Magnus: A little more of fluff and world building. For those wondering about other pairings, I can tell you that Ochaco and Jiro will have their happy ending, although one of them will be in a rarely seen pairing... I have yet to decide about Momo and Mina.

Disclaimer: Am I the only one who believes that Todoroki does not deserve Momo?

Beta'd: Feb 19, 2019


Cursed Blood

Chapter 7

A sinister reaction.

Tsuyu was dreaming, there could be no other possible explanation. Why else would she be laughing so openly when normally she'd keep her emotions more in check? Why else would she be indulging in something so childish as happily jumping up and down in place, flailing her arms around in complete glee?

Her surroundings screamed pleasant childish dream as well, from the emerald sun bathing the world in its viridescent light to the dark green and fluffy grass that carpeted the ground to the horizon. Silliest of all was what the frog-girl found herself laying on…

"Kero kero kero kero kero!" Tsuyu laughed some more, like there was no tomorrow. She was finally free of her own self-consciousness, that iron certainty her amphibian features were undesirable. Instead, she was suffused in the same elation that had come when someone had told her that her laughter was cute.

Looking down, Tsuyu laughed again at the giant butter cream icing-soaked cinnamon roll she was laying atop of. The confection was so large and comfortable she could've used it as a bed… a sweet bed so fragrant it felt like her nose would be able to find it anywhere on the planet. The warmth coming from the baked goods was also so warm that as long as the frog-girl touched it, she knew no winter would be able to force her into hibernation.

Of course this was a dream, and a silly one at that. Tsuyu would've expected one of her siblings to have enjoyed such a fantasy, but she was surprised how happy it was making her.

"I don't know how, but I'm going to eat you whole! Kero kero kero kero!" The frog-girl declared and then laughed as she buried her face into the spongy pastry. Then she had a thought. With a mischievous smile adorning her face, Tsuyu decided on marking this glorious find for herself in such a way that not even her siblings at their brattiest could make her share it.

She licked it, slowly and sloppily.

"T-T-Tsu-chan?!" The voice of her savior resounded in the frog-girl's ears, causing her to blink back to reality in surprise. The silly dream world disappeared, the emerald sun morphing into Izuku's blushing face. Tsuyu's giant, delicious cinnamon roll transformed as well, becoming the green-haired teen's… bare chest. Which she was still licking…

"KERO?!" The startled croak burst from Tsuyu's throat as soon as she realized where she was and what she was doing. Trembling in mortification, she retracted her tongue. Despite her naturally lowered capacity to perceive taste, the frog-girl could unequivocally claim to have a good and permanent impression of the flavor of the boy she'd been using as a bed.

That thought, followed by the realization that her actions no doubt appeared incredibly lewd, caused Tsuyu to beginning blushing heavily. What could Izuku possibly think of her now?

"Why… why did you…?" Izuku couldn't get his mind together enough to even ask the question that was begging to be answered. His mind couldn't form a plausible explanation for his new friend's behavior. Granted, she'd been moving around for awhile now, and had cuddled up to him pretty much the entire night, but he'd assumed it was due to her nature. Since the frog-girl was most likely cold-blooded, having a warm body next to her would've definitely been too much for her instincts to resist.

Tsuyu buried her face into her savior's chest in a futile attempt to hide her embarrassment. Trying to kick-start her brain, the frog-girl tried to think of something she could say, anything really, that could salvage the situation.

"It was a dream, kero," Tsuyu said before she could stop herself. The ambiguous statement hadn't been the best response possible, in the frog-girl's opinion, but it was too late now. What if the green-haired teen assumed she'd been dreaming about him?

Instead of jumping to accusations like she thought he would, Izuku only hugged Tsuyu closer.

"I'm… going to take a leap of faith here and… assume you were dreaming about… food?" The green-haired teen's one-armed hug, due to Tae still being glued to his left side the entire night even though she didn't need sleep, made the frog-girl feel much better. This could work for her.

Tsuyu limited her response to a wordless nod into her savior's chest, avoiding eye contact at all costs. The convenient half-truth was enough for her to get a handle on her embarrassment, but she wasn't going to take any chances that might damage the two's new friendship.

"Ah! Well, that explains it," Izuku consoled the girl in his lap, "You haven't had food since yesterday. Your stomach no doubt finished healing overnight and you must be starving now. Tae, bring me the case please."

Izuku's sudden order caught Tsuyu off guard, but not as much as when the green-haired teen began to raise the bed to reach a sitting position.

"Kero?" The frog-girl's croak, in all tones and forms, was becoming one of Izuku's favorite sounds. However, remembering what had happened last time he'd tried to praise his classmate's cuteness, he refrained from commenting this time out of fear of creeping her out.

Following her master's command, Tae carried over a small case from the other side of the room. It was the same case Izuku had carried his cigar-shaped candies in.

"I know we should really wait for Recovery Girl's approval…" Izuku said as Tae placed the case in his waiting hand, "But I think a bit of sugar will do wonders for your hunger right now."

Popping open the metal container, sure enough, the green-haired teen picked out a candied cigar. With a smile, Izuku handed the faux-cancer stick to his bedmate. As Tsuyu began to suck and lick at the piece of candy, she finally felt her stomach beginning to work again.

And just as Izuku had said, the frog-girl found herself incredibly hungry. Unfortunately for her, for all that it was tasty, the candy didn't match up to the cinnamon roll she'd dreamed about.

The green-haired teen continued to smile as his friend chewed down on the candy he'd given her, gently patting her head due to how cute she looked doing so. Her adorableness was off the charts, and he could barely restrain himself from hugging the girl in his lap.

It was a scene of pure diabetes-level sweetness, a scene suddenly broken by a curt sounding cough…

"Didn't you two promise not to get carried away with the mood?" Recovery Girl asked, standing at the door with her arms crossed. Seeing that the two teens in the bed appeared confused by her observation, the nurse continued. "I could've turned a blind eye to walking in on you spooning like old lovers. But this… youthful lotus position?"

The stern descriptor was enough for the teens to finally look down and notice how they'd been positioned. Somehow, Tsuyu had ended up straddling Izuku, happily leaning on his bare chest. Her hospital gown, nowhere in sight, had been lost overnight due to not being tied to leave her back exposed. The end result? The frog-girl was left in only her sports bra and the lower half of her costume, tattered as it was.

Coupled with Izuku's own bare torso, the image presented left for quite the lascivious impression.

Faces simultaneously caught fire as both teens locked eyes. The green duo suddenly noticed how their bodies were beginning to respond to more… hormonal impulses… and fervently wished no one else would enter the room. Until they had an opportunity to separate and dress, explaining their position would be incredibly difficult without becoming even more mortified.

Then, as if called by the teens' desperate wishes, two more women entered the nurse's office without any warning.

"Izuku-kun! I brought you breakfast!" Inko happily announced as she entered the room along with her new best friend Beru. Taking in the scene they'd walked into, the homely mother could hardly express her surprise. "Oh my!"

The fact the Midoriya matriarch said this with a smile was lost on the two red-faced teens.

"Kero!" Beru's reaction wasn't much different from her fellow mother's. The frog-woman almost sounded delighted by what she was seeing.

"This isn't what it looks like! Kero!" Tsuyu quickly cut in, trying to defuse the situation as she perceived it. The last thing the frog-girl wanted was for her mother to suddenly hate her savior. Or for the green-haired teen's mother to think she was some wickedly perverted girl.

Izuku watched, absolutely confused, as both mothers winked at each other while accepting Tsuyu's frantic words with matching smiles. The frog-girl's word-vomit was only ended when Recovery Girl returned and announced it was time for the final scan to be made. The elderly heroine repeatedly mentioned how it wasn't necessary for them to change positions.

The examination lasted several minutes, as Recovery Girl checked in every way conceivable to make sure the regeneration had been a success. In the end, the elderly heroine found no worrisome signs, and gave the teens the green light to begin separating. Oddly enough, this proved to be a bit more difficult than first believed, as Tsuyu found it hard to work up the nerve to let go of Izuku's hand… for fearing of suddenly dying.

Meanwhile…

Katsuki Bakugo sat on his bed, unable to take his eyes off the oversized bracers he was wearing. He knew about this kind of hardware and what it was used for; the police would be immediately notified if he even attempted to use his Quirk. The shackles were famous for usually being worn by criminals going through rehabilitation, or those awaiting trial.

The blond wasn't an idiot, he knew what kind of trouble he'd landed in. Still, the fault rested entirely at the feet of his arch nemesis. That the damnable coward had purposefully positioned himself so others would be hurt by his justified attack.

The explosive teen had a problem though. This wasn't just a matter of settling a score with the only piece of shit he'd never been able to break into submission anymore. This time, his entire family was being involved, and for once, things weren't bending to his favor as they usually did.

"Fucking Romero, this is your entire fault…" Bakugo muttered, his mind tying itself into knots as it tried in vain to twist the events to his benefit. There was no way he'd fucked up, no way he'd have to plead for mercy to keep his family from being destroyed, no way his dream was on the line.

Downstairs from the smoldering teen, Mitsuki was on the verge of breaking down, the parting words from her now ex-best friend reverberating in her ears. The homely woman had every right to be enraged though, she knew. There was no denying her son had tried to murder Izuku, almost succeeding in killing an innocent bystander in the attempt. The other words that haunted the ashen mother were those of Beru Asui, her son's other victim's mother.

"I'll see you in court."

The frog-woman's words were both searing iron and icy water, leaving Mitsuki with hot and cold spikes as she thought on the dismal prospects of her family's future. Even the woman's scant dreams offered no comforts; she'd seen nothing but visions of her son spending the rest of his days jailed, her husband working double shifts at a fast food joint after losing his job due to the scandal, and herself being forced into prostitution just to pay fines and the medical bills of her son's victims.

And all of this had come about because for all her trying, she'd somehow failed to drill into her son's thick head that power required responsibility.

"At least… there's still one chance…" Mitsuki muttered to herself as she remembered Nezu's partings words. "…Little as it is…"

The principal had told her that he'd wait for the resolution of her son's trial, if there was one, before making his final decision. It was possible for Katsuki to walk away from this without jail-time, heavily restricted sure, but still free. That was… if the Asui and Iida Families felt merciful.

Local Drive-In Tori, Lunch Time…

The cheap fast food place the group of three plus zombie found themselves at hadn't been Beru's first choice in her effort to repay the Midoriya Family, but the verdant mother and son pair had insisted on a place that was inexpensive and plentiful. The small but lively establishment the frog-woman had eventually chosen was the closest business that fit such a description for their celebration.

And did they have something to celebrate about! The regeneration had been a complete success and the test separation had worked out just fine. Tsuyu was now completely free to move around on her own and return to her normal life. For his part, Izuku had been unable to hide his extreme happiness since the all clear had been given.

It was time to eat to their hearts' content.

"Aahhh…" Tae's happy groan was only slightly muffled by drool as the zombie-girl reached for a large piece of raw chicken, intentions to stuff her mouth full with the meat clear to all. Acting almost as if it were second nature, Izuku lightly slapped the undead's hand away.

"No. You wait until it's well cooked, then you eat," the green-haired teen said, effortlessly popping an already prepared chunk of meat into Tae's open mouth. The resulting scene of the zombie-girl happily chewing away was rather cute… all things considered.

Beru found herself more and more fascinated by the boy every moment she spent in his presence. From the hidden potentials of his Quirk to his truly noble disposition, he was a wonder. The frog-woman knew he was technically a mutant-type, and one with abilities that came with concerning side effects to be sure, but Izuku had so far shown such a strong heart that it was impossible not to see the budding hero within him.

The Asui matriarch was fully aware of the harsh realities of the world though, and how people were quick to label others based on the power or appearance of their Quirks and leave it at that. Mutants, for one reason or another depending on whom you asked, were always ranked lowest in the hierarchy, lower still if the individuality in question was classified as 'Dark' in nature. Which was completely arbitrary trash in her opinion.

Even so, there was no doubt in the frog-woman's mind that the green-haired teen sitting across from her must've endured a certain kind of hell for much of his life. Being not only a mutant, but a mutant regenerator at that, already placed him amongst the 'weakest' of classifications, but the additional capability to raise and control the dead dragged him into the 'Dark' side of the spectrum as well. The stigma against every step he'd ever taken must've been outrageous.

And she would know. Beru prided herself in the fact that a large portion of her law firm's casework was in the pursuit of justice for those unfairly affected by society's bias against those born with 'weaker' Quirks. It disgusted her that there was a tendency or even willingness to overlook the faults of the 'strong and flashy' just because of what they could do, or the 'fame' they might garner.

What worried the Asui matriarch the most, however, was how Izuku Midoriya's situation would be changing soon. With the miraculous success that was her daughter's recovery, those who became interested in the cute cinnamon roll, and his Quirk, would easily overlook his original 'placement' in order to sink their claws into him. These days, everyone wanted a healing Quirk in the family, no matter what.

Which led her thoughts to the worst cases Beru had ever had to handle over the years, those regarding the as-of-yet unbanned practice of Quirk Breeding. The number of times a family or individual had pushed their Quirkist ideals beyond acceptability had become… disconcerting lately. And if those same parties knew of a Quirk that could not only heal the user, but others as well?

"So… she needs to eat? Kero," Beru eventually asked, shaking herself from her dismal thoughts as she eyed the zombie-girl.

Unconcerned with the light scrutiny, Tae blissfully chewed away on her piece of chicken. She appeared to the unknowledgeable observer to be completely unconcerned about, even unaware of, the world around her.

"Not really…" Izuku replied, continuing to cook pieces of chicken at their table. "But letting her chew on things seems to help quell her need to bite. Also, it's seems kind of cruel to eat in front of her without letting her have some."

The green-haired teen's considerate words came on the heels of his ongoing effort to keep Tsuyu's plate well supplied. In focusing on such a task however, the hero-in-training had been completely missing the grins adorning the faces of the watching mother over the meal.

"So… it's more like she… wants to eat, but doesn't have to?" Tsuyu asked, mostly as a cover so she could have more time to wonder why she was enjoying the attention of her savior so much.

Unlike the apparently oblivious green-haired teen, the frog-girl had noticed the smiles their mothers kept sharing. Her observational talent had been turned against her however, as now she feared for an incredibly awkward moment that had to be brewing for the future.

"That's what I figure," Izuku answered after swallowing his own bite of food. "It's a human instinct after all. Yesterday, you weren't able to stomach food, but that didn't stop you from wanting to eat something. By that logic, Tae probably has a desire to eat something every now and then."

Tsuyu blushed at the reminder of an embarrassing moment from early on in the hospital bed, when she'd unthinkingly asked for a snack only to be immediately reminded by Recovery Girl that her stomach still had a gaping hole in it.

"Sorry for making you all wait!" Inko called out as she took her place at the group's table, returning the party to four plus zombie. "The staff was insistent that I sign a responsibility waiver to keep Tae inside. I don't understand why they're all so on edge around her though… she's never attacked anyone unprovoked before."

Beru waved off her fellow mother's apology, instead silently gesturing with her eyes for Inko to take a look at their children. Both teens had somehow become trapped in a constant state of catching the other's eye, blushing, and then looking away, only to repeat the process. It was adorable.

"Don't worry about it Inko-chan, kero," Beru welcomed the homely mother once she'd taken her fill of the scene. "I should be the one apologizing. My husband very much wanted to personally thank your son as well, but couldn't get away today. The firm just had a large influx of new cases come in at the same time a number of our current ones were concluded, so as the Chief Legal Accountant he's tied up getting everything sorted out."

The Asui matriarch felt even more at ease with the Midoriya woman at that moment than she had the day before, both having kept in touch during their children's recoveries. As mothers their worrying had kept them from sleeping, and having someone who knew exactly how they felt was a great relief. They'd chatted a little about everything, even getting into some incredibly personal matters.

It had come as a surprise to Beru to discover that her new friend had become a widow only five years ago, though her husband had been away from the family's home due to work for much longer. Official documents showed that Hisashi Midoriya's death had been caused by a work-related accident, completely at the employer's fault. A generous life insurance policy, coupled with compensation provided by the company, had been enough for Inko to sustain a comfortable life as a lower-middle class single-mother.

The real story, however, had turned out to be much more scandalous.

Inko had been hesitant to share at first, but half a decade of bottled up words and emotions had eventually come pouring out in the face of Beru's calm and understanding mannerisms. The homely woman had spoken of an affair with a younger woman, a murder, faked divorce and marriage certificates, and even an attempt to abscond with both the insurance money and compensation.

It had been a wild tale to be sure, and one that Izuku was better off not knowing. The poor child's life was already hard enough without the extra burden of the truth of his father's fate weighing on his shoulders.

"I think it's kind of better this way—NO OFFENSE!" Izuku shouted, hands waving crazily as soon as he realized how his words could be taken. "I mean, I want to meet your husband too ma'am, but I don't know what I could say to him. You've already forgiven me for when I had to… touch Tsu-chan… but would he… feel the same?"

As the green-haired teen voiced his thoughts and fears, the kindness and understanding in the Asui matriarch's round eyes were a reassuring sight to see. Still, even though Tsuyu's mother seemed to be just like his own in being empathetic and accepting, he'd never really had a father figure present enough to be able to guess how one would react. The hero-in-training truly believed he had no guarantee of survival if he encountered the man.

"He would've loved to meet you, kero," Tsuyu replied with honesty. There was little doubt in her mind of this fact, even though she'd only had less than a day to really tell her parents about her classmate and savior.

The frog-girl knew very well her mother and father dreamed of finding her a suitor like Izuku, one that was not only noble, but responsible, easygoing, hardworking, and depended more on his brains than brawn. Quietly, she also knew they'd often despaired at the prospect of ever finding such a person. But now…

"Indeed he would've, kero," Beru agreed. Suddenly, the frog-woman turned to Inko, a serious look stealing over her normally stoic face. "That reminds me Inko-chan. I would like to make you a proposition."

Tsuyu froze on the spot. She'd known her mother would bring up the idea at some point, but to cut straight to talk of an arranged marriage after only a day? The frog-girl had known one would most likely be in her future if she wanted a family anyway, but she really didn't want to force her new best friend and savior into a situation like this so soon. Especially not right now!

"Tsu-chan, are you alright?" Izuku asked when he noticed how Tsuyu had stiffened and paled out of the blue.

In response, the frog-girl only blushed, unable to help herself in the face of such caring shown by her savior. He spoke, and it was like honey flowed from his lips.

"You see, I have two other children, a real pair of little devils," Beru began, laying out the groundwork for her plan. The frog-woman knew the first step had succeeded when she saw her daughter visibly relax at her words. She hoped there'd be no open objection from Tsuyu if the tadpole didn't recognize the web her mother was weaving. "Usually my eldest here is more than happy to help take care of them, but this incident has opened my eyes. I've been taking her for granted. It's high time my husband and I looked into hiring a babysitter so Tsu-chan can focus on her studies, and we can return to our work free of worry."

"Oh my!" Inko exclaimed, catching on to what her fellow mother was getting at. "That sounds like a wonderful idea! Izuku, you don't mind… do you?"

The homely mother was absolutely beaming. She'd been aching to care for a little one again, and now here was an opportunity that came with two? It was a wish come true. And earning a little extra to maybe get her precious boy something a little nicer for Christmas this year didn't sound too bad either.

"Of course I don't," Izuku assured, unable to say no to his mother's smile. "Just don't do more than you can."

Tsuyu had relaxed a little at this point, but not completely. There had to be more to her mother's offer than she was seeing; the woman wasn't one to be unduly kind to strangers. And as the one who she and her siblings had inherited their blunt honesty and intellect from, the frog-girl knew she was right to be suspicious.

"Great, we can talk details later, kero," Beru said, now turning to Izuku. "Also, this will make the next petition easier. Izuku?"

The green-haired teen wasn't the only one who snapped to attention when he was called. Tsuyu and Tae both stiffened in response to the frog-woman's sudden focus on the hero-in-training.

"Yes ma'am?" Izuku answered, ready to listen. In his heart, he hoped he wasn't about to be asked to distance himself from Tsuyu. He treasured the new friendship he'd made dearly.

"I know this may be overstepping, or asking too much but…" the words sent Izuku's stomach sinking to his feet. He didn't like how this was sounding. "Could you accompany my daughter to school from now on? I would feel much better if I knew you were by her side for a little while longer, kero."

The Asui matriarch's request was met with speechless shock by all present, none more so than the daughter in question. Tsuyu couldn't believe how obvious her mother was being with her plan. The frog-girl's shock quickly morphed to fear when she saw her savior shake himself and prepare an answer. She didn't know which would be worse, acceptance or denial… either option terrified her.

"Of course, I would be honored."

Such a firm and honest answer had Tsuyu turning red all over again, unable to cope with the new reality of her life. Her savior would continue to gallantly protect her even though her time of need had ended.

"Y-you will? Kero," the frog-girl asked out of reflex before she could stop herself. Instantly she wished she could've bitten her tongue.

The enthusiastic nod she received in response only deepened Tsuyu's blush. Her savior was almost too earnest in his naivety sometimes.

"Yes! As a matter of fact, I was going to ask to be allowed to do something like that anyway," Izuku hardly took a breath before continuing. "Maybe to AND from school actually. I mean… there's so much we don't know about my Quirk still. There's still a chance you may feel—UMFH!"

The makings of a patented Izuku Midoriya mumbling episode was cut off before it could gather steam as Tsuyu decided to stop any further embarrassment, and lose of her mood, by forcing a piece of chicken into his mouth.

"We… we should eat before the food gets cold, kero," the frog-girl said in defense of her action. So focused was she on getting her mind off of what had just happened that she failed to notice that she began to use the same chopsticks she'd used to feed Izuku. Eyes locked on her food, she also missed the matching grins the two mothers wore as they silently cheered at the indirect kiss.

Conversation drifted to more mundane topics from there. Both Inko and Beru smiled warmly as they chatted and watched their children. Both knew an inevitability when they saw one, but were more than willing to give a little push to get the ball rolling a bit faster. Izuku and Tsuyu's conversation turned to what to expect Monday, both doubting Mina would remain quiet about what she'd seen. The green duo was confident that at least Tokoyami would take their side however, for Izuku's sake at least.

That night, Asui Family Residence…

After tossing and turning for who knew how long, Tsuyu gave up and admitted she couldn't get to sleep. No matter how much she tried, her mind wouldn't shut off and allow her to slumber. And she knew why; thoughts of a certain green-haired teen that had freely given his own blood to save her life were completely filling her head.

The frog-girl felt silly, it was childish of her to be making such a big deal out of it. She was attending a school for heroes! She needed to act like a student of such was expected to, regardless of her feelings.

"But… what if he likes me… like that? Kero," Tsuyu whispered, to herself or the dark room, she didn't know.

Being so openly accepted despite her amphibian features was a novelty the frog-girl just couldn't shake. It had been an unexpectedly warm comfort in an unfamiliar setting. Unlike her bed, which even in the familiarity of her bedroom still felt annoyingly cold and smelled quite plain for some reason. It was so unlike what she'd experienced the night prior—

"Kero!" Tsuyu bolted upright, startled. Her veins had just tickled her! In the back of her mind, a worming fear began to grow as she suddenly felt as if she could… sense… something familiar in the distance. It was too far away to reach, or even make an attempt to, but before she could even think more on it, a memory of the previous night surfaced in her stricken mind.

As she'd lain on top of her savior, he'd told her that his blood sometimes felt like it tickled his veins as if answering him when he spoke.

"Is that you Izu-kun?" Tsuyu asked, looking down at herself, her veins. "Will you keep me warm at night again? Kero."

The frog-girl had to wonder, how much of this was the boy caring for her so much that not even distance could keep him from comforting her, and how much was her own yearning. Another sudden ticklish sensation assaulted her, causing her to feel a warmth spread through her. It wasn't as much as the real deal she'd experienced skin to skin against Izuku, but it was enough she understood she shouldn't be feeling the temperature change so much. She was supposed to be cold-blooded.

"Kero kero kero kero kero!" Tsuyu fell onto her pillow again, the giddy happiness she felt unable to be contained. Now she wanted Monday to arrive faster than ever so she could see her savior again.

Same time, Midoriya Residence…

In his own bed, Izuku was hugging a spare pillow while warmly remembering the previous night. The memory of spending a whole night hugging a cute girl kept him so warm he could almost bask in it. He'd gladly take an opportunity to do such a thing again, although hopefully under less dire circumstances.

The green-haired teen didn't think too hard on the fact he continuously failed to imagine a different girl in his arms other than Tsuyu whenever he tried to fantasize about another such night. It was too early in their friendship, heck their lives, to chase such goals. It could be disastrous if he tried to jump into such a thing without thought. The frog-girl didn't even know about all of his faults… like the peculiar decorations adorning his room.

"I wonder if Tsu-chan would find this… healthy?" Izuku murmured to himself as he glanced around his room swathed in the shadows of night.

Long gone were the days that even in darkness one could see the walls were covered in brightly covered posters of All Might and other top heroes, the shelves crammed with hero figurines, and the bookshelves packed with comics. Nowadays Izuku's room appeared more akin to one of a medical student in their residency; medical posters covering all levels of anatomic detail were plastered on the walls, the bookshelf was stuffed with medical tomes, and the shelves… those were populated by plush dolls of all shapes and sizes.

What? He couldn't live without cuteness. Even Tae, as she laid on the floor, enjoyed the company of a large rabbit doll. The zombie-girl seemed to take a special pleasure in nibbling on the poor thing's ears.

Monday, Outside the Asui Residence, Early in the Morning…

Izuku was overflowing with nerves. This was the first time he'd ever stood outside of a home specifically because he was waiting for a girl, never mind it was to walk her to school. It made the green-haired teen feel like he was waiting for his girlfriend or something similar.

The invasive romantic thought forced another blush across his face. The prospect of that kind of relationship made him happy, but filled him with fear as well. He couldn't entertain the idea of being with someone, especially Tsuyu, until they'd seen the worst of what he truly was. Steeling himself, he readied himself to call at the door.

"On second thought, maybe I should give her another three minutes? It's still early… for…" Izuku trailed off, realizing he'd have to come face-to-face with Tsuyu's father soon, a thought that did nothing for his anxiety. Sure, he'd saved the man's daughter, but surely he'd still be cross with him for spending an entire night wrapped around the frog-girl? Nothing had happened of course, but still…

"Aaahhh…" Tae groaned, plunking her head right on the button-like doorbell. A faint 'ding-dong' could be heard inside the residence, letting Izuku know those inside now knew someone was at their door.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Izuku accused the zombie-girl with more than a little disdain in his voice. Although he really couldn't blame Tae for her actions, if he'd been by himself it might've been hours before he'd gathered enough courage to do such a mundane thing. And that wouldn't fly since he'd already agreed he'd do this. And they had to get to class on time.

The second the door to the home opened, a green missile shot out and tackled Izuku to the ground, leaving a confused Tae to blink at the now empty spot her master had occupied less than a second ago. Looking down at his chest, the green-haired teen discovered that the missile was actually none other than Tsuyu, who'd occupied herself with happily nuzzling him.

Izuku hugged the frog-girl without thinking, her absolute cuteness pulling a smile from him with ease. Then he looked up, and realized a large-ish man had also walked onto the scene.

"I'm in trouble… aren't I" Izuku asked who could only be Tsuyu's father. He hoped this wouldn't turn out too badly.

The rather amphibious-looking man scratched the back of his head while taking in the scene before him. Then… he sighed.

"No son, you're not," Tsuyu's father replied, looking both amused and resigned at the sight of the two teens. "But you will be if you let her dictate your entire life, kero."

Before Izuku could ask what the man meant by that, Beru quickly stepped into the doorway.

"Did you say something Ganma dear? Kero," the frog-woman asked as she hugged her husband's arm.

"Just remembering how much I love you!" Ganma answered quickly before picking up a briefcase that had been sitting inside behind him. "I've gotta run to the firm now. Enjoy your day love, kero."

The amphibious man kissed his wife, gave one last smile in Izuku and Tsuyu's direction, and then hurried away. And if he'd had to force himself to ignore the sight of his daughter swooning over a boy a little more than it appeared he did? Well no one asked.

Meanwhile, at the Bakugo Residence…

Mitsuki's weekend had been horrible. Sleep had eluded her, but the worst thing was that her husband had completely stopped talking to her. Her nightmare was worsening every minute; the stable family she'd worked so hard for was crumbling away. If things didn't change soon, there wouldn't be a family at all.

At least the ashen mother had managed to arrange a meeting with the lawyers of the Asui and Iida Families for the end of the week. It was her only chance at settling things outside of court, an infinitesimal chance to salvage the situation and maybe keep her family together.

"One week, we just need to survive for one week. After that…" Mitsuki words drifted into incoherency as she drank another shot of sake. She'd long since found it impossible to deal with her current reality while completely sober.

Asking Inko, her longtime friend, for forgiveness, for which the homely woman had always been so free to give in the past, had been a hard-hitting bust. The green-haired mother had flat out refused to take her calls, and the absence of any response to the numerous messages she'd left clued the ashen woman in that this hadn't been a snap emotional decision. The Midoriya matriarch didn't want to talk to her. At all.

Any hope of Inko appealing to the Asui and Iida Families as a proxy for the Bakugos had since died. It was a bad omen for things to come if Ko-chan had finally had enough and turned away from Mitsuki. The ashen mother felt a part of her heart quiver at the depressing thought.

"Is there anything in this pit to make breakfast with?" Katsuki rudely asked as he jerked open the fridge. Finding only eggs, the blond bit back a curse at the lack of options.

He'd never admit it, but Katsuki had been much like his mother the previous nights. There'd been no sleep, no peace for him as he'd lain there, dying on the inside. Every time he'd closed his eyes, the blond had only been able to see the inevitable events to come, where he'd be forced to discard his pride and dignity and beg like a dog for forgiveness.

None of this nightmare would be happening if the freak had just engaged him in a straight fight. Everything being at stake like this was fucking Romero's fault, Katsuki still knew that to be true. But he'd already decided he'd play along and be a 'good boy.' Nothing would ever make him give up his dream, even going though this humiliation. And one day, one day he'd still be the undefeatable Number One Hero.

So the blond swore to himself, that someday, he'd prove to everyone that he'd been right, and that the green fucking abomination had been in the wrong.

UA Campus, Before First Bell…

Izuku and Tsuyu had made it safely to UA's grounds, both blushing the entire walk. An awkward silence had hung over the duo the entire trek; one believing his mouth would betray him with strings of embarrassing words, the other fearing her body would betray her and cause her to reach out to lean against her savior. Both teens were either unaware or unable to recognize that their hands had been intertwined the entire time…

"Aahh…" Tae's soft, questioning groan forced the green duo to stop and turn to face her.

"We're not blushing!" The denial was shouted in stereo, earning laughter from the random and ignorant second and third years that were passing by.

Wondering at what was so funny, Izuku and Tsuyu noticed too late that yes, they were indeed blushing. The additional awkwardness that followed the discovery lasted until it inexplicably turned into laughter.

"I'm sorry about that," Izuku apologized, scratching the back of his head bashfully. "It's just… I… I've been worried about you, you know? Wondering if you've been feeling okay. I don't want bad things happening to you."

Tsuyu's already reddened cheeks deepened to a lovely rouge hue at the words of her savior. A small smile tugged at her lips, and the frog-girl looked down to avoid eye contact.

"It's okay Izu-kun," Tsuyu said, flicking her eyes back and forth from her feet to the bright emeralds that were staring at her. "I had to do my best not to call you. I thought you'd be worrying too much, but also… I missed you…"

The confession, spoken so softly, was almost missed by the green-haired teen. But as luck would have it, Izuku managed to hear the heartfelt words, and blushed all the more for them.

"Tsu-chan…" Izuku said, wondering how he could phrase how he felt in that moment. He decided to let his rambling speak for him for once. "You can call me whenever, for whatever. If you need me, I'll be by your side. I'll find a way to reach you, no matter what. I'm… I'm… I'm sounding weird again…"

Maybe letting his mouth go without his brain hadn't been such a good idea? The green-haired teen eventually conceded that his words were probably better suited for a boyfriend, but they had accurately described how he felt.

Tsuyu merely giggled at her bumbling savior. For some reason, she felt like teasing him in the near future would be a delightful pastime of hers.

UA Campus, Classroom 1-A…

"Do you think Mina-chan said something to the rest of the class?" Tsuyu asked as the two teens reached the door to their classroom. "You know… about what happened in Recovery Girl's office?"

Izuku suppressed a shudder at the thought of what their pink-hued classmate could've said and done already. The Acid-user had never been malicious in her gossiping as far as the green-haired teen knew, but she often didn't think before she spoke, and topics that were supposed to be secrets were a major weakness of hers.

"I certainly hope not," Izuku replied uneasily as he opened the door for Tsuyu. The frog-girl entered, stoic face appearing to be prepared for the worst. Following behind his friend, the green-haired teen let Tae close the door behind him.

Silence.

Complete and total, abysmal silence was all that greeted the green duo as soon as they walked into 1-A's homeroom. That, and a lot of penetrating stares.

The entirety of 1-A that remained stared intently at the two teens, or more precisely, their intertwined hands. Some of these gazes were cold, more akin to glares, while others were envious. Quite a few were dripping with curiosity as well, and as should've been expected, Mina's in particular was chock full of mischief.

It didn't take long for one Minoru Mineta to angrily hop out of his chair and stomp his way towards the green duo. Before he'd even fully reached his destination the diminutive boy had taken out and shoved his phone in Izuku's face.

"How? How could you do this?! How dare you even show your face around here after this?!" Mineta worked his way up to screaming, his voice pitched in despair. "Not only did you already have a sexy slave-girl when we first met you, but now you have to go and flaunt THIS in front of us too?!"

The picture backlit on the phone was of Izuku and Tsuyu in a rather daring position, their faces close enough to be preparing for a passionate kiss. That the angle of the photo made it obvious to see that the frog-girl's hospital gown had been completely open at the back at the time did nothing to dispel the apparent nature of the compromising position.

"Tsu-chan… is it true?" Ochaco asked, hesitantly approaching the frog-girl. "Did you really have to… do stuff… to get healed?"

For her part, Tsuyu couldn't immediately process what her normally bubbly friend meant by those words, but in the end it didn't matter. That one simple question had unleashed the floodgates.

In the blink of an eye the green duo was swarmed and separated by their classmates. The two mobs were a cacophony of noise, multiple voices shouting and yelling over each other, asking one awkward question after another about the picture and what had transpired in the nurse's office behind closed doors.

Both Izuku and Tsuyu immediately wished they'd thought to report themselves sick that morning, anything to avoid the trouble they were now facing.


Magnus: Thank you for pointing out my mistakes in the last chapter, I still can't believe I posted "Suspension" instead of "suspended." I wish I had a beta reader, but alas, last time that only made things worse... if anyone is willing to beta read my story, please send me a PM.

The 0bservanc3: That spot's been filled! As of 02/19/19 all chapters published prior to being beta'd have been retroactively checked and reposted.