A/n: So this chapter is aptly named. A lot of conversations to be had! lol
…
Talking
Katsuki stood in the steam-filled bathroom as the bathwater drained away. He had a few bruises from his encounter with Izuku earlier that day, which meant Izu must be black and blue. Katsuki shook his head, knowing the nerd would be excited by that.
Pulling on sweatpants and a t-shirt, Katsuki did a quick wipe down of everything with his towel. Noise in the kitchen let him know Aizawa was back from school, and he called, "Bathroom's clear," before turning and heading toward his room.
"Katsuki. Come here for a moment, please."
Towel in hand, Katsuki padded down the hallway and found Aizawa sitting at the kitchen table. Katsuki paused in the doorway, seeing the frown on his teacher's face. His mind kicked into overdrive and he glared. Only two things would make Aizawa frown like that: Izuku or his shitty ass parents.
"What the hell now?" he asked as he dropped into the chair.
Aizawa sat straight instead of in his usual slouch. "I know how much you hate small talk and avoidance, so I'm going to cut to the chase. It's come to my attention that you and Midoriya were engaged in sexual activity at school."
Katsuki met his teacher's eyes. He thought about denying it, but Aizawa was right. He hated avoidance like the plague. It felt too much like weakness, something he'd never allow himself, so he gave a nod instead. "It wasn't planned, but it happened."
Aizawa's frown deepened. "You may already be aware, but it's important that you understand that at your age hormones are in an elevated state. This can lead to impulsive behavior, mood swings, physical changes…"
"I know about puberty," Katsuki snapped, annoyed.
"Knowing about it and being able to control it are two different things," Aizawa stated firmly. "It is strictly against the rules of UA to conduct yourself with improper decorum. At all times, we expect our students to act with the professionalism they will display while at work or in the community. I must insist that you immediately cease coupling with your boyfriend while on school grounds." Aizawa drummed his fingers on the table. "Which may be an impossible task. This is one reason I said it would be best if you and Midoriya were placed in separate classes. It would give you less opportunities to act on your hormone-driven urges."
Katsuki's glare went nova. "You're not taking Izuku or me out of class 1-A. We can handle our urges, okay? It won't fucking happen again. I give you my word."
Aizawa narrowed his eyes, unimpressed. "If that's the case, why did it happen in the first place?"
"I honestly didn't think we'd get caught," Katsuki answered tightly. "How did you find out?"
Aizawa just stared at him. "I don't believe you have earned the right to know."
"Some kind of sensors in the locker room, then," Katsuki deduced from Aizawa's evasion. If it had been a student, he would have reacted with either a hint of anger or discomfort.
Aizawa sighed. "You really have a brilliant mind. Yes. There are infrared sensors in the locker room. Almost every inch of the school has sensors. It is a countermeasure for infiltration, but it also allows us to monitor student conflict and prevent bullying. Fortunately, Principal Nezu is the only one who monitors those readings, and he generously gave me this chance to correct your behavior instead of issuing a punishment. I promise you that should you be caught again, there will be real consequences."
"I understood you the first time," Katsuki bit out, flushed and angry.
Aizawa nodded. "I hope so."
"Are we finished?" Katsuki made to get up, but Aizawa reached out his hand and asked him to sit.
"There are other reasons besides professionalism to abstain from sexual activity, Katsuki."
"Are you talking about STDs?" Katsuki smirked at this and crossed his arms. "I'm pretty sure we're both clean."
"Eventually that will be a concern, yes." Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose before dropping his hand. "There are emotional ramifications to becoming so intimate. I know you are confident that such a relationship will not affect your performance, but I don't think you really understand yet the physical impact these emotions can have. Not only can it affect your judgment and performance, but these chemicals are powerful, especially during puberty. They can make you feel euphoric, but when they recede, they can make you feel extremely low. Even if you can handle such a potent physiological reaction, I am concerned about Midoriya who already deals with mental health issues."
Katsuki said nothing to this. He wasn't about to talk about Izuku and how he reacted when they messed around with Aizawa or anyone else. "I appreciate the information," he said as neutrally as he could while glaring at the man.
Aizawa actually glared back. "This isn't easy for me, either, Katsuki, but as your guardian, it is my responsibility to make sure you are informed and to help you make good decisions. Today you demonstrated a distinct lack of good judgment, so you will sit there and hear me out."
"Do you see me getting up?" Katsuki demanded hotly. "What the fuck else do you have to say?"
Aizawa took a deep breath. "This next part is probably the hardest," he admitted. "Almost a hundred years ago, the outbreak of the first quirks appeared and society ground to a halt. On one hand, all progress came to a standstill as society struggled to deal with this new reality. Experts have concluded that had quirks not developed, we'd have more advanced technology by this point and even have mastered space travel. On the other hand, the world hadn't been in a good place when quirks developed. There was an uneven balance of power between the nations, wars were common place, crime was prolific. The chaos of quirks put a stop to a lot of that as each country focused on how they were going to deal with the phenomena."
"You're avoiding the issue," Katsuki pointed out, growing irritated. He knew all of this. They studied it enough in history class.
Aizawa ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "What I'm trying to say is that progress toward certain things was put on hold as the world dealt with quirks. We haven't yet gotten back on track in certain areas."
"Still avoiding," Katsuki ground out, gritting his teeth. "Let me say it for you. Japan doesn't accept same-sex couples. If Izuku and I aren't careful, we could be shunned and socially ridiculed for our relationship. You want us to keep it secret. For our own good."
Aizawa just stared at him.
Katsuki sat straight and adopted a formal tone, just to prove he could. "Izuku and I will remain professional while at school. That's an acceptable expectation, and I apologize for not adhering to it today. However, while I do not plan on publicizing my relationship with Izuku, I also do not plan on actively hiding it."
"Katsuki…" Aizawa said tiredly.
Katsuki slammed his hand on the table, his temper flaring. "You said progress on certain platforms stopped with the emergence of quirks. Well, how the fuck do you think progress happens? It certainly won't happen with secrecy and shame. Personally, I'm not out to save the fucking world or advocate for gay rights, but I sure as fuck am not going to hide who I am because of ignorant assholes. And Izuku will never fucking support inequality in any form. Even if he'd fallen in love with a girl, he wouldn't stand for it. Izuku is a fucking hero." Glaring, Katsuki added, "And so am I."
Aizawa bowed his head. "I'm proud of you, Katsuki. You could really make a difference in this world." He lifted his head, eyes creased with genuine concern. "But I'm worried that you don't understand the cost of what you are suggesting. You aren't the first gay hero. Being open about your sexuality will be hard. The negative feedback is extremely challenging to live with. You'll face rejection and harsh criticism. You'll be labeled a pervert in certain circles. People won't want you to live in their neighborhoods and will find reasons not to rent or sell to you. Restaurants could mess with your food. Worse, jobs and opportunities will be closed to you. You'll be denied things you have rightfully earned."
"Then I will just have to make new opportunities," Katsuki answered coldly. "If you're trying to scare me, it won't fucking work. All you're doing is pissing me off even more. If they want to treat me like trash, then I'll be the best fucking hero the world has ever fucking seen! No one will be able to afford pissing me off."
"I hope you're right," Aizawa said softly. He reached across the table and touched the back of Katsuki's hand. "I'll help you in every way I can. Never doubt that."
Katsuki shifted uncomfortably with a scowl and took his hand back. "Yeah. Thanks. Are we done?"
Aizawa smiled sadly and nodded. "We're done."
Katsuki stomped to his room and slammed the door behind him.
…
Izuku came home after a quick jog around the neighborhood. He couldn't stop smiling. His heart raced still thinking about Kacchan. He couldn't believe he'd been so bold! Biting his lip, he stepped into the apartment and bent to take off his shoes.
"Mom! I'm back!" He saw his mom in the living room and smiled. "Sorry for yelling. I thought you were in the kitchen."
Inko smiled back, but it was awkward. Her hands fidgeted with her apron as she said, "Come sit with me for a minute."
Izuku padded across the room in his socks and sat next to her. "What is it?" he asked, eyes wide in concern. "Are you okay?"
Inko smiled. "I'm fine, honey." She took his hands and said very seriously. "I got a call from your teacher while you were out jogging. He said…" She cleared her throat, her cheeks darkening with a blush. "Well, he caught you and Katsuki… doing… well…" She flopped her hand uselessly.
Izuku's face went bright red. "Mom…"
Inko firmed her voice and held tight to Izuku's hands. "Honey, you know I support you and Katsuki-kun with all my heart, but you're still really young. I know you have all these feelings, but you're not even fifteen. I think you need to slow down a bit. You said you think Katsuki-kun is the one for you. That means you'll have all your lives together, so there's no rush."
"Mom…" Izuku was utterly mortified. If he could sink into the couch cushions he would.
She ignored him and pressed on. "And if something unforeseen were to happen, like one of you falling in love with different people, you don't want to have any regrets, okay? I know what it's like. I was only a few years older than you when I fell in love with your father. Honey, I know what it feels like to be consumed by another person, but when my head cleared, things looked very different, and I regretted how much I gave him."
Izuku's eyes widened. "Do you regret…?"
Inko gasped. "No! Izuku, of course not!" She grabbed his face in her hands, tears in her eyes. "You are absolutely the best thing that has ever happened to me. I have never, not even for a second, regretted having you." She pulled him into a hug. "No, sweetie, I'm talking about my heart. The deepest, secret parts of me. I wish I held some of that back. Losing him really broke me in a lot of ways. I know it's why I am so frightened and paranoid now, but just because I know that, it's not that easy to fix."
"Mom, you're amazing," Izuku denied, hugging her tight. "You're not broken."
"Thank you, honey." Inko pulled back and kissed his head. "Will you listen to me about this? Will you slow things down with Katsuki-kun?"
Izuku nodded, although it was a lie. There was no slowing things down. He had already given Kacchan all of his heart. There was nothing left to hold back, and he didn't want to! But he wasn't ever going to mess around with him at school again, that's for sure! He'd never been so embarrassed in his life!
"Good." Inko smiled and ran her hand over his hair as she stood. "I'll go in and finish dinner."
"I'm going to take a shower, okay?" he called after her.
"That's fine, but be quick. It's almost done."
"Okay. Thanks, Mom!" Izuku slipped into the bathroom and shut the door. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and sent a quick text to see if Kacchan was able to talk. You there?
x
Kacchan
Yeah
No more messing around at school
x
Izuku went red again and typed a quick, I know. Aizawa called my mom. How'd he find out?
x
Kacchan
Infrared sensors in locker room
Only principal and Aizawa know
x
Izuku felt like dying. Oh, god
x
Kacchan
Sorry
x
Izuku's eyes widened. It's not your fault! I'm not mad, but we're never doing that again.
x
Kacchan
Agreed
How'd Inko take it?
x
Izuku
She says I'm too young and need to slow down.
That if I'm not careful, if we break up, it could really hurt me.
x
Kacchan
Too late for that
x
Izuku smiled. Yeah. I already love you with everything that I have.
x
Kacchan
Same
Izuku beamed happily. See you tomorrow.
x
Kacchan
Try to actually get some sleep
You're looking strung out
x
Izuku frowned at that and looked in the mirror. His eyes did look really dark and his face was pale. Okay. I'll try my best. If I can't, I'll take a pill this weekend.
x
Kacchan
I'll stay over
x
Smiling, Izuku put aside his phone and stripped out of his clothes. He carefully peeled the bandage from his arm. The bright red spider lilies seemed to glow against his skin, the moon insignificant behind them. He felt strength fill his soul and clenched his fist. He was going to make it. As a hero and with Kacchan. He wasn't going to let anything get in the way of that.
…
Katsuki waited for Izuku at the school gate. He usually just went inside and saw Izu when he got to class, but he didn't want him to walk in alone. The nerd was probably still embarrassed about Aizawa finding out about them messing around in locker room.
"Morning, Kacchan," Izuku ran up with a smile, cheeks rosy. The blush didn't hide the fact that the circles under his eyes were still there.
"Couldn't sleep?" he asked.
"I did," Izuku denied, but Katuski knew from the way Izuku wouldn't meet his eyes that it was a lie.
Katsuki didn't know why Izu bothered. He could read him like a book. The nerd probably couldn't help it, always worried he was making others worry.
"Do you think Aizawa will say anything?" Izuku asked anxiously, twisting the straps of his backpack.
"Doubt it. He said plenty already. I think he's done."
"Morning, Deku!"
Katsuki turned to see Cheeks running up. She looked more frazzled than normal. Katsuki scowled, knowing he'd have to listen to Izuku fuss over her all the way to class.
"Morning, Uraraka! How are you?" Izuku asked brightly.
"Oh, I'm fine. Are you nervous about the practice test?"
"A little," Izuku answered. His voice became compelling and concerned. "Are you sure you're okay? You look a bit flustered."
"I was almost late to school." She tried to smooth her hair, her cheeks even redder than normal. "But I made it, so no worries!" She flashed the victory sign.
Katsuki huffed and looked away. There was clearly something more to it than that. Why couldn't she just say what was bothering her instead of making Izuku work at it? She was going to spill her guts in the end, so why waste time? This is why he hated people. They were just so goddamn annoying.
Cheeks tried to change the subject. "I'm sure you're not worried about the tests, Bakugo. You got the highest score on the entrance exam."
"And I'll get the highest fucking score again," he stated with absolute certainty.
Cheeks stuck her tongue out and pulled Izuku to the side. "There's Iida! Come on."
Katsuki watched them go with a scowl.
"Someone piss in your cereal this morning?" A heavy arm was slung over his shoulder. Kirishima.
Katsuki gave him a deadly glare. "You're lucky I didn't fucking fling you down on your back."
The redhead laughed, lifting his hands in peace. "I wanted to talk to you," the teen said, expression going serious. "Do you think you could tutor me a bit before the practice test? I'm having trouble in math and science."
"Can't your friends help?" Katsuki grumbled.
Kirishima rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm having a hard time studying with them. We just end up goofing off, you know?"
"Fine. I'll set something up," Katsuki gave in, but his glare sharpened. "Be ready. I won't put up with any slacking. You fucking annoy me and I'm gone."
Kirishima nodded. "Got it."
…
"Midoriya. Can I speak to you?"
Izuku's stomach dropped and he literally felt like he was going to faint as Aizawa put his hand out and stopped him at the door to the classroom. Behind him, Izuku could see Kacchan stand with a glare, but Aizawa shook his head and waved him back.
"Go on, Uraraka, Iida. I'll return him before first period."
The classroom door shut on the worried looks of his friends.
"S-sir, I…"
"This isn't about yesterday," Aizawa said, not unkindly. He put a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Come with me. I'd like to speak to you in my office."
Izuku swallowed hard. As class president, he'd been to the shared faculty office multiple times, but he'd never been to Aizawa's personal office. His hands shook and sweat dewed his hairline. Thankfully, the office wasn't far. It was dark, with dark walls and carpet, and it was cluttered. Izuku forgot his nerves as he looked around at all the artifacts curiously.
"Have a seat, Midoriya. You don't need to be nervous. You're not in trouble," Aizawa said as sat behind his big desk.
"Thank you," Izuku said politely as he took the chair opposite. "Then why do you need to speak to me, sir?"
"The therapist who All Might has found is ready to meet with you. Do you feel comfortable talking with her today after school?"
Izuku felt his stomach flutter nervously. "Oh, uh…"
Aizawa gave him a concerned look. "We can set up a different time, if it would make you more comfortable."
"No, it's not that," Izuku quickly protested. "Of course I can see her today."
Aizawa tilted his head. "What are your concerns about speaking with her? Maybe I can help?"
Izuku's hands twisted nervously in his lap. "I'm not really sure. I guess, I just don't know what she'll ask."
Aizawa leaned back thoughtfully. "I've spoken with therapists a few times myself. Generally they ask about your emotional and mental state. Their job is not to judge you in any way, but to help you work things out."
"Help me how, exactly?" Izuku asked carefully, looking through his fringe. "I mean, I'm doing okay. I have good grades and I think I'm doing okay as class president. I've struggled with using my quirk, but I don't think a therapist will help with that?"
"She might actually," Aizawa argued. "Quirk use is deeply connected to an individual's psychology." He sat forward, his voice calm. "No one thinks you are doing a bad job, Midoriya. You are an excellent student and I have no complaints as to your service as class president. You deal with things the average person doesn't have to face, and we'd like to make sure you have access to all the resources available to make the burden easier to bear. If she can help you handle things even a little, then it's worthwhile in my book."
Izuku nodded, a blush staining his cheeks. "Thank you, sir. I don't know why I'm so nervous about it."
Aizawa's expression softened with understanding. "The things you experience are very personal. I understand your hesitation, but I want you to know that Ivy-sensei is a professional. Anything you tell her will be held in strict confidence. She will not discuss it with anyone else, not me or your mother or All Might. And if you don't feel comfortable talking with her, you can say so. This is supposed to help you, not burden you further."
Izuku nodded, feeling much more comfortable. "Thank you."
"It's no problem." Aizawa gave him a rare smile. "Go on back to class. I'll make the call to inform your mother."
Izuku bowed respectfully. "Thank you, sensei."
…
"Is that a tattoo?" Tape-boy gasped from beside him.
Katsuki glared at the twerp. His whole body throbbed from the intense workout they'd just finished. His arms felt like they weighed a hundred pounds each, which was probably why he'd been so clumsy taking off his hero costume's sleeves. The bandage covering his tattoo had pulled off with it.
"What's it to you?" Katsuki sneered.
"It's a little girly with the flowers," Mineta opinioned.
Katsuki snarled, "Do you want me to blast your balls off?"
Mineta squeaked and practically dove behind octopus boy.
"Todoroki has one, too!" Kirishima exclaimed as Todoroki purposefully unwrapped the bandages around his hand and forearm.
Everyone gathered around to look at the large phoenix.
"We have one, too," Izuku admitted. He and Glasses both took off their bandages.
Instantly the locker room was full of pandemonium.
"Holy shit! Class President! Iida!" The electric idiot practically burst into surprised laughter. "You're such goodie two-shoes! I can't believe you guys got tattoos!"
"Woah!" Sero was really impressed with the detailed shield and broken sword now inked into Glasses' arm. "This is really good work."
Glasses nodded and blushed. "The four of us decided to get them after Hosu. Midoriya actually designed all of them."
"Aren't you worried it will affect your chances of getting hired with agencies?" Tail-boy asked worriedly.
"If an agency can't handle that I have a little ink, then that's their fucking problem," Katsuki dismissed. "It isn't going to stop me from doing what I need to do."
Done with the entire conversation, he rubbed down with a towel and began to pull on his school uniform. Of course, Izuku and Iida got bombarded with more questions. Wisely, everyone gave Todoroki and him space.
"Did it hurt?" "How long did it take?" "How much was it?" "How long will it take to heal?" "What do they mean?"
The boys were still clambering on about it when they left the room, so it wasn't long before the girls caught wind of what they were all talking about. Before they'd gotten halfway down the hall, Izuku and Glasses were both pressured into rolling up their sleeves and letting the girls see.
"That's so cool! My parents would never let me get a tattoo," Ear-phone jack girl complained. She loved rock music, so it wasn't surprising that she'd want one. "The color and detail of those flowers are amazing!"
"Thanks," Izuku said with a blush.
"You can't possibly want a tattoo," the little rich Ponytail girl protested. She was staring at Iida's arm in horror. "They're so vulgar. Todoroki, you got it covering the back of you hand? How will you hide it?"
"I believe the point is not to hide it," he answered cooly.
"Are they even allowed at UA?" she demanded with a blush.
"I'd want one!" The invisible girl pipped up, which was stupid as hell. How the fuck would the artist even be able to draw one on her? And if the ink did show, how stupid would that be?
"Me, too," Tsu agreed. At everyone's surprised look, she clarified. "A lot of sailors have tattoos. It's not that uncommon."
Katsuki tried to tune out the losers as they made their way back to the classroom to grab their school bags. He quickly grabbed his and made his way to Aizawa's office. He didn't bother knocking. The office was empty, so he dropped his bag on the floor and sat heavily in the chair across from the desk.
Hissing, he carefully rolled up his sleeve. The tattoo was itching like a mother fucker, and Katsuki quickly applied some healing ointment. The office door opened, and Aizawa slipped inside on silent feet.
"Where's Midoriya?"
Katsuki rolled his eyes. "Dealing with the masses. They just found out about these."
"Ah." Aizawa sat on the edge of the desk and gestured for Katsuki to show him.
Katsuki lifted his arm up so his teacher could see the tattoo in the dim light.
"It's healing fast," Aizawa noted, examining the scabs that had just started forming. "Should be another week or so and it'll be completely healed."
A knock sounded on the door. Aizawa released his arm and opened it. Izuku stood on the other side. "Sorry I'm late," he said, shifting his bag higher up his shoulder. He'd clearly run to get there.
"You're not," Aizawa assured him and ushered him into the office, shutting the door behind him.
Izuku gave Katsuki a searching look and quietly asked, "Do you think your tattoo is too girly?"
Katsuki's eyebrows scrunched into an annoyed glare. "Don't tell me you believe those idiots? You did an amazing job on it. It's exactly what I wanted." Getting to his feet, he crossed the short distance between them. Izuku's eyes widened as Katsuki pulled him into a hug. "You sure you don't want me to come?" he asked gruffly.
Izuku melted into him, the tension in his shoulders falling away as he buried his face against Katsuki's shoulder. "I'll be fine." He lifted his head and included Aizawa in the conversation. "This is supposed to make things easier. If it doesn't work or I feel uncomfortable, I don't have to go again, right?"
"Exactly," Aizawa reassured him. He looked completely unruffled by them hugging.
"I'll wait for you here." Katsuki reluctantly let him go.
"Thanks, Kacchan." Izuku gave Aizawa a shy look and then leaned in to kiss Katsuki's cheek. "I'll see you in a bit, then." He gave a brave smile.
Aizawa didn't make a big deal about the kiss. He put a supportive hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Follow me. She's waiting in All Might's personal office."
Katsuki didn't let his worry show until the door shut behind them. Fuck, he hoped this went well.
…
Izuku took a deep breath and nodded. Aizawa opened the door and held it open, letting him step inside. All Might's office was more like a sitting room. Warm light spilled in through the floor to ceiling window. A couch was placed against the wall, a low coffee table sat in front of it. A small counter sat opposite with an electric water heater, a tea pot, and tea cups. For as bright and loud as All Might's costumes and hero personality were, his home and his office were decorated in neutral, calm colors with no extra clutter. He was actually a minimalist.
All Might in his dark yellow suit stood from the couch, grinning his hero's grin. "Midoriya! Thank you for joining us." His large hand swept sideways, indicating the woman next to him. "This is Ivy-sensei."
The woman looked to be in her thirties or forties. She stood and bowed to Izuku. Her soft, orange hair was cut short to her chin and was parted to the side. Her long bangs were swept to the side and covered the right side of her face. The eye that Izuku could see was amber in color and held a gentle look. She was tall and slender, close to six feet, and wore a simple, cream-colored shirt with three-quarter length sleeves tucked into black capri slacks. Her heels were maybe an inch tall if that and were a surprisingly bold red in color.
"Hello," she said with a soft smile. "I'm Ivy. It's nice to meet you."
Izuku bowed politely. "Thank you for coming. I'm Izuku Midoriya."
She gave him an earnest look. "It's really no trouble at all."
"Do you think you'll be alright here?" All Might asked Izuku. "All the sensors in the room have been disabled and will remain so while you two are talking. I guarantee this is a safe place. You have my word as a hero!" He struck a pose, flashing two thumbs up.
Izuku blushed at the dramatics. "It's fine. Thank you," he said again.
All Might nodded and clapped him on the shoulder as he passed. His touch always surprised Izuku for how gentle it was. "If you need anything, I have my phone. Don't hesitate to call!"
Izuku nodded and All Might and Aizawa left, shutting the door behind them.
Izuku turned awkwardly back to the woman. "So… um…"
She laughed. "This is a bit strange, isn't it?" She gestured to the couch. "Feel free to have a seat. I think I'll make us tea." She winked. "I don't think All Might will mind."
"I can do that!" Izuku offered hurriedly.
"That's very considerate of you. Thank you, Izuku."
Izuku gave her a smile, relieved he could be of help. She set him to the task of putting the tea powder into the tea pot while she filled the electric water heater.
"Is it okay that I call you by your first name? I'd prefer it if you called me Ivy, too."
Izuku blushed a bit at that but nodded. "I don't mind."
"Good." Ivy poured the hot water into the tea pot. "Take that to the coffee table. I'll bring the cups."
It took a few minutes, but soon enough they were both on the couch holding a cup of warm green tea. Izuku felt himself relaxing.
"So, why don't I tell you about myself and how I came to be here," she suggested, her eye sparkling with good humor. "It's a fun story. I think you'll like it."
Izuku couldn't help smiling along. "Okay."
"Well," Ivy began, leaning forward conspiratorially. "I actually wanted to join a support company when I was a girl. I had this thought when I was young; who helps the heroes who are always helping everyone else? It worried me, so I thought, I'll help them! That's why I joined the support division of UA, and guess what happened?"
"What?" Izuku asked, eyes wide. He found himself leaning forward in anticipation.
"Well, I found out I'm terrible at it! Their focus was more on gadgets and gear." She laughed. "It was definitely not for me. I'm so bad that I break at least three toasters a year!"
"Oh no." Izuku tried not to laugh.
"No, it's okay. It is funny," she assured him. "I should have done more research about what it meant to be in the support department. It ended up working out, though. I switched to the business division after my first year. I did well, but I didn't feel like it was where I was supposed to be, either. I graduated and then met a young man studying psychology at university. We dated for a few months, but it turned out I liked his books more than him." She gave a rueful smile. "I ended up attending the same university and studying clinical psychology."
"What happened with your boyfriend?" Izuku blushed, realizing too late how personal that was. "If you don't mind me asking."
"Not at all," she assured him. "More tea?"
Izuku was surprised he'd finished his cup. "Yes, please."
Ivy continued her story as she poured them both a fresh cup. "Actually, we're still good friends. I helped him get his practice off the ground after he completed his degree." She winked. "Using all the business knowledge I got from UA. So like I said, it all happened the way it should have even though it didn't feel like it at the time."
"How'd you meet All Might?" Izuku couldn't help being curious. She was a great storyteller.
She tapped her bottom lip, her eye turned upward. "How did I meet All Might? Hmmm. I can't seem to remember. It must not have been very memorable," she said in an exaggerated voice.
Izuku laughed, and Ivy laughed with him.
"Actually, he probably doesn't remember meeting me the first time." Her voice became soft and affectionate. "He saved my sister from our burning apartment building about seven years ago. We lived together at the time, and I rushed home from work as soon as I saw it on the news. The police wouldn't let me in, of course. I was devastated, certain my sister was dead. She's such a heavy sleeper." Her expression brightened, her head tilting as she smiled. "And then here he came. All Might! He literally swooped in and carried all these people out. They were draped over him like laundry!" She laughed. "He set my sister down and she had the gall, covered in soot and in her night gown, to demand his autograph!"
Izuku grinned and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "I did the same thing when I met him."
Ivy gave him a soft smile. "I'm not surprised. All Might really is incredible."
"The second time I met him was a few weeks ago. He said he was looking for someone who could help his student." She gave an almost embarrassed smile. "Like I said, I wanted to help the heroes who help so many. I loved psychology, but I couldn't forget my first dream, so I ended up sort of combining them. All Might got my name from Principal Nezu. I've worked with several heroes under his command. I actually specialize in trauma therapy."
"Oh." Izuku felt happy her dream had come true, but at the same time this reminded him why she was here. He'd actually forgotten for a few minutes.
"All Might seems to really care about you," she said softly.
"Yeah." Izuku fidgeted with his cup.
"I get the feeling this wasn't your idea," she said, studying him with an understanding look. "You know, we don't have to talk about anything you don't want to."
"I just…" Izuku didn't really know how to say it. He stared down at his empty cup in frustration. "I don't know… what everyone's hoping for. I mean… I guess I just don't know what they want to improve. I don't feel like I'm struggling."
"Hmmm." At the sound, Izuku looked up to see Ivy looking thoughtful. "That's a really good question. You should ask them what they're hoping for. Is it only All Might who wants you to talk to me?"
Izuku shook his head. "My mom, and Nighteye, and Kacchan, and Aizawa." He tilted his head. "And I guess Principal Nezu."
She looked at him curiously. "Kacchan? Is he your little brother?"
Izuku laughed. "No, it's just the first name I knew him by. We grew up in the same neighborhood and met in pre-school. That's what everyone called him back then. He's actually my boyfriend now."
Ivy's face lit up with delight. "Oh! I'm so happy for you."
Izuku smiled back. "Thanks."
"So what does he hope will happen if you talk to me?" she asked. "I mean, he must know you best."
A frown creased his face as he thought about it. "He'd want me to sleep more and with fewer nightmares. And he'd want me to be calm and not get freaked out and upset so often. I used to have panic attacks pretty often."
Ivy nodded. "That makes sense. Why does that make you frown?"
"Well…" Izuku felt something shifting. It was weird. Like doors opening and shutting in his brain. "I feel fine?" he asked more than answered. "I haven't had a panic attack in weeks." Even as he said it, he knew it was stupid. 'Weeks' wasn't that long a time, so why did if feel as if it was? With wide eyes, he realized his breathing had sped up and he was sweating again. His hands were fisted on his knees. He stared at them in surprise, as if they belonged to someone else.
"Izuku, does it feel like you can't remember these bad episodes clearly? Or it as if they never happened as long as you don't think about it?"
Izuku looked up, surprised. "How'd you know?"
Ivy tiled her head, her eye closed as she gave him a warm smile. "Well, because I talk to lots of people. I've met others who felt that way. It's okay. It's not a totally bad thing."
Izuku felt relief wash through him. "It's not?" Tears actually burned his eyes.
"No," she confirmed. "It's called compartmentalization."
Izuku scrunched his face. "What?"
Ivy laughed and the sound made him relax still further. "I don't who names these things." She put her hands out and encircled the air. "It's when you kind of keep certain things separate from each other. Like if you have a bad dream, you put it aside so that you can have a good morning. It's a 'not thinking about it' skill."
"Oh." That sounded about right.
"Doing this can actually be really healthy," she said supportively. "For example, let's say you have a huuuuuge test…" She drew out the word just to make him smile. "Well, constantly worrying about this test and picturing a failing grade can actually interfere with your studying, which will make your fear more likely to come true. If you're able to compartmentalize that worry, you're able to put it aside and it won't interfere with your studying. That way you're more likely to get a passing score because you studied more effectively."
Izuku was fascinated. "That doesn't sound so bad."
Ivy nodded sagely. "Some people are better at it than others, but anyone can learn to do it. All it takes is practice! In fact, heroes are actually taught to compartmentalize before they graduate. Let's say you get in a fight with your boyfriend. They don't want that to distract you from saving people in a burning apartment, for example." She winked playfully.
"So I'm okay," Izuku said in relief. He didn't need to talk to her, after all. Not that he minded talking to her, actually. She was really easy to talk to.
"Well…" Ivy picked up her cup. "There's a second part to compartmentalizing if you want to do it in a healthy way. Imagine this is full of milk." She showed him her cup. "I'm going to compartmentalize and set it aside." She put the cup on the table. "So far so good, right?"
Izuku blinked at her. "Yes?"
"That's right," she said with a smile. "I put it aside successfully, so part one went off with out a hitch. But what happens if a few days go by and the cup of milk just sits there on this table, forgotten because I put it out of my mind?"
Izuku winced. He knew where this was going. "It goes bad," he said quietly, looking down at his hands.
"Yes." Ivy touched him gently on the knee. "It's a good skill to have, but what you put aside doesn't disappear. You still have to face it and work through it or bad stuff can happen to you." Gently, she asked, "Maybe that's what Kacchan and the others are concerned about?"
"Maybe," he acknowledged glumly. "But what do you mean by face it? Do I just have to talk about the things that I try not to think about?"
Ivy took her hand back and folded them in her lap. "Talking is a start, but everyone's different. All I know is that whatever it is you're feeling, whatever mark it has left, together we can figure out how to deal with it." Almost shyly, she added. "That is, if you'll have me. I'd really like to help you, Izuku."
Izuku inexplicably felt tears fill his eyes. He wiped them away with his sleeve and gave her a trembling smile. "I'd like that."
Chapter end.
A/n: What do you guys think? I went back and forth on Ivy's personality like a hundred times. I also couldn't decide if I wanted Izuku to open up right away or not. I hope you like what I ended up with.
If you want to see a pick of Ivy-sensei, I put the inspiration for her character on Instagram. :)
