Chapter 13

(y/n) = your name

(l/n) = last name

When breakfast finished, the two companions arrived back at the U.A. Campus, splitting up with the promise to meet back up in the afternoon. It was peaceful and quiet on the way back to the apartment (y/n) shared with her love. She could hardly believe that just the other night she ran down these halls in a panic.

Hold up.

(y/n) paused to reanalyze her last few thoughts. Had she admitted to… loving Shouta? Did she love him?

She pondered this the rest of the walk to her living space. As she walked through the front door to her apartment, she spied him, dead asleep on the couch. Mochi had curled up across his torso and was currently purring louder than a motor boat.

A smile worked its way on to her face without her permission. Yeah, maybe she did love him.

…

(y/n) was busy wrapping presents in the bedroom when two arms wrapped themselves around her. Immediately she gasped, heart jumping into her throat.

Lazy kisses began to be placed to the back of her neck and a drowsy "…Sorry." Sounded behind her.

Instantly she relaxed. "It's fine." She sighed, contentment laced her tone as she melted into his embrace.

"It's not fine. I know how on edge you are. I shouldn't be startling you like this." He released her, moving to lay face down across the part of the bed not covered in wrapping supplies.

"It didn't always scare me. Once all this is behind us," If we ever get the chance to put it there "you should be able to touch me without giving me a mini heart attack."

Shouta gave a muffled snort.

Just then, a text comes in on (y/n)'s phone. Picking it up, she reads the alert saying the cake is ready.

Unfortunately, if she picked it up and dropped everything off at Inko's herself, she'd be late to pick up Izuku and company.

"…Hey babe, can you do me the biggest favor?" she asked

She got a grunt in return, so she explained what she wanted from him

"Absolutely not." He said, pulling his face from the blankets.

"Why not?" (y/n) pouted, "They need to be there before Izuku, and I can't manage it by myself."

Shouta groaned "Why can't you bring over the cake and the gifts and I do the kid delivery?"

(y/n) laughed "Oh, so now you want to be trapped in a confined space with your students outside of a school setting."

She didn't get a response, he merely turned over on his back, and stared at the ceiling.

"Oh my god… are you… afraid to be alone with my sister?"

Immediately he responded in the negative.

"You are! You're scared of Inko!" (y/n) nearly couldn't get her words out, she was laughing so hard. "You'll take on a league of villains single handedly, but you're afraid to fight a forty-year-old woman who's this tall!" she raised her hand to be level with her waist as she continued to guffaw. To just absolutely cackle.

"She hates me, (y/n)." Shouta defended "She hates me, and she's not shy about it at all. I can just see her taking advantage of the lack of witnesses to come at me with a whisk."

(y/n) coughed a bit, as she responded, "I suppose her fists would be at crotch height for you, huh?" before continuing in a more serious tone "She doesn't hate you. After everything that's been happening with the league of villains and her son, she's just a little on edge. She doesn't think the school is taking enough precautions to ensure the students safety; Considering what I know about one such individual that works here, I tend to agree with her. Much like Mochi, she just needs to warm up to you a bit. You'll be fine, so please…can you run this teeny weenie errand for me?"

Meeting her gaze, he sighed and finally agreed. "but I'm still not staying for the party. I'll drop off the cake, and then I'm immediately coming back here to finish my nap."

(y/n) smiled, handing the now wrapped gifts over to him "That's all I can ask of you."

…

The party was now in full swing, and things were going well. Half the class had turned up for the party, and (y/n) was able to get to know a few of them better.

The kids sat around Inko's coffee table playing some card game while Inko and (y/n) sat in the kitchen.

Inko's bright smile was practically a permanent fixture on her face. "Izuku never had many friends in middle school. He's really blossomed into a confident, friendly young man. I'm so proud of him."

(y/n) nodded in agreement "You should be. You should also keep in mind that he isn't done blossoming, either. When he's a Pro-Hero, he's going to be amazing."

The two women beamed at each other, and (y/n) observed her sister thoroughly.

"You've seemed a lot better lately. I remember when we first reunited you were about ten seconds from an emotional breakdown at all times."

Inko shrugged. "I've got a lot to be happy about now. My son is happy, and going to his dream school, my baby sister is back and in a happy, committed, relationship, and just this morning I got flowers from a secret admirer." She said the last part in a whisper, like she was sharing the juiciest bit of gossip.

Though (y/n) did not share in her excitement. In fact, she felt a knot start to weave itself in the pit of her stomach. "What?"

Inko motioned to a vase on her counter, containing a bushel of fresh, lovely flowers, but all the meanings (y/n) had learned throughout her nine years as captive were racing through her mind, matching the tempo of her rapidly speeding heartrate.

Irises A message. White Clover Think of me. Begonias Beware.

Message received, Sicko.

(y/n) immediately excused herself, and began to speed walk past the kids out the door towards the front stoop.

"Auntie, is everything alright?" Izuku asked her as she past

(y/n) paused, a false smile spread across her face "I'll tell ya later. It's not a big deal, just enjoy the party for now."

Then she walked through the door, phone frantically dialing Shouta. She paced the front stoop, becoming more and more impatient as the phone on the other end rang. After what felt like half of eternity, Shouta picked up. "Whoever this is, make it quick. I was sleeping."

(y/n) grit her teeth and hissed into the phone "He was here. He knows where she lives, and he was here." She didn't need to specify.

"Hold on, how do you know." He ushered, his tone pleading her to calm.

"He sent flowers to her home as a warning." (y/n) cried, refusing his silent request. "That's what he does. He sends bouquets with hidden messages. This one said, 'I'm leaving you a message; You know who sent this, beware.'"

There was silence on the other end, until "…That night, when you agreed to move in. There was a vase of flowers on the kitchen counter."

"There was."

"I'll be right over."

And with that, he hung up.