old with a hug.

Etsuko gives you another gift, a brand-new cellphone with all your contacts imported. She claims it’s because your cellphone is almost five years old. When you turn it on, you notice some unread text messages. You’ll read them later.

Izuku’s mom gifts you a box and tells you to open it when you’re alone. Again, another obscure message.

After a few games and some drinking, your friends and family start trickling out. First, it was your parents because they had work the next day. Then, it was your grandfather and Inko—your brother joins them to drive them back home. Thirty minutes after, it’s Yamada and Etsuko who leave the apartment. The rest of your friends, coworkers, and family members then go together after that.

Now you’re slightly drunk, with frosting at the tip of your nose, and alone with Izuku.

You glance at the new phone on the table before you grab it. You open it with the face activation feature and open your messages. Most are messages from distant family members or acquaintances, so you scroll through them before your thumb stills on one person’s messages.

From ‘Ochako’ at 11:36

‘Happy birthday (Y/n).’

From ‘Ochako’ at 18:57

‘Hi, I’m so sorry but I’m not going to be able to see you today. Todoroki’s mother is in the hospital again, so I want to check in with him. Are you free for brunch tomorrow at 12?’

You notice that it’s almost midnight.

You chew on the soft tissue inside your cheek as you think about the question. On one hand, it could be that she considers you her friend and wants to see you. It was good that she did because that means your friendship still existed. On the other hand, it could be her wanting to meet with you to have a conversation—and not the good kind.

Fuck it. Why the fuck not?  Maybe you were drunk even to be okay with meeting her, especially because you’re 90 percent sure that, metaphorically, you were the final straw that broke their marriage.

You text her back a thank you and to not worry about it. You ask about Todoroki’s mother’s health and the location she had in mind. Before pressing send, you make sure to add a smiling emoticon at the end of the message to sound friendly.  I hope she takes it as a, ‘please don’t murder me tomorrow’ rather than in a snarky way.   

She probably thought you were the biggest piece of shit she’s ever met. Yet, Ochako would still smile and be polite, even if you weren’t worthy of it. Even though she was the one who had asked for the separation and Izuku was the one who filed for divorce, you wonder if it was mutual even if she did sign it. If this was a video game and you were playing as Ochako, you’d definitely want to murder your character off.

Your knee bounces as you sit on the Izuku’s living room couch. You’re still staring at your cell phone as more thoughts swirl. What if she knows he stays every night at your apartment? What if she wants to yell at you because, technically, she saw him first— even though Izuku wasn’t some toy doll that you could win.

“Exhausted … right (Y/n)?”

You perk up at the sound of your name. You shut your device’s screen off as you sit straight up, “Huh? Yes?”

“I was saying that you’re probably too e-exhausted to open one last present, right?” You hear his somewhat timid voice as his feet pad over the hardwood floor. You turn to his voice to see Izuku holding a wrapped green palm-sized box as he walks towards you. You blink before you realize that the food and games have been put away.

How long was I thinking about this?  You question yourself as you watch Izuku sit on the couch you were on. Thankfully there was space between you two. To the left is an open window.

You blink rapidly, staring into his eyes. You wave your hand in protest, “No, Izuku-kun I can’t accept anything else. What you’ve done today is enough to satisfy thirty birthdays after this. I can’t—”

“Take it.”

Aaand his timidness is gone.

He holds it out and you glance at the gift. Your eyes peer at the green-haired man beside you, taking in the small smile that graces his lips.

God , those freckles paired with pretty emerald eyes. Honestly, it irritates you a bit. How can someone look adorable and hot at the same time?

Dangerous territory you’re crossing there, champ.

“(Y/n) are you okay?”

Your eyes focus on his concerned face before you plaster a smile, “Y-yeah. I’m fine.” Izuku raises a green brow.

Nice one.

“How many drinks did you have?” His tone is accusatory, like a police officer investigating a potential suspect.  

Your eyes narrow a bit, “Why?”

“Your eyes are dilated, and you just lied about being fine.”

You take it back. He’s not cute or hot. Fucking pro-hero lie-detecting bastard.

“Plus, you still have frosting on your nose,” he says as he reaches over and gently rubs the dried frosting smeared on your cheek with his calloused thumb.

The tiny amount of skin contact makes your tense muscles melt. The warmth of his finger creates a tingly sensation under the skin before it spreads quickly across your face.

“Wow, it’s really stuck on there,” he mummers, scraping his blunt nail on your nose to get off all the dried sugar. Your nose twitches at the feeling before he tries to rub again. His brows are knit in concentration.

He shifts slightly and leans to get a better angle, and your nostrils catch it. The smell of warm woods, sunshine, and familiarity makes your heart pulse hard in your chest. Sudden panic sets in your stomach before you lean back and move your face away.

You scoot back slightly, “I-I’ll just g-go to the bathroom.” You flash him a pressed smile before you all but dash out of the living room.

You almost slam his bathroom door shut and sigh. Then you inhale sharply before the muscle in your chest thuds so hard, your veins vibrate. Your skin starts to feel hot.

The bathroom  smells  like him. Instinctively, your nose takes a deep inhale of his mouth-watering scent.

You feel dread rushing down to the pits of your stomach, eyes widening from the wave of sheer heat that spread across your whole body. 

Fuck fuck fuck fuck . You hastily turn on the sink’s tap and gather water to splash in your face. You hold your breath while doing so. Does he not use an air freshener plug-in as you do?

I was never able to smell him like this before. What the fuck?  You question as you splash ice-cold water before scrubbing your face.

There was that villain attack, and Kuro did heal me multiple times. Maybe he enhanced my sense of smell in the process? Or did the surgeons use their healing quirks for my injuries? 

Your lungs are straining for air. If you breathe in now, you’d be screwed. Your reaction was still mild, so hopefully, it’ll go away if you don’t breathe anything with his scent.

Hopefully.

You turn off the tap with dripping hands before unlocking the door. You shut it before exhaling. You gulp deep breaths as quietly as possible in the small hallway by Izuku’s bedroom.

Your heartbeat and the temperature of your skin even out slowly as you continue your deep breaths. That was  too close.  You clear your throat before heading back to the living room, shaking your damp hands and ignoring your wet face. You weren’t going to use any towels in there.

I have to make an appointment with an ENT doctor. There’s no way I could live like this.  You reckon as you look at your shuffling feet. Your eyes trained on the hardwood floor as you consider different possibilities of this enhanced sense of smell.

“You okay?” You freeze before you walk into a wall of trained muscle.

You peer through your lashes and see the pro hero with his muscular arms folded across his chest. Narrowed eyes look down at you as you nod. You move to brush past him before he steps in your way. You try to pass him the other way, and he steps to block you again.

You let out a groan and pinch the bridge of your nose. “I’m fine. Seriously, Izuku-kun.”

“You’re still lying to me. Tell me what’s wrong?”

You roll your eyes before you look at him.

Crap. He looks serious.

You swallow before speaking. “Nothing is wrong. You’re probably right that I had too much to drink. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna get ready to go home.” You try to move again before he blocks you. You step back.

Your eye twitches before you shut them. You exhale loudly through your nose, rubbing the back of your neck. You can feel the heat of his jade eyes analyzing your every move, creating possible explanations.

“Talk.”

His rigid tone rubs you the wrong way immediately.

“There’s nothing wrong. Now can you please move instead of blocking me? You know I don’t like that.” You say with narrowed eyes.

His larger form steps to the side, granting you enough space to walk past him. You press your lips together before you walk past him. You grab your phone and purse in quick succession before making a b-line towards to genkan. Then, before you could blink, you’re suddenly back on the couch sitting up.

You grit your teeth as you see Izuku standing in front of you with his arms still crossed. A black inky vine retreats into his body from his back.

“We could play this game all night, or you’ll tell me what’s wrong. Pick one,” Hard pine green eyes glare at your form.

Do I really tell the truth or a lie? Or I could say a half-truth. Something that’s bothering me but—

“Don’t you dare try to give me a half-assed truth either.”

Why do I never learn not to say things out loud?

“What are you, my mom? Last time I checked, she left an hour ago.” You sneer before you cross a leg over the other. Your foot begins tapping at the air as you both glare at each other.

“You usually come up with a harsher comeback than that,” he snorts before rolling his eyes.

“Well, as you said, I’m probably shit-faced. So,  I’m sorry  for not having a better comeback. I’ll consider your feedback the next time we argue about this.” You scoff as you lean back on the couch. Your foot taps faster in the air.

“I never said you were drunk, I was just asking—”

“It’s the same shit, different toilet. And by the way, I only had three glasses of wine. This little spat here,” You make a circular motion with your hands before continuing, “Is sobering me. So, congrats.” You force a smile with jazz hands for a second before you set your hands down on your lap and glare at your friend.

His jaw muscles repeatedly jump as his baby-pink lips press firmly together. His orbs looked like green flames at this point. You made Izuku’s blood  boil . Again, Izuku never thought in a million years, you would make him want to punch several walls.

You were adorable most days, but you were such a fucking  brat  when you were angry. It still perplexes Izuku how angry you can make him. And yet, in all of his ten years of knowing you, you have never raised your voice or used the same tone with others as you did with him. Well, other than your brother, but he deserves it. 

Etsuko, whose known you longer than he has, still thinks he’s lying when he talks about it.

“So, can I go home now? Or are we still going to “talk”?” You air quote with a scowl.

You tilt your head up, “Oh! I know, let’s continue pressing on an issue that  doesn’t fucking exist —”

“And you  keep  lying. Are you kidding me right now?!”

You chuckle derisively, “This is fucking ridiculous. I’m going home,” You stand and walk towards the door, and in an instant, you’re on the couch again.

“I.Zu.Ku. Mi.Do.Ri.Ya. I swear there is nothing wrong.” You grit out angrily.

He unfolds an arm to pinch the space between his brows and exhales. “Are we going to have to do this all night?” He asks, more rhetorically than to you.

Black whip is still wrapped around your torso, keeping you seated on the couch. The slimy tarlike feel of the vines makes you curl up your lips in mild disgust.  So, this is what it feels like? I thought it would feel like a rope. Yuck...Well, at least it’s warm.

“Can you get this off me? It kinda feels... Slimy? I-I really don’t know how to describe it,” you say while scrunching your face and trying to wiggle out of the hold.

“No.”

“Why not?” You huff, irritated, as you continue to squirm.  

He steps closer to you, and you can see the vine coming from his back again. Your lips curl up as a shiver runs up your body. You finally found something  disgustin g in all his perfection.

You try a different approach.

“I don’t know what kind of kinks the girls you’ve slept with are into, but if they are into this, that’s fucking weird.”

That’s when he catches it —the slight change in your tone when you stop lying and tell the truth.

Even though you didn’t think anything of your words, he does. Izuku freezes as he stares blankly at you. You don’t notice he’s analyzing you like a seasoned scientist as the pro hero’s eyes catch the small detail again. Your eyes are still blown out, like you were injected with a drug. It would have receded back to normal if you were sobering up.

Why did you choose out of all times to mention his sex life? You’ve never even approached the topic of sex around him before. You look flustered around him when it is brought up, so  he  gets flustered because he thinks it’s probably making you uncomfortable.

He thinks about the events leading up to this moment, like how you leaned away from him after he shifted closer to you to clean your nose. His mind dials the memory slower, almost like he’s flipping through it panel by panel in slow motion. Were your eyes always dilated like this the whole night?

No, they weren’t, or at least from what he could remember. You kept a distance from him the whole night, which was unlike you until as of late.

Your pupils dilated like that when he shifted closer to you.

Out of nowhere, the distinct memory of what was in your bathroom drawer pops into his mind. Or when he walked into your apartment the other week, and there was a delivery box at your door from a particular company that he recognized. He also remembers that very hazy morning memory of something  wet  when his knee brushed past something.

That’s when the puzzle pieces started to shift and click together for him.

Wait a minute. Could you...? No…

Holy shit.

He really thought it was only him,  all this time .

Now it suddenly makes sense your recent pattern of behaviors, how you were always up before him and looked fresh as a fucking daisy. How you would distance yourself if he ever moved too close to you. Something that you never did before. But the next question would be, how?

Was it gradual? Or did something happen where your nose broke and healed at the hospital?

Suddenly, it snaps into Izuku’s brain.

“Hey, did you happen to break your nose during the villain attack?”

You scrunch your face, “Huh? What does this have to do—”

“Just answer the question,” he rushes out. Hope starts swirling like a dying star in his chest.

You blink, “I have the release papers as a pdf on my phone. I don’t remember much of what it said. My phone ri—oh”

Another tendril is already handing it to Izuku as he easily unlocks your phone. Your passcode is the numbers you always had.

’15 76 10’

Your birthday is backward, and his forward*. It was from a bet that you both lost with Mina years ago. You still kept it the same, and so did he on his phone.

He goes into your files app, and his thumb scrolls until he sees the medical discharge papers. He jabs his thumb before he scrolls quickly until his eyes catch the section of doctor’s notes and their conclusions.

‘Bilateral fracture of the C2 vertebrae- Treated with an anterior surgical approach of a bone mache quirk.  

Mild laceration on the abdomen region – Treated with healing quirk

Spinal Contusion (Spinal cord bruising)- Treated with spinal surgery with the use of a healing quirk

Open wound of shoulder and upper arm – Treated with healing quirk.’

Then he spots it.

‘Nasal fracture – Treated with surgical rhinoplasty by the use of bone mache quirk.’

“Hey, what are you—”

“Give me a second.”

He stares at your phone screen as he recalls all too well what the discharge nurses always tell him, ‘Please wait 2-3 months for the healed injury to fully adjust in your body before it can be completely considered recovered.’ In his brain, he cards through years of quirk-less research, remembering a study about healing quirks on quirk-less humans. He exits the files app before swiping across your screen to open the internet browser app on your phone. He exits out the tab of whatever furniture site you are on, opens a new tab, types ‘healing quirks on quirkless humans nose injury’, and hits search.

Once the results populate, he can barely contain the broadening smile on his face or the famous Midoriya Tears pooling in his eyes.

‘Multiple studies have confirmed quirkless users experiencing enhanced or better functionality of broken appendages, bones, or sensory organs once healed by a healing quirk. The onset of the reported enhanced functionality varied from 1 month to a year after the surgical procedure (with a healing quirk) was done.’

He thought it was one-sided  all  these years.

“What did you see? Can I at least get out of this?”

He wipes his eyes as he stares at the six-inch screen. Your eyes catch the wobbly smile on his face, and your eyebrows knit in confusion. “Are you drunk or something?” Your irritated tone doesn’t pierce the sheer joy that is running through his body as the famous Midoriya Tears fall comically down his face. Your muscles tense as your anger fizzles out, “Hey, are you okay, Izuku-kun?”

He’s not crazy .

He sniffs wetly as he wipes the tears away with his forearm.

Kirishima and Kaminari didn’t just agree with him to make him feel better all those years ago.

“Can I at least open the gift you got me now if you’re not mad anymore? You did a better job at wrapping it this year.” You pout.

Even though it was your birthday, Izuku’s birthday gift came early this year.

God doesn’t hate him.

Chapter Text

Coined as the spirit of desire, abundance, and persistence

"Come on Kuro, we have to go," you say as you jingle the leash. You hear a flush sound from your guest room toilet before the door creeks open. You wait a few moments before you see your cat saunter towards you, and you lean down to help him step through the harness. Once it's secured, you scratch the underside of his jaw, as he purrs like a car engine at the touch.

"Good job." You smile as you kiss the top of his furry head; the smell of coconut oil still lingers on his white-speckled fur. 

"When we get back, how about some raw chicken? Or do you want some raw alligator meat instead? One lick for chicken, two for alligator meat." The feeling of wet sandpaper licks two strips on your face. 

"I still don't understand how this animal is smart enough to use the toilet," Izuku mutters from the kitchen, loud enough for both of you to hear. You could feel your cat's fur bristle at the sound of his voice. 

“It’s okay Kuro, it’s Izuku-kun. You know, the one that sleeps in the bed every night?" You coo, trying to comfort as you smooth a hand on the giant snow leopard (which is really the size of a regular leopard). Kuro blows out a huff more like a scoff as he turns away. 

You stand up straight and Kuro grabs the handle from the floor with his mouth before placing it in your hand. You're wearing a pink floral button-up short-sleeved dress that cinches at your waist before the flowy fabric drapes down to your knees. You pair it with some nude-colored flat sandals that show off the pedicure you got the day before. Finally, you decide to leave your hair down in a middle part and wear the necklace Izuku got you for your birthday. 

It's a delicate gold chain necklace with a small solid gold four-leaf clover that lands two inches before where your cleavage starts. 

Izuku's jade eyes drop to the necklace. 

A slight sense of relief washes over his tense muscles.  Thank God she has that on. 

What you don't know is that the necklace is a tracking device. The four-leaf clover itself is a small chip that recognizes patterns of what locations you frequently visit and pings him when you enter a new location. He asked Melissa to create the piece right after the villain attack. She did a phenomenal job at making it look like something you would buy at a high-end jewelry store. It's made out of solid gold and is entirely waterproof--just in case. In addition, the device was solar-powered and built to last for ten years until it needed a battery change.  

"So I'm gonna start looking for reinforced frames for the bed after because Kuro is getting heavier. Just let me know if you need anything on my way back, okay?" You smile at your friend. The taller man glances at the animal beside you, who steps forward and bares his huge teeth. When you look down, the expression disappears completely, and the "cat" gives you a sweet meow while rubbing your hip with his head. 

Izuku’s eye twitches. 

This is the most territorial cat I've ever seen. 

“Izuku-kun? Did you—“

"Y-yeah!" He clears his throat, looking up at you before glancing at the cat beside you and then back to you. 

"Yeah, I-I'll let you know. I'll be out all day because I have to run a few errands. Just call me if you run into any trouble."

You smile brightly at the green-haired man, and his brain shortcircuits.  I love you,  his brain screams. Izuku gives you a tight-lipped smile before lifting his glass of water. 

"Come on Kuro," You step forward and open the door. Izuku tells you to be safe, and you shout something before shutting the door with Kuro by your side. 

The faint scent of your smell is still in the air, and the synapses in his brain light up and fire the irritating chemicals. His eyes roll to the back of his head as he takes another lungful.  Fuck she smells so  good .

He's going to have to open a window soon. 

Izuku looks at his empty glass of water, gripping it. 

I will find out what this is, one way or another. 

And he knows who exactly to talk to first. 

——

You walk through the affluent side of Musutafu's streets, near where Izuku's apartment is. You got stares from some people as you walked with Kuro or waited for your light to cross the street. Before you did get stares occasionally, but now? It seems overwhelming. Whenever you got a particularly long stare, Kuro seemed to pick up on your discomfort and would bare his teeth at the person. The long near, white canines seemed to do just the trick. At some points, the snow leopard would rub his head on your hip to try and comfort you. Despite everything that happened a few months back, he was so good to you. 

The red harness and bib he's wearing had bold white letters spelling 'Do Not Pet: Service Animal', and yet you've already had a few attempts by adults and children. The children doing it, you both didn't seem to mind. But, when adults did it, that's when you'd get upset.  

It takes another fifteen minutes to get to the city center, brimming with bustling businesses and tall skyscrapers. 

Was it this the street that you turned on? 

You glance at the street sign before you sigh internally. 

Okay, where the fuck am I? 

You stop at the corner of a street and pull out your phone for directions. The name of the café was in French, and it takes you a while to figure out the directions on your phone. When you do get there, it's five minutes before the time Ochako agreed on. You open the big door, and Kuro walks in, pauses, and waits until you're right beside him. 

"Hi, my friend made a reservation for 12?" You smile at the professionally dressed man behind a podium by the entrance. 

The lanky man looks down from the solid mahogany podium and frowns at the sight of Kuro. Then, he looks back at you with a bored expression. But you didn't miss how his critical eyes glare at your pet. 

"Ma'am, we have a no pet policy in here, or whatever  that  is." He makes sure to glare at your pet, who looks at the man with his innocent blue and green eyes. 

You track his gaze with your eyes and see that he's staring right at Kuro. You frown before you speak, "Hi, his name is Kuro, and he's a service animal. I have all the paperwork right here if that's an issue and my ID too." You keep your tone polite and as friendly as possible. You offer him a tight-lipped smile, trying to appease the waiter. 

He rolls his eyes and crosses his arms before his scrawny chest. You let go of the leash and use both hands to search through your crossbody purse for the thick plastic card with Kuro's picture. It was easy to find since you always keep it outside of your actual wallet along with your ID. You close your bag as you hand him the two ID cards, and his frown deepens. 

"I'm sorry, ma'am. We don't serve quirkless humans. This is a people with quirks establishment only." His icy glare doesn't fail to rile you up. 

"What's going on here?" Another well-dressed man with a black tag that reads 'Manager' walks in and looks at you, then Kuro. 

"I just told this  quirkless  woman we have a no-pet policy."

The manager nods and crosses his arms, his stance widening as he sizes you up. Thankfully you had your phone still in hand and discretely pressed a button, starting a recording. 

"Right, we also don't serve your kind here."

Your posture straightens, and the muscles beneath your skin harden as you glare straight at the two men. 

"So, you don't serve quirkless people, am I hearing that right?" You try to suppress the grin on your face as you egg him on. 

"Exactly, so regardless, even if you have a reservation, we will not serve you."

You'd think they'd go above and beyond for a restaurant recommended by various idols and pro-heroes. Instead, this place was another rotten egg. 

You can't wait to send this to all the politicians you know. 

You laugh at the manager for his blatant lack of respect. 

But you hold it, smiling instead. "I don't see a sign that says that anywhere here. And if there was one, that would violate Article 14, Paragraph 1 of Japan's Quirk Civil Code Law in which it is prohibited to discriminate against a person based on a quirk or lack thereof. This is also supplemented by Article 709, in which if an establishment or company refuses its services because of quirk discrimination, it will receive a 200,000 yen fine, and the discriminated person is entitled to compensation of a sum anywhere between 100,000 to 50 million yen. So should I call the chief of police or instead have this restaurant be investigated by the Quirk Alliance of Japan." 

So you have three options here: let me go in and meet my friend and treat me with respect. Your second option me calling the police, or I will pass the message along to various politicians, the chief of police of Musutafu and Tokyo, and the QAJ. And your third option is to sue. Which really is the second option anyways." You hold out three digits up in the air and wiggle them. 

The manager scoffs, "You have no proof." 

You hold up your phone, and they both pale as they see the seconds gradually increase on your phone screen. 

"And, I heard everything." 

You all turn as an angry Ochako appears right in front of the second entrance separating the greeting and seated areas. Her toned arms are crossed in front of her chest as her boot taps the white marble floor in a slow rhythmic pace. 

Your orbs scan her form from head to toe. Even if she wasn't a top 15 pro hero, she still exuded confidence and wealth. Expensive sunglasses are perched at the top of her head with a straightened shoulder-length bob hair cut. Her outfit, although a simple knee-length brown dress, looks expensive. The sleeveless dress looked tailored to her toned shape with black kitten heels. 

"Uravity-san I-I- we-"

"We d-didn't k-know she was with you." The manager sputters. 

"Save it. I'm submitting the recording to the commission and will speak to the chief of police about this because what difference should it make if she was with me or not?"

They shift uncomfortably behind the podium, glancing at each other nervously. 

She sighs and shakes her head, "Come on (Y/n)-chan, we're not eating here." She grabs your hand, and you both walk out of the restaurant. Her grip on your hand is firm as she strides past various storefronts and high-end boutiques. You could barely keep up with her, even though you were taller than her if she wasn't wearing the heels. Right now, you both stand at the same height. 

"I'm sorry for that, Ochako-chan. If I —"

She shakes her head and turns her head to face you. "Don't be sorry for standing up for yourself. They should be ashamed of themselves for their behaviors. It's disgusting that place is as popular as it is." 

You give her a small smile and still apologize again. 

—

Izuku taps the knuckle of his middle finger on a large glass panel. He waits a few moments before a familiar face unlocks the door. 

"You couldn't come in through the regular door?" Hawks asks with a lopsided grin. The older pro hero hasn't changed from his nonchalant personality at all. 

"I didn't want to get stopped by paparazzi or people wanting an autograph on my way here, so I just hopped on rooftops instead," Green eyes drift to the side as he nervously scratches his cheek. 

"Alrighty then, come in but take off your shoes." The shaggy-haired blonde says with a lopsided grin before he walks away from the balcony. 

Izuku slips off his sneakers and leaves them there. He walks through the seamless glass doors and closes them before he steps down a few steps. After years of being a top pro hero, Hawks was a proud owner of several high-rise penthouse apartments. He only stayed at the same apartment for a week, unless it was in his hometown. He turned the corner, and the massive living room was moderately decorated with two fluffy sectional couches in the middle. 

The sectionals form an open square with two large recliners near them facing the other direction. Large floor-to-ceiling glass panels made up one side the room. The clear view of the skyscrapers and differently shaped buildings looked like something out of a magazine.

Hawks jumped over the back of the sectional to plop his body to unpause the anime he was watching earlier. The orange spiky-haired character on the large flat screen looked familiar to Izuku as he stared blankly at the screen. 

"What do you want kid?" 

Izuku rolls his eyes, before looking at the back of Hawk's head. "You're only seven years older than me."

"So? Still older than you." 

Izuku mouth twitches. Your brother would love him. 

"I actually wanted to ask you about something. Kaa-chan—"

"Ah, the turbulent guy with the spiky hair you were friends with while you were my intern. Continue," he gestures with one hand up as the other nonchalantly scratches the side of his leg. 

"Y-yeah. Kaa-chan mentioned something when he worked with you for a few months. It was about a year before he died. He said that you go through weird phases in the spring because of your quirk?"

"Ah, yeah. I'm surprised you don't remember from your internship. I get horny as fuck. It's some mating period that happens around March until the end of June for birds. I get it around the beginning of May until the end of June." Hawks sighs before he continues, "You're in luck that I've already fucked my girlfriend today. Otherwise, we wouldn't be talking here."

Izuku blinked as Hawk's laughed at a character on the TV screen. 

"Wait, you have a girlfriend?" Izuku would have never imagined his laid-back mentor with a girlfriend. He's never been someone who got attached to his one-night stands. 

"Yeah, for a year now, actually. We're just not public with it— Come on Orihime! What the fuck?!" Hawks sat up from his position quickly from the irritation, cursing at the screen. 

"I'm sorry, a girlfriend?" 

Hawks sighs at the repeated question as he pauses the anime. He turns to the curly-haired man standing in the middle of his living room and swings an arm around the edge of the couch. 

"Yeah, she's actually my mate." 

Mate …. Izuku's face scrunches as his finger rubs his chin.  Could this be due to his quirk?

"Mate? Like how werewolves in those comic books have mates they bond with for life? Is it because of your quirk?"

Hawks scratches his head as his eyebrows knit together, "No, Midoriya. Jeez, did you lose a couple of brain cells being the number one pro hero or something?"

Izuku purses his lips as he weakly glares at him. Hawks rolls his gold eyes before he sighs deeply. 

"It's all over the news since last year. About how people could find their soulmates through their smell? You must have heard about it." 

Izuku slowly shakes his head. 'No'

Hawks sighs before muttering under his breath, "You're actually going to make me look this up for you." He stands up from his seat and walks past Izuku.

"On my day off too. Jeez, kid." The blond grumbles as he walks out of the living room. Izuku stares at him blankly before following the experienced pro-hero out of his living room, through the wide hallway, before the blond opens a hardwood door. 

Izuku peers past the damaged scarlet wings to see a slightly messy but spacious office space, lined with bookshelves filled with textbooks and informational books. 

"So," Hawks pads through the door frame and strolls parallel to one side of his office. Sharp eyes scan the shelves until Izuku hears a soft, "Ah, there it is."

Hawks tosses him three thick stacks of papers bound with thick black metal coils. Each had to be over five hundred pages. Izuku holds it close to his body before he peers down at the front title page of the paperwork, covered by a transparent sheet of plastic. 

'Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

The Association between Body Odors and Romantic Relationship Commitment on Modern-day Humans: Do Humans Have Soulmates? The Soul Mate Experimental Trial 00'

Leafy green orbs almost bulge out of their place as they scan over the words once again. Izuku's ribs feel like they're being squeezed together. 

What the—what the hell is this?

Did he just read that right?

Izuku looks up at Hawks, who has his hands stuffed in his shorts. 

"Have fun obsessing over the information. The second one in the middle is pretty interesting about the effects of prolonged exposure without coupling. Which means sex—"

"I know that!" Izuku squawks at Hawks with slightly pink cheeks. 

Hawks shrugs, "I'm pretty sure if you came here, you haven't had sex with the person. So, you should probably do that soon."

Izuku's eyes widen, and panic rises in his throat. "W-w-wait, you mean there's negative side effects to  ignoring  it?"

"Well yeah. Are you not paying attention? But you should read it for yourself. Did you talk to All Might about this yet? One for All may change things for you." He taps a finger on his chin a few times before he speaks again. 

"The third stack of paperwork outlines a few different quirk types and the effects they experience after long periods of withdrawal of sex after they coupled with their mates. But I've read something about those who have never coupled and how they were fine if they stayed a few feet away from each other. The article mentioned that if the people were in relationships before, they met their 'Soulmate'" Hawks air quotes his free hand before continuing, 

"About 90 percent of those relationships failed after five years before they get together with their 'mates.' So, even though the public is finally aware of this, they've been researching this stuff for decades. I think there's research that dates to over fifty years ago."

Then it clicks for Hawks.

"Is this about the pretty girl you skipped my internship for to go to her basketball game  twice ? The same girl who was married to Spiky Hair? The same one who got hurt, and because of it, you went Super Saiyan on a villain about a few months back?"

Izuku starts to sweat. He tries to say no, but he makes a choked noise instead. 

"You almost  killed  someone Midoriya. If it wasn't for the sedative in that dart—" 

Hawks sharply inhales before carding a hand through his blond hair, "Well, this just got complicated. You've known this girl for, what, ten  years ? There's no research on that possibility at all."

Hawks furrow his brow as he rubs his jaw, staring at the hardwood floor. "Not to mention, she's quirkless. She doesn't have the same regenerative abilities or endurance as even someone with the most useless quirk imaginable. Quirkless humans are more fragile than anyone with a quirk. They could die from falling off a two-story building. People with quirks can walk off fine with a broken leg, arm, or even a badly sprained ankle. They are completely  normal ."

Dread starts bubbling up in Izuku's stomach as his fingers grip the solid corners of the papers. The clock in the room ticks quietly, and the tension in the room is heavy. 

Hawks continues, "Let alone, there's no telling how your body might react. Would it be dangerous to even have sex with her?"

Canary orbs snap to Izuku's face, "What if you lose control of your quirk and kill her?"

Izuku swallows as he glances back at the paperwork he's holding. 

He's going to have to call All Might.

-------

"Thank you," You smile as the waitress sets down two thick and fluffy slices of french toast, drizzled with maple syrup, powdered sugar, and berries. Each slice is about three fingers thick and slightly longer than your whole hand. The whole thing was toppled with a giant dollop of fresh cream. 

The smell of maple syrup makes your mouth water. Your nose catches the bright scent of the raspberries and the very tiny sprig of mint in the middle of all of the sugary goodness. 

The waitress sets three plates in front of the brown-haired pro hero with a small cup of coffee. A large plate of chocolate chip pancakes, tamagoyaki, and small portion of fruit.  

"I think they used nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla in these?" You question as you sniff at them a bit closer. 

"Oh, you could finally smell the spices that they used?" Chocolate orbs blink innocently at you. As if it was normal to smell the spices in a food so distinctly like this. 

You start cutting a small square into the closest pice, swirling it in the sugary mess on the plate and spearing a few berries. 

"Yeah, I guess it was when I broke my nose from the villain attack. Have you always been able to smell like this?" 

She nods, "Most people who have quirks can smell people a foot and a half (half a meter) away from them."

You choke and wheeze before you have a fit of coughs. Your eyes screw shut as your lungs burn. You continue to cough a few more times. You hear a clattering of utensils before a "Are you okay (Y/n)-chan?" 

You clear your throat and grab your glass of water near the table's edge. You gulp half the liquid before setting it down with a small  tap.

"So, you're saying that you could smell if someone shits and didn't wipe their ass?" The intrusive question falls out of your lips. 

Ochako bursts into a fit of laughter, and you chuckle a bit. "Yeah."  

"Pfffft—" And you both start laughing. 

"Wait, so in high school—"

"The answer is yes. Half the guys in high school smelled like wet dog and onions."

You make a fake gagging noise, "That's gross."

"Right?"

"It feels like I never really smelled things before until now. Like from across the table, I still can't smell you, but I could smell the food in front of me and the coffee in your cup down to the ingredient."

Ochako nods, "Right, that's how my nose smells too."

"Are there other people that have more sensitive noses?"

Ochako stuffs a forkful of pancake and chews. You take the time to cut more of your French toast before taking another bite. 

She swallows, "Well, I know that Bakugo-kun and Izuku have very sensitive noses. Bakugo-kun once yelled at Mina because she changed her shampoo to something 'that smelled like overly sugared shit' all the way from across the classroom. He smelled it as soon as he came in that morning."

Your jaw slacks. Before you were able to smell shampoo when someone walked right past you if it was strong enough. Not from across a whole classroom. 

"He's actually never told me about that.." 

Wait… Did I stink to him or something? Holy crap…Is that why he always preferred it when I waxed because I'd be less sweaty? 

You rid yourself of the thought. No use thinking about it if he's not alive to answer it. 

Ochako perks up, sitting straight in her seat. "Now that you mention it. I have something I wanted to tell you."

She sets down her fork and knife and presses her lips thinly. She looks like she always didn't want to say it. 

You nod, slightly raising a brow. 

"Speaking of Bakugo-kun hiding things, remember how you weren't invited to our wedding because of a deal he made with Izuku?"

You nod slowly as you set your fork down. You already don't like where this conversation is heading.  

"So, I met with Izuku before I signed the divorce papers, because I wanted to know." She shifts in her seat as she looks down at the half-eaten plate of pancakes. 

"So I found out what was the deal."

----

'Ochako knocked again on the oversized dark grey door on the third floor of a luxury apartment building that only held two apartments per floor. 

'31'

Her eyes are fixated on the gold numbers, wondering if the universe is playing a joke on her. Her wedding anniversary is March 31st. 

She laughed bitterly at the irony of the situation dawned on her. Seconds tick by, and no answer. 

"Maybe I should have told him I would come over," she whispered to herself. She heard the elevator ding and heard the mechanical whir of the elevator hatch being opened. She turned her head at the sound to see messy green waves and stray curls reaching near the top of the opening. Izuku's head is bent as he's typing on his phone with earbuds in both ears. The other hand gripped the handle of a small black and green duffel bag. The monogrammed in small, tiny letters 'I.M.' gives her a clue she needs. That was his usual gym duffel. 

Ah, he was at the gym. Makes sense.  

The black sweatpants and white t-shirt were not enough for her to assume. Nor were the sneakers he wore either.

Izuku, on his free days, often wore sweatpants and a t-shirt, especially if all he was doing that day was going to the gym and/or grocery shopping. However, if he went out with friends, he would wear dark pants, almost like a hybrid of jeans and slacks, a hoodie, and boots. Occasionally, he would wear jeans but hated them because they weren't the most practical in case if he had to fight a villain. 

Green eyes glanced up to see a small figure by his door. Of course, it wasn't you because you would have had the leopard who hated him. Plus, you always confirm about five times if you ever go to anyone's house. It was a nervous habit that you had yet to work on. 

 When he got closer, he noticed the brown bob. He plucked out one grey earbud. 

"Hey, what are you doing around here?" He gives her a polite smile as he stops near her. 

"I wanted to talk about something before I hand you these." She held up the large manilla envelope, cinnamon-colored orbs peering up nervously at her soon-to-be ex-husband. 

He blinked before agreeing. He unlocked his front door with the pin pad at the side of the door, and Ochako subtly watched what numbers he put in, just for curiosity's sake. 

'704610'

His mother's birthday and yours. The small root of hope buried in the garden of their marriage is yanked out. 

They both enter and take off their shoes at the genkan. Once she walked out of the medium-sized hallway, she was surprised at how nicely decorated his apartment was. It was very modernly designed, but still felt like it had his touch. There's no obscene amount of All Might minus the framed picture that sat on his coffee table of Izuku holding his first hero medal as All Might ruffled his hair. No. Wait. She found an All Might Bobblehead by the TV stand between a Dynamight and Red Riot Bobbleheads. 

His apartment was very large for just one person. The ceiling heights were almost equivalent to their--her house. The kitchen was in a separate location with a dining room nearby. It felt like this apartment might be the size of the first floor of her house.

She decided to sit on one of the grey leather couches, taking in the masculine theme of the apartment. She would have never guessed Izuku would have decorated like this at all. 

I don't even know him at all. He barely spoke to me during our marriage.

"Can I get you some tea or maybe some water?" Izuku asked after coming back from his bedroom. 

"Um sure, I'll take some water." She smiled before he nodded and went down a hallway, disappearing from sight. 

He comes back two minutes later with a water bottle and a muffin. Chocolate chip. 

She loved chocolate chip muffins. 

He sets it down on the table in front of her before sitting on the far right-hand side of the sectional, close to the grey couch she was on. 

"I knew you would come by one day, so I got some fresh ones yesterday."

"Thanks. I—uh, the apartment is nice. I would have never thought that you would decorate like this."

He rubbed the back of his neck, "I hired an interior decorator because I had no idea what I was doing. They did a pretty good job." He smiled sheepishly as they both stared at the coffee table— specifically the manilla folder. 

Ochako balled her fists on her lap, her shoulders pinched up like being controlled by puppet strings. 

She decided to blurt it out. "Before I give you these, I wanted to ask you something." Izuku blinked rapidly before he shifted his lithe body toward her direction. 

He nodded. 

"I've had this question in my head ever since we got married," her fingernails bit the skin of her palm. 

"What did Bakugo-kun tell you to make us not invite (Y/n)?"

Izuku's eyebrows furrowed as he gnawed on his bottom lip, before letting out a breath. 

"I—" He ran his calloused fingers through his wavy hair before scrunching the strands his hand a few times. He exhaled deeply before he even answered. 

"Kaa-chan thought I was in love with (Y/n) and that seeing her at the wedding would make me hesitate to marry you at the altar."

All the air is sucker punched out of Ochako's lungs as her fingertips numb. Nausea rolled in waves as she fought not to tremble. She shakily sucked in a breath before releasing it. His words penetrated the core of her being as they twisted and left ugly scars inside the bloody, beating muscle. 

 But the timbre voice kept going. 

"Kaa-chan was so  adaman t that I loved his wife. So, w-we made a deal. He would be my best man and attend the wedding, but we couldn't invite (Y/n). If I invited her, he said that I would be d-dead to him— I didn't want to lose  him. " He croaked. His voice was raw at the end, choking back emotions he couldn't process.

But you did anyways . The somber thought snapped her into reality. She didn't want to be in an apartment with someone she thought loved her at one point. But she wanted to make sure. 

Did they ever have a chance?

"But you could have proved him wrong and still invited her to the wedding. That way he could have saw that he wasn't right. But he was, wasn't he?" Her voice was so hoarse that it sounded like a whisper. 

She waited for a few beats and heard  silence. 

She sniffed loudly and wiped the rivulets of saline she didn't know she had shed. She looked at the manilla folder and Izuku's pained expression. His eyes were screwed shut as his hand clutched the green strands with white knuckles.  

Ochako stood up and walked down the hallway to the entrance. She slipped on her shoes and shut the large grey door softly. 

The chocolate muffin on the table remained untouched.

----

You walk numbly into the furniture store and talk to the first person you see about reinforced bed frames because your cat is close to weighing double your weight despite his lithe stature. The person recommends something that can hold up to about 1630 kilos (3600 lbs), and you ask if there's something stronger than that. They offer the strongest one that can hold double the weight and has a twenty-year guarantee. You ask about different designs, and when you find one that works, you slap a check in their hands and walk out the door. All within thirty minutes. 

Your body walks to a local butcher, and you ask if they have any fresh alligator. 

They did not. 

So deer it is. 

—-

'" So what was the deal even about?"

Ochako is taken aback. Her jaw slacks leaving her lips slightly open. "You don't know? I thought you would have asked Bakugo-kun after you found out about it." 

You twist your lips into a grimace. You turn your head, avoiding her eyes to stare outside the window. 

"I was honestly too much of a coward to even ask. Anytime Izuku-kun would come up in conversation, he'd always get upset. He never yelled at me, but he'd always get really close to it when the topic was brought up. So, I avoided it." 

Ochako observes the way your eyes seem to blur with unshed tears. Also, like Izuku, she could tell when you were lying, she could too. When you lied, she always noticed you would look down rather quickly and move some part of your body.

You are telling the truth. 

At that moment, Ochako decides right then to keep it from you. Maybe it's jealousy or leftover resentment from how her marriage fell apart. She couldn't say. You just seemed to be the center of it all for her. She wanted something that was finally hers. 

"It was actually about how you had a presentation or something? He didn't want Izuku to bother you with the planning or anything."

She's completely bullshitting. 

Ochako is guessing relevant information because she has no idea if there was a presentation.

She watched the gears in your head turn before your features lit up. "Ah, the merger! But my boss didn't even care about the presentation to the higher-ups."

Ochako smiles before she takes another bit of food. She didn't want to spin the lie even further and push her luck. 

"Well, that was a dumb reason." You snort. 

"Yeah." She says as she pushes her food around on the plate. Ochako hated lying, but she'd rather lie than tell you the actual truth. A subconscious part of her felt like you'd be oblivious even if she did tell you. It almost felt unfair that you had already gotten one of the most sought-after men in Japan, and now you have to take  him  too? 

So, it wasn't charming of her to do this. Hell, it might be wrong, but this situation didn't even seem fair to her. Her husband—ex-husband— loved work so much that he would work until he dropped. Yet, Izuku took  a year  off for  you . He changed his patrol times permanently so he could drive  you  to work in the mornings at the drop of a hat. Ochako struggled to get him to take a three-day vacation for their anniversary.   

Shit, this man almost ruined his entire career for you by nearly killing that low-tier villain on live TV.  

So, this minor omission is nothing. 

Her lips quiver, "I hope the bucket list idea works for you. I want you to be happy. But, more importantly, I hope we can start on a fresh page in our friendship because I still want to be friends. I'm just gonna need some space away from everything, you know?" 

You swipe at the tears gushing from your eyes, and nod. "Sure— of course… How are you still able to t-talk to me and s-sstill w-want to be friends? 

You stop when Ochako grabs your hand with tears in her eyes. "Nobody's perfect, and that's okay. We've all played our parts in this. Now it's time to make ourselves happy." A fat tear rolled from her eye, and all you could think was,  Izuku-kun you're a fucking idiot for letting her go. 

——

You walk to a park as you feed Kuro chunks of raw baby deer meat, prepared by a butcher who skinned and deboned the meat before cutting it into chewable chunks. They threw another baby deer leg in there to get rid of today's catch. Each leg was about half a pound, so the butcher probably thought it was for you.

"Hey, Kuro, do you think I'm an idiot?" You ask your cat as he swallows his chewed-up raw meat. He actually looked very happy eating it. 

Maybe I should get more deer. He seems to like that better than alligator.  

A peachy translucent bubble forms around you both. You see Kuro make the gestures of a meow but hear him say "No." In a voice that sounded very eerily similar to your late husband but somewhat sweeter? Like a combo of Katsuki's voice but lighter. It was similar but off. 

"I think that sometimes you cry too much, you run away from tough conversations because you're too scared to face them head-on, and too nice to people that might not deserve it. But, you're not an idiot."

 "Thanks for being honest," you sigh as you smooth a hand through his fur. He blinks slowly at you with those adorable sky-blue and jade-green eyes. A kitty kiss. 

"I love you too." You smile before it drops slowly.  

"I think Ochako wasn't telling the truth about the deal. What do you think?" You shift in your seat, suddenly uncomfortable sitting on a bench while your pet is lying down. You probably look weird being in a marigold sphere talking to a very large animal. 

"No shit. She's a shit liar, just like you."

You pout childishly as Kuro rolls his eyes. Yet, like clockwork, his head bumps your leg almost apologetically for the criticism. As if he  has  to show you that he still loves you even though he's being brutally honest with you. Again, eerily similar to your late husband. 

"But she probably has her reasons for lying. Again, it's their relationship, not yours—no use sticking your nose into other people's business if there's no genuine reason for it."

You press your lips together as you let his words sink in. It still hurt that she did lie. That's why you were sulking earlier. 

In your walk around the park earlier, you were able to think about the situation. Now you're just grateful that lying was all she  did  do. Ochako could have made you fly off to space, and nobody would bat a single eye at a quirkless person's disappearance.  

Kuro lays on the grass right by your feet, and you join him—using his back as a pillow. The animal begins purring at the contact, which is very relaxing. 

During your brunch, Ochako revealed she was there during the villain attack. She was the one who sedated Izuku using her zero-gravity quirk to sting a dart on his neck. She also mentioned that she hadn't seen Izuku that way in so long. Not since Katsuki was severely injured when they were teenagers. Ochako didn't fail to add it was surprising how much damage he did to the city. But luckily, his agency and Katsuki's agency, of which he holds almost half of the shares for, managed to cover the bill. Despite everything, both agencies have thrived and featured on several top ten lists. 

You didn't want to think about it anymore. 

Your eyes remain shut as Kuro vibrates like a car engine. "Can you keep this shield up while you sleep?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"Your brother had me leave it on almost every night for four days. That was a few months ago, so I guess longer than that now."

You hum, "So should we take a nap here or go back home and nap instead?     

"Home. I want to shower, shit, and sleep." His crude language doesn't fail to bring a smile to your lips. 

That's something Katsuki would say . You giggle and get up. You dust yourself off, and Kuro stands up on his four paws and stretches. 

"Kuro, did you like the deer better than the alligator?"

Kuro huffs, "Was that not obvious?"

You smile as he hands you the handle for his leash. It was obvious, but you like messing with him. 

"We'll stop for deer on our way home since I only gave you a pound. Any other requests? Remember, you need to take your vitamins too." You begin walking as the yellow sphere moves with you, gently pushing other people out of your way with surprised looks. 

Kuro grumbles, "Fuck those vitamins. They taste like shit."

The sphere cracks and shatters soundlessly into tiny specs of shimmery dust before getting swept by the wind and disappearing. 

You both take another lap around the park in a different way than you did before. You both decide to take a turn at a fork and spot a large fenced gate before you hear the familiar squeaks of sneakers and shouts. You stop and flash your best puppy dog eyes at Kuro, who looks at you with a bored expression. 

"Please?"

The leopard huffs. Heterochromatic eyes peer at your sandals. He places a firm paw on them and huffs again. 'No, have you seen what you're wearing?'

"I'll be fineeeeee." You wave off and grin at the snow leopard's deadpanned expression. 

You walk faster to observe the players. After a few seconds to stare, it seemed like a half-court game, with eleven players in total, five vs. six. They're all male, but you feel like you could hold your own, you've started to practice again at a membership gym with a mixed group. 

"It's five v six, Kuro. They need another player anyways." You try to convince the white spotted animal. 

He snorts and rolls his eyes. 

"Hey! Do you guys need an extra player?" You shout loudly, waving a hand to catch their attention. They all stop, and one holds the dark orange rubber ball gripped with both hands. Kuro whips his head to glare at you. Red flags started blaring in his head. 

1. You aren't wearing the proper attire to play basketball, especially in sandals and a dress. 
2. You are a lot smaller and thinner than all of the players. 
3. You are a quirkless woman.  

Not that women couldn't play the sport, but Kuro couldn't assess whether they might hurt you with a spontaneous quirk attack. 

One of the players scoffs as they roll their eyes, "What, you're not being serious? What would  you  know about basketball?"

"I know some stuff," you smile.

"But you're a just a tiny pretty  girl —" The player gets elbowed by a taller and more muscular man who makes a slicing gesture on his neck. Cut it out. 

"What?" You tilted your chin up, "Scared you might lose to a girl?"

Kuro's eye twitches. A cockier and snarkier version of you comes to the surface when it comes to basketball. He's been to the games you've done at the gym these past few weeks. From what he understood, you've managed to work with your team by communicating clearly enough to have them win almost every single game. Yes, at first, you had to get into the groove of things, but it was like re-learning how to ride a bike again after not riding it for some time. 

You get the hang of it quickly. 

After researching on his time alone, he found some newspaper articles about you since he knew how to use your tablet (you don't even know yet). You were a top player at Tokyo University's Women's Basketball Team, maintaining a decent GPA. Of course, it wasn't perfect, but it wasn't shabby either. Although you were shorter than your teammates by a wide margin, you still beat the odds and were even offered to go overseas to play. Kuro was very shocked to see how  good  you were. 

But you didn't take any of the offers and decided to work at Pro Hero Magazine and marry someone named Dynamight. When Kuro saw the face of the man you married, a prickly sensation shot up his spine before he swiped a paw and shut the screen. He didn't bother reading any more of the article. 

"Hey, aren't you Dynamight's wife?" 

Kuro notices that you hesitate before you answer the person. "I wish. People always say I look like her though. Girls like me don't play basketball, so we must all look the same, right?" You shrug saracastically, and one of the other players rolls their eyes at you. 

You drop the leash handle, and Kuro internally grumbles before picking up the leash in his mouth and walking behind you. You grab the edge of the ajar black steel gate door, and it groans open when you pull it back. You leave it open as you walk toward the middle of the outdoor basketball court. 

"Okay, if you're so cocky about it, why don't you try shooting from the two-point line." The player gripping the basketball bounce passes it to you, and the ball hits the concrete once before diagonally coming towards you. You take the ball and feign a wince. 

Kuro knows you're full of shit as you pretend to be terrible. He sits off the court as he watches you badly dribble, as it bounces away from you before you step forward to catch it. Blue and green eyes flicker to gaze at the men snickering and making fun of you. 

His eyes narrow, and his furry ears flick at the air as he catches every snide remark. 

"Bro. Watch, she's going to miss it so badly."

"Look at those skinny little arms. No way she could make it from there."

"I bet you like ten bucks she's just trying to flirt with us."

"I mean, shit, she looks good."

"Yeah, I'd fuck her too. That cocky attitude was kinda cute."

"PPPFFT! Bro. She can't even dribble."

"Hey guys, I want to try shooting with my eyes closed!" You shout. 

They all snigger while one goes, "Sure!"

You hold one hand over your eyes while the other one balances the basketball in your grip. While it's not a women's basketball, you've played with these basketballs during your recreational team's practice as many times as a women's basketball. 

You square your hips and crouch a bit, resting your weight on the front of your feet. You balance your hand before you hold up the basketball up with your elbow tucked in. You jump a bit and flick your wrist. You wait for it. 

Swoosh

You open your eyes and smile at them. 

They all look confused. 

"Pssht, lucky shot."

"Yeah, anyone could make that with their eyes closed."

"Try again from the three-point line."

You hold back a smirk, "Can I pick which side I can shoot from?" You try to muster it as innocently as possible.

"Yeah, pick a side."

You pick the side that's not your favorite, but a spot you feel the most comfortable shooting at with sandals. 

You dribble a lot better than previously and stop. You grab the hem of your dress and start raising it up. Kuro is  very quick  to stand up and try to cover you as the men leer at you. Surprisingly enough, you wore a tank top and biker-length spandex shorts under the dress. 

"Thank God I wore this under. I knew today would be hot, so I hope you don't mind."

Once a basketball player, always a basketball player.  You smile at the thought. 

You're  always  ready. 

You cross the basketball between your legs and slowly trot while dribbling to the spot. You step back, with the ball in front of your head and elbows tucked, and you jump and shoot the ball at the basket, flicking your wrist with the release. You keep the flicked wrist up as you step back. 

Swoosh. 

It did not hit the backboard at all. A perfectly clean shot inside the basket. 

"So, can I play now?" You smile as the ball rolls in the opposite direction of you. 

Silence. 

Kuro rolls his eyes. You are such a teenager sometimes. He kneads at the floor several times with his paws and lies down. The shade covers him and provides a bit of relief from the overhead sun.

Now he's stuck here, watching you play basketball and keeping an eye out if those guys make any sudden movements that he doesn't like. 

Another day in Kuro’s life.

"She's on our team."

"No, you rugrat, she's on  our  team. We have five players."

"Hey," You interrupt as you walk over the huddled group of men. "Can we make it a rule, no quirks during the game?"

One of them looks at the other person, and that person shrugs. "I guess. I mean, Yakimora and I don't have quirks anyways. So it wouldn't be fair if we played with it." 

You flash a wide toothy grin, "Awesome."

-----

To say that Toshinori Yagi was surprised to see Izuku at his house without calling was an understatement, especially because Izuku is the type of person to triple-call to make sure he can come over. 

"Uh, hey, Izuku. W-what brings you around here?" The slightly flushed, gaunt man looks at Izuku with a skittish smile. All Might was barely dressed, clad in his boxers and a half-open blue robe. His usual hairstyle is a mess, with blond flyaways sticking up in random directions. 

Izuku sniffs the air before he scrunches his face slightly. "Were you at the gym or something, A-all Might? You smell like...—" Izuku inhaled sharply and stepped back. Suddenly, it's like Izuku is ten again. His nerves cause his arms to flail, almost swinging the bag filled with research documents at the white columns of the front entrance. His cheeks warm as he stares at the ground, unable to look at his idol in the eyes like a blushing virgin. 

"I'll err come back l-later. I shouldhavecalledbut—" 

"It's fine. Just next time, please give me a warning," He smiles sheepishly while rubbing his neck with his hand. 

"So what was the question?" The retired hero asks his former mentee, who still can't look All Might in the eye. 

"I wanted to ask you about the smell thing again. The one where—"

All Might smiles broadly and taps Izuku's well-defined chest with light slaps. "I've been waiting for this. Stay right here. I'll tell them I'll be back. We can go to the garden to talk about this." 

Izuku pulled out his phone to look at any urgent emails that came into his inbox this morning or some paperwork that needed to be signed.

 Even though he was taking a leave of absence from being a pro-hero, that still didn't mean he wasn't the CEO of his own agency. Everyday, he'd stop by after the gym to sign any paperwork or get any brief notes from missions currently signed heroes are doing. In addition, he still had attend risk management meetings to go over risk insurance policies being implemented, attend finance and budget meetings, and HR meetings. 

So, he wasn't entirely  off . 

He just had a lot more free time. He dedicated two-three hours in the office every day and 1-2 hours and at home answering emails, signing paperwork, or going over things with his legal team and marketing teams. 

With Katsuki's agency, he owned a pretty hefty percentage of the shares in the company. But he was not the active CEO. That was Kirishima. He was technically an executive chairman. So he only needed to attend their bi-weekly meetings, and his secretary would alert him if anything pressing or urgent came up. 

After a few quick emails, and checking for any new text messages, his thumb presses your necklace's tracker app. He double-takes when he sees that you've been at the park for two and a half hours. 

Is she okay? 

A shiver runs up his spine as images of the villain attack replay in his brain. He could feel his anxiety creep into his body like ink in water. His thumb hovers on the face call button right before All Might comes back in loungewear and his house slippers. Izuku wrinkles his nose at the sudden smell, placing his phone in his pocket. Using the back of his hand to press on his mouth, trying to quell the sudden urge to upchuck his lunch. 

The man in front of him smelled drenched in sweat and sex. 

"Come, we could go around the back, and we could talk about this there."

After walking around the extensive mansion grounds, and down some cobble-stoned steps on a hill, Izuku and his mentor reach the garden area. 

After walking the stoned floating steps between the koi fish pond and the flower garden, they reach a raised seating area underneath a pergola. 

"So, about the smell. When I was young, I had no idea what it was. But I knew that there was something definitely wrong," All Might starts, leaning back in his chair. He's watching the picturesque background of his property and how the wind dances with the greenery. 

"When I found out about through Gran Turino, all the pieces started to click together. But, I wasn't ready to assume that responsibility."

"Responsibility of what?" Izuku inquires. All Might's piercing blue eyes slowly move and land on Izuku's face. "A soulmate."

 All the air whooshes out of Izuku's lungs, and his stomach lurches with nausea. "S-Soul…M-mate?" He stutters as his heart drums behind his ribcage. Hawks was  right. 

"Yes, a soulmate. Someone who we are destined to be with for the rest of our lives. They are the other half of your soul. It's even called a twin flame in some other languages. According to David, we can find them through our nose. One for All makes it easier because our noses are more enhanced than the average person with a quirk."

All Might pauses to turn to Izuku and places his clasped hands on the circular marble table he is sitting in front of. "I—One for All enhances every aspect of this. Desires, urges, jealousy, etc. You are not  you  around this person. If they are in danger, you will not be able to think clearly at all. Even if others are in danger, you will not be a  hero  at that moment .  If your soulmate gets hurt, you will  feel it. "

All Might's words are a gut-sink moment that left acid in Izuku's mouth – shock.

The memory of that day when the villain attack happened sprang forward. 

----

Before seeing the news, his heart thuds harshly in his chest. 

His vision skews and tilts everything at a 90-degree angle in slow motion before the breath is knocked out of his lungs. A scarred palm shoots out to search for a wall to help hold him up as the random attack on his body hits him. His vision turns grainy as his legs give out. His ears can't hear anything other than a sharp, piercing ringing noise. He gasps for a breath as he clutches blindly at his heart. The pain there was sharp, as if it was deeply cut with glass. A horrid sense of dread fills his stomach as he tries to swallow a breath. The emotion tastes acrid in his mouth. 

But no matter what, he can't seem to  breathe . Sweat starts to form beads quickly all over his body. His fingertips feel  cold.

He curls up in a fetal-like position on the floor for a moment, waiting for the feeling to dissipate. He briefly wonders if he is having a heart attack. 

A moment passes before the feeling is completely gone. It leaves as quickly as it came.

He sucks a gulp of air as his shaky hands palm at the cold floor. His hearing rapidly comes back, registering a phone ringing. Now he can feel the vibration in the front pocket of his pants. He struggles but manages to sit up, holding himself up with a hand on the floor. He fishes out the vibrating device from his pants pocket and cracks out a hello. His voice is hoarse and labored. 

A voice on the other end shouts and cries simultaneously, and he can barely recognize any of the words. 

--------

He opens his mouth and closes it again. Izuku stares blankly at his hands, his memories of how he felt so  out of control  that moment he fought the low-tier villain. His thought of killing that villain was the only thing he could think of. It was definitely unlike him, but he thought it was because he was in love with you—not because of  this. 

"So, is love even real in these soulmate relationships?"

All Might smiles solemnly, "Your soul has been in love with them before you even realized they existed."

Oh. So the whole concept of choosing someone to fall in love with was a lie. Got it. 

"So yes, you could try being in a relationship, but you saw how that panned out."

The comment pricks like a thorn as Izuku grimaces, his fingers clenching into fists. 

"So what else is different about these relationships with our quirk compared to normal people?"

"Well, you'll be like a dog in heat if you have sex with this person. It ranges from a week or two-week span every two months. Unless they get pregnant. Then your hormones mellow out."

"Okay, so long periods of sex every two months, feeling when they are injured or in pain, and emotions are intensified. Got it. Anything else I should be aware of?"

All Might fiddles with his fingers as he stares at his hands, "So, there are rumors of side effects, but we're not exactly sure. Especially with One for All being a stockpiling quirk, we are much less aware of potential side effects. As your mentor, I regret not telling you sooner. I should have told you what it was when you were in high school." 

Yes—yes, he should have. Yet, despite omitting information that drastically changed his life, Izuku could never be mad at All Might. 

"I just didn't want that to affect your dreams—you wanted to be a hero so  badly , and I just thought-"

Izuku shook his head, and smiled to let his former mentor know it was fine. 

"I get it," his jade eyes cast down to the table, the tiny smile on his pink lips fading. At that moment, Izuku wonders if All Might had said something else if life had been different. How would your life look? 

Would you have pursued playing overseas? 

Would you be married to him and have already started a family? 

Kids. 

Izuku's clenched fists tremble slightly with the idea of being a father. 

It wasn't that he never wanted to be one—it's just he never pictured himself with them with his ex-wife. Izuku loved children, and he knew you did too, from what he saw during your internship in college. You'd sometimes fumble depending on the child, but you'd always win them over with your bright and friendly personality. 

He inhales sharply before his lips twist into a thin line. 

Can he even  have  a family as a hero? 

Can he be that selfish? 

"Young Midoriya." Izuku's head snaps up to see Yagi's solemn face. 

"I know that your mind is brimming with questions and scenarios right now, but take the rest of your leave of absence to decide how you want your future to be," the former hero licks his lips and smiles in a paternal way. 

"I'm happy for you regardless."

Izuku's lips tremble as the stress, anxiety, fear begin to crest to the surface. His throat clogs with emotion as briny liquid pools at his waterline before overflowing. The tears spill down freckled cheeks as the hero bits back a wretched sob. Izuku hastily wipes his eyes with his forearm every few seconds. The sounds of Izuku sniffling wetly are quiet but are louder than anything in the garden. 

Pro heroes are expected to be strong and burden everyone's else woes and anxieties on their shoulders. Heroes had to put on a brave face for everyone and smile despite their feelings. When Izuku became a hero, he cast everything personal to the side so he could be the best hero he could be.

He wasn't allowed the space to grieve for his best friend's death. Izuku has yet to fully process of almost losing his mother a few years back because he had a responsibility as a  hero. 

To be a pillar of hope to the people. 

To live up to   the legacy  his  hero left behind. 

The contact of something warm on his hand startles him before he sees a thin hand covering the scared skin. "You've done so much and can rest for a bit. It's okay to be Izuku Midoriya…"

Izuku's body trembles at the words, his blotchy cheeks damp with hot tears. 

"The world can wait for you to come back if  you  want to. If you want to do something else, that's okay too. It's not selfish to do things for yourself. You matter," Yagi pauses to look at the younger male, finally seeing everything Izuku had inside as if he were looking through a glass window.

"I'm so proud of you, Young Midoriya."

The floodgates open, knocking the wind out of his lungs as a wretched wail emerges from his lips. Izuku's calloused hands cover his face as torrents of grief spill from emerald orbs. Yagi pats Izuku's hunched back as hiccuping sobs and wet sniffling fill the space between them. 

Izuku's finally  mourning. 

—-

Swoosh . 

"And that's game!" You yell with your wrist still up, and your teammates immediately rush over to do this weird handshake you're not familiar with, but you've seen men do it in America. 

You're sweaty and panting as they shake your body and excitedly talk about that last shot you made from nearly half-court. 

"No way. Are you sure you're not a pro basketball player?"

"Nah, she definitely has a basketball quirk or something." Someone from the other team grumbles. 

"No, she's missed like twice. People with basketball quirks never miss."

"Let's play again. This time for sure, we're going to beat you."

You shake your head, "I'm sorry guys, I have to go. I have a bed frame delivery at 4:30, and it's already 3:50. Plus, we've played three times already. My little muscles are sore."

"Awww man." 

A chorus of moans and whines came from the group of eleven before you asked them for their contact information to make a group chat for the next time you'd all play. You offered them a guest pass to come to play at the gym you usually play at, and they all looked excited about going. 

You pick up your dress from the floor, and Kuro perks up from his mini nap. "Come on Kuro, let's go." 

The animal stands up on all four paws and stretches before sneezing. He gingerly places the leash handle in your hand, and you wave to the others as you walk away. They wave back with a mix of 'see you soon's or 'I'll beat you next time'. You both walk out of the park and order a taxi through an app on your phone. Before long, you were home with minutes to spare. 

Your wobbly legs give out right after you take off your shoes. You sit at the raised level of the genkan. Kuro circles around you curiously, assessing your form. 

"I'm fine. I'm just a bit exhausted. It's been a while since I've played for that long," you smile at Kuro. Kuro huffs.

Before you can respond, the door latch clicks before revealing a tired green-haired man with a black zipped-up bag. He closes the door before he notices you sitting on the raised level. 

Izuku blinks as he stands by the door. "Oh! Did you just get home?" 

You nod, "Actually, I just got back a minute before you did. I just needed a sec before I get up," You smile before trying to stand up. You can't. 

"Are you oka— what happened to your ankles?!" Izuku steps towards you and crouches in front of you. Concern paints his features as his jade eyes stare at your swollen, bruised ankles and feet.

"I was-uh- playing basketball in sandals," you said sheepishly, rubbing the back of your damp neck. 

His head snaps up to look at you with furrowed brows and a deep scowl. Your stomach swirls with guilt. 

You quickly hold up a hand in between you, "Before you say anything, I didn't know that they were like this until I got back."

Clover-colored eyes flicker between your ankles and your face. Izuku's face scrunches as his eyes gaze at your ankles again.

"You didn't feel this at all?" He says incredulously, feeling slightly irritated at your decision to play without the proper shoes. 

You shrug. 

"Not really. I was too focused on winning to notice anything."

Izuku's left eye twitches at your blazé attitude. 

"That doesn't even make any— ," he screws his eyes shut and deeply exhales. When he breathes in, he notices you don't smell like  you . You smell like a mixture of scents of different people, and it slightly irritated his nose. The thought of different people roughly bumping into you makes his stomach swirl with prickling irrational anger. 

Izuku's eyes open, and he points to your ankles, "Kuro, do you think you could heal her?" 

The cat makes a noise between a scoff and a huff before walking away. You pout. 

"Kuro, don't be mad at me. I beat them  three  times. You should be proud of me!" 

The animal responds with an irritated-sounding meow. You hear the sound of a weight falling on a cushion as a soft  poof  sound. 

Izuku cards a scarred hand through his pine green hair before he raises his body slightly, slips off his sneakers, and drops the back bag next to it. He scoops you up like you weigh absolutely nothing before raising himself to full height. 

You gasp and kick your feet up and down, "I can walk!" You protest. 

"Not with those sprained ankles."

The tall pro hero steps up the genkan and strides through the small entrance hallway leading up to your living room/ kitchen area before setting you down next to Kuro. 

Izuku flashes a glare at the snow leopard. Kuro rolls his eyes before shifting his feline body to lie across your lap. An electric blue aura glows from the animal, who is splayed on you before covering your entire being. The wind picks up around you as the warm glow covers you like a burrito. 

Izuku folds his arms across his chest as he stands before you both like a scolding parent. Jade eyes intently stare at your feet and ankles as they shrink and diminish to their normal state—the bruising disappears and returns to your normal skin tone. It's like you never got injured. 

The blue glow and warm wind stop before Kuro grumbles, pouting. You flex your toes and smile before smoothing a hand through the white-speckled fur of your very large cat. 

"Thank you Kuro, you're the best," You say as you bend down to kiss the top of his head. The snow leopard lets out a sigh before shutting his eyes. 

"What park did you play at? How long were you playing for, and with who? How many people were there?" He knew precisely which park you were at and for how long you were there. 

But you didn't know that. 

Izuku gazes down your form and finally notices that you're not in the outfit you left the apartment with. 

"What happened to your dress?"

"Jeez, dad. Do you want me to tell you the exact temperature and humidity too?" You roll your eyes as you continue petting Kuro. The animal begins to purr like a car engine. 

Izuku presses his lips into a thin line and raises a brow at you. He's still standing in front of you. 

You grimace before you let out a huff. 

"I always wear a tank top and shorts under all of my outfits unless Etsuko decides to play Barbie on me. A basketball player always is ready for a random game. Two, I played at the park by the city square. You know the bigger one? They have an outdoor basketball court, which I didn't know about. Three, I played three games of 21 points with a group of guys. They looked like they were missing a player. So it was six vs. six when I joined. I'm unsure how long I played for, but I left around 3:50."

You continue to pet Kuro soothingly as you wiggle a finger under his jaw. 

All Izuku heard from your response was you were playing with  men . With eleven different men. For hours. 

His vision tinges red as his fingernails dig into his protruding bicep. 

She hung out with men.

She hung out with multiple men. 

Multiple men have touched her. 

Mine. 

Mine. 

Mine . 

Izuku grinds his molars before releasing hot air through his nostrils

Calm down. You know why this happens now. You got through her marrying Kaa-chan. You can get through this. Breathe. It's because she hasn't hung out with other men besides you, Kirishima, and Kaminari. You're in control, not the connection. 

Breathe . 

The doorbell rings, and your   head snaps up. You look down at the cat stretched across the couch and your lap. "Kuro, can you please get off me? I have to get the door."

A furry ear twitches, but the animal does not move. 

"I'll get it," Izuku offers a thin smile before walking to your apartment door.

Calm down. Breathe. 

Izuku opens it slightly, enough to peek out a bit of his face. 

Green orbs warily eye the two people standing in front of the door with matching grey polos, the company logo stamped on the right side of their chest. On the ground is a large wheelbarrow filled with thick black metal poles. 

One of the worker's mouths forms into a large 'O', and eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. 

"HOLY SHI—" 

The other man cuts him off by smacking the back of their head before smiling politely at the cautious hero. 

"Hi, we're here to install a reinforced bed frame for a miss (L/n), (Y/n)?" 

The installment takes no longer than fifteen minutes with Izuku's help. Izuku is already closing the door when you come out of your shower with sweatpants and a large graphic tee that reaches just above your knees. Kuro walks next to you with shiny, fluffy fur. You both drag your feet toward your bedroom. 

Izuku comes in not a moment after to see that you both are already sleeping. He exhales softly, lips tugging into a fond smile as he takes in the scene. 

Then the realization hits him like a brick wall out of nowhere. 

This is what he wanted for the rest of his life. 

You. 

He leans on the frame of your bedroom door as he checks his watch on his wrist, 4:48. Izuku's eyes watch you with rapt attention as something fierce swirls beneath his rib cage. You're sleeping in the middle of the bed, tucked under the thinner grey comforter you take out in summer. You're curled up, and your hair is in a haphazard bun sitting on the top of your head. Kuro is at the foot of the bed, all stretched across the width of the king-sized mattress. 

He doesn't realize he's been watching you both for a while until you start twitching. At first, he thinks nothing of it. The twitching morphs into you tossing your head back and forth while moving your legs frantically. A pained expression crosses your face before you start muttering incoherently. 

"No." You whisper. Your eyebrows knit together with a deep frown. 

Izuku's eyes become wider than saucers when you start to thrash while muttering something. Your face is contorted as if you were in pain. 

Like flicking a switch, instinct washes over his body instantly.  

He rushes over to the bed and lifts the comforter around you, accidentally covering the large cat on the foot of the bed. The bed dips under his weight, and he forgets that he's in the same clothes he was outside with. He could almost see you pouting in his head. 

A scarred arm wraps around your waist to bring your flailing body flush against him. His other hand sits on top of your head, smoothing the errant hairs away from your face. 

"Sshhhh shhh, I'm here. It's okay," he says in a hushed, soothing tone as your body stops jerking. You begin to melt into his hold as he repeats the same thing until the tense muscles in your body relax against his muscular form. 

He blinks, and a dazed look crosses his face. For how long were these nightmares going to plague you? What if he goes back to work and he's not here to soothe you from another nightmare? Would you be okay sleeping without him one day? 

He ponders these questions while stroking the top of your head. Then, when he thinks you've fallen back to sleep, Izuku carefully tries to shift away from your body. 

"Are you still mad at me?" 

Your voice is so meek, he almost doesn't catch it. When did you wake up?

He stills as he hears a wet sniff coming from you.

A dull ache throbs in his chest at the sound, accompanied by a frown. 

Izuku licks his suddenly dry lips as he smooths a hand from your forehead to your bun. "No, no. I-I was never mad at you." He reassures, pulling you closer to him again. Thankfully, you smell like your body wash, so he was safe for another hour before your scent started to break through your pores. 

"But you l-looked angry." You mumble quietly, like a shy child. 

His heart squeezes inside his chest. You make him  crazy.  His emotions changed as fast as a traffic light when you were involved. Didn't you know that he'd go to war for you if you just bat your eyelashes at him? Didn't you know you could get him so angry that he broke doors and punched his best friend in the face? 

Hell, he's been in love with you for  years. 

Smooth way of showing it, Izuku. 

"I wasn't, okay? I'm sorry if it seemed that way. Everything is okay. Go back to sleep… I'll be here." He says gently near your ear, and you give a slight nod. He continues to caress your head, the calloused fingers smoothing the healthy strands on your head. In a few moments, he hears soft rhythmic puffs coming out from your parted lips. He can feel your chest rising and falling in a steady motion. Izuku buries his nose in your tresses before pressing a firm kiss on the back of your head. 

You mumble something his ears can't decipher before you're back in slumberland. 

After a few minutes of staring at the back of your head, the green-haired hero stifles a yawn. This position with you is very comfortable. He silently wishes he could have you in his arms every night for the rest of his life to some higher force. 

Soon enough, the quiet electric hum of where your bodies met runs through his corded muscles like a massage, quickly lulling Izuku. His eyelids grow heavy as the seconds tick by. He tries to will them awake, thinking about how close it was to dinner time. Worried because you should eat something after a strenuous workout, especially because your appetite is finally back after so long.

  I haven't even showered yet.  The thought escapes him as he loses consciousness. 

The comfort of your smell starts seeping through the artificial fragrance of your body wash, and his body practically melts against you like ice cream on a hot day. 

Home , the voice whispers like a siren before he ultimately falls asleep . 

—

‘ “Mido *hic* riya-san, you schmell so  gooodddd.”  You deeply inhale his warm neck as your lips press on his pulse point. 

Izuku didn't know how this even happened. You hugged him, and the next thing he knew, he was on the ground, being straddled by you. 

"P-please I— please get off of me," Izuku stammers as he takes ragged breaths, the erection in his pants is evident by the thick bulge straining against the zipper. He wanted to hide in a sewage drain and never come out. 

"Why? It's making me feels so  goood."

Izuku's blood drained from his whole body, and desire pooled in his stomach. Green orbs wide with the information you drunkenly revealed to the pro hero. 

What did you just fucking say to him? 

"I jush wanna bite and eat you." He trembles as your warm appendage lick a strip of skin on his pulse point. He shivers as his eyes roll back from the sensation as if it was an erogenous zone. 

He's never been sensitive on his neck, but every place your fingers or mouth touched felt like a live wire. 

If he lets you have your way with him— 

The room tilts on its axis as his stomach cramps. You hum drunkenly as you suck on his pulse point, body shifting, and your salacious hips move lower. 

If she does that, all hell will break loose in this karaoke place. 

His calloused fingers grip your trembling hips, effectively stopping you from moving your body any lower. His fingernails break through the black slacks you were wearing. 

He stifled a groan as the most delicious scent greeted his nose. 

Holy fuck. Did your scent get  stronger ? His mouth watered as he swallowed thickly. He could do this. He could beat this effect because nothing can happen.

You both are friends. 

You're  drunk . 

He bites back a scream of pure agony as the sensation rips his breath away. 

Fuck. 

His cock had never hurt so bad in his damn life. His balls will never recover from the absolute pain he is experiencing. This might be one of his top five worst painful moments. 

He shifts his line of vision and glances around the karaoke room. It's the same one you all book when your old classmates meet twice a year to catch up. But that's not what he observes. 

There’s no one  else in the room — for now. 

He had maybe a few moments left before it was too late. Or else he will snap in front of  everyone  when they eventually came in.   

He tried not to feed that urge. The whispers in his head telling him to sink his dick into your awaiting cunt make him light-headed. 

You press your whole body against his and deeply inhale, "This schmell is making me f-feel all tingle. I need —" You let out a whine, and that smell gets even more potent. Izuku screws his eyes shut as his fingers make a bruising grip on your hips. 

thisisduetoscienceorsometypeofgene—

"I'm so wets and *hic* it hurts!" You cried loudly into his chest, your fists balled up the fabric of his t-shirt. 

He could die right now.

Why did you have to be  drunk?  Why  now?

Izuku hoped his subsequent life was not this  bad  because what the fuck did he do to deserve this? Oh, he should have left you alone. He should have avoided you when he became official with Ochako.  He should have . But, Izuku couldn't let you go. He just had to love you, huh?

Now, Izuku's control is so close to snapping that he won't have a say if something happens. 

"H-how about you drink some w-water? Hmm?" Izuku asks, plastering on a smile that twitches at the corner.

The room is sweltering, like a dry sauna. Sweat beads on his brow, and his clothing was beginning to stick to his damp skin. 

Your hand makes its way down his torso as you skim the muscles on his abdomen. The soft skin of your fingertips skirts around the waistband of his pants, barely grazing the thin seem of visible flesh from his ridden-up shirt. Izuku bits back a moan from the gentle skin contact; the electricity of your touch feels like a drop of cool water on his feverish skin. 

You shift your body before your fingers expertly pop open the button of his pants. His vision swirls as he gulps. You look up through your long lashes, "But I wan' omthin else in my mouf." 

Holy fuck. 

He needs to push you off. He needs to get you off him. But he  can't . He's stuck—nailed to the ground.  

His body took the reigns in protest, screaming for some relief. He's panting like a dog in heat as his vision blurs. He's about to go insane if he can't cum in the next ten minutes. 

Was he going to let you continue? Let you possibly regret what would happen?

I'm fucking terrible. 

Izuku can't even look at you as he grits his teeth. He feels so disgusted with himself for being unable to control  himself  with his hormones and the overwhelming desire to rut into you this second. 

As you climb off him, the mossy-eyed man is pulled out of his self-deprecation. He almost sighs, but instead, he chokes on his spit as your fingers snap the metal button, unzips his pants zipper, and grip the fabric of his waistband in a fluid motion. A millisecond later, you pull down his pants and boxers. 

Izuku's painfully hard dick bobs out, and his sensitive tip smacks his belly button before it rests on his abs from the weight. The thick mushroom head rests slightly above his belly button, covering the small divot. Pre-spent dribbles out of the angry tip, lazily running down the shaft.

His jaw is slack as jade orbs are trained on your equally shocked face. Your eyes are wider than he's ever seen them. Your lips part as you openly stare at his cock with your mouth open in a small 'o'.

His scarred hands move to cover himself from your staring, "(Y-y/n) please le—"

Izuku's stomach cramps again, and the wave of pain hits him in full force. Tears spring behind clenched eyes as he bows forward, stomach tight with overwhelming discomfort. He doesn’t get to cover himself as the pain digs deep into his lower belly and spreads throughout his pubic region. He grimaces, waiting for it to disappear before he can even speak.  

"I'm sorry, I just never seen it this big before."

His eyes pop open as he stares at you incredulously. So many questions go through his sex-driven brain before the main question pops up. 

Why aren't you slurring anymore?

His body is slick with sweat as he moves to sit up, but you gently press a hand on his covered chest to lay back down on the floor. You hungrily glance down at his throbbing need before looking into his dilated eyes. "I said, I wanted something else in my mouth." You say as you press your thighs together. 

Izuku screws his eyes shut again.  God, please. Please don't let her hate me for being too weak and letting this happen. 

Poor Izuku is so in his thoughts, he fails to notice that you moved to crawl between his legs. When your soft hands gingerly grasp the base of his stiff shaft. He reacts instantly by arching his back while releasing a gasp of air. It brings him back to the moment. His eyes shift down, and he stares at the hand around his pulsing dick. 

Your fingers can't fully grasp him. The sheer size of it looks almost preposterous in your hands. 

With bated breath, your hand slides up slowly to the tip, where your thumb swirls and smears the cloudy liquid all over his tip, and he bites his bottom lip as he peeks through heavy lids. He has  never  been so sensitive before. 

You draw your hand down until the slick pad of your thumb rubs against the ridge just below the head. You lean down, and your mouth parts open before a pink muscle darts out. Your tongue flicks at the sticky, almost mauve tip before more pre-cum gushes out like a geyser. Izuku lets out a guttural noise before his control  snaps. 

In a green flash, your pants are snatched off your body, and your button-down shirt is ripped open as clear tiny buttons scatter and bounce around the room. Then, with a loud tear, your forest-green panties are ripped into shreds before you realize what is happening. You both have switched positions.

Izuku now hovers over you on his knees with a predatory gaze. One of your bare, slightly sweaty, legs is propped on his shoulder while the other one is held in his firm grip. 

Izuku deeply inhales the air, and his eyes roll so far back it almost hurts. The smell of your exposed, aroused cunt makes his emerald eyes cross; the heady scent brings a fresh wave of goosebumps. Green observant eyes peer down at the amount of slick you produced, how it drips down to form a wet spot on the dark tiled floor. 

He's panting like a caged animal in heat before he looks up at your face. You look fucked out, and he hadn't even been inside you yet. 

Guilt swirls in his heart as he stares into your blown-out eyes. 

Izuku wanted your first time with him to be romantic. He wanted to get back to your bedroom and burn a few candles around the room. Izuku wanted his lips to touch every inch of skin on your body. He wanted to devour your cunt until you came on his face more times than you've ever had. To stretch you with his tongue and fingers before  finally  sinking himself inside you—pouring every ounce of that hidden emotion that he's kept for almost a decade into you. 

But he's not  himself  right now. Izuku's body isn't listening to his mind as his head bends down disobediently. The hero's face buries into the crook of your neck, taking another deep inhale before releasing a pained moan. His pink tongue darts out and licks a stripe of salty-sweet skin on your neck, causing you to moan. It sounds like music to Izuku's ears as his cock throbs in pain. His balls felt like lead weights as he nibbles on the column of your throat. 

His scarred, calloused hands dive to the middle of your chest only to rip the black bra you were wearing in two. He'd buy you another later. 

Izuku wanted to see  all  of you. 

His stomach cramps again, and he moans into your ear. You arch in response. Izuku licks the shell of your ear before pulling away. He grips both legs one-handed and leans them to press against your body. The other peels off his white t shift from the back. The fabric is drenched in sweat as it lands with a soft thud on the floor. His sweaty hands grasp your ankles and prop them on his shoulders, giving him a clear view of your heated cunt. 

Fuck, your soaked pussy looked so pretty. 

Just a taste

Izuku licks his lips as he stares at your second set of lips in awe before a finger starts a trail from your aching hole and drags some of your slick on your already swollen clit. Your smell feels like it is already coating his taste buds. His mouth waters. 

Just a taste. 

Before he could act on his intrusive thought to dive into your soaked cunt, it's cut short by a whine from you. His head snaps up to gaze at your face, your nose is slightly wrinkled as those pretty lips of yours are downturned into a small frown. 

"Izuku-kun, I can't wait anymore.  It hurts.  Please," you plead with shimmering eyes. 

Fuck foreplay. 

With one hand, he guides his girthy cock to your slick-coated cunt.

  It was more than enough lubrication for him to rub and coat himself in it. He almost swears he could come like this alone. 

Green eyes peer at you. He's asking you for permission, that it's your last chance to back out. It's a warning that you both will never have the same relationship again. 

Tears prick at your eyes, and you grimace before giving him a sharp nod. He almost forgot you're in pain too. 

The hero thickly swallows,  I'm really about to fuck my best friend on the floor of a karaoke room. 

"Please, please, please, Izuku —  just hurry. It  hurts."  You beg. Your voice cracks as a tear spills from the corner of your eye. 

Well, how can he say no to that? 

He rolls his hips forward, plunging into your small fleshy opening. You both immediately moan, and his eyelids flutter. A thin line of saliva trails down his mouth because this— he could die just like this. 

His eyes roll to the back of his fluttering eyelids, already looking completely fucked out and drunk. The amount of pure pleasure and soothing relief in his body was so powerful, he had to grasp the base of his cock tight—preventing him from cumming right then and there. 

Holy  fucking  shit . 

He continues to press forward to be met with resistance and a sharp wail of his name. His feral eyes looks down and that's when he realizes, he's only halfway inside of you. Your drenched velvet walls are gripping around him desperately, trying to urge him deeper when  he can't.  His arms strain to hold himself up —  shaking like a leaf. Izuku shifts his body to a better position.

 "F-fuck," he breaths. His brain is going to explode as all he can hear is his fast heartbeat and muted television static. He continues to press forward, and only after an inch of driving his hips harder, his swollen tip is rammed harshly against your cervix. 

His lips twist, he doesn't  fit.  His eyes flit down, and openly stares at where you both are joined. 

She's your soulmate. You can make it fit. 

More . 

Fill her. 

The thought of making you completely engorged with him makes him  bestial .  

More. 

"Izuku.." You moan absentmindedly, peering at the taller man with teary eyes. Izuku's ego inflates like a float on parade day. 

Leafy green eyes greedily trail your body, especially how your pretty nipples look. The blown-out orbs continue to slide down, and they notice  that . There's a bump in your lower stomach and he  was the cause of  it. He could see exactly how deep he is inside you, and he  loves  it. He lets out a hiss, his eyes screw shut as his hips pull back slowly. Fireworks go off behind his eyelids. 

So fucking good. 

The brief moment of clarity is completely gone before he all but folds you in half and slams into you with such so much force, you scream bloody murder as you claw at his back—completely bullying himself inside. His cock fills you beyond your limits, molding itself into a new shape to accommodate his girth. 

His large hand smacks your ass before squeezing roughly. Fuck. He's dreamed of you in this position so many times.

You yelp loudly at the feeling, and your hands fly to claw at his back, but he barely feels it. His hips are moving on their own accord. "God-‘yur so fucking perfect for me," Izuku whispers to himself. His heavy balls slap into your ass as he pumps into your sloppy cunt, moaning loudly every time he slowly bottoms out. He furrows his eyebrows and tries to focus on making a steady pace, but he can barely even keep himself grounded. The heat and friction of your bodies together builds to heights he'd never experienced before. 

"Fuck—this feels s-so good," he moans lowly, sinking deeper, fucking you fuller, slamming into you needier. The mantra in his head was loud, shouting to fuck you harder, to make you cum around him, to  breed you . A flame of hot desire licks up Izuku's spine at the thought of filling you to the brim with his cum. Something he's never thought of doing with someone in all his 27 years of life, but you're making him  insane. 

"It's-" you can barely breathe, yet Izuku's fingers start to toy with your clit, sucking relentlessly at your throat. "So  tight , had no idea you'd feel like  this ," He drawls, teeth bared. He feels  wild,  he's never felt such intense pleasure in his life. 

His messy curls cling to his damp forehead as he slams harder into your sopping heat. Your creamy arousal gathers at the base of his cock, and drips down his heavy sack. Dizzying pleasure runs like wildfire in his veins as he claws the laminate flooring, fingernails chipping and breaking off the tile into tiny jagged pieces. There isn't a coherent thought going through Izuku's head other than to rut his cock into you harder and deeper—as if it was his sole purpose in life to fuck you into oblivion. 

"Izuku, ngh..! It's too much!" You cry out as more slick coats his shaft and drips into the ever-growing sticky puddle under you. Instead of listening, he presses his body further against yours, and you let out a choked whine as your hips are slightly raised and your knees practically next to your ears. He doesn't let up on his brutal pace. The sounds of wet  squelches  and soft  pat pat pats  as his wet, heavy balls hit the crease of your ass are background noises compared to your moans and cries of pleasure. 

Izuku's eyes glow within the thin rim of green still left. Your skin feels incredibly warm, just like his. " F-fuckin hell,  such a perfect- fuckin' pussy," he slurs out by your ear, and you whine his name as your sex tightly grips him at the praise. You moan loudly in response. His cock drags against your tight velvet walls, the head of his dick nudging against your cervix in painful pleasure with every thrust. Blown-out eyes almost see heaven when they roll to the back of his head at how your pussy is so greedy for  him.   

He doesn't stop swirling his calloused thumb on your swollen clit. He wants you to make an absolute  mess  for him. 

"Izu- I- ngh," you cry out; your drooling cunt starts clenching and fluttering around him. His balls tighten as he grits his teeth. He's not gonna last long like this. 

Fuck.  He needed to slow down, but continued bullying himself inside your plush walls. He  knows  that he needs to calm down, but he can't  control himself  right now, completely lost in white-hot pleasure. 

Your blissed-out expression almost sets him off.  Almost. 

"C'mon.," He urges as his deft fingers toy with your swollen clit. 

 "I wanna see you make a mess f'me."

Your eyes snap open, the intensity of your looming release is unlike anything you've ever experienced. Your hands claw for purchase, marking the smooth expanse of his back, shoulders—anything just to tether you as you feel the coil in your stomach winding up. The broken moans from your lips sound like a sweet symphony to Izuku. 

More. 

Izuku slows down, sliding into you in a way designed to make you feel every inch, but with such force you swear he's going to break you. 

It's too much. 

"That's it— gimme what I want."

The coil snaps almost painfully— back arching as your face twists in debauched pleasure. Your mouth falls into a silent o before the most earth-shattering orgasm completely ruins you. 

Holy— 

He stills, seeing stars from your release. His hands fly to grip your hips so tightly — he knows he’ll leave bruises on you. The feeling of your slick cunt bearing all of its velvety walls around his engorged length makes Izuku swear he sees God for the first time. Hell, Izuku doesn't even register the fact that your sopping cunt  gushes  and splatters all over him. His head bows, teeth tear through his bottom lip, barely quelling the loud moan as his damp thighs tremble, almost teetering off the edge with you.

Not yet, not yet. At least one more. 

"O-oh god," Izuku slurs, burying his nose in the crook of your neck, and starts thrusting into you, hips stuttering momentarily from holding back his own orgasm. Beads of sweat dance down his body from the effort, tanned skin is like molten lava, burning you anywhere you can feel it.

"Fu-ck, such a good girl," his eyes are twisted shut, in awe at how his dick sinks into your tiny pussy so deliciously. Izuku can feel his abs getting tighter as he fucks into your clenched abused cunt. The wet sounds of his heavy balls slap against your slick-covered trembling ass in a slow, powerful rhythm is lyrical— a beautiful expression of passion. 

"Just like that, so good, you feel so  fuckin'  good— s-shit-" Small praises continues to fall from his lips—needing something to ground him.

Izuku is enchanted into a fucked-out, pussy-drunk daze, as he gazes darkly at you behind his messy green locks. Images of painting your pretty pussy with his milky cum sends him closer and closer to the edge. A lightning bolt of pleasure shoots up his spine as his balls tighten even more at the thought of filling you up with cum, to  breed  you. 

His head flies back, as a debouched guttural moan reverberates from deep in his chest. 

The thought of impregnating you, how you'd look with leaky swollen tits and —fuck.

Glowing cyan eyes cross as a shuddering groan passes through his lips.   

Izuku can't take hold it back any longer. 

—

His eyelids fly open with a sharp inhale as he can feel his hips rutting against your form like a dog in heat. You softly moan at a particular roll of his hips on your damp clothed cunt and his whole entire body shivers. He pales as his stomach cramps,  hard . He flinches back like you're a scalding pan, completely aghast at his actions. He scrambles out of bed, ignoring the way his clothed erection swings around like another limb as rushes out your bedroom. He doesn't care if you wake up. He's intensely struggling to control his body and any longer he won't be able to predict what might happen next.  

He needs to get out of here, right  now . 

Izuku searches for something to write on and an object to write with—settling on a pen and a piece of tissue paper. He scrawls a 'be back soon, getting takeout' and rushes out the door with his keys, wallet, and cellphone. His stomach cramps again as his vision blurs around the edges. He locks the front door, and green sparks form around him as he hops on the rooftop of buildings with accelerated speed. 

Fuck fuck fuck  fuck . What was that ? The thought feels cloudy and stalled. His brain can barely think about anything other than fucking you senseless on the bed. 

Another tight pulling sensation from the bottom of his abdomen causes him to grind his molars. He wills his quirk to draw out more power all over his body as he hops on top of another building faster than in a blink of an eye. His muscles are howling and throbbing in a way that he has never felt before. Izuku wipes the gathered moisture on his forehead with the back of his hand. His skin is burning, and the chilled night air does nothing to help. 

Just a taste. 

Go back. 

Lick her pussy. 

Kiss every inch of her body. 

Suck on her tits. 

Just a taste. 

Go back .  The voice booms and echoes inside his brain as his heart pangs again. 

He blinks hard in an attempt to steel his focus on getting away from you right now. His control was slipping and he wasn't sure if he was even able to look you in the eye when he got back. Not after  that. 

Right then, his dilated orbs catch the darkening sea past the waves of buildings. He heads straight towards it. 

Let's hope this works.  Izuku hopes as the thoughts in his head are quickly changing to more sinful thoughts of you. He checks the time on his wrist, '6:38'. He'd be able dry off by just running at 13 percent of Full Cowling. 

Izuku uses part of his floating ability to step on the air and ventures further, aiming for the deep sea. The seashore rapidly disappears from his view and is behind him within nano seconds.

Like a landing missile, Izuku nose dives and plunges straight into the cold seawater. Desperate for relief. 

When he swims up to the surface, he presses his lips into a thin line. 

Well, the shock of the cold seawater helped, but now he feels grainy bits of sand float under his clothing. 

"I should have just went home."

Chapter Text

Izuku wakes up to the smell of something strange. Your scent has been off for the past two weeks, and he couldn’t pinpoint it. Two weeks ago, it was the sweetest he’s ever smelled you. It was torture. He broke so many things that week, trying to control the primal urge to mount you like an animal on the nearest surface.

Today, it’s  weird?  Izuku unwraps his arms from around you and takes a subtle sniff. He notices something too, he’s not rock hard nor is his skin on fire.

Strange.

Wait. It smells metallic almost. It— like blood? 

Jade eyes pop open, frantically looking around the room as panic sets in. His eyes peer down to see that dark blood covers your thighs and the bed below you.

He sighs in relief. It was just your period.

Izuku stiffens.  Ohhhh shit. 

Your period.

Something that you haven’t had in  years. 

Izuku’s jaw slacks as he stares at the blood around your pajama-clad thighs. He’s always able to figure out when it came from the scent change. That’s why his mother always was able to make your favorite candy-coated apples for it. He completely didn’t even think of  this  as the reason for your scent fluctuations.

He cards his hand through his hair before he grimaces. His scalp now feels damp in some areas compared to others.

Ah, crap.  Izuku looks at his sticky, scarred hand, marred with dark maroon and scarlet splotches. He definitely got it in his hair.

Emerald orbs peer down at his legs and shorts. It was definitely on his blue shorts too.

He exhales a breath softly through his nose.  Does she even have anything for this? Let me go check the bathroom.

When Izuku gets up and pads to the bathroom. The smell of you on his hands and the twinge of metal is oddly dizzying and mouth-watering, and he briefly considers not washing his hands. He does, anyway.

Izuku quietly checked all of the drawers —dismissing the sex toys he found in one of them—as he suspected. You have nothing for your period.

He wasn’t dumb. He lived with his mother until he had to sleep in the dorms at UA. Inko taught him everything he needed to know about the menstrual cycle and the different types of products available. He knew how to apply a pad on underwear, what can soothe cramps, organic vs. not organic feminine products, reusable options, and some—all thanks to Mama Midoriya.

He looks around the stark white bathroom and sighs slowly. He would have to wake you up to ask what you usually preferred.

Actually…

He swallows his spit. He grabs his cell phone from the nightstand and walks to the kitchen. He presses on a contact name and presses his ear to the receiver as it rings.  

“Yesssssssssss~?”

Izuku’s eye twitches at the sing-songy tone. Was this a bad idea?

“Hi, good morning. I uh—” Lips press together into a firm line as heat crawls up his neck. How the hell can he ask your brother this question?

“Spit it out, Midoriya. I’m a very busy man, and it’s only 6:18 in the morning. I still have a date with my bed until 8 AM.”

“Do you know what your sister liked in terms of…” He swallows. “Femininehygiene?” He rushes it out.

Silence fills the air as Izuku notices the now awake leopard stride toward him.

“Hold on, I wrote it all down in — aha. I’ll send you the document with it all.”

Izuku pales, “D-document?”

“Well, duh. I’ve highlighted what foods she tends to dislike on her periods, what foods she likes eating, favorite junk food, brands of heating pads she likes, brands of her favorite products, body washes because her body gets more sensitive to scented stuff—anyways, all of it is outlined there. Okay? Now bye.”

The phone call clicks. 

Izuku exhales through his nose as he looks at his phone and opens the message.

“Her weird brother tell you yet?”

Izuku flinches at the sudden deep voice and looks down at Kuro. Izuku clears his throat, taking in the translucent yellow sphere around them. His eyes flit back to the leopard, then his phone.

“Yeah, he has a whole document of it, actually.” Izuku’s thumb presses the document open and furrows his green brows. The document is color coded and titled “My adorable sisters period guide.”

“Oh god,” he mutters, flicking his thumb to search for a specific highlighted section.

“You know you could have just texted him.”

“I didn’t think of that,” Izuku trails off as he scrolls through the device. Seconds tick by before Kuro’s tail swishes with impatience.

“Press the find button, nimwit.”

Izuku pauses, moving his eyes from the screen to the lightly spotted leopard. “Pardon? Do you know how to use a phone?”

“Yes, you dumb ass. It’s not hard.”

“I’m not d-dumb—”

Kuro rolls his blue and green eyes, “Says the dumb ass with period blood in his hair like it’s gel.”

Kuro 1. Izuku 0. 

How the hell did he know about periods?

“You know, you remind me an awful lot of someone I used to know,” Izuku says through his teeth with a terse smile.

“What? Your brain before it escaped from your skull?”

Kuro 2. Izuku 0

This snow leopard is Kaa-chan reincarnated. 

The curly-haired hero decides not to say anything to the feline. Instead, he continues to scroll through the small device until he finds the highlighted section, “Favorite menstrual products <3 (edited four years ago).”

“Got it.”

Izuku showers and places the soiled clothes to wash before leaving your apartment with your snow leopard. He runs with the feline to AEON(Japanese equivalent to a Target or ALDIs). It was about a forty-minute walk, but with him running with Kuro by his side, it took about 18 minutes. He tells Kuro to stay put before he speeds through every aisle to find most of the products you prefer except a heating pad that seems like a higher quality than the one mentioned in the document, and some stain-removing detergent. He also finds your favorite comfort foods and other ingredients your brother had listed as a step-by-step preparation guide.

Again, your brother is very strange.

Once Izuku is satisfied and done paying, Kuro rolls his eyes at him.

“What? It’s not that much…Right?”

Kuro huffs and shakes his head. Izuku grabs the almost belly button-height feline like another bag of groceries and draws the energy of his quirk to rush back to your apartment.

Two minutes later, he sets Kuro down, who hisses at him from the travel.

“Sorry, I just didn’t want to risk her getting a nightmare again,” Izuku says sheepishly as he unlocks your apartment door. The cat snorts before sneezing, and walks with wobbly legs into the apartment. A bright blue glow surrounds him as the leopard saunters back to your bedroom.

Izuku quickly sets the groceries down on the counter, and puts away the food and snacks he got you before entering your room. A calloused hand opens a specific drawer and riffs through to find an oversized shirt that looks familiar and a pair of black sweatpants.

His forest green orbs flick to the middle drawer. Izuku closes his eyes and sighs. Nope.

He’s not taking out underwear for you, especially with what happened to a particular pair of purple panties that he was involved with.

His fingers twitch.

Don’t do it. 

He swallows as he continues looking at the drawer.

Sweat starts to bead on his forehead.

Don’t do it. 

He licks his suddenly dry lips.

Don’t

He does.

He blindly grabs a black pair of panties, almost slams the drawer, and stuffs it in between the shirt and pants.

Izuku pads over to the bathroom and sets your clothes on top of the counter, right next to some of your favorite candles that he remembered to grab and a brand new lighter. He places a green post-it note on your folded clothes to inform you that your menstrual products are inside the middle drawer. He turns on the shower to the nearly scalding; the hellish temperature is something that you prefer. He doesn’t forget to place the new body wash your brother suggested right in between his and yours.

He does a mental countdown before he wakes you up.

When he wakes you up, you are horrified, to say the least. You are embarrassed and apologizing with near tears in your eyes until he practically scoops you up and dumps you in the bathroom to shut you up. Izuku grabs all the sheets and loads your washer with them after removing his clothes and hanging them on your balcony. He could have gone downstairs to the laundry room for this, but, there was a certain old man there that gave him the creeps the way he looked at Izuku’s clothes being washed.

Meanwhile, you call your doctor on the toilet covered in dark red liquid.

“What do you mean this is normal?”

“Ms. (L/n)-san, you’ve hit a healthy weight a few months ago and maintained it. It’s normal for your period to return once you’ve reached a normal weight. The heavy flow might be partly from it being so long since your uterine lining has shed. After looking at your chart, I see your last recorded period was about three years ago. I can prescribe you something for your cramps or any discomfort you may have.

“W-will the next one be this bad?” As you tap your feet on the cold tile, you gnaw at your bottom lip.

“I’ll prescribe you some birth control as well so that the next cycle should not be as heavy as this one.”

Birth control. 

Wow. You haven’t heard that word in so long.

“Is there any way I could get something that isn’t the pill? In America, they had different options when I was in school there.”

“Oh, we can only offer the pill or the IUD. That’s the only thing available in the country.”

You sigh and rub your forehead. You hated the pill. The responsibility of taking it every day on time was a mess and not to mention all of those hormones in your body. The IUD was terrible when you did get it fit and made you scream like a banshee. Then you were good and got it removed when Katsuki died. Because who were you having sex with? No one.

Eh, fuck it. 

“Sure, I’ll take the pill. The same one that you gave me years ago.” You hear some typing and a few clicks before she confirms your pharmacy address. You tell her the information still remains the same.

“Remember, it’s an out-of-pocket cost. Insurance does not cover it, okay?”

You roll your eyes, “I hear you.” It’s misogyny at its finest, but you’d pay the price for it.

After you shower and throw your clothes in the trash can because blood is not easy to take out in a washing machine if you’ve been soaking in it.

You thank Izuku for everything (again), especially for his strange knowledge of your favorite menstrual products. You try to give him money, but the pro-hero refuses politely and asks what you would like to eat for breakfast instead. You sulk a bit before you oblige him and tell him that whatever he wants, you’d eat it. Coincidentally (or not), a fuzzy blanket was draped on the couch, which you draped on top of yourself, and Kuro happily joined you as a faux heating pad.

You turn on your TV and play the new season of Bleach. You had just finished re-watching the last season of the original series, which ended ten years ago. Now that the new season was out, the feelings of watching your favorite spikey orange-haired teen didn’t seem to dampen.

After a few minutes of absorbing yourself in the anime, you squeal at seeing your favorite ginger. You practically have hearts in your eyes.

“Ahh, he’s so freaking cool! Kuro, look, my anime boyfriend.” You say while jumping up and down on the couch, brimming with excitement. Kuro takes a side glance at the screen, then scoffs. The white snow leopard is not entertained by your fangirling at all.

“If they could age him up by ten years, we’d be around the same age. Someone might have a quirk out there to make him come to life or something.”

A certain green-haired hero pauses in his chopping to look at you blankly from the kitchen.  Why is everyone obsessed with this guy?

Izuku looks at the screen with bland interest, “You know, in a way, he kinda reminds me of Ka—”

You squeal and almost melt off the grey sectional couch, “Look Kuro, he’s soooooo hot.”

Did you forget that there was another human in your house? Did you not listen to him at all?

Izuku’s eye twitches as he watches you lean forward, watching the screen with rapt attention. You’ve never looked at anyone like that. Well, your late husband was the only exception.

I’m not jealous of an under-aged 2-dimensional character. I, Midoriya Izuku, am not jealous of an under-aged 2-dimensional character .

Thud.

You look back from your couch to see your brother, Etsuko, and your parents at your door. Izuku already smelled them as soon as they were about to unlock the door.

“What did I tell you about slamming my door?! Do you pay rent here, you little shit?” You yell, gripping the backrest of the couch.

“You’re the one watching Bleach without your family! Why don’t you love your own father?” your father cries dramatically as he dabs a handkerchief on the corner of his eyes.

“Mr. (L/n), according to the app, she’s still on the first episode of  Thousand Year Blood War .” Etsuko reminds him, patting his arm. They all shuffle in, taking off their shoes at the genkan before Izuku turns back to fixing breakfast.

“What is with this whole family? You’d think I’d get used to them by now,” Izuku mutters under his breath.

“Ah, Zu-kun? What are you doing at (nickname)-chan’s apartment?”

Izuku turns to his small mother with a Bleach sweatshirt walking next to him with some green slippers. It looks innocent enough, but the twinkle in her eye says differently. He already knows that look, and it makes him  nervous .

How did she even get here this fast? How did I not smell my own mother? Strange.

“M-mom! What –”

A shriek cuts him off as your mother rushes towards you, “Please tell me my dreams have finally come true, and you both are getting married?!”

Kuro snorts and grabs the TV remote from beside you with his mouth. The snow leopard intelligently pauses the TV screen as other people begin shuffling into your home; surprisingly you had enough house slippers.

“M-mom, can you not? We are friends.” You sigh as a sharp painful throb in your temples makes you shut your eyes.  

“Friends don’t make each other breakfast at 8 in the morning. Your dad and I aren’t getting any younger,” She smirks as she waggles her (h/c) eyebrows.

“Also, speaking of which, I made this for you with some left-over fabric from work. I made a new cardigan for you when it starts getting cold. You should consider moving out of this small apartment and getting a house again.”

She hands you the folded item when you unravel it in front of you. The front of the cardigan looked well stitched in a classic v-neck shape and large cream-colored buttons. The oversized look was adorable, along with the large front pockets. You turn it around. The smile wipes off your face while your mother’s smile grows to rival the Joker. Your eye twitches as you hold it up.

‘Engaged to Number 1 Pro Hero’ is stitched in bold green lettering on the back of the cream-colored cardigan.

Your mother is decked out in a Bleach-themed onesie that she probably made herself because it is tailored perfectly. Her hair is pinned up with a black claw clip, and if it weren’t for how adorable she looked, you would have thrown this right back in her face.

“Mom, are you nuts?!” You shout as you feel your cheeks warm with embarrassment. You ball up the fabric in your hands before you throw it behind you.

Your mother pouts cutely, and your father walks over and picks up the cardigan, “Now (Y/n), we taught you better than to throw a gift on the floor.”

“Speaking about gifts, Bakugo’s parents sent us your birthday gift. For some reason, the return address is in America. Should we keep it?”

“Yes, we should, honey. But, I think that’s almost like a bad omen if she receives it. He’s dead, so a clean break is good.”

Your father scratches his chin, thinking, “But would that be wrong of us? They weren’t directly involved in their relationship. Not that we liked the kid much anyways but—”

“No, she has Izuku-san now. We need to focus on our future grandchildren no—”

“Guys, stop setting them up already. He’s already a divorcee and half of Japan is probably trying to message him on social media as we speak,” Your brother waves off as Etsuko walks over to the kitchen to push Izuku out.

Your father goes in to help.

“Izuku-san, you’re actually getting better at chopping up vegetables. I’m impressed!” Your father compliments as he looks over the julienne sliced onions and nearly perfectly cubed root vegetables.

Should I crawl into a hole and die?

“(nickname)-chan, I’m going to put your candy apples in your fridge, okay?” You hear Mama Midoriya say, and you want to hug this tiny woman.  

You turn around and give the small green-haired woman a watery smile. “Thank you for such a wonderful gift. How can I thank you for such kindness?”

“Oooo can I have one? I’m on my period, and I would love—”

Izuku turns to the mauve-haired woman clad in a similar onesie set as your mother but with the same design as his mother’s sweater.

“So, it was you,” he whispers more to himself than to anyone else.  She is the lead uterus ,  and (Y/N) is synched to her. 

“Huh? Speak up!”

“Oh, so you’ve infected my sister with your menstrual cycle. It makes sense. You both were synched for years beforehand too.” Your brother smiles as he elbows your father. Your father pales in realization as he stops chopping the vegetables, “Please don’t remind me of that dark time.”

Izuku opens his mouth to speak, but instead, he closes his mouth. He’s very confused, but he’d rather not know.

Once breakfast was ready and served, the apartment walls filled with laughter, yelling, and curses over the dining table you had next to the balcony. Kuro ate near the table from his black bowl that contained mixed chunks of raw wild boar and baby deer meat with two blueberries and his required vitamins. Occasionally, you could hear the snow leopard crunch on a particular bone to get the meat inside.

After breakfast, you brushed Kuro’s teeth with the most oversized toothbrush commercially available for animals, and you took him out for a walk with your brother. Your father presents you with a brown saddle which you vaguely remember your brother mentioning. You immediately turn it down before Kuro paws at it curiously before looking at you.

There was no way in hell you would ride your feline like a horse. Kuro is huge, but that doesn’t mean his shoulders were equipped to burden your weight for long periods of time.

Instead, you turn on your TV, and the whole idea is long forgotten.

Your parents prepare lunch and dinner throughout the day, and you are more than happy to eat homemade food from your childhood. Especially considering that your hormones have been wacky all day, particularly when you laugh-cried as you watched a sappy movie about a dog who waited for his owner even though he was dead. You walked Kuro for forty-five minutes after lunch, and Izuku decided to take Kuro on a late-night run after dinner. When everyone left, Kuro was tuckered out on your lap as you wiped his paws with some soothing pet wipes before slathering his toe beans with some medicated cream to heal whatever burns he might have experienced walking on the hot concrete floor (even though the cat was more than capable of healing himself).

Izuku walks into the living room, and you hold back your scowl at his figure. His hair is completely drenched and dripping heavily on the white towel around his shoulders.

“Izuku-kun, do you like it when I get mad at you?”

Yes. 

“H-huh?”.

You quirk up a brow as you gesture to his dark wavy-haired locks.

“Your hair. You’re gonna catch a cold if you don’t dry it properly,” you chide softly before gently moving the snow leopard. You stand up and pad to your bathroom to grab your hair dryer. On your way back, he’s already protesting, trying to scrub the water away from his scalp.

“You don’t have to! I’ll be fine— “

You shush him by tip-toeing up and pressing an index finger to his lips. You ignored how soft his lips were despite you’ve never seen him use chapstick a day in his life. You also ignore how adorable those freckles on his face were under the slight rosy hue of his cheeks.

Let’s also forget the way my finger feels like a live wire , you quip internally.

“Shh. It’s the least I could do after you just cleaned up my mess this morning.”

You pull your finger away and walk to the sofa, plugging in the hair dryer to the extension chord already there.

Eventually, Izuku folds under peer pressure.

You card through his soft forest locks, waving the blow-dryer around nonsensically while he sat on the floor. Your legs dangle around his form by his arms, touching his arms. The raspy hum of the blow-dryer and your blunt fingernails scratching his scalp—this was his favorite part of the day. The warm air relaxes his nerves as he feels the bitter chill of his damp hair slowly fade.

“I feel like you like it when I blow dry your hair,” you smile as you pause your blow drying. You spray a bit of leave-in into his hair that you bought from online—one that thankfully smelled mild enough and not an explosion of coconut.

Izuku makes a humming sound as you pass the warm air on t the damp locks, paying particular attention to preserving the waves and curls formed.

“This is becoming a regular thing with us, you little evil cinnamon roll,” you emphasize by poking his cheeks.

“I’m not a cinnamon roll. I’m a hero…” he mutters under his breath. There was no bite in his tone.

“Huh? Speak up. Or do I have to tickle it out of you?” You take a hand and reach down to tickle his ribs, but his calloused hand pushes your mischievous digits away.

“Stop it.”

All you heard was keep going.

You try again, and he deflects.

Suddenly it was just like you were both teens again—how you would joke around in the hushed space of bookshelves and wooden tables. The way Izuku would laugh freely when you said a joke about Mineta or Aizawa. His green eyes would glitter with held-back laughter and fondness when you talked about your new research on pro heroes and trends that you were  very  outdated on.

You jump on him like a spider monkey, using some of the moves you learned from the hero against him to straddle his waist and poke his ribs. The green-haired man is squirming under you with his eyes screwed shut.

“Admit it!”  Poke, poke, poke .

The short pokes weren’t aimless at all. You know exactly where he’s ticklish just from being around him so long. So, you aim for it; under his armpits, external obliques, and a small spot above his belly button. Each only made him flinch as he screwed his lips even more before releasing a higher-pitched shriek, which was very unhero-like. Izuku threw his head back with a thud on the solid wood floor before laughing and babbling useless pleas.

He was fine, you think. 

Poke poke poke poke .

“NAHAHA, STOO—HAHA”

“Admit that this is becoming a regular thing!” You cackle as your chest hums with the satisfaction of bringing down your childhood best friend with your own fingers. His face is getting increasingly pink as your fingers crawl at the sides of his black t-shirt.

Deep down, you weren’t doing this because you wanted to get back at him. You hadn’t seen him smile or laugh this whole week, which bothered you. Seeing him squirming with laughter made something in your chest feel fuzzy and warm.

“HAHAHEHE I-I CAHAHAHAN’T!”

You bow your head as your fingers crawl over to a spot that you know would have him squealing like a pig.

“I can’t hear you Mr. Hero~. It seems like we’re gonna have to move on to the special tickle spot!”

Emerald eyes pop open as he tries to protest, but it all falls on deaf ears as your fingers gently poke at his hipbone on his left side, and all his muscles tense as a hearty laugh spills from his lips. His longer legs flail beneath you as his stomach muscles clench underneath your hips.

Tears prick at the corner of his eyes as he laughs wildly.

“EHEHEHAHAHAHA!”

 After a few seconds of reveling in his laughter, your vision blurs before your hands are pinned above your head, and your positions are suddenly flipped, but your legs are still wrapped around Izuku’s form. His hips are pressed against yours as your faces are a few inches apart. Warmth crawls up your neck at the compromising position.

You gulp as you stare at the hero owlishly and completely confused. Your heart is hammering beneath your ribs as you could feel your oversized shirt did nothing to hide the fact that you weren’t exactly wearing a bra.

Izuku tilts his head with a boyish smirk, still panting a little as he tightens his hand’s grip on both your wrists.

“You know that wasn’t very nice of you, right?”

Your mind swirls as your throat dries. He looks breathtaking—your brain completely short circuits.

Kiss him. 

Izuku leans a bit back as he notices you staring blankly at him.

“Are you okay? Am I being too rough—”

“Truth or a lie?” You barely whisper as you hold eye contact with his celadon eyes. Izuku knits his brows as he peers at your eyes, trying to search for any underlying meaning in the glassy orbs. Your eyes are starting to dilate from the proximity of his scent, and he’s already cursing at himself.

“Truth, always the truth.” His voice is soft, akin to a coo.

The air between you feels charged, brimmed with unspoken emotions and feelings that one aches to let the other know.

“What was that deal you had with Katsuki for your wedding? The reason why I wasn’t invited?”

The words feel like you’re dumping a full bucket of icy-cold water on his head.

Suddenly, Izuku inhales a sharp breath before he blinks and releases your wrists. He scrubs a hardened hand over his face as he gets off you, averting your eyes. He sits on the floor near you, his large back resting on the cloth-covered grey base bottom. His elbows are on his knees as he cards a hand through his pine green damp curls.

“I thought we were past this,” he exhales before looking up at your apartment ceiling.

You prop yourself up with an arm, “Past this? I never found out what was the reason for any of it. I basically stopped talking to you for months for not inviting me to your wedding. I changed your name on my phone to your  whole  name.”

Izuku raises a quizzical brow.

“Y-you know—never mind that, it doesn’t matter. Everyone seems to know what this was except the person who wasn’t invited, and I want the truth.”

You look at your mint green fuzzy socks. The bold text reads “Deku!” on one foot across your toes, and “The Number 1 Pro Hero!” on the other foot.

You gnaw at the flesh of your bottom lip before you add, “I feel left out of the loop.”

“You should have asked Kaa-chan.”

You roll your eyes. Was this man serious?

“Well, I’m asking you now.”

“I can’t. You should’ve asked him.”

“Well, he’s dead, so…” Your tone held a bit of underlying sarcasm. Izuku scrunched his nose at it.

“That’s not funny, (Y/n).”

“I never said it was funny,” the anger inside you suddenly spikes tenfold, “But if you want me to be funny, I could be fucking  hilarious  right now. Your ex-wife lied to my face about it and tried to give me a bullshit excuse. As if I didn’t work in a place that analyzes Pro-hero interviews for hours to see every flinch, tick, blink, and smile. And, to add insult to injury, I’m now a dumb ass with a paperweight for a degree from one of the top universities in Japan.”

Izuku looks at you incredulously. You were just fine, and now you’ve exploded. He obviously wasn’t prepared to handle your sudden anger.

You chuckle sardonically, “So let’s try this again. What was the deal?”

“I swore to him I’d never tell you,” You heard him grit out.

You look around the room before you scoff, “Am I being punk’d? Does the words’ Bakugo Katsuki’s been dead for three and half years’ mean nothing? He’s not going to come out of his grave and tell you—”

“(Y/n), stop,” Izuku warns, but you can barely hear him over your simmering irritation.

“—‘You’re dead to me’ or an ‘I’ll kill you because you promised not to say it.’ Because surprise, his body had been burned into ashes and kept in a pretty urn at his parent’s house. So, there isn’t a body to come out of his damn grave—”

“(Y/n) that’s enough,” Izuku says firmly. You stop speaking and glare at your long-time friend. His expression is stern, all the joy and mirth from moments ago, gone.

You pinch the skin at the bridge of your nose.

“You know w— Fuck this,” You mutter more to yourself before you shake your head.

You stand up and stride to your apartment door. You hastily place some sneakers on before you grab your phone and a light jacket.

“Where are you going?” Izuku looks back from the couch before his eyes catch the time on his wrist.

“Out because I need to clear my head before I strangle you. Unless I’m not allowed to know or do anything since you can’t tell me the  truth .”

“I never said I didn’t want to,  I can’t.  Plus, it’s almost midnight—”

“So?” You snap.

“It’s already late out, and it’s—”

“Are you my fath—”

That— whenever you said that, it never fails to flip the switch inside Izuku.

His green brows pull together, creasing his forehead as emerald orbs harden.

“Finish that sentence, and I swear to everything (Y/n) I will punish you like one.”

You stare at his blazing neon green orbs as he looks at you. His jaw is tight, and his pink lips are pressed into a thin line.

You snicker, puffing out your cheeks before you start laughing.

“Ppppffffttttt! Oooo~ I’m shaking! What are you going to do? Give me a time-out?” You sneer as you clutch your arms and give a fake shiver.

Was she always this bratty?

“I’m sorry Mr. I’m-doing-this-to-fufill-my-childhood-friend’s-dying-wish. Let me rephrase myself,” You glare at the pro hero, who is now standing a few feet away with his arms crossed. “Eat a dick Izuku.”

Izuku tried carding through his memories with you every time you’ve gotten mad at him. Yes. Yes, you are like this when mad.

“What, running away again? You could do better than that because that response lacked originality.” His mouth curls into a mocking sneer.

You respond by slamming the door to your apartment.

Fucking hot pro heroes with their heads in their asses,  you thought as you wiped an angry tear that fell from your eyes.

You stride aimlessly down a few streets before you land in front of a 7-11, where you grab a bottle of soju and a large bottle of water. You take it to the merchant in the front of the store, who looks at your selection. You peer at a pack of gum and place it on the counter.

“Rough night, Ma’am?”

You look down at your attire and notice that you’re still in an oversized graphic t-shirt and black sweatpants. Your sneakers look slightly beat up but match the sweatpants you were wearing.

“Something like that,” you mutter as you fish out some bills from your jacket pocket.

“It’s on the house then. Hope you have a better night.”

You wanted to kiss the teenager.

“Here, take it for yourself then,” you say as you put the crumpled 10,000-yen bill into her hands and curl them into a fist. You pat the fist a few times and smile at the teenager.

“I like your Bleach shirt,” she smiles sheepishly.

You grin, “Thanks. Sorry to be that stranger to come in here tonight.”

The green-haired teen shrugs, “At least you’re pretty.”

You thank her before opening the peach-flavored soju bottle and take a huge swig right before the teen. You drain a fourth of the clear bottle before you walk away with your gum and large water bottle in a plastic bag.

The liquid courage brands its burning mark inside your stomach as you grimace.

“I gotta find a better coping habit than drinking,” you mutter as you continue walking into Musutafu’s city center. The warm breeze of the summer night feels nice against your skin as the alcohol begins to do its magic. The stars in the sky begin to disappear with the light pollution of streetlamps and various lit storefronts.

You take another long swig of your soju bottle before you close it and put it inside your deep jacket pocket. You take out your large water bottle, crack it open, and take a heft gulp of the cold liquid. You let out a exhale as you close the cap and continue walking.

Walking down Musutafu streets at night had more bustling energy than the last time you walked by yourself during this time in the winter. People seem to happily giggle with their friends or partners as you narrowly avoid college kids and young adults. You look at the college students wistfully as they talk to their friend groups about a particular exam or hit a certain bar with their fake IDs.

The closer you got to the city center, the more groups of college students you saw with their button-up shirts and cargo pants.

“Damn, I’m really 28 now, huh?” You say out loud as you stop at look up at the dark purple void above.

Where did your youth go?

----

‘

“Oi! Don’t you think you’re forgetting something?”

You turned around to see Katsuki with a hand gripping the handle of the lunch bag in your favorite color. The pro hero is clad in a ‘Dynamight’ orange apron with a slight frown etched on his face. Behind the apron, he wore a black tank top that showed off his muscular arms and grey sweatpants that sat low on his hips. 

You licked your lips as you eyed his powerful shoulders and those damn grey sweatpants, reminiscing on the previous night.  Damn, should I even go to work right now?

“Hey, eyes up here.”

You snapped your eyes to see the haughty grin spread across his face. 

You gave a sheepish smile, “Sorry, you know what grey sweatpants do to me.” You thank him before taking the lunch bag in your hands. 

He huffed before his ruby eyes darted to the clock behind you. You had fifteen minutes left before catching the train to work. The train took about a thirty-minute commute, not including the ten-minute walk to the station. While driving would take about twenty minutes with regular traffic. 

If he drove you, it would shave off twenty minutes from your commute. 

Your husband eyed your outfit: a cream-colored pencil skirt that reached mid-shin, a grey turtleneck that hugged your form wonderfully, and black red-bottom heels. Your shiny hair was curled into soft beach waves reaching your waist. 

You looked like a hot office worker, and he’s silently cursing you out because you gave him that look. The look that made his brain fritz out and think with his groin. 

A haughty smirk spreads across his face as he cocks his head to the side, “So what are you going to do about that?”

You blink. Was your prudish husband actually  entertaining  this idea? Katsuki Bakugo, the one who is sexually fulfilled with cuddling most days because he’s too tired to do anything else is—

You drop your bags as he closes the distance between you. Your lips meld together, his tongue dancing with yours, your hands already untying the apron from around his waist. When you chucked it off to god-knows-where, you clumsily stepped out of your heels as he wrapped his arm around you. A strong arm pulled you up before you wrapped your legs around his waist, the linen-colored skirt hiking up your waist. 

Hell, you’re going to take what you can get. 

It was safe to say you called sick that day while getting your back blown out by your spikey-haired husband on your kitchen island.

---

Damn, that was the first time I called out in months. Good times.  

You pull out your soju bottle, flick the cap off, and take a swig. You’re about halfway through the bottle now.

His parents still haven’t called me to tell me happy birthday. Is it because they’re in America? Is there something else happening? Are they mad at me? 

Pretty soon, the colors around you become rosy and vivid. The full trees looked sharper, and the concrete squares looked like a game to you as you skipped over the lines’ to not break your mother’s back.’ A childish attempt to make yourself not feel old seemed to work for your intoxicated mind. You could feel the buzz of the alcohol right on your forehead.