I don't want to do this, but it's the only way. I need to at least try, if I want to be able to save him. Even if he thinks he's better off with them…they're villains. What happens if they turn against him? He already has so many scars. I just want to help him, but first he has to realize that what he's doing isn't…

Glancing over at him again, frowning to herself and tapping her pencil against her textbook. Anxious. Not wanting to ask him, not wanting to talk to him, because she knew that he was part of the reason Deku had chosen this path. Now he might be the only one who could help her save him.

Amaya was only able to get around three hours of sleep the previous night. Too worried about her parents and Deku. Her parents had returned home in the early morning, in a great mood from apparently having a date night. Explaining to her that Deku had planned it for them, that he had insisted on treating his girlfriend's parents to a well-deserved night out.

Summoning enough nerve, she readied herself to go over to him. Bakugou apparently had the same idea. "Hey, Ribbon. Come here. We've gotta talk."

Biting the inside of her cheek, frustrated with having to reach out to him, she nodded and followed him out to the hallway. It was their lunch break so no one would question the two leaving the classroom. "I need to know something," she started. Shifting her dark sapphire eyes to the boy next to her.

"I'm going first, damn it!" He scowled and shoved his hands into his pockets. Walking at a slow pace and not looking at her. "That damn Deku. Pretty sure he's working with the League of Villains. Look, it's not like I'm your friend or anything! Got it? I don't want you letting him into the school and-"

"He's not." A lie that made her stomach twist in knots, but she knew that if she agreed with him then soon enough Deku would be arrested. She wanted to free him; not push him into prison. If she could just make him realize what he was doing was wrong, she was sure she could fix everything.

"Tch. Yeah, keep lying to yourself. That nerd latched onto you, didn't he? Tell me where he goes and I'll-"

"I don't know…where he lives or where he goes."

"Don't lie-!"

"Have you tried asking his mom?" Amaya subconsciously held her breath as his scowl deepened and he glared down at her. "Well? Have you?"

"I haven't talked to his mom since he disappeared," he admitted. "Didn't have a reason to. She probably doesn't know anything."

Reaching back to adjust her hair ribbon, bowing her head. Her pulse erratic as she drifted between worry, anger, and fear. I want to save him. Thinking about him being so close to danger…I can't take this. I have to do something.

"I want to talk to her," she spoke, lifting her head and turning to meet his gaze. "Give me her address."

"What the hell? Why do you want to talk to that nerd's mom?"

Amaya gave him her coldest smile. "I want to meet my boyfriend's mother."

Bakugou bristled, scowl deepening. "Whatever. I'll go with you. If she knows something about where he is, I'm gonna find out."

You don't trust him. You don't trust me. What do you think he's going to do? You seem to think he has it out for you, but Deku's only mentioned you a few times. He…doesn't care about you anymore. She quickened her pace; walking ahead of him and trying to plan how she could speak with Deku's mother alone. Trying to figure out how she could go with Bakugou without being noticed by Deku or the League.

After school, Amaya knew what she had to do. She left ahead of Bakugou with the intention of meeting up with him at the station. She might be able to inconspicuously join him on the crowded train and walk together after that. It was going smoothly until she felt an arm go around her shoulders.

"Hey, Kurokawa-chan! We've got the afternoon free, right? Want to go somewhere with us?" Kaminari greeting her with a grin when her head turned.

Blood rushed to her face at the contact and familiarity. "Sorry, I…can't tonight. I have plans." A glance to his other side showed Kirishima giving her a small, friendly smile.

"What?! Come on! You never hang out with anyone after school! Let's do karaoke or something! It'll be fun!" he promised.

"I can't-" Amaya started, but her words failed her as her dark sapphire gaze met an emerald green one further down the sidewalk. The grin on Deku's face; so cute that it made her heart skip a beat. "Kaminari-kun, I don't like crowded places and…karaoke isn't really-"

"There you are! Heheh! I was worried that I missed you!" Deku greeted her, slipping past the other students on the sidewalk. Gently taking her hand to pull her away from Kaminari and bringing her against his chest. Both arms were wrapped around Amaya and he flashed that same grin at her friend. "Oh! These are…?"

"My friends from school. We're all in the hero course together." Heart hammering in her chest, feeling a hand slide down along her spine. A hand lightly pushing at the back of her hips so she was flush against Deku.

"Wow! Really? It's great to finally meet your other friends!"

Shift P.O.V

Kaminari Denki. He had his arm around you and did I hear him ask you to go somewhere with him? You don't want to go with him, though, do you? Why would you want to hang out with him when you could hang out with me? I had something planned for us tonight, but I can change those plans! Just for you! We can do whatever you want! I'll show you a way better time than he could, doll!

Beaming, holding Amaya against him, talking to these two boys with a chipper tone of voice as he went over his research in his head. Kaminari's quirk involved electricity and Kirishima's was hardening. Deku was unsure of how he could use his own quirk to turn Kirishima's against him, but Kaminari's would be almost too easy.

"That's so cool! You're all training to become heroes? I bet your classes are really interesting! What hero agencies are you doing your work studies with? Amaya…told me all about hers. It sounds amazing!"

Fingers gripped at the front of his vest. Her warm breath skimmed over his neck and collarbone as she lifted her head. "I want to go."

Oh, doll. Of course! You want us to be alone, right? It's going to be okay! I understand you. I understand you better than any of them ever could! Running his hand along her back, he smirked at the other two boys. Seeing a faint hint of pink rise to their faces when his hand pressed tighter against the back of her hips.

"It was great meeting you guys, but we have to go." A smile, a true smile taking form again. "We have a date tonight."

Taking Amaya's hand in his, he felt like he was floating. The softness of her fingers laced with his, the warmth of her skin, the way her dark blue eyes shifted to meet his gaze. Giddy. Tingly, when he remembered what almost happened the previous night. I almost lost control, but that wasn't the right time or the right place! I want it to be special when we finally go to the next level!

"Deku? I wanted to thank you for yesterday. What you did for my parents. They seemed like they had a good date night."

"They're your parents. I wanted to do something good for them." Winning them over, little by little. Treating them to a night out was a good start, but he knew he had to go bigger if he wanted them to let him have her without putting up a fight. He had to gain their full trust, make it so they would never question it when Amaya said she wanted to go home with him.

"So, um, what do you want to do tonight? I had something planned, but it can wait. We can do whatever you want. As long as I'm with you, I'll be happy."

Nearing the station, he felt her hand hold his tighter. Her lips downturned into a frown. "I'm sorry, Deku. I have to do something this afternoon."

Like a vice tightening on his heart. Subconsciously squeezing her hand back and fighting down the laughter that was threatening to burst from him. "Doll? What is it? What do you have to do? I'll go with you. Or I can do it for you, if you want! That way you don't have to worry about it! I don't like seeing you frown like this. I want to spend the afternoon with you so I'll do whatever you need me to."

"It's…something I have to do alone. I'm sorry. Tomorrow. After class tomorrow, I can go with you. I won't have my work study and I won't have classes the next day so I'll be able to stay with you overnight." When she said this, her cheeks flushed pink. Biting her lower lip, avoiding his gaze. Irresistibly cute.

Pulse skipping as heat settled in his lower abdomen. Smiling and leaning down as his free hand ran through her dark hair. "You want to spend the night with me? You really want to?" She nodded, lifting her eyes to meet his. "You don't know how happy that makes me! I'm so excited! Oh, but…I'll have to make everything perfect. But I'm going to make sure it's the best night you've ever had!"

So many thoughts, so many plans, so much happiness and pleasure humming through his veins like electricity. You love me! You really love me! You understand me better than anyone else has and you really want me to be happy, don't you? Because you keep doing things to try to make me smile. And that means so much to me that I can't even begin to explain it. I can't put it into words because no one has ever made me feel this way before!

Deku leaned down, pressing his lips against hers and not wanting to pull away, but he knew he had to. So much planning to do, so much he needed to prepare for. So much hope in his heart that this would be the last thing needed to convince Amaya so he could skip having to "educate" her.

"What do you need to do, doll?" Still curious about what it was.

A gentle smile, sweet sapphire eyes staring directly into his as she teasingly gripped his tie to pull him closer again. "I just need to…visit a family member. I'll call you when I get home."

A shudder of pleasure rushing through him as her soft lips met his, as her teeth carefully took his lower lip between them and gave him a playful bite. His hands settled on her hips and he smiled into her kiss. Breaking contact to bury his face in the side of her neck and brush his lips over her skin. Feeling her quiver.

"You really love me…don't you? More than anyone else? More than your friends?" he asked, hating that his voice betrayed his fear. Residual worry that none of this was real. That it was a delusion. Like before, with the other doll. Or a hallucination like when he was at his lowest point during "education". If this was the case, if he was imagining her feelings for him, Deku would be absolutely destroyed.

Fingers ran through his hair. A groan muffled against the side of her neck. Her pulse quickened beneath his lips. "I love you," she confirmed, her own voice strained. "And I'd do anything for you to be happy."