2/2 double update, so if you went to this chapter right away, go back one!

Retreats to her cave of cup noodles and blankets to prepare for finals.

I forgot to say this forever ago but happy winter guys, I love winter so freaking much it is

My season.

WE MADE IT TO TWENTY (REAL) CHAPTERS GUYS YAHOO!

Happy belated Hanukah to anyone who celebrates! I know I'm really late, hahaha

I do not own BNHA!

Of Heroes, Blood, and Boba

Chapter Twenty:

Hibiscus Tea

Hibiscus tea; sweet and sour taste, brewed tea made with the hibiscus flower. It has a dark, deep red color and believed to be good for the heart (in its natural brew without sugars, it's very bittersweet)

"Where is she?"

Yagi stood in the blinding lights of the hospital hallway.

A few nurses were huddled in small groups, talking things over with distant or immediate relatives called in. One or two of the others of the less fortunate had officiates discussing matters of their approaching futures. The end and start of each hallway were guarded by police officials. He had to go through a rough, hazardous screen accompanied by his horrid, spitting curses and had it not been for his wife—he would've decked the pro hero at the entrance to the hospital.

A police official was at his side in an instant. Naomi was the next floor down, having urged him on first while she dealt with the forms they needed to handle right this moment. "She needs someone now. You go."

"Are you Kouki Yagi?"

"Yes," he spat. "Now where is she—"

The police official looked grim. "...her case if very particular sir. Quirk aside, we have to consider who her father was. I believe we may need to regulate her further—"

"Is she injured?"

"No, but—"

"Then tell me where the hell she is unless you want to forget who you are."

The policeman gaped at him. Yagi was tempted to throttle the idiot's neck until a haggard man stepped out of one of the rooms, sliding the door shut behind him. His clothing looked more like some casual wear than a hero's costume, but Yagi spotted the familiar goggles and the cloth hanging in tatters around his neck, singed at the edges and spotted with blood.

The familiar smell of ash and blood hit his nose.

"Is this her grandfather?" Eraserhead said slowly. The policeman nodded, looking nervous. "Kouki, Ai's father?"

"Yes," he seethed. "The one who made the report."

He nodded his head, turning over his shoulder to look at the door behind him. "We just finally got her to rest. She needed a blood transfusion on the spot. Several. Her Quirk has been acting up, but it looks like she'll wake up fine in a few hours when she needs another round."

Yagi's heart snapped in half. He kept his legs steady. "...how is she?"

"Physically," he said. "Alright. We have her Quirk to thank for that. Mentally, on the other hand..."

Eraserhead's eyes met his.

"Okay," Yagi said. "Okay. Okay. I'll wait. A few hours, right? I'll just... I'll just wait right here. That's fine, ain't it?" The policeman nodded. "Good. I'll wait right here for her to wake up."

The policeman opened his mouth, "For Shinobu, Fuyu—"

"You." Yagi breathed quietly. "You do me a favor, sir. You take that clipboard, and you change that forsaken name this instant. She never had a proper birth certificate. I want that made out as Kouki Fuyu. Nothing else."

"But her father is—"

Yagi's eyes flashed dangerously. Eraserhead nodded at him. The policeman scurried off and only then did Yagi sink deeper into his seat, holding his head in his hands as he bowed it low to his knees.

"I'll be back in a bit," he said to Yagi, patting his shoulder and then slipping off to go speak with another policeman. Yagi kept his head bowed, counting the minutes in his head.

At some point Naomi joined him by his side, head nestled against his shoulder. She left to go speak to the head nurse and doctor in charge of their granddaughter and the hours continued to tick by as Yagi sat there, stood, walked, paced, agonized and then found himself staring silently at a vending machine at the end of the hall.

He punched two buttons at once, watching the two drinks tumble in a stroke of luck down into the slot. He pulled them out, staring at the sweetened milk tea and bright red floral tea with blank eyes.

"She's awake now, sir."

He'd never run faster in his life.

The door pulled open against his fingers. It was still night out, the lights of the room dimmed down a bit for comfort.

But he could see every inch of her in perfect clarity, no longer just a glassy memory.

"Her name is Fuyu." His lips quivered at the memory of his daughter's voice. "She's so beautiful, Papa. I wish... I wish—"

Dull, quiet red eyes turned to him.

She was propped up against the farthest corner of the bed. Her head was bandaged, faded black locks with a hint of dark gray bleeding at the crown of her head into the rest of her hair. Her skin was a light tan, just like Ai's. It'll get darker with the sun. The corner of her mouth showed an old trail of blood where she might've wiped it off, the same beneath her nose above her lip. Straps were tightened around her wrists and legs and Yagi was seized all at once with a flurry of emotions as those small, heavy eyes watched him as though he could run a knife through her chest and she would merely close her eyes and finally rest.

Yagi's heart threatened to crack into a thousand pieces.

He bit his lip and slowly, carefully approached the bed. She watched him, leaning most of her weight against a pillow. He didn't know if they'd drugged her to keep her calm or it was merely a side effect, but it allowed him to come close enough to set the can of milk tea down beside her.

He popped the tab for her and slid a straw in and then sat down in the chair a few feet from her bed.

"It's not the first thing you need to drink," he said finally. "But you must want something in you other than blood and medication, right?"

The broken little girl said nothing. Her eyes landed on the can for a long time, as though assessing whether or not more medication had been slipped in. She licked chapped lips and slowly, with tentative fingers, grabbed the can and brought the straw to her lips. Her hands shook from the effort and Yagi watched in silence, taking in the almost carbon copy of his daughter sitting in the hospital bed before him.

He felt an eternity pass in those seconds.

Fat, wet tears fell from the corners of her eyes and dripped down her chin. She continued to drink, not saying a word as she began to cry until she could no longer hold the can and she bowed her head against her knees, shoulders shaking.

His heart shattered.

Yagi bowed his head and cried.

Fuyu used the few days they had before leaving for the summer training camp to tie up a few loose ends.

Visiting the kids and helping with their summer starter party had been first on the list—there'd been an explosion of Quirks and complaints about her week long absence. Various groups had called dibs on her precious vacation time to catch bugs, go to the amusement parks, and a thousand other things Fuyu didn't remember signing up for. Fuyu had told them all to stop complaining and that she'd be back real strong so they all better watch out.

They tackled her into the riverbank and begged for souvenirs.

Fuyu didn't like summer much. The heat made her Quirk a bit testier than usual along with herself. She became more lethargic and hard to move around, but summer vacation did usually mean more work hours and days on end of being in her pajamas without anyone to bother her about it. She was a touch reluctant to have to go back to school so soon for the training camp and in uniform no less, but there was nothing she could do.

Fuyu tried to hide her smile as she pushed her sneakers into her duffel bag.

"Got your toothbrush?" Shinsou said from her restroom, reading off a list of items he'd made from the handbook they'd given her in class. He'd found it tossed in the corner of her room while Fuyu shoved bags of snacks into her bag with piles of necessities around her.

Hana and her manager had wished her well at her last shift before leaving the konbini. They'd pushed off several boxes of snacks and drinks and YUMP magazines in case the trip got long. "But it's just an hour—" "Girl, I get bored in ten."

The café manager had offered to send her off with several sweets and pastries, but Fuyu had lamented their perishables and refused with a heavy heart.

Fuyu had also received a box stuffed full to the brim with Kyoto specialized snacks, including most of them being of her favorite tea maker brand. Naomi had marveled at how the ice coolers in the box had kept the ice cream from melting on such a journey, but Fuyu had a suspicion the box had never touched a deliveryman's hands to begin with. A charm for good luck and earnest victory had been attached, a small, folded up and familiar tag with written instructions on its use slipped into an envelope.

"For emergencies. Work hard!"

"Yeah," Fuyu grunted, trying to punch her jacket and gym uniform to fit into the damn duffel. "Who do you think I am?"

Shinsou considered her words, glancing to the moon high in the sky outside her window and to her pajamas. Fuyu was clad in a loose, oversized shirt with orange shorts, hair pulled up into a messy bun while she struggled to pack everything into her bag. "When are you leaving for this camp again?"

"Tomorrow," Fuyu said easily.

Shinsou looked pointedly to the clock on her desk.

"What time tomorrow?"

"Seven," Fuyu stopped. She turned over her shoulder and stared at the clock while Shinsou raised an eyebrow.

"What time is it now?"

The clock read 12 A.M.

"I thought you're supposed to be helping me," Fuyu said darkly. "I don't see much help."

Shinsou grabbed her iron supplements off the counter and dropped them by her feet. He knelt down beside her, swatting her hands away and quickly pulling everything she'd poorly shoved into her duffle out before he began the process of refolding and rolling them up to conserve space. Fuyu hummed, sitting back on her ankles and helping push items his way while she debated between snacks.

"Sorry we could only go to the cat café," Fuyu said. "Maybe we can do a festival when I get back."

"Can't be helped," Shinsou said easily. "Part of being a Hero Course student, isn't it?"

Fuyu's smile turned sly and she nudged his knee. "You better keep up those training exercises Zawa's been drilling into you or you're gonna have it rough when he gets back."

Shinsou shot her a look over his shoulder, meant to be cold but there was a light behind them that made her flush with pride for her friend. The training sessions had come as early news to her when Aizawa had proposed it to her, given that he'd done the same with her once. Fuyu had been quick to drag Shinsou to the faculty office, practically shoving him into the room with the promise of sparring with him if he could get off his lazy ass.

"Isn't this my jacket?" Shinsou said suddenly, holding up a lavender tracksuit jacket. Fuyu shrugged, putting snacks into every available space Shinsou left in her bag.

He rolled his eyes, folding it up and packing it into the duffel. Shinsou skimmed the small pile of clothes Fuyu owned and noticed the new articles added to her pitiful amount. He packed everything on the list, double checking for her supplements and a first aid kit tailored to her Quirk. He reached to her, palm open. "You've got room for one more thing."

Fuyu perked up, skimming the mess of items on her floor. Something old and battered peeked out from beneath a drawer and she frowned, reaching for it and tugging it out. A sneaky grin curled onto her lips and Fuyu slapped it into his waiting hand.

Shinsou frowned, turning at the crinkle.

The old, beaten up cigarette box gazed back at him.

Shinsou threw it with all he had at her head. Fuyu let out a squawk, falling back to the ground as she healed the growing bruise. "A joke! It was just a joke! I swear I haven't touched one in years!"

"You've got bad taste," Shinsou muttered, picking the box up and tucking it into his back pocket to throw away for good measure. He grabbed several boxes of snacks and placed it into the empty space, squeezing one bag of her tea candies in as well before he zipped up her duffel and gave it a pat. "There, you're good to go. Bring a backpack for the other stuff."

"Mm," Fuyu nudged the duffel with her foot, flopping back onto the floor and Shinsou rubbed wearily at his eye, squinting at the clock once more before he looked down at her.

"...you sure you're gonna be alright?"

"'s one week," Fuyu mused. She rolled over, lazily tugging out the spare futon and Shinsou stepped over her to properly flap it out. He dropped it onto her face and her eyes peeked out from the top, idle. "Zawa's gonna work us to the bone, probably. Should be good. Everyone's looking forward to it. I'll sleep like a rock."

"Try not to be an idiot," Shinsou said. "Or start anything you can't finish."

"I've come a long way, you know."

"You're also still and idiot."

Fuyu scowled, pushing the futon down so she could make a jab for his calf. Shinsou lifted his leg and sat down on the edge of the futon, straightening it out as Fuyu rolled over and propped her head onto her folded arms.

"Look after them for me, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Make sure he goes to his check-ups."

"You're one to talk."

"The cats at the café were assholes."

"They just don't like you."

Fuyu watched her friend move with an air of familiarity about him through her room, sparse as it was. Shinsou went and checked the lock on her window, pushing open the screen instead to allow some air in.

"When you come back," Shinsou said, turning over to her as he settled into the futon and reached for the comforter. "You can make it up to me."

Fuyu grinned, "Hey. You're the one that offered—"

The comforter slapped Fuyu in the face, knocking her back across her futon. Shinsou slapped a pillow over her for good measure. "Now go to sleep. Speak another word and I'll make you sleep."

Fuyu made an inhuman noise beneath the mounds of pillow and blanket. Shinsou stood over her for a moment, eyes lingering on the lighter crown of gray at the top of her head.

"Take medicine if you can't sleep."

Fuyu grunted, a muffled sound.

"No rooftops, alright?"

Fuyu's muffled laugh came from beneath him. His lips quirked up into a wry smile as her hand slipped out from the blankets and patted his wrist.

Yeah, yeah.

"You don't have to take this with you now, but we wanted to give it to you before you left."

Fuyu stared sleepily beneath the comforter pulled up to her chin. She had rolled onto her side, feet kicked up onto Shinsou's stomach while he still slept soundly. They had an hour before the alarm went off and she needed to get to the station and meet with Todoroki to head to school where everyone was meeting up to get on the buses.

Yagi knelt beside her face, a little bit away from her head. He held the box out to her.

It took Fuyu a moment to recognize the familiar shape and sleek packaging. Her eyes went round and she scrambled on the futon. Shinsou let out a grunt where her feet smacked his ribcage in her haste to kneel and she gawked at the item in Yagi's hands. "When'd you go and buy this? What the hell is this for?"

"Finishing your first semester," Yagi answered gruffly. He set the newly packaged smartphone into her hands. "It'll take ages for an idiot like you to figure this out, but it's about time you got a new phone. The old thing of Nao's won't last much longer and you can't expect to use that the older you get."

"But we can't afford—"

"You let the adults worry about that," Yagi said roughly. "You just take this and be smart about it. 's got a lot of memory for what it's worth. Make good use of it."

Fuyu stared, eyes comically wide at the new gadget in her hands. "You can get it set up when you come back. Picked out a fair enough plan for you, so like I said, be smart about it—"

"Thanks, Gramps." Fuyu touched his wrist, hesitating only briefly before she let her fingers curl around his hand.

Yagi bowed his head a bit, giving her hand a pat. "Snag that last hour in. We'll walk you as far as the station."

His hand hesitated for a moment before it curled gently around her shoulder. Fuyu shut her eyes, leaning into the touch.

One day, I want that hand to pat my head too.

"Are you sure you have everything?"

"I double checked for her," Shinsou said.

"Did you pack enough snacks? They're going to be feeding all of you well?"

"She packed junk," Yagi clarified.

Naomi sighed, patting her cheek as she eyed Fuyu at the entryway of the station. "One whole week... It'll be quiet around here without you."

"Good," Yagi huffed. "Hell knows we need it."

"Have fun now, alright?" Naomi added. "Don't forget to stay healthy. Eat a lot. I'm sure you'll barely have much time, but give us a call or send us a text when you can! Take lots of pictures with your friends and don't forget the bug repellant."

The orange duffel bag was slung over her shoulder. Her backpack hung loosely from her grip in her hands, her uniform just a bit creased from where she forgot to iron it and her blazer tucked into her backpack since it was already beginning to warm up outside. Fuyu dragged the tip of her shoe against the ground, snug.

"Just one week," Fuyu shrugged. "I'll be back before you can cry over how much you miss me."

"Cheekier and cheekier each day," Yagi grunted. "I sure as hell didn't teach you that."

Shinsou slid his hands into his pockets. Naomi pulled her shawl tighter over her shoulders and smiled while Yagi had his arms crossed over his chest.

Fuyu knew one week wasn't a long time. She'd been on a school trip over the weekend before—she could handle it. I have to handle it. But leaving the small places of familiarity she owned was never quite an easy feat for her. It was the same reason they hardly ever traveled. Middle school meant she had Shinsou at her side, but this time, she'd be with...

Yeah. Fuyu sighed through her nose, adjusting her bag and offering her loved ones a crooked grin. You'll be fine.

Fuyu reached both her hands out.

Naomi smiled warmly, eyes shining with love as she clasped her hand. Yagi gave it a fond pat and she threw one arm over Shinsou's shoulders before backing up toward the station stairwell.

"I'll see you guys real soon," Fuyu said firmly.

Naomi's eyes glittered beside her husband's.

"And we'll be right here with a warm meal when you get back."

"Kouki."

Fuyu perked up, turning over her shoulder. Todoroki stood, a few steps away from her and waiting with his own bag in hand. Naomi made a keen noise of interest, placing her hand to her mouth with curious eyes. She whispered something to her husband. Shinsou looked nonchalant and Yagi grunted, turning on his heel and beginning the walk home.

"Ready to go?" Todoroki questioned. "The train is leaving soon."

"Mm," Fuyu stepped down beside him, casting one, long look at her grandparents and drinking in the sight of them with a fierce rush of affection. I'll come back better in this one week. I'll work hard.

"Let's go."

In typical standards of literature—the sky a crisp blue, the air pleasant and curling with friendliness, fluffy clouds dotting the skyline with the morning sun rising high in the sky—it was the perfect day, without a hitch, to set off. It meant good tidings, no forebodings—good luck.

But it was also hot as fuck.

"I hate summer," Fuyu muttered darkly, dropping her duffel bag with a grunt by the other pieces of luggage from her classmates. Helper bots that looked suspiciously like the ones from nurse's office beeped back at her, hauling her bag into the charter bus that would take them to their location. "Always so damn hot. And humid."

"I have to agree to an extent," Shoji admitted beside her, setting down his own bag with ease into the bus so the robot didn't have to do it. "It's only the morning and the sun is already coming down."

Todoroki, unaffected beside her raised his right hand. "Just bring a fan."

Fuyu turned her face toward him, squinting and waiting. Todoroki placed the back of his hand against her cheek and Fuyu let out a low sigh of pleasure. "Easy for you to say, you walking air conditioner."

"That's all wrong, Fu-chan!" Hagakure protested. "You gotta be excited at times like this! Everyone getting together to get on the bus for a summer trip—isn't it, like, crazy exciting? Like when you can't sleep before a field trip!"

"'s hot," Fuyu grunted.

The rest of her classmates had all finally gathered at the designated departure station by the school grounds. Two buses were lined up and ready to go against the curb. The mountain of bags and eager chatter fed to the promise of a good time, different from the school trips Fuyu had known—which were mostly just ditching the group with Shinsou at her heels—and though it was a training camp, first and foremost, the heat had to fight with the growing excitement feeding into her from her classmates.

"Everyone line up," Aizawa ordered. "U.A's first semester has ended and summer vacation's begun, but those of you trying to be heroes will not receive days of rest."

Fuyu shuffled on her feet, keeping a bit close to Todoroki's right side. Midoriya and Ochako shot her wide smiles while Iida jerked his arms her way and Fuyu returned their greetings with a bob of her head.

"At this training camp, we'll have you aiming for even greater heights—for Plus Ultra."

"Yes, sir!"

Fuyu bobbed her head once more. Aizawa's scarf slapped her chin and Fuyu barked out a, "Yes, sir!"

"It's finally time for the training camp in the woods, huh?" Ochako turned on her heel toward them, clapping her hands together as she crowded close, bouncing on her feet. "I'm so excited! It seems like just yesterday we were talking about it and here it is!"

"Y-Y-Yeah! That's right, Uraraka!" Midoriya stammered, waving his hands wildly as his cheeks flush a bright red at the proximity. Fuyu grunted beside them, shuffling through her backpack to find the ice cold drink she'd purchased at the vending machine on the way here.

"Hmm? Is something wrong, Deku-kun?" Ochako tipped her head to the side curiously and Midoriya flinched.

"N-No! It's just the heat—yes! The heat is all, right, Kouki?"

"Tell me about it," Fuyu muttered, pulling out her drink to press it against her neck with a sigh of relief. Todoroki raised a brow. "Can't have you all the time, Roki. Who knows when you'll start charging me?"

Ochako's mouth parted for a moment. Something flashed through her eyes and she balked, stumbling back and stuttering nervously before she began to clap her hands together eagerly. "Y-Yeah! Training camp! It's finally the training camp, w-woo~"

Kaminari and Ashido leapt to join her, clapping their hands to some unknown beat. Fuyu stared idly at them with her drink pressed to her nape between Todoroki and Midoriya. Is she alright?

"Fuyu-chan," Momo spoke up as she walked over with Jirou beside her, shuffling through her phone to ready a playlist for their ride. "If you'd like, I can make you a portable fan with batteries. That drink will wear off in no time."

"'s good, Ro—Momo," Fuyu corrected herself. Momo's eyes sparkled appreciatively, cheeks flushing with pleasure at her name and Fuyu kicked herself inwardly. "Please, don't. I dunno how I'm ever gonna pay you back at this rate."

"We call dibs on you for our agency," Jirou said simply. "I'll scout. Yaomomo will be our leader. With your support—a total powerhouse."

"That's true," Midoriya muttered suddenly, perking up in attention while Todoroki seemed to be stifling a yawn. "If we were to consider the logistics of future team-ups—"

"Everyone!" Iida shouted, slicing a hand through the air and Fuyu jerked her head back to dodge the blow, pressing her bottle to her cheek now. "Please, remain in order! We should figure out seating arrangements now before—"

"What? What's this? There are people in Class A taking extra classes?" Fuyu frowned at the familiar voice, shuffling around. Monoma shoved his hair back with vigor, eyes shining viciously as he grinned. "Doesn't that mean that you had people who failed the exams? What? Isn't that strange? It's strange, right? Even though you guys are supposed to be way better than Class B?"

"Piece of shit wants to start something, I'll fucking finish it," Bakugou sneered. Kirishima made soothing gestures his way and Fuyu grunted.

"How the hell does he have so much energy right now anyway..."

"Everyone talks so highly about 1-A, but what would they say if they found out that they couldn't even pass their finals—"

"Fuyu-chan, your nose is bleeding," Tsuyu commented, reaching into her pocket for a handkerchief. Fuyu waved her off.

"I can do it on purpose sometimes," Fuyu said idly. "Mostly just happens when I'm surprised though. This one is on purpose." Fuyu swiped the back of her hand across her face, but a few drops of blood hovered in the air.

The drops rounded themselves into marbled shapes, not quite solidified but holding. Monoma continued to rattle on and Fuyu turned over her shoulder, blood smeared over her top lip and took aim with her fingers to flick the marble his way.

"I think," Fuyu said conversationally to a gaping Midoriya beside her, "I can hit his forehead. But maybe I should go for the mouth?"

Monoma froze mid rant.

Fuyu readied her middle finger, pointing it his way.

Smack.

Fuyu took Tsuyu's still waiting handkerchief while Monoma crumpled to the ground. The marbled blood dropped to the floor with a plop and Kendo offered them all apologetic smiles, snatching the back of her now unconscious classmate's collar. "Sorry guys, please ignore him."

"That would've been rather unhygienic, Fuyu-chan," Tsuyu said.

"He'd live."

Kendo began to drag Monoma off to the bus entrance and Midoriya made a noise of curiosity beside her. "That's right, Class B is also..."

"We kind of met during the sports festival, but nice to meet you, Class A!" Setsuna Tokage, I think. Fuyu tried to match a name to all the profiles from the studying Shuzenji had her do on the students in her year so she could attend to all individual needs medically.

Another girl with soft black hair nodded in agreement. Yui?

Fuyu spotted a familiar bandana above the other heads. Awase's eyes met hers and he offered her a grin, patting his fist. Fuyu held up her own, motioning it his way.

"Ah, you're our designated health representative on the trip, too, right?" Setsuna snapped her fingers, grinning wide at Fuyu who blinked back with a raised brow. "Vlad-sensei and Recovery Girl told us all about it!"

"We'll be in your care," Awase called over with a wave and a few of the boys from 1-B beside him grinned, waving her way.

"Come on, everyone! Time to get onto the bus!" Kendo called over her shoulder. Her classmates quickly began to pile onto the bus while Fuyu stood there for a moment, contemplating their words at a slower rate than usual from the heat.

"Please look after us," Sero snickered behind her. "Miss Health Rep."

"I hope you get sick on the bus."

"I almost forgot," Mineta panted, wiping his mouth with his hand. "The added addition of the 1-B girls on this trip... It's just like a babe buffet..."

"Hey, that's enough out of you," Kirishima said flatly.

"Class A's bus is this way!" Iida shouted sternly, making rapid gestures with his arms toward the massive bus directly behind him. "Line up in seat order! We'll count off to make sure everyone is here and double check—"

"Iida-kun, we're all here though," Ochako reminded happily. Iida jolted.

Fuyu sighed through her nose, turning her eyes skywards as everyone around her began to shuffle toward the bus, taking her along with the flow and chatting happily.

It'll be a nice change, I guess.

"Let's play some music!"

"How about we play I-Spy?"

"Everyone! Sit down properly! Sit in your seats, I tell you!"

"I-Iida, you're the one standing though..."

Loud chatter instantly filled the bus. Everyone around her breaking out into side conversations and shouting over seats to each other to be heard. A select few remained at peace with themselves, eye shutting to snag a quick nap or merely observing the chaos in idleness. Fuyu wondered if she'd mistaken hearing Aizawa speaking through the clamor, but when she glanced back to their teacher, he was already facing forward once more, looking through some papers.

"Zawa, I'll sit with you."

"Usually the troublemakers sit with the teachers."

"Come on, move over—"

"To the back with you."

Fuyu leaned back into the cushioned seats. As expected of Yuuei, you guys always do it in style. The seat beside her was unoccupied, since the two seater isles meant one left over with their odd number. Sero and Mineta took the long benches in the back, sprawling legs out and gesturing outside while they snickered. Fuyu sat behind a booming Iida and cowering Midoriya, across the aisle from Todoroki and Aoyama—which was a seating arrangement she didn't understand but wouldn't question—and in front of Momo and Jirou. Across from them Bakugou had his eyes shut, one head phone in his ear while Tokoyami gazed sagely out the window beside him.

"Fuyu-chan, let's put out beds together!" Ochako twisted in her seat to speak to her and Fuyu looked up from the rice cracker she'd been shoving into her mouth. She handed one to Ochako and passed a tea candy to Todoroki. "I think Class A and B have separate rooms, but maybe we can meet up with the other girls too and talk for a bit!"

"'kay," Fuyu agreed. Momo perked up in the seat behind her.

"I'm not sure how the arrangements will be made, but I would like to do that as well!"

"Yaomomo, we're all going to be in the same room together, so I don't think you have to worry much..."

"A training camp in the woods though," Midoriya mused in front of her. "I guess we have reason to believe that the terrain will have an effect on our training... We might be doing rescue missions and separate training ideals for different conditions and—"

"There's no roaches in the forest, right?" Fuyu questioned suddenly. "I get snakes and stuff. But usually cockroaches are just... in houses and cities, aren't they?"

"Actually," Iida adjusted his glasses. "Various species of insects are common to the base of the mountain area miles from Mt. Fuji where we will be accommodating I suspect, based on the roads we've just taken and the highway we—"

"No. Just tell me no, Iida. I need to hear a no."

"Can't handle a little bug?" Bakugou sneered behind her and Fuyu half twisted in her seat. He cracked an eye open to smirk at her. "Figures, Apples."

"I think you need to turn up your music a bit, Hotshot, you sure you can hear it?"

"You wanna—"

"Are you alright?"

Fuyu stopped. She glanced to Todoroki and blinked in surprise as Aoyama nodded mutely, cowering against his seat while he clutched his stomach tightly. "O-Oui, I am merely... preparing is all!"

"You look sick," Todoroki said flatly.

His face paled. Aoyama's lip quivered and he merely continued to sparkle wordlessly. Ochako and Tsuyu turned in their seats back to them and Midoriya blinked worriedly. "Aoyama, maybe you're carsick?"

"I can move," Todoroki offered. "So you can lay down."

"N-Non! I will be fine, do not worry over me, monsieur!"

"My motion sickness meds are in the back of the bus," Fuyu said thoughtfully. She clicked her ring out and motioned for Todoroki to move over to her empty seat. Aoyama's lips pursed but he didn't protest, instantly flopping down into the empty space and clutching his stomach tight as Todoroki settled into the window seat beside her. "I'd link up, but it'd be a pain if it kept going the entire ride."

"You gonna hurl, Aoyama?" Kaminari questioned, turning over in his seat. Kirishima looked alarmed beside him. "'s okay dude, happens to the best of us."

"Not okay," Sero shouted from the back. "The bus will reek, dude."

"We can open up a window!" Hagakure offered helpfully. "That'll help, right?"

"Only a bit though because we're on the high way," Momo said thoughtfully. "Give me a moment, Aoyama-san. I think I can look up the proper ingredients for a medicine that will help..."

"Stop the bus!" Mineta shouted. "Bathroom break!"

"Can't," Aizawa said flatly. "We're on our way. It's a highway, Mineta. Aoyama, just relax. There should be a bag—"

"Makin' me feel useless," Fuyu muttered darkly. She shuffled through her bag and pulled out a water bottle. She leaned over to Aoyama's seat and handed it to his weak hand. "Take small sips, Yama. You'll be good in no time."

She cut a thin line on her palm, blood curling between her fingers until it pooled against her hand. Fuyu stepped into the isle, steadying herself with the rumble of the bus beneath them. Iida perked up from his seat, "Kouki! Please return to your seat at once! That violates several health codes and safety—"

"But I'm the health rep."

Iida bowed his head, clenching a fist at himself. Midoriya patted his arm beside him and Fuyu let her hands hover over Aoyama's stomach. She felt the tight coiling of his muscles and the build-up that added to his nausea. "I got ya, Yama."

Aoyama's tight face instantly began to relax. A blissful look appearing over his features as he got comfortable on the seats and sighed. Fuyu rolled her eyes, shifting her hands.

"I forgot how convenient that is," Kirishima said thoughtfully. "Can you imagine anytime you've got a headache or something too?"

"Or a toothache!"

"Maybe Fu-chan can heal cavities..."

"I ain't a miracle medicine," Fuyu snapped. "Most of that shit should be cured naturally anyway without outside help—"

The bus lurched at a bump in the road, turning against the high way curve. Everyone shifted with the turn and Fuyu squawked, getting tossed into the back of the seat in front of her as her legs toppled from the sudden turn. Bakugou grunted, snatching the back of her shirt before her head smacked into the ground.

Blood splattered against the floor of the bus.

Fuyu stared at the murder scene for a moment, blinking at her bloody palms and Tsuyu and Ochako handed her handkerchiefs at once as the tang of copper and iron hit the air.

Momo wordlessly began to shine from the use of her Quirk.

"Blood," Bakugou said darkly. "Had to be fucking blood."

"Where's the bathroom? I need a bathroom!"

Fuyu stepped off the bus, squinting against the brightness for a second until Bakugou herded her off in front of him with his knees. She swatted at his arm and he merely shoved her lower back once more with his knee, stepping onto the small dirt alcove that curved out over a massive mountain view.

Thick miles of forest and trees stretched out at the cliff beneath them. Everyone piled off, stretching their arms and legs with groans of relief as Mineta zipped around them, shooting past a sleek black car parked off to the side in search of a restroom.

They hadn't had to sit through an entire hour with blood in the bus, luckily. With the aided help of a few water bottles and Yaoyorozu, the mess had been cleaned, Aoyama saved, and only Fuyu to suffer some endless teasing and spitting curses back until they'd finally arrived.

"Class B somewhere else?" Kirishima wondered as Fuyu stalked curiously over the edge, peering over the railing down the steep cliff below that broke into more forest.

"Does this even really count as a rest area though?" Sero questioned. "There's nothing but trees in sight."

Bakugou looked over the railing beside her, hands shoved into his pockets with a scoff. "Just fucking forest."

Fuyu stepped onto the lower bar of the railing and leaned over the top bar. Bakugou glanced to her and Fuyu squinted into the distance, eyes flashing red momentarily out of habit and catching nothing. "I think there's a lake over there."

A few strings peeked out of the corner of her eye and Fuyu paused, glancing back over her shoulder toward the car parked off at the same stop as them. Three. A kid. Family trip?

The railing beneath her groaned. Fuyu tested her weight against the bar, peering down the drop once more. "Is this all just land? Wonder who maintains it—ack!"

Bakugou fisted the back of her uniform, jerking her off the railing and Fuyu stumbled onto her feet. "The hell?"

"Idiot like you would fall," Bakugou sneered. "We all know it."

Fuyu's lips curled to snap back a retort before she paused. Her eyes squinted at Bakugou and he scowled back at her.

"...c'mon, Hotshot. You know better than that. Have some faith in me."

"Shut up, dumbass First Aid!"

"There's no point stopping here without a reason," Aizawa called out to them and everyone turned, Mineta's bowlegged stance quivering.

"Where's the bathroom?" Mineta whimpered.

The doors to the car clicked open. Bright, fur lined boots hit the ground in succession with two sneakered feet dropping to the floor behind them. Fuyu glanced over as the sun's glint caught off bright, strangely shaped head pieces—

"Yo, Eraser!" a sweet voice called out, bobbed brown hair coming into view while bright blonde flashed against the light.

"Long time no see," Aizawa bowed his head and Fuyu glanced back to him than to the two new arrivals.

"Lock on with these sparkling gazes!"

"Stingingly cute and catlike!"

"Wild, wild—"

"Pussycats!"

The two women beamed. Massive pawed gloves holding their formation while a young boy stood off to the side, hands shoved into his pockets and a red horned hat tipped low over his eyes. They were beautiful, bright eyed and costumes standing out to match their bright smiles. Fuyu stared at them for a moment, trying to comprehend what she'd just witnessed before she turned to Jirou.

"If we make a team, we don't have to do that, right?"

"These are the pro heroes who will be working with us during the camp," Aizawa explained evenly. "The Pussycats."

"They're a four-person hero team who set up a joint agency!" Midoriya spluttered instantly, eyes growing round in excitement. "They're a veteran team that specializes in mountain rescues! This year will be their twelfth working—"

The blonde woman's paw slammed into Midoriya's face, effectively cutting him off. Her face twisted, a little desperate and Fuyu took a wary step back. "We're eighteen at heart!"

"B-But—"

"At heart?"

"E-Eighteen!" Midoriya answered.

"I'm Mandalay," the brown woman introduced with a warm smile. "This is Pixie-Bob. We look forward to working with you all!"

"Greet them, everyone."

"Nice to meet you!" Everyone chorused, Fuyu's voice calling out lazily and her eyes trailed back to the bright red hat catching her eye in the corner.0

The boy that'd come with the Pussycats kept his hands tight in his pockets, silent as he glanced to the side. He looks like Tamashiro and everyone's age... Maybe Ginta too? Kinda reminds me of Sho and Takahiro mixed. He glanced her way, probably feeling her stare and Fuyu held up a hand in greeting.

He balked for a moment, eyes narrowing and he jerked his head to the side, shoving his cap down lower. Fuyu twitched. Is he just a brat or is he shy?

"We own this whole stretch of land here," Mandalay pointed one clawed finger toward the base of a mountain far off into the forest. "You all will be staying at the foot of that mountain."

"So far!"

Fuyu squinted toward where she pointed. "Away from the lake, huh..."

Tokoyami flashed her a look. "Was that what you were looking forward to?"

"Maybe a bit. Never been."

"But why did we stop here then?" Ochako questioned worriedly.

Tsuyu placed a finger on her lip, "Could this mean..."

The air went taut at the silent, clear understanding hanging between them all.

"N-No way, right?"

"Hey, guys... I think we should head back to the bus..."

Fuyu ran a rough hand through her hair, tugging her ponytail back. Tokoyami raised a brow at the look of reluctant irritation clouding her features while her brows furrowed and her lips pursed, ring clicking out and slicing her palm.

"You're... calm?"

"I ain't gonna waste my energy running," Fuyu muttered darkly. "I should've known better anyway. You outta stick with me, Yami. Ain't gonna let anyone toss me off a cliff when I can toss my damn self."

"Right now," Mandalay purred. "It's 9:30 A.M. If you're fast... maybe you'll make it by noon?"

"No, way!" Kirishima exclaimed, back pedaling. "To the bus guys!"

"Kitties who don't make it by 12:30 won't get any lunch!" Mandalay called at their running backs.

The young boy to the side stiffened, looking at Fuyu in disbelief as she hauled herself and perched over the top railing. Pixie-Bob grinned viciously, claws sliding out as she placed her hands against the ground beside the bus. Her classmates let out screeches of terror and Fuyu glanced to the boy, meeting his startled gaze.

Blood seeped from her palms. It pooled around her, forming globs in the air and tucking tight to her side. Fuyu offered him a feral grin and then launched herself over the cliff just as the ground gave a mighty groan behind her.

Air whistled sharply past her ears. Fuyu felt the wind whip her hair back wildly, eyeing the quickly oncoming ground with an almost frightening sense of ease—Toshi wouldn't like to hear that—before the globs of blood cushioned beneath her feet, acting as stoppers and providing footholds in the air. Fuyu lowered herself to the ground and grunted, brushing a bit of dust off her shoulder. Like hell I'm gonna let someone toss me off a height like that. I'm jumping—

A massive shadow fell over her and Fuyu froze, head shooting up.

Kaminari's ridiculously fearful face was the last thing she saw, his eyes growing round as Fuyu's went wide before he slammed into her and everyone else crashed down around them. Fuyu let out an inhuman garble, his weight slamming into her full force and the two of them tumbled to the floor with Kaminari letting out a yelp.

"Sorry," Kaminari groaned above her. Everyone around them began to get to their feet, dirtied and bruised from the manipulated earth that'd deposited them to the ground. "Couldn't help... falling for you."

Fuyu weaseled her head out from under his arm, spitting out a tuft of grass from her mouth. "God damn it, fucking U.A."

Tokoyami propped himself up from the ground beside her. "You had the right idea it seems. Better execution next time."

"Yami, you suck."

"Since its private land, you can use your Quirk as you wish!" Mandalay called above them. "You have three hours! Come to the facility on your own two feet after getting through... the Beast's Forest!"

"The Beast's Forest?" Midoriya repeated.

"That sounds like a name out of a video game!" Kaminari groaned. Fuyu heaved, propping herself up and Kaminari slid off her back like a limp noodle. She brushed dirt off her skirt and grunted, adjusting her ponytail with a rough jerk.

"Better not be any shitty bugs," Fuyu muttered. "I swear to god if it's called that because of some giant roach..."

"U.A does stuff like this to us way too much," Jirou groaned, standing up.

Kirishima grunted in agreement, swiping dirt off his shirt. "No use complaining. We just have to go."

A blur of rounded purple shot past her and Fuyu looked up, Mineta zipping past all of them in record time toward the massive trees. "Bathroom, bathroom—bathroom!"

"I didn't know he could run that fast," Fuyu said. Kaminari snapped his fingers beside her with a little spark.

"You should see him when there's a pretty girl or a maga—"

He slapped his hands over his mouth. Kaminari grinned impishly beneath his fingers. Fuyu shot him a wry look.

"Hey, anyone hurt themselves in the fall—" a low, rumbling roar pierced the air. Fuyu stopped, looking up in disbelief as the ground beneath them trembled, one heavy, massive claw digging into the ground as jaws parted. Jagged rock teeth bared themselves at them, roots protruding from its mouth as the colossal creature before them let out another shattering bellow, towering over Mineta.

...what the fuck? Fuyu gaped at the monster standing before them. Kaminari's jaw dropped as Sero stepped back in disbelief. "I-It's a beast!"

Her eyes snapped to Mineta cowering before it as it raised a massive paw. Fuyu's eyes flashed a ring of red, "Hey—"

"Calm down, kind beast!" Kouda stammered, rushing forward, but the beast merely let forth another bellow. "Stay back—"

Green zipped past. Light crackled for a moment and then the massive paw swung, taking down an entire tree. Fuyu's hand dropped from the string she'd been holding, slapping a hand over her mouth and twisting her head to the side. Kaminari shot her disgusted face a look of surprise.

Midoriya leapt back toward them, dropping a tearful Mineta to the ground.

"Fuyu-chan, are you alright?" Ochako patted Fuyu's shoulder and she nodded, looking sick as she pressed a hand to her mouth.

"I just..." Fuyu shuddered, pushing her bangs back and swallowing. "Did not need to feel that."

"I couldn't help it!" Mineta cried.

"Oi, First Aid."

Fuyu glanced up. Bakugou's lips were curved into a wicked grin, his palms extended as they crackled viciously. "Power up."

Fuyu scowled, globs of blood curving around her fingers before she stood up and slapped her hands against his arms. Bakugou's wicked grin turned feral as blood circled up his arms, glowing a bright red as his muscles began to strain and explosions rocketed off his fingers. "You need a better way of saying that, Hotshot."

Fuyu turned to Midoriya, his eyes narrowed at the heavy mounds of dirt sliding off the monster. Fuyu's mind clicked and she hefted a glob of blood into her palm, tossing it toward him and concentrating. The blood arched in the air, weaving around before it centered on his fists and Midoriya looked up with shining eyes. Fuyu threw him a thumbs up.

A brush of cool air curled around her as Fuyu sent another glob toward Iida's legs. "You slip up and I'll help you out."

Todoroki raised a brow and Fuyu tugged on his string experimentally. "Let's see how long you can go without getting your ass kicked though."

Everyone around her instantly rose to their feet. She could hear the different sounds rising up as Quirks came to life and fists smacked into each other. Energy crackled and Fuyu crossed her arms over her chest, blood curling around her legs and weaving through her arms.

Four gusts shot past without a second to spare, the heavy beast lurching on its feet as it roared one final call before a collision of ice, heat, speed and power all slammed into it at once.

Earth shattered, exploding upon the unanimous impact. Fuyu's eyes flashed red and Tokoyami readied Dark Shadow beside her while Kaminari grinned, electricity coming to life.

"With a line up like this," Ashido clapped her hands together. "This will be a breeze!"

Fuyu flinched. "Don't jinx—"

The trees around them groaned, roots tearing up from the earth as massive, hulking figures began to assemble themselves before them. Jaws parted and screeches filled the air. Fuyu kicked the earth with a curse.

"...it."

"Hey, come on," Kaminari groaned. "Just how many of them are there?"

"Should we just run for it?" Ashido wondered. "We could outrun them... maybe."

"If we don't get to the facility by noon, then we don't get lunch." Satou reminded grimly.

"Then we have no choice but to get through here and take the shortest route." Yaoyorozu said quickly. "We should all proceed accordingly—is everyone ready?"

"You just keep this going," Bakugou snapped back at her, raising his blood covered arms. "Extras stay outta my way, I'm letting loose!"

"I'm dropping the connection on you first," Fuyu muttered. She kept her focus on the blood curving around Midoriya and Iida and raised her hand, fingers beginning to weave several of her classmates strings closer for her to grab. "I'm ready when you guys are."

"We'll bring them close to you, Fuyu-chan!" Ochako promised. "You smack 'em around with your blood!"

"All right," Iida agreed, raising his arms as several more beasts broke free of the earth and roared around them. "Let's go, Class A!"

Fuyu's heart stuttered for a second. She sighed through her nose, blood coming to life beneath her veins and pushing against her skin as it arched around her fingers and she had it steady around her fists like gauntlets.

Her lips curled into a crooked grin and everyone around her rushed forward.

"Yeah!"

A bird chirped a low song in the distance.

The evening sun was setting low over the heavy foliage of trees. Long shadows swayed as heavy feet trampled over the earth, several bodies slowly coming into the clearing with dragging arms.

"Oh, you're finally here, meow!" Pixie-Bob perked up, several feet from them at the entrance to a massive building. She propped her paws on her hips.

"That took quite some time," Mandalay mused beside a silent Aizawa, watching his students begin to file into the clearing. "But strangely enough..."

All of class 1-A filed into the clearing. Uniforms were tattered, stained with dirt and grime. Old traces of blood still remained on Mineta's forehead as some of them collapsed to their knees, letting out groans of relief.

Mandalay set a paw to her cheek, "You all look... good. Well, physically at least. You all look worn out mentally it seems."

"Well," Iida adjusted his cracked glasses, "of course, there is a reason for that."

Everyone turned their heads. Midoriya offered a shaky smile, one limp arm slung over his shoulder while Todoroki bent down a bit, another arm thrown over his while between the two of them, a limp figure hung with her head hanging low, legs trailing behind her against the floor.

Aizawa grunted while Mandalay made a noise of interest, "You overdid it again, it seems."

Fuyu spat out a wad of blood onto the floor. "How else... were we gonna make... it?"

Alternating between trying to pin some of the beasts down and using her blood to smash their heads into the ground, Fuyu had kept most of her focus on healing her classmates' wounds and keeping their stamina up. Her time limit had been exhausted more than once from the sheer distance and time it took for them to make it all the way to the lodge, and Fuyu presumed she was teetering dangerously low on the healthy levels of blood that needed to be flowing through her body.

"Thanks, Kouki," Midoriya and Todoroki helped lower her to the floor and she slumped back against Midoriya's knees with a groan. "Couldn't have done it without you."

"Thanks, Health Rep," Sero called out. A chorus of Thank you, Health Rep followed and Fuyu scowled.

"Ah, screw you guys!"

"But what did you mean by three hours?" Satou whimpered against the floor. "That took us forever... I'm starving..."

"Sorry," Mandalay winked at them. "That's the time it would've taken us!"

"So cruel..." Sero muttered.

"I'm hungry..." Kirishima groaned. "I'm gonna die..."

"Same," Fuyu ground out, pressing a hand to her head as she weakly swiped a bit of blood off her uniform, not even reacting when it merely smeared a horrendous mark across the dirtied white. "Need food. Now."

Pixie-Bob giggled, "But honestly, I thought it would take even longer. You guys didn't have as hard a time beating my earth beasts as I thought you would! You guys are great... especially..."

Pixie-Bob made a grand gesture to the gathered group before her. Bakugou scowled, massaging his arm where a bit of blood still clung to it, a soft red glowing to soothe the aching muscles. Todoroki was looking down at a slumped Fuyu and Midoriya looked up in surprise. Iida frowned, having been reaching through an assorted bag Fuyu had kept on her for an iron supplement she could take. "This group right over here~ Were you able to act without hesitation because of your experience? That cute critical support item you have right there?"

Pixie-Bob licked her lips and suddenly launched herself at them. "I'm looking forward to where you'll be in three years! I call dibs!"

Pixie-Bob hissed at them, Fuyu raising her arms up in defense as she marked them, "What the hell? Why am I here too? I just need a damn water bottle!"

"Mandalay, has she always been like that?" Aizawa inquired slowly.

Mandalay sighed, "She's just getting a little antsy because she's, well, you know, getting to that age..."

"Speaking of age—" Midoriya started, only to be cut off as Pixie-Bob lurched past Fuyu and slapped a paw over his mouth.

"Choose your next words carefully."

"I'm never going to be like this," Fuyu muttered to Iida. "Marriage is over rated... I'm so hungry..."

"Kouki, please stay with us."

"I-It's been bothering me for a while," Midoriya stammered out, he raised a shaky finger. "But whose child is that?"

The boy from earlier paused, glowering in the corner. Fuyu took Iida's hand and hoisted herself up, grunting as she swayed on unsteady feet before giving Iida's crooked glasses a pat and letting her head bow down.

"Don't fall asleep," Todoroki said.

"I won't, damn it."

"You totally would," Bakugou sneered.

Fuyu limply flicked blood in his direction.

"Him?" Mandalay smiled calmly. "He's not one of ours, if that's what you were wondering. He's my cousin's kid. Come on, Kouta. Greet everyone. You'll be with them for a week."

The boy's scowl deepened, hat casting a shadow over his eyes. Fuyu eyed him with lazy interest as Iida tried to fix her necktie. Her eyes caught on a deep scrape against Midoriya's elbow and she pulled away from her class representative, leaving Todoroki and Bakugou to watch him robotically knot the air with his hands. A bit of blood pooled between her fingers as she stepped behind Midoriya. I'll just get that for him...

"Oh, um, hello! I'm Midoriya from U.A High School's hero course," Midoriya offered Kouta a hand, bending down a bit. "Nice to meet you—"

Kouta's fist reeled back, slamming straight into Midoriya's groin.

Fuyu's jaw went slack. Midoriya wheezed, crumpling to the floor in a pale mess and she barely managed to snag his arms, blood hovering awkwardly around him as she contemplated what to do. "What the hell? Midoriya, are you alright?"

"Midoriya!" Iida shouted, rushing over to lower Midoriya gently to the floor. "You brute of a nephew! How could you do that to Midoriya's scrotum?"

Kouta swung his head over his shoulder. His eyes narrowed, sharp and unforgiving for a child his age. "I don't intend to hang out with bastards who just want to become heroes!"

"Bastards?" Iida squawked. "Just how old are you?"

Kouta's lips pulled back into a snarl, but a heavy hand came down on top of his head. Fuyu's fist smacked the top, smashing his head down and forcing the kid to let out a shout as he folded, bowing low. "What the hell—"

"'s rude, brat," Fuyu said roughly. "Got problems then say it. Don't just hit a guy 'because you don't like him."

"You're one to talk," Todoroki said.

"Get off me!" Kouta swiped at her hand and Fuyu lifted it up, looking unoffended. Kouta scowled up at her. "That's child abuse, you know. And you call yourself a hero?"

Fuyu grinned, "Not a hero yet."

A binding cloth slapped the back of her head. Fuyu crumpled to her knees, cursing as she tried to hold back a whimper and Aizawa blinked tired eyes. "Don't be a hypocrite."

Kids like this aren't new. Fuyu thought with a grunt, tugging one eye lid down at Kouta and he glared, balling his hands into fists at his side at her. You just have to be a certain way with them.

"Precocious brat," Bakugou sighed, looking faintly amused by the whole thing and particularly at Midoriya's crumpled form.

Todoroki glanced to him, "Isn't he kind of like you?"

"Hah? Not at all! Anyway, shut up you good-game bastard!"

"Apologies."

"Enough with the charade," Aizawa sighed, tugging a weakened Fuyu up onto her feet. "Get your stuff off the bus. Once you've put your bags in your rooms, we'll have dinner in the cafeteria. After that, you'll bathe and go to sleep. We'll start for real tomorrow, get a move on."

Aizawa turned to a smiling Mandalay, Fuyu limp in his grip. "You received the extra blood transfusions we sent over as a precaution, right?"

"Yes, right by the first aid room."

"Thanks for the food!"

Clamor filled the wood boarded mess hall. Tantalizing scents wafted up into the air, the lingering pop of food frying in oil and the clank of utensils in use. Plates were piled high with mountains of different meals—heavy pots of rice waiting to be dished out for seconds, thinly sliced cuts of crispy katsu, juicy gyozas and heaps of sautéed vegetables alike with—

Fuyu let out a low, tearful moan, cheeks swelled in size with tears pricking the corners of her eyes. Her chopsticks shoved another mouthful of pickled radishes into her mouth and her toes curled in pleasure, eyes shutting as she chewed to savor the taste.

Pickled side dishes.

"Really? So the girls' room is just a normal size?"

"Are the boys in a big room?"

"I wanna see it! Hey, can I go see it later?"

"Of course!"

"Fuyu-chan, you seem to be enjoying yourself, ribbit," Tsuyu commented, holding her bowl of rice as Fuyu continued to shovel food into her mouth at record speed, stopping only to tilt her head in absolute pleasure from the taste. "A side effect of your Quirk?"

"Don't know," Fuyu managed to breathe out before she shoved more food into her mouth, crunching down on a tempura fried prawn. "Dwon't crah."

Free food is really the best. Fuyu groaned in pleasure, gripping her chopsticks tight. This is what makes the training camp all worth it—free food you didn't even have to cook yourself, and it tastes good!

"Free food is the best," Ochako sighed in happiness, echoing her thoughts.

Fuyu met her eyes over the mountain of stir fried beef—beef, not even pork or chicken, real, fleshy kalbi with the bone—and they both took the fattest, juiciest slabs, shoving them into their mouths. Both Ochako and Fuyu clutched their chopsticks, faces contorted into absolute happiness.

Midoriya laughed on Fuyu's right. "The food really is great, huh? It hits the spot after everything."

"Yeah?" Bakugou jeered. "All you've been sipping is that damn miso soup and eating your fucking kastudon like always, try something new you damn nerd."

Midoriya perked up, looking at Bakugou on Fuyu's left with a sheepish grin. "R-Right! I will!"

"I don't care, damn it!"

"Stop talking and just eat," Fuyu sighed in pleasure, half a gyoza sticking past her lips. "Do you think they'll let us take some back to the room for leftovers?"

"That would be ill advised!" Iida shouted, cutting the air with his hand and Ochako pulled one of the dishes out of the way. "You may attract wild animals to your room or leave crumbs behind!"

"I think I saw a stair to the second floor, you can get on the roof there, and it's flat. I'll just eat up—"

"Kouki, you may not!"

"Don't eat too much," Todoroki advised across from her as he plucked a fat tempura from the batch, Fuyu scowling as he took the giant yam. "You'll make yourself sick. That'll be a pain."

"I can cure my own stomachaches," Fuyu said haughtily. "I'm going to eat till I drop."

"P-Please, don't," Midoriya took a sip from his water, eyeing her worriedly above the rim.

Fuyu stopped, chewing on her mouthful of potatoes. Need to take my supplements. She patted her pockets, remembering taken her bottle from the room to take it before dinner. Almost forgot. Fuyu glanced to her empty cup and stood from the bench, motioning to the water jug at the counter when her friends looked up curiously.

Fuyu weaseled her bottle out of her pocket, hitting the back of Kaminari's head with her elbow and almost sending him into a bowl of rice with a grin. He whined at her abuse and Fuyu stopped at the counter top, looking for the water jug while she twisted the pill bottle cap off with her teeth.

"It's right there," a young voice said roughly.

Fuyu grinned around the bottle cap, fingers snagging on the water jug as she pulled it from the counter. Her eyes dropped to Kouta as he set down a box of fresh vegetables, not meeting her gaze.

"Thanks, brat," Fuyu said kindly.

"It's not brat," Kouta spat back. "It's Kouta—forget it, I don't even care. Just get your water and go back to the table."

"Sure, sure," Fuyu mused, shaking out a few pills into her palm. Kouta stopped, looking up at the sound and she eyed the pills with a grimace. Her hand reached around to pour water into a cup.

"Those are serious prescriptions."

Fuyu blinked. She shot Kouta a curious look, thumbing the fat pills in her palm. "Yeah. How'd you know that?" Her eyes flickered bright red briefly and Kouta jolted, looking surprised. "You're healthy—got into an accident before or something?"

Kouta swung his head around, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Mandalay got hurt once and had to take them for a while." He was silent for a brief moment and Fuyu waited, missing the brats at Masegaki for a moment and thanking them for teaching her how to deal with brats. With people, really. "...if you're hurt, why's the school making you—"

"I take them as secondary things," Fuyu said breezily. She ratted the bottle. "My Quirk's my blood. I tend to lose it fast but keeping my iron up helps make my blood stronger and that transfers back to my powers. I have other ones but since we're doing some heavier duty stuff, wanted to be prepared."

Kouta's face turned dark. Fuyu paused at the look, a low curling in the pit of her stomach at its familiarity. I've seen that look before.

"You take them so you can use your...Quirk better," he spat out the word, "all of you guys... you're insane. You're going to get yourself killed."

Fuyu popped the pills into her mouth. "Maybe."

Kouta shot her a look of disbelief. Fuyu gagged at the bitter taste and reached for the glass of water, pushing the pills to the side of her mouth. Fuyu shrugged at him. "Dying helping people with a meaning, I dunno, sounds better than dying without any, right?"

Fuyu's grip on the glass was loose, eyes watching the mess of carnage and happiness happening before her. An array of colors, flashing, vibrant. A sea of voices, loud, merry, ringing in her ears. "'course, it'd be nice if I didn't die anytime soon though."

Fuyu brought the glass to her lip but her fingers twitched. It slipped from her fingers and Fuyu grimaced, jerking her hand out of reflex to catch the cup at least.

Fuyu's palm snatched the glass, but before she could feel the familiar splash of water against her hand, it stilled in the air. Globs of the liquid hovered for a second and Fuyu stared, blinking with wide eyes in surprise before they snapped to Kouta and he clenched his fingers.

The water crashed down roughly into her cup, sloshing over a bit.

Kouta pulled his hat roughly over his eyes, storming away from her. "Those are the words of an idiot."

Fuyu watched his small back disappear behind a door. She stood there for a moment, idle as she held the glass and a droplet of water dripped down the side of her wrist.

She idly recalled blood spilling through her fingers, endless. "I wish I never had this. I wish—I wish—why did I have to have this horrible thing—"

"Fuyu-chan, hurry up!" Ochako cried happily, waving a fresh hot plate of fried chicken in the air. "You're going to miss out on the food! They just brought out the whole container of picked radish, too!"

The pills, now dry in her mouth, slid down with a large gulp of water. Fuyu set the glass down in one of the bins and wiped the back of her mouth, grinning.

"Ocha, let's try piling the radish on the chicken and sandwiching them between two katsus, I bet it'll taste like heaven."

"Let's do it!"

"Shitty Apples, that sounds fucking disgusting."

Hot, heavy steam wafted up from the clouded waters. The barely chilly air held no harm amidst the wafting waves of heat and warmth. Sighs of pleasure rolled past lips, hair pulling up into different buns while muscles and bodies relaxed like jello against the feeling of steamy mineral water.

"It feels so nice~" Ashido sighed in bliss, tipping her head back against one of the rocks as she stretched like a cat.

"I love that there are hot springs here," Jirou agreed in pleasure, jacks tucked up into her hair to avoid getting wet. "It beats public baths any day..."

"Pixie-Bob was saying the water is great for your skin here!" Hagakure added cheerily. Water splashing from where she slid into the bath. "I can't wait to see the difference. This training camp is really the best..."

"For now," Fuyu muttered, spluttering as water crashed down over her head and she shook her damp hair loose. "I bet it's just gonna be more hell tomorrow."

Her face twisted in uncertainty. Soapy suds swirled down the cobbled rocks over the smooth, outdoor styled showers and Fuyu tugged her hair up roughly into a damp bun, stray ends sticking out. I guess if there's free food though, I can handle a little grunt work... Ah, man, I can't wait to dig into those snacks in the room...

"You should hurry into the bath, Fuyu-chan," Momo called over, tucking her hair up into a neat, folded bun. "You'll catch a cold if you stay like that."

"Mm," Fuyu felt along her scalp for any stray suds and stood, grabbing the small cloth towel as she headed over to the massive spring. "This place is really like some kinda resort..."

"It's the best," Ochako sighed happily, leaning back against a rock. Tsuyu nodded, content beside her.

Loud splashing echoed from the towering wall beside them, cutting the two different baths in half. Fuyu glanced over her shoulder as she slid into the water, muscles and body singing in pleasure at the gentle warmth washing over her. That did feel great. "Sounds like they're having fun."

"We can have fun over here, too!" Ashido said excitedly. "Splash around, tell stories... I got it! How about we go around and say who we think is the cutest—"

"If we tell stories, we might faint staying that long in the bath," Momo said thoughtfully. "It would be a shame if anyone fainted..."

"Can't tolerate heat super well," Fuyu admitted, settling back against the half coolness of a rock behind her and letting her head flop back onto it as she shut her eyes. The water curled around her, warm. This camp was turning out to be nicer than she expected. I should go to a hot spring with Gram and Gramps... next paycheck I'll treat them.

"Kouki," Jirou started suddenly and Fuyu grunted in response. "I've been meaning to ask... I mean, I'm sorry for staring but..."

Jirou's voice sounded uncertain for a moment, hesitant. Fuyu cracked an eye open and some of the girls were watching Jirou, the other half glancing to Fuyu, some understanding on their faces. "That scar on your stomach... how'd you get that?"

Fuyu opened both eyes fully. Her classmates had open faces, eyes easily saying if it had a tale sadder than they expected, they'd back off respectfully. But there was something like worried curiosity—concern, Fuyu thought, that kept them waiting.

"It looks painful," Hagakure added, the water around her swishing as though her hands were shifting through it idly. "I always see it when we change out for costumes too..."

Fuyu settled a hand over her stomach. She felt along the unnatural ridges where the scar healed, skin mottled. Fuyu pursed her lips in thought, tilting her head up to eye the sky.

"Got it figuring out how my Quirk works," Fuyu said finally. She patted her stomach beneath the water, offering them a grin. "Healing Quirk pains."

"The one on your shoulder as well," Momo murmured. "I didn't realize you could scar so deeply with your Quirk..."

"That's where someone messed up a tattoo," Fuyu said easily. "I tried to kinda scrape it off I guess. Didn't work. I was an idiot as a kid."

"What the hell?" Jirou slumped back against a rock. "Kouki, you're too punk rock sometimes."

"That sounds awful," Ochako winced, rubbing her own shoulder. Tsuyu was silent, watching where Fuyu rubbed her cheek, the long scar over her knuckles flashing.

"This one," Fuyu offered, figuring it was next as she splayed her fingers out and held her hand up. "Mmm... this one's from a fight." That's technically true. "Learned a lesson from this one."

Whether or not it's ongoing is—

"At least," Ashido mused, twirling a finger through a tuft of cherry blossom pink hair. "It can't hurt you anymore."

Nods of agreement from everyone around her. Fuyu smiled, wry as she pushed damp bangs out of her face.

"Yeah. You're right 'bout that."

"No more though, Fuyu-chan," Tsuyu said. "It's not good to have too many scars. It'd be a shame since your body is so nice."

"That's right!" Hagakure chided. "You've got a healing Quirk so use it right! No scars for you! What would your husband say—"

Fuyu rubbed her chin in thought. "I think a guy with scars is kinda g—"

"Walls are meant to be climbed! You have to go plus ultra!" The shrill, frenzied cry pierced the air and the girls looked up, startled.

Jirou's face instantly soured and her hands shot up to cover her chest, earjacks jerking out. "Guys, it's Mineta—"

"Again?" Ochako cried, shooting down lower into the bath and Momo sighed.

"How detestable!"

"He can climb that shit?" Fuyu questioned in disbelief, eyeing the height of the wall. "That's almost... what, twenty of him?"

"Fuyu-chan, I think your math is off."

"I'll hit him with a slime ball," Ashido readied her palm and Tsuyu patted her leg.

"That might not be a good idea with your Quirk Mina-chan—"

A bright red cap popped up from the top of the wall. Fuyu let out a noise of surprise. Kouta peered over the ledge, shoving at the barely peeking top of purple without any remorse. "Before becoming a hero, try to be a decent human first."

Mineta let out a garbled, pained war cry from the other side of the wall. A loud grunt, followed by a splash echoed back. Kouta glared down the other side before he turned to head down the ladder.

"You rock, Kouta-kun!" Ashido cheered, thrusting her fist and naked body into the air.

"Mineta really is the worst," Momo agreed, offering Kouta a gentle smile.

The boy froze. Fuyu blinked, reclined back against the rocks as Kouta's eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. Ah. Blood gushed out from his nose and he teetered back on the ladder, Fuyu's eyes slowly growing round in realization as her eyes flashed red and she scrambled against the rock. Fuyu snatched her towel, knotting it around her body while everyone around her yelped in surprise. "Fuyu-chan?"

Kouta let out a garbled noise, toppling over the edge of the massive wall.

"Kouta!"

"Shit!" Fuyu shouted, nearly slipping over the slick rock as she slammed into the maintenance door that connected the two sides. Fuyu snatched the knob and roughly twisted the lock, throwing it open. "That wall is high as hell—hey, is he—"

"Watch out!"

"Fuyu-chan, wait—"

Fuyu slid, feet skidding over wet rocks before she steadied herself on the other side of the wall. Her palm was sliced and blood instantly curled around her wrist as she raised a hand.

"—alright?"

The series of events following happened in a few clicks.

Fuyu's eyes landed on Kouta instantly, taking a step forward with her blood around her wrist. A bit of blood dribbled from his nose above his upper lip, his tufts of hair cradled in a scarred hand. Fuyu followed the scarred hand and paused, meeting round, wide green eyes that slowly threatened to bulge from their sockets.

Water dripped down the admittedly chiseled lines of Midoriya's very bare chest. Wow, I forgot how muscular he is with all that crying—wait. A towel thankfully covered the lower half of his body, and Fuyu found herself slowly etched into stone as her mind began to whir to life.

Midoriya was frozen, eyes blown wide as a dark red blush began to color his ears and cheeks.

Fuyu's head turned stiffly to the side.

A collection of different expressions greeted her. Some modest and flushed with embarrassment, others gawking—Todoroki seated atop a rock had a carefully blank face, Kirishima's eyes were round like saucers, disbelieving, and Tokoyami had slapped hands over his eyes. Iida gawked, broken on the floor where Mineta was barely coming to beside him. Bakugou, once reclined against the wall of the bath had his face etched in stone. The steam wafting around her definitely male classmates did little to hide the rest.

Ah.

Fuyu absently patted the towel knotted tightly around her. Okay, that's good. She could work with that.

"I'm going," Fuyu said slowly, albeit brokenly, "to go now."

The blood from her palm suddenly gushed out full force, thinning out and dropping like a curtain around her. Fuyu, with as much dignity as she could muster, kept her head bowed and her eyes trained on her own feet as she quietly slipped past the door leading back to the female side of the baths. She shut it behind her, locking it. Her female classmates gaped, varying expressions and one invisible. Fuyu offered them a nod and then carefully and quietly proceeded back to the changing rooms. She shut the door behind her.

Chaos exploded a second after.

"Midoriya! You're bleeding, bleeding! Someone grab them before they slip back in the water!"

"F-Fire? No, wait, Todoroki you're gonna freeze the bath!"

"What the actual fuck—"

"Kaminari get out of the water, you're going to kill us all!"

Fuyu fell to her knees, pressing her hands to her face and debating how much blood she'd need to dig her own grave and then bury herself in it.

"Are you having fun?"

Fuyu stared at the text over the sleeve of her loose sweatshirt, a pastel orange thing with some faded, mini Endeavor flame design at the corner. Her phone hung loose between her fingers, eyes gazing at the message in thought.

The air was warm. She could hear the faint chirps and low cries of animals calling out as they awoke to whatever rhythmic pattern ruled the night. Fuyu watched a few trees sway to some light summer breeze, heat wafting off her warm skin. The view reminded her a bit of Sora's shrine, but thick trees covered the paths instead of sturdy bamboos.

A few mindful lectures from her peers, awkward neck rubbing out of habit and promises of not having seen anything to her other classmates—Fuyu figured she'd never live this down for as long as she knew any of them. Which was not so regretfully at heart, a very long time. The girls from Class B had demanded a mini party of sorts for tomorrow night when they were all better rested. Time had ticked by on a second and everyone had readied themselves for bed, plush blankets pulled up around her as Ochako grinned happily. Ashido and Hagakure had cornered her and tried to demand whispered details of anything she might've seen until Tsuyu and Momo hauled them off. They'd chatted a bit late into the night, lazy games of uno and cards until one by one they fell asleep.

Fuyu had stood, with practiced quiet and ease, and slipped from the room an hour into laying there, staring mindlessly at patterns in the tatami or the arching wood above them.

She'd done a little reconnaissance, scouting the lodge as stealthily as possible. Her travels had finally brought her back to an open room, long tatami mats and sliding doors opening up to a sleek wood patio. Cushions were laid out for idle chat and tea, perhaps, and Fuyu arranged them so she could settle down comfortably, gazing out at the massive view of the mountainside that stretched for miles.

"Eventful." She typed back to Shinsou, playing with a button before she added a second message and sent it.

"I am."

I'll just wait it out. Fuyu decided idly. Today was rough. I should be dead ass tired but it'll hit me in a bit. I must be too on edge.

It was always hard for her to fall asleep somewhere new. She just didn't do it often. Sleeping over at Shinsou's house in middle school had bred its own miniature disaster when he realized, with tired, accepting eyes, that she wasn't going to go to sleep unless he tried his Quirk on her or they figured something out. Fuyu hadn't had many places to sleep in to begin with, changing her residency rarely. The futon in her room was the most comfortable place she knew, despite the plush cushioning of the futons offered here as well.

But we have to wake up early. Fuyu groaned, flopping onto her back. Fuck. Maybe I should just knock myself out after all—

"You're not allowed to be here at this hour."

Fuyu cracked an eye open in interest. Tufts of wild, spiky black hair curled around his face, his hat gone. His sock cladded feet stood a bit away from her, a flashlight hanging at his side and a small ring of keys hanging from his other hand.

Fuyu offered Kouta a faint grin, "Isn't it past your bedtime, brat?"

Kouta glowered at her with as much annoyance and distaste a kid his age could muster. A lot. He looked a little less intimidating without his hat—just like Tamashiro—and he crossed his arms over his chest. "I live here. Mandalay asked me to check the lock one more time. You're supposed to be in your room, sleeping."

Kouta narrowed his eyes. "If you were thinking of doing something you shouldn't—"

"Relax," Fuyu waved a hand his way with a sigh. "Don't got anything on me like that." Two years ago I might've. "Sorry for trespassing though, that is my bad."

Kouta didn't look convinced. "What're you doing out here this late at night then?" He grunted. "Alone, too."

"You feeling better?" Fuyu questioned curiously. "From the fall and stuff? Could've been a nasty one if Midoriya hadn't caught you."

Kouta's lips parted and then his cheeks flushed in memory. He clamped a hand over his mouth and stomped a foot with a sharp turn away from her. "You didn't answer my question, idiot!"

Fuyu sighed, pressing a fist to her cheek as she turned back out to the scenery. A summer breeze pulled a few flowers with it. Fuyu watched them sway, heavy buds bobbing while some were just beginning unwind themselves free.

"Couldn't sleep," Fuyu said with surprising softness. Kouta paused, face twisted in a weird look. Fuyu grinned, turning over her shoulder back to him, "Say, any idea what flowers those are? I think I've seen 'em once or twice but I'm not really familiar... real pretty though."

"You should be back in your room," Kouta said stubbornly. "Or tell a teacher you can't sleep. There's medicine in the first aid room—"

"Don't wanna take meds," Fuyu muttered. Kouta gripped the flashlight at his side but Fuyu was watching the flowers, unable to see his expression. "Hate taking those."

Fuyu watched the flowers sway, threatening to break into a dance they had yet to prepare for. She ran a hand through her hair, loose and spilling around her shoulders. I should get a trim soon. It nearly reached the middle of her back now.

"You're an okay brat, brat," Fuyu said suddenly.

"I didn't ask you," Kouta snapped. "And I said, it's Kouta. Don't call me a brat when you're still just a kid yourself."

"Can't argue there," Fuyu said absently. "Just remind me of some kids I know back home. They're a rowdy bunch. I don't think you'd get along well at first but the girls could probably win you over."

"Who cares anyway?" Kouta muttered.

"You should care," Fuyu patted the seat beside her. Kouta didn't move from his spot, glaring hard at her back and Fuyu tugged a bag of sweet mochi from her pocket, holding it out as a peace offering and setting it beside her. "School's important, yeah? I didn't have a lot of friends as a kid, well, a good handful, maybe. Have fun."

"School's just school," Kouta said darkly. "There's nothing else to it. Everyone around me just runs around saying how they want to be hero this and hero that..."

Kouta spat, "It's stupid."

"I feel ya," Fuyu said around a mouthful of mochi, chewing thoughtfully. She felt along her pockets and felt a tea candy in one. I'll save that as a last resort. "I came here to this school and when I heard what they said I thought they were all crazy."

Fuyu swallowed, "'s a special kinda crazy though. They were doing way more than I ever did. Made me want to be better."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kouta grumbled. Fuyu pretended not to notice that he'd stepped closer.

Fuyu plucked another mochi from the bag. Naomi always made the best ones with red beans smothered inside.

"I dunno what you've got against heroes," Fuyu shrugged. "But I think having a dream's a great thing. No matter what it is. A drive to just be alive to do something, that's great."

"Asking to be a hero is a death wish," Kouta snapped roughly.

Fuyu breathed out her mouth. This is a cigarette kinda moment, but I gave that crap up. She chomped on another mochi instead, "Why not just live to be a hero then?"

Kouta was sitting beside her now, his legs hanging over the edge of the patio. He shot her a look of disbelief, clear thoughts on her stupidity. Fuyu continued to chew. "Don't gotta die. It'd be a waste. Work harder as a hero and just don't die."

"...you've got a screw loose, don't you?" Kouta declared finally. "You're crazy. All heroes are crazy. I knew it."

"Probably," Fuyu pat her cheek. "My head's been knocked around a few times. You know, a couple months ago I didn't think about being a hero."

"Really?" Kouta scoffed in disbelief. "Kids like you from U.A are practically obsessed with that crap."

"Watch your language, brat, and yeah," Fuyu sniffed. "I was thinking about being a quack doctor, make good money."

"You should've stuck with that."

"I'm happy I'm here now though."

"You don't make any sense."

"I'm sleep deprived."

"Then go back to the dorm rooms!"

"'s more fun here with you," Fuyu grinned, flashing him a crooked smile. "You're a brat but you've got a good heart, don't ya?"

Kouta's cheeks flushed and he clenched his fist, snarling at her, "W-What the hell is that supposed to mean—"

"You could've tattled on me but ya didn't. You're good in my books. If you ever get bullied and need someone to beat 'em up—"

"I don't!"

Fuyu hummed, feeling her mood lightening up. She tossed Kouta the tea candy. He snatched it out of the air, eyeing it suspiciously. Fuyu merely settled onto her side, watching the heavy flowers a little longer before bracing her palms against the wood. I'll go back and try to sleep. Worse comes to worse I can just—

"Bellflowers."

Fuyu perked up. She turned back to Kouta. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets, flashlight tucked into his back one and he didn't meet her eyes, staring hard at the adjacent wall.

Fuyu felt a smile play on her lips and she slung her arms over her knees, relaxing as a breeze tickled her cheek. Kouta was silent behind her.

"Yeah," Fuyu mused. "That's it."

"Sorry about this," Aizawa sighed, running a heavy hand over his eyes and pinching his nose. He squinted at his watch, scowling at the time that glared back. We have a long day tomorrow as it is, damn it. "It won't happen again."

"It's not really a problem," Mandalay offered kindly. She placed a hand to her lips, head gear and costume exchanged for sleepwear and a shawl pulled over her shoulders. Kan stood behind Aizawa, yawning and muttering something about going back to the room since everything was fine now. "I'm just... a bit surprised, actually."

A summer breeze whistled past. Aizawa watched the heavy flowers beginning to bloom bow beneath it for a moment before he ran and hand through his hair, pulling it away from his nape. He sighed once more. "I'll move her back. She'll be reprimanded tomorrow."

"Mmm," Mandalay looked thoughtful. She stepped over to one of the cupboards in the room, rummaging around before she pulled out two thick comforters.

Aizawa arched a brow. Mandalay traced a thoughtful finger over the blanket before offering him a small smile, "I don't know. It seems like a shame to wake them up now."

She glanced back to the bundled mess at their feet. Her eyes softened, "He's such a rough boy... He's even grumpy in his sleep."

"This one isn't any better," Aizawa grunted. Always causing me problems, aren't you?

"...she's the one, right?" Aizawa nodded. Mandalay's face twisted briefly in sympathy. "I see."

Fuyu was curled up on her side. Her hair sprawled out on the cool wood patio flooring. Her cheek was squished against the wood, breathing peacefully with her brows furrowed a bit, some drool trickling from the corner of her mouth. Her arms were tightened around herself. Two cushions were laid out over her shoulder and side as makeshift blankets.

Curled up just an inch from her, Kouta had fallen from a slumped position. His face was furrowed, stuck in a grumpy sort of grimace. His arms were locked around his chest and he must've been leaning against the side of the doorframe to have fallen the way he did with his legs stopping where Fuyu's curved.

The two of them slept without another thought to the world.

Mandalay quietly laid the thick comforters over the two of them, adjusting it before she stood. "You don't think they'll catch a cold, do you?"

Aizawa sighed, turning on his heel. "She can take care of it in the morning."

Mandalay smiled, following behind him.

"Hey, Eraser, I think you've softened up a bit since I last saw you."

"Don't know what you're talking about."

It was warmer in the bar than he'd thought.

Daiki tugged his coat off, setting it down onto the counter beside him. Toga was humming, kicking her feet in eager bliss. Her fingers traced nonsensical patterns along the gnarled wood and he tapped the counter. Bits of sprouts came to life, following her fingers and Toga clapped her hangs with a squeal.

"That's quite the versatile Quirk," Kurogiri said thoughtfully. "It'll prove most useful at the mission location."

"It's great!" A new voice piped up behind him. "Miles and miles of friggin' trees! No it's not!"

"Get that a lot," Daiki mused. He swirled the mug of tea in his grip, watching the tea stalks bob. "It has its perks."

Tomorrow they moved out to the location. There were a few others they were still waiting to hear word from until they moved out on Shigaraki's call.

Daiki narrowed his eyes idly. The moment he'd slipped back into the bar, hands in his pockets with the most strangely satisfied, enlightened look in his eye, Daiki had figured that was the moment to decide.

"I'm looking forward to working with you."

"We should run through the possible scenario break downs one more time," Kurogiri said finally, wisps of mist curling at his hands. "Do not forget the targets and the priority list."

"The list is just his vendetta though," Daiki glanced to the doorway where Shigaraki had disappeared for a moment to prepare. "Of course, if it's in my favor and his, I'll see what I can do."

Kurogiri inclined his head. "Though your powers may oppose, you and Dabi will be our heavy hitters on this squad. There is much at your disposal here."

"Hey, hey, Dai-kun," Toga said cheerily. "Aren't you excited? Round two! You can do it, I know you can, Dai-kun! It'll work perfectly this time for sure!"

Daiki drummed his fingers over the list of papers in front of him. Photos captured from their profiles and amidst the televised sports festival were listed in order. Faces, young, hopeful, aspiring—it made something funny curl in his gut, though he couldn't quite put a word on it. He dragged his fingers down the line and stopped, flipping the page to the next two.

Bright red encircled two faces.

A detailed description of what was known on the boy's Quirk was clear, but a far more thorough but choppy paragraph was singled out beside hers, notes added in from his own mouth.

"I want to make one thing clear before I walk any further with you," Daiki said evenly, facing Shigaraki across the bar as he turned. Dull crimson peered at him from cold fingers. "I don't care about the past and what your group may have had to do with it."

Shigaraki stared, silent and Daiki tugged the collar of his shirt down, brandishing his mottled, gouged out shoulder blade.

"If you've got anything to do with that bastard, as of right now," Daiki said carefully, quietly. "Then we're going to have a problem."

A moment.

"We don't."

His daughter, one of his highest priced products. He trained her thoroughly, only sold her hours to the biggest players in the game. Daiki dragged a finger down the typed out words. Her Quirk is useful. Extremely. There's a second part to it that her father didn't know about, a soul-link she inherited from her mother. They rescued her during the raid with a few others. Under protective custody until they released her to immediate living family.

"So?" Shigaraki had questioned, dark, testing. "What do you want to do about it, Flower boy?"

His lips had curled at the name.

"U.A is using her. They're no better than him. Shipping her off to become something like that, to work for the rest of her life giving to this damn world that's never given a shit about her to begin with. They'll bleed her dry."

Daiki rocked back in his chair, tipping his head to the side as the door to the bar clicked open. Shigaraki stepped into the room and behind him a trail of smoke went up into the air, Giran holding several cases and a crate at his feet.

"I want to bring her home."

Toga clapped her hands together in glee, the sound echoing with finality.

Somewhere out in the forest, a bird croaked, unable to sing its usual song from the sheer earliness of the morning still before them.

"My, mon cheri, that is quite the look."

Fuyu sniffed. Her cheeks glowed a bit red, her Quirk working idly to filter out whatever cold she'd been on the verge of catching when she woke up. Startled, confused, and horribly unaware, Aizawa had kicked her off the patio to wake her up and Fuyu had shot up, alone with nothing but a folded blanket as the faint sign of someone else having been beside her while she slept.

Her eyes were nearly screwed shut. Everyone around her appeared in various degrees of disarray from how damn early it was. Ochako yawned beside her, slumping forward a bit while a handful of others seemed ready to go. Monsters.

Fuyu's hair had been pulled into a messy ponytail. Choppy ends stood up in disarray, hair a bed headed mess. Fuyu yawned, blinking tiredly as she swiped the corner of her mouth for drool and blinked at Aoyama's equally mussed up hair.

"You too, Yama."

"You can do it, Kouki," Midoriya offered helpfully beside her, refusing to meet her eyes a bit perhaps from last night. "You'll feel great once we really get started! I-I wake up like this all the time for a run."

"God, that sounds like hell."

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!" Aizawa barked out, turning to face the huddled group of half-dead and awake students before him. "Today, we will begin training camp to increase your strength in earnest. The goal of this training camp is to increase everyone's strength and with that, for everyone to obtain their provisional licenses."

Shuzenji talked about that. Fuyu thought wearily, sniffling once more and rubbing away a sneeze. Todoroki watched her sway on her feet.

"I know what you wanna say," Fuyu said warningly. "Don't say it."

Todoroki raised a brow, eyes twinkling with the faintest glint of roughish mischief.

"Too early for this shit," Fuyu muttered.

"It is to prepare you all to face hostilities that are becoming more real by the minute. Proceed carefully." Aizawa reached into his pocket and pulled a ball-like object out, turning, "So, Bakugou," he tossed the item his way and Bakugou caught it with ease. Fuyu perked up with faint interest, "Try throwing that."

"Wazzat?" Fuyu whispered to Todoroki.

"A softball."

Fuyu kicked his calf. Todoroki dodged.

"That's right, you weren't with us when we did the Quirk test," Sero mused thoughtfully behind her. "I wonder what it would've been like with you there... It's the ball we used to measure how far we can throw with our Quirks."

Fuyu made a face, "Couldn't, I dunno, Ocha just launch that thing into the stratosphere?"

"That's what happened."

"Ah."

"Your previous record, from right after you started school, was 705.2 meters," Aizawa said. Fuyu's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Let's see how much you've improved."

"That's ridiculous," Fuyu muttered. Bakugou shot her a smug look over his shoulder and she flipped him off as he marched away from them a good distance. "How the hell do you get a score like that?"

"With your Quirk," Todoroki answered.

Fuyu kicked his shoe.

"So we're checking our progress?" Ashido questioned eagerly.

"Since a lot happened these past three months, it's gotta be insane!" Sero said.

"But before that, to get a good gauge," Aizawa motioned to Bakugou to wait and he tossed a second ball.

Fuyu squawked, nearly catching it on her chin and she snagged it. Fuyu shot Aizawa a look and Aizawa jerked his chin to the clearing, "Give it a shot, since you didn't do it with everyone else."

"You can do it, Fuyu-chan!" Ochako cheered. "Give it all you got!"

"How the hell am I supposed to make this fly any higher with blood?" Fuyu muttered, stepping up beside Bakugou who shot her a feral grin.

"Just give it a regular toss, Apples."

"With Kouki's Quirk, she might be able to reel it back with a particular lengthy piece of blood," Midoriya began to mutter, worrying at his lip and Jirou watched, mildly disturbed. "She could reel it back a distance... but then we don't know how long and how far her connection to her blood lasts..."

"Go," Aizawa said flatly.

Fuyu grunted. She played with the ball in her fingers and then clicked her ring, slicing along her palm. Blood seeped out of the wound, curling around the spherical object and she eyed it for a moment.

Fuyu concentrated, brows furrowing and small, vaguely shaped wings enveloped the ball. She reeled her arm back and heaved, tossing the damn thing as far as she could. She twitched her fingers and the bloody wings on the ball began to flap, soaring higher and higher into the air before she curved her hand.

The ball took a nosedive, catching speed with the added wings and zipping into the forest until Fuyu finally felt her connection snap from the loss if distance.

Aizawa held up his meter.

608.7 meters.

"The wings were a good choice," Fuyu mused. "I lost feeling of that thing way before that."

Bakugou wordlessly snorted beside her, looking smug. Fuyu scowled.

"Bakugou," Aizawa nodded.

"Let me show you how it's really done, First Aid," Bakugou said easily.

"Do it, Bakugou!" Kirishima cheered and Bakugou reeled his arm back, a wicked grin splitting across his lips as his eyes glinted.

"Then..."

Fuyu let out a low grunt. What a look.

Bakugou's feet slid back, his stance steadied and heat crackled off his palm before he launched his arm forward. Smoke spluttered, sparks of heat fizzing out from between his fingers and then the ball exploded forth from his palm like a cannon launch, skyrocketing into the air.

"Go to hell!"

Fuyu gaped as the ball sailed fast and far out of sight. Bakugou stamped one foot down, lips curling up at the corners.

"709.6 meters."

Bakugou's eyes snapped open, looking at Aizawa sharply. Fuyu let out a garbled, inhuman noise. Todoroki glanced down to her. "You know it's not that much a difference right?"

"You shouldn't be able to toss it any farther than that anyway? It's insane!"

"Hey, you know what that means, right?" Sero began weakly. "It's less than we thought so..."

"It's been three months since you all began school," Aizawa started calmly and Bakugou gripped his wrist, lips pulled down into a scowl. "Through various experiences, you all have definitely improved. But that improvement has mainly been at the mental and technical levels, with some increase in stamina. As you can see, your Quirks themselves, have not improved that much."

Aizawa faced them all, "That's why we will be working on improving your Quirks starting today."

Fuyu felt her stomach twist uncomfortably. Her blood turned icy in her veins, visibly shuddering as the little bit from her palm clung weakly to her wrist.

"It'll be so hard you'll feel like dying."

Fuyu threw her hands up into the air, barking out immediately, "Hey, guys, I swear to god if you get your asses kicked I am not gonna bleed, you hear? It's a metaphor! A figure of speech—"

Aizawa's lips curled into a low, sadistic grin.

"But try not to actually die."

"Damnit!"

Omake: After Finals

Hawks shuffled on his feet.

His wings ached a bit at the base. He'd worked a ridiculous two-day shift the day before yesterday and while he'd wanted to spend the day off curled up in bed, hopefully spooning another warm body in that massive, comfy bed, the moment he'd overheard Sora's conversation on the phone, he knew he couldn't pass up on the opportunity to scout.

I should've taken Granny's offer. Hawks adjusted the bow on the heavy bouquet in his arms. He'd flown at top speed into the nearest florist, snagged and made an arrangement of red roses with bits of bamboo sprigs sticking out—an atrocious combination by the florist's expression but he didn't care, he liked roses and Sora liked bamboo so what the hell—and barked an order for the best take out place in town with strawberry pudding and cakes to be sent to his apartment pronto.

Knows what she's doing. Hawks rubbed at his jaw where a budding bruise settled. Feisty and loud. Rough. Short-tempered.

Hawks grimaced. He knew exactly why Sora took such a shine to her.

"TOKOYAMI!"

Hawks perched on the entrance to his wide balcony. The high rise apartment had been specially fitted to his request. A decade ago, he'd never imagined the kind of places he'd be living in and the kind of figures he'd thumb on each paycheck and advertisement sent his way.

Shackles. He heard the faint clink in his mind. Gotta work faster. You can do it.

"I want it to just end."

Hawk shook his head and ruffled his feathers. He swiped some dust and grime off them for good measure, playing with roses before he checked his reflection in a perched mirror on his railing for lookout and occasions like this. He smoothed his hair back over his head, windblown and wild like always—he can't be mad at a face like this, right?

Hawks tugged the balcony open and stepped into his apartment.

His eyes did a quick sweep, tugging his visor to hang around his neck. The apartment was just as he'd left it, perhaps maybe even a bit cleaner. His wings rustled and he quickly sensed movement from the kitchen, jerking off his boots with one hand and rushing into the room with quick steps.

Hey, I just wanted to meet her properly! If I had known she was gonna be so important to you, I would've talked to her more back then...no. I'm worried about you, you know? I can't help being a little possessive—nope. She seemed interesting so I wanted to play around a bit—ugh.

Hawks' kitchen was styled to let in just a bit of natural lighting. He liked to have a lot of windows, but too many proved to be hazardous should a worst case scenario come to fruition.

He had to thank himself for making the choice though, it was a good one.

A bit of light trickled in.

Sora's hair was the soft, inky black it was supposed to be. Molten gold rose up from the cup of tea he'd been gazing at and stopped at his entrance. The knitted sweater hung off him comfortably as he leaned back against the chair. "Welcome back."

A greeting! Hawks tried not to show his excitement, a slow smile curling over his lips instead as he held the bouquet in his hands. "Hey, babe, I wasn't sure if you'd be home—"

"Mm, well, I had no reason to leave," Sora said slowly. "Since my schedule was rather abruptly freed."

Hawks stopped where he stood. Sora smiled, resting his cheek on his palm. "So, how was it?"

Hawks smiled nervously. His wings drooped a bit, curling at the ends in a coaxing gesture. He tried to take a step forward, "You see, I've got a real great reason to—"

Sora held up a hand. Hawks stopped. He fluttered his wings hopefully. C'mon, fall for the face... Sora's expression didn't change.

"Stay."

Hawks let out a low groan. It tugged a rumble from his chest, shuffling where he stood but remaining there diligently. Sora eyed him, expression unreadable as he seemed to mull over something. Hawks played with the roses in his hands, adjusting a stick of bamboo.

"I like her," Sora said idly. Hawks looked up, listening attentively. There was a soft look in Sora's eyes, gazing at the smooth tabletop. "I want to see her grow, to be honest. I think there's a lot she can do."

"I can see why," Hawks finally managed. Sora's smile widened a bit, looking pleased at his answer. Hawks shuffled a step forward. "I can tell you all about it, babe. How about we get comfy and—"

Hawks stopped. His eyes zeroed in on the object laying at Sora's feet beside the chair. His gaze instantly shot to the back of Sora's chair where a familiar thick fabric hung. Sora looked amused.

"What's that?"

"My bag," Sora said casually.

Hawks swallowed, tugging at the collar of his jacket as he held the roses in one hand. He began to loosen the top, snapping buttons off. Plan B. "Haha, well, might be a dumb question to ask but... why's your bag—"

"You taking my appointment today off my hands," Sora said slowly. "Reminded me just how much work I've still got to do. I can't leave the shrine forever. Staying cooped up here in your little...nest, it takes time away from me, you know."

Hawks lunged.

Sora rolled his eyes. His foot snagged the tip of his staff, shooting it up to a standing position. Energy crackled out and Hawks squawked, wings flapping out as he slammed into the table and Sora stood with ease. Energy crackled off the massive crimson wings, weighing them down and Hawks shot Sora a pleading look.

"C'mon," Hawks cooed from the ground, "these past couple weeks have been amazing. You know it too! We're finally making this work a bit, you can still do you stuff, just less, and I have my shifts and get to come home to—"

"This," Sora gestured to them. "Doesn't have a name."

Hawks grunted against the floor, "It's called dating. Paramours. Romantically involved. Promised. I can keep going."

Hawks waggled his brows, "Can get real creative too."

Sora made a noise, not quite an agreement and not quite disagreeing either. Hawks watched him from the floor, Sora's eyes thoughtful as he felt along his staff and clipped his cloak on around his shoulders.

"Don't remember agreeing to that," Sora said quietly. "Just remember agreeing to talk."

Hawks didn't let Sora look away from him. "We have been. A lot better than we used to, too."

Sora gazed down at him. Hawks tried to get a reading on his thoughts from his half-smushed face against the ground, Sora's energy pinning him in place.

"You know I had to go back at some point."

"I know," Hawks said. "I just want you to come back this time."

Sora fell silent and a feather weaseled out from the energy field, smashing into Sora's cheek. Sora reached up to touch it and Hawks huffed out a sigh against the floor.

"You're not really... that mad, are you?"

"Not entirely," Sora admitted. "Annoyed. So this is a bit of payback. But no hard feelings."

Sora crouched down and offered Hawks a smile. "It is a bit different this time, though, isn't it?"

Us.

"If you have something to say to someone, you should do it."

"You should thank her for that," Sora added mindfully. Hawks made a face against the ground before he turned hopeful eyes Sora's way.

"So you'll come back?" he gave Sora his best damn puppy-dog eyes.

Sora hummed. Light caught off the piercing in his ear that Hawks loved, especially when he took Sora's ear between his teeth and—

"We'll see."

Hawks balked against the floor. Sora slipped out a horribly familiar tag. Hawks let out a low, rumbling groan against the floor, struggling weakly against the energy field pinning him in place. Sora pressed a teasingly long kiss to the tag, earning another pointedly loud and pain groan before he whispered a destination and dropped it.

A door crafted itself in the middle of Hawks' kitchen and Sora offered him a crooked smile, eyes glinting as he disappeared with his bag in tow.

"Don't wait up for me, brat."

A rush of cool, refreshing energy surged through him. Hawks suddenly felt as though he'd slept for ages and come out a new man and the door swung shut, finally disappearing.

Hawks laid there for a bit, head pressing into his wooden floors before he weaseled his phone out of his pocket and pressed an already preset button.

The dial tone rang out before a click.

"This had so better be good, you flying pigeon." Miruko growled through the phone. A crash resounding followed by a pain screech of terror. "I'm literally pounding this guy's ass into the ground for trying to steal right in front of me—what happened?"

"I fucked up." Hawks made a face. "I think."

Miruko grunted over the phone. "Again?"

Hawks groaned.

Omake: Villain!Deku AU

The world: Midoriya Izuku disappeared at the age of nine and has yet to be seen since, the victim of countless abuses and bullying from his peers and those around him. Born Quirkless. Katsuki Bakugou was the only witness to his abduction, this child later trained vigorously, entering U.A. Kouki Fuyu's past remained the same of what is was, including her interactions with Todoroki and rescue, but the third year of middle school before the offer to send her to U.A was made, an event occurred.

Ah, this is an interesting one.

"Oh, my, I didn't realize this spot was already taken."

Fuyu stopped. A gust of wind tugged playfully at her hair, pulled back into a ponytail to keep it away. Choppy bangs still brushed over the top of her eyes though and a trail of smoke escaped her lips where a cigarette hung loosely.

The chain link fence barricading the edge of the rooftop sagged in the middle, leaving ample space for those daring enough to perch themselves on the ledge of the towering, empty building. An old school that was shut down after a villain attack. Her eyes examined the vast scenery of the suburban clashing with urban and released a breath. Odds were the guy behind her was just some kid playing hooky like her or some asshole who wanted to cause trouble. Evens were that he was just some guy looking to get away.

Doubtful. Fuyu turned over her shoulder, keeping the cigarette perched between her lips. Toshi said he'd meet me later since I didn't come. He'll probably lecture me again.

He was young—no older or younger than her, really. His face promised someone with lingering baby fat from his youth, but there was an angular sharpness, an edge, that made Fuyu pause. His smile was warm, if not a little shy. Tufts of dark green, mossy hair fluffed out around him. The ends bled back from a previous dye job.

His outfit was a bit stranger, a touch formal for his age. Crisp white dress shirt tucked into black skinny jeans and a long skinny black tie around his neck. A fur lined corduroy jacket hung over his shoulders, sleeves dangling at his sides where Fuyu caught a glimpse of fingerless black gloves on his hands.

Fuyu finally landed on his eyes, her breath caught in her throat.

Beautiful.

There were a deep, endless sea of green. Dark, impossibly so, like the thickest of forests. But they held a sharp red edge, tinting his pupils and giving them a strangely blended kaleidoscope of red and green. I've never seen eyes like that before, his Quirk?

"Sorry," his voice was youthful, but there was a smoothness to it, almost buttery. It made Fuyu shiver involuntarily and she bit down a bit on her cigarette. "I didn't realize someone was already up here. Would you like me to go?"

Fuyu eyed him from where he stood at the rooftop entrance. Nice clothes, rooftop... Spells bad news.

"Are you one to talk?"

Something sharp tugged at her heart. Fuyu turned low eyes back to the endless horizon before her, feet dangling over the rooftop ledge. "'s not my place to say."

She didn't see the low smile that curled over his lips.

Even steps echoed behind her. Fuyu kept half her attention trained on him, the other contemplating whether or not she should pick up something to eat on her way home. Naomi had been growing fussy over her lack of presence at dinner, but Fuyu didn't have the heart to tell her she couldn't decide if she'd make it home that day.

His steps stopped a foot from her. Fuyu turned her eyes sideways.

His eyes were surprisingly warm as they took in the endless city view. The abandoned school had been placed just right. A riverbank and park in the distance and then endless city horizons. His hands were tucked into his pockets. Definitely my age. The wind tousled lovingly at his tufts of mossy green, playing with the ends of his jacket.

His feet pressed against the ledge, standing ramrod straight as he watched the scenery with an air of calm most people couldn't have this close to falling with a light shove.

"Mind if I take a seat?" he questioned politely, a shy smile on his lips.

Fuyu stared for a moment before she exhaled smoke and shrugged. "Not my roof, not my rules."

Something glittered in his eyes. Fuyu watched a bird sail high through the ocean above them. "You don't have to worry about me, if you're just here to think or whatever. Don't give me shit and I won't bother you."

"That's awful civil of you," he said conversationally. "Most people playing hooky this hour are up to no good, you know."

Fuyu pointedly took another drag of her cigarette. He grinned, strangely boyish and shy despite his eloquent way of speech. "You don't seem like a bad guy."

He looked amused. "No?"

Fuyu shrugged once more. Rooftop conversations weren't uncommon. Helpful at times, annoying at others, forgettable, remarkable, and always strange. "You've got good eyes."

He looked interested now, "How so?"

Fuyu didn't want to take the time to explain that she'd used her Quirk and eyed his string, a deep, bright red thing, beautiful, long, chipped in places where his heart might've been hurt but so darkly deep and true—haven't seen something like that in a long time. "They've just got a nice look to them."

"Your eyes are beautiful too, you know."

Fuyu paused. The comment sent a little bit of heat to her cheeks but she curiously turned instead to meet his eyes. The stranger smiled, a twinkle glittering in those dark irises. Fuyu exhaled through her nose.

"Such a deep red," he murmured thoughtfully, looking a little wistful. "Beautiful, honestly. Like blood, aren't they?"

Fuyu turned away from him. His eyes narrowed briefly before settling. "They're alright. Say, you got a reason for being here or anything?"

He looked curious and Fuyu continued, "Y'know, most people don't just come to an abandoned rooftop on a school day for fun. Just like the view? Needed to think?"

He looked warm by her concern. "Just like the view. It's nice, right? Sometimes I just like to be somewhere high, just to remind myself how far you can go, you know? It's endless." His eyes dropped down the steep drop below them. "How far you can fall too."

Fuyu made a noise of agreement. His eyes turned curiously over to her then, eyeing her from the side and Fuyu figured it was only fair since she'd sized him up a bit too.

"Was I interrupting anything by any chance?" he asked softly.

Fuyu stiffened without meaning too. His eyes landed on her shoes sitting at her side and the phone and wallet tucked inside them. He turned an eerily penetrative gaze back on her.

"Nah," Fuyu said finally, a bit softly. "Not today."

He hummed, a low, nice little tune. Fuyu took a bit of comfort in the surprising company—not a bad guy. Another breeze played with her hair and she brushed her bangs from her face, holding them there against her head as she watched nothing and thought about everything all at once.

"Doesn't it get lonely by yourself up here?" he murmured softly.

"Depends," Fuyu answered idly. He raised a brow. "How strong my heart is that day." Fuyu tapped her chest. "Usually holds up alright though."

Your company is nice. Fuyu bit back the words. But I don't expect you to stay. He'd just disappear anyways and she'd probably never see him again.

There was something oddly comforting about him, relaxing. It unnerved her a bit, but part of her couldn't help but turn to him, wondering more about the strangeness of this nice looking boy and his beautiful string.

Another breeze tugged harsher. Fuyu rolled her eyes and reached up to brush her bangs aside.

Slender, smooth fingers brushed them out of the way for her, holding it gently against her temple.

Fuyu went rigid. Her heart quickened and she lurched, throwing herself back with all she had. His eyes widened in slight surprise, hand hovering in the air where her head had been. Fuyu cursed, forcing her stuttering heart to quiet and she nearly dropped the cigarette between her teeth. Fuck, calm down! You're not there. You're not there and you're here and he's not—

He can't hurt you anymore.

"S-Sorry," his eyes were wide in apology. "I didn't mean to scare you like that—are you alright? You threw yourself back really hard—"

"Most people," Fuyu bit out warily. "Don't just brush stranger's hairs out of their face for them."

His lips twitched but his eyes held an earnest apology. Something in Fuyu called to raise her guard but his eyes kept her in place, soft and guilty. Forget it. Maybe I should just go home before Toshi gets—

"Someone hurt you, huh?"

Fuyu flinched. Her eyes snapped to him, critical. His face was nothing but the perfect picture of soft, openness. His eyes were warm, lids lowered and face almost sympathetic but not pitying.

His hand reached up and he touched his shoulder, brushing against his neck and back. "I used to be like that too. I hated it, not being able to walk without flinching every time someone just barely touched me."

Yeah. A part of Fuyu cried. That's exactly it. She kept her gaze even and merely inclined her head.

"But you know what?" he questioned idly. Fuyu glanced back to him and stopped, caught in the warmth and swirling power of that gaze.

"He can't hurt you anymore."

Something in Fuyu's chest twisted. It was a sharp, painful thing. But there was a release, a rush of fresh air to hear the words she desperately repeated in her head spoken out loud. There was no hidden look to his eyes, no reason for this random stranger to be hitting her in all these places and making her feel this way, when she hadn't felt much in so long and it was so rare to find those flashes, with her grandparents, luckily with Toshi with her and sometimes—

"Eyes on me," he called back and Fuyu turned her gaze back to him without thinking. He smiled, looking like a mother who'd said a single word and her child had obeyed with perfect ease. "You know, I think you deserve more than ratty rooftops."

Fuyu scoffed. Something pulled her back, maybe the warmth of the stick between her lips, maybe the call of some instinct telling her to stand. Stand, Fuyu. Walk on. "Yeah? Like what?"

He hummed, tilting his head almost cutely to the side.

"How about the world?"

Fuyu's head swung back to him. His eyes glittered again, brighter. It felt almost like a reward.

"It's a shitty one," Fuyu said quietly. "People get hurt who don't deserve it. People get stolen from who don't deserve it. Loved ones are ripped away, assholes don't get what they deserve. People never get what they ought to even though—"

"Why don't we give them what they deserve then?"

Fuyu grinned crookedly, "You know, you've got a weird way of—"

His face was suddenly inches from hers. Fuyu stiffened, surprise flashing in her eyes and he offered her a slow smile. His fingers plucked the cigarette from between her lips and he placed it to his own, never once breaking eye contact with her as he swallowed her whole with those beautifully tortured eyes. He inhaled, long, smooth and something in Fuyu screamed then, get up, stand, walk on. Get up, stand, walk on. But those damn eyes pinned her hands to where they were, kept her legs where they dangled and seemed to grip her heart in a way that made her shift in alarm—

He exhaled, smoke curling around them and brushing past Fuyu's face.

She could see the red in his eyes through the smoke.

Fuyu's phone vibrated by her side. Her eyes briefly glanced to it but his fingers touched her chin, guiding her gaze back to him. Her eyes flashed, feral for a moment at the gesture and her shoulders tensed. His smile was appeasing though, coaxing in a way that showed he hadn't meant anything by it.

Why are you letting him touch you like this? Stand the fuck up and just walk—

She heard Hitoshi's ring tone. Fuyu's eyes snapped back to her phone and he clicked his tongue.

"Eyes on me, love."

Look at me.

Red clashed with dark emerald. His smile widened.

"...who are you?" Fuyu murmured, confusion and wariness filtering through her eyes. His lips twitched, looking a bit displeased by her change in expression, no longer entranced. Clarity was pooling into her gaze and it wasn't quite fear, but Fuyu felt something.

Her blood thrummed to life beneath her veins.

He stabbed the cigarette into the concrete, pushing it and watching the ash and embers before he turned to her with an impossibly warm smile. "Midoriya Izuku, it's nice to meet you, Kouki-chan."

Fuyu froze. Her blood throbbed beneath her skin.

She didn't know his Quirk. Didn't know who he was or what he wanted, but if push came to shove, she wouldn't let him—

"I never told you—"

"I meant what I said," Midoriya continued, voice earnest and thick with warmth, "that you deserve more than these rooftops. The world doesn't deserve to take another life like yours away. Especially not with beautiful eyes like that."

His free hand not gripping her chin rested above her heart. Fuyu went carefully still. He hummed, shutting his eyes as though to listen to the way it hammered against her ribcage.

"Like a bird," he murmured softly. "The world doesn't deserve a heart like yours."

"What do you want?" Fuyu wondered, eyes disbelieving and he looked amused by her reaction, pleased.

"I want to put ten bullets into the man who hurt you and then some," Midoriya said without flinching. Fuyu's eyes swam with a storm of emotions. "I want to put a bullet into every asshole who even thinks of doing the same to you, to anyone else. I want to take this shitty world and I want to do something about it."

Fuyu exhaled slowly. Her eyes watched him, feeling like some wild animal caught in the curled grip of a snake who could silence whatever struggle with a single strike.

"My name is Izuku Midoriya," he said again, eyes burning brightly as he pushed his face closer to hers and Fuyu was caught in the trap of that gaze. "People call me Deku though, I like that name too. It grew on me."

Vague headlines. Radio talks. A report. League of Villains strikes once more—

The air shifted. Fuyu went rigid, head trying to turn over her shoulder where wisps of a black mist were ghosting over her arms but Midoriya—Deku, clicked his tongue at her, a soft, coaxing sound urging her eyes back to him.

"I want to watch the world burn," Deku breathed and Fuyu felt herself and him falling back into darkness, his eyes shone above her.

"I'd like you to come with me, Fuyu-chan."

Darkness and the warmth of his arms around her swallowed Fuyu whole.

"So he finally went?"

Toga giggled cheerfully. "I can't wait, another cute girl to join the club! We can do our hair together, have sleep overs, maybe stab someone~"

Thick, heavy manila folders were spilled out onto a desk. Several photos all snagged of a girl with dark gray hair on various rooftops. Other photos of her were neatly clipped together, showing her passing through a hallway at school, glancing over her shoulder and stopping beside a flower bed on the street—endless photos, a collection.

Piles of documents were stacked neatly beside them. Detailed descriptions of stolen or hacked police reports, notes annotated with vigor beside them. The younger face of a girl with dull eyes gazing back at the camera. Quirk registry. Address. Red marks underlining key parts, comments by other areas, a small heart by something that caught his eye. A keen, vivid interest in the past of someone who'd been hopelessly wronged by the world.

A scribbled note about a rumor of entrance into a certain hero school due to connections of a close family friend, crumpled, ripped, and slashed beside all of them and stabbed through into the desk with a knife.

A final note scribbled at the bottom of the mess, just below a t-chart of heavy pros and small cons. Her Quirk note was highlighted once more, but underlined was the line hurt, standing on the edge, time running out.

The final note read, in neat scrawl—

"Perfect partner."

Next Chapter:

Running hard at full throttle. Childish whims and hurt hearts. A sleepover. Flowers. The calm before the storm. The bewitching hour.

"I'm really glad I got to be here."

Bellflowers mean unchanging love and honesty.

Writing this author's note is lowkey weird because I just posted the last chapter at the same time too lol, but who cares.

I know we're all kinda foaming at the mouth at this point for you know what to happen, but with big stuff coming into play and things getting so crazy, I really just want to fit in those fun, kinda light hearted moments because I WANT THEM TO ENJOY SUMMER DAMNIT. I hope this chapter was just a really fun read, made you laugh a bit, smile, shake your fist at me, anything goes, hahaha.

Hopefully it doesn't seem like Kouta warmed up to her too fast. I just don't think he was that antagonistic toward the girls at Yuuei to begin with, he just singled out Midoriya because he's the one who approached him. Fuyu's the kinda I don't give a shit type who spent most of her rehabilitation with children and old people, so I'd imagine she might weasel into him alright. I think he's also a smart kid, and he gets a weird vibe most kids get when they're with Fuyu that's kinda like "I think this older kid has been hurt. Need to watch out for this one."

NEEDED TO TAKE THE TIME OUT AGAIN TO TELL YOU GUYS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS STORY. FOR BEING PATIENT. FOR BEING KIND AND WONDERFUL AND LOVING IT SO MUCH AND EVERYTHING SDAWCFNDAEFG CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH, CAN'T. YOUR SUPPORT AND TAKING THE TIME OUT TO FEEL ALL THESE THINGS FOR THE STORY AND READ THESE LONG ASS CHAPTERS, AH.

That villain deku au hit me outta nowhere because I know I wanted to do it but I think watching recent villain deku au videos was just like, yup, gotta do it now, hope it was good. Hope this chapter was good. Ah.

HIGH YES, TWO LONG UPDATES, HOPE YOU ENJOY. I GO TAKE FINALS NOW. WILL UPDATE OTHER STUFF TOO. LOVE YOU ALL. WINTER. YES.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING, GONNA GO SLAM TEXTBOOKS INTO MY HEAD, MUCH LOVE STAY HEALTHY AND HYDRATED I LOVE YOU ALL.

Marshmellow-

-OUT!