Japanese

English

3 months. It's been 3 months since Izuku took the leap. He jumped right into the deep end with no prep. No warning. No help. He jumped right into danger. What kind of danger? Well.

The friend kind. Being the Deku that he is, Izuku has had a shortage, or really a lack, of friends. The idea was a bit scary. The idea of having someone who knows so much about you, it's kind of scary and anxiety inducing. However, Izuku's lack of friends helped blossom something else that was, arguably, more important. He challenged himself. Pushing past his limitations was easier when there wasn't any kind of distraction or time consumer. Without friends, Izuku read a lot and studied. Knowledge was a key in his young mind. He rationalized that if he couldn't be super strong like All Might, then he would have to be super smart. So, he studied all kinds of things: math, history, theology, psychology, anatomy, and language. Admittedly, he tried his hand at a variety of languages, but they are much harder to learn. The only language he learned was English. It helped that he had an obsession with a hero, who has an obsession with the USA.

Now he had too many friends to count. Before, he thought he could count his friends on one hand, admittedly it was only Bakugo who also wasn't really his friend. But now, he hadn't more that two hands worth of friends. During his time at UA, he had also gained a couple of crushes. Really it was only 2...I mean it is 2 now. First, there was Uraraka and he probably latched onto her because she was the first person to say anything nice to him in over a decade, sans his Mom. Eventually, that crush passed and for a while, he just went without love or infatuation. Until, a blonde girl with horns, hooves, a tail, and big doe eyes bumped into him.

Flashback*

Izuku hadn't been expecting Aizawa to send him as an errand boy to fetch the 1-B Class President. He also hadn't expected a girl to wind up right in his path. Immediately, he reached for the girl and helped her up "I am so sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going and I was rushing and I'm really sorry I bumped into you." A soft chuckle broke his rambling spree and the girl muttered "Its ok. You don't have to worry about me." She smoothed her hair out and adjusted her rumpled skirt "Ahh man. I have to iron my uniform when I get back." Izuku seemed completely surprised that the girl delved into an English dilemma. For a second, her doe eyes met his and her felt like his soul had been snatched from his body. Pure rapture. The girl sped of towards the development studio and he rushed to class 1-B.

Flashback End*

Eventually, he learned her name was Pony Tsunotori, from America. The mention of America had instantly sparked his interest. 'America Huh, must be a cool place.' Izuku sat down for lunch and caught a snippet of what Momo said "...Tsunotori has been helping a lot lately with the Christmas party prep. It's nice to see her working so hard." 'Tsunotori is working with the class Pres' for the Christmas Party.' This was it, it was his chance to finally grow a pair. He was going to man up and take a step forward...But first he had to plan out his whole conversation with Yaoyorozu.

He did get around to it and she exploded with happiness at the idea of her classmate wanting to actively help with the party. Now, he was biding his time until they called on him. When they did, they wanted him to accompany a fellow helper, who wasn't familiar with the area, to buy some supplies. He had hoped that he would be sent with Tsunotori but now that it came true he was super nervous. She watched him curiously while she cocked her head to the side. It was undoubtedly the cutest thing he had ever seen. Izuku spoke "Hi...uh we met once before...I don't know if you remember me." Pony jumped up and down enthusiastically and spoke "Mhm Mhm. I remember you. We bumped each other in halls." 'Even her broken Japanese was cute.' Izuku continued "I'm Izuku Midoriya." She smiled and pointed to herself "Me Pony Tsunotori. Nice meet you." He mirrored it back to her. Suddenly, Pony moved quickly to grab his shirt sleeve at the bicep and pull him towards the mall.

Everywhere you looked, there was something Christmas. That time of the year again and again he didn't know how to spend it. Should he hang with his Mom? Is he even allowed off campus for Christmas? Should he hang out with his friends? All these options made it hard to chose what kind of Christmas this year was going to be. Pony caught his attention when she abruptly stopped, which made him ram into her back. 'Ass'. The feeling of Pony's backside was now etched into his mind for all of time. Especially the feel of her tail. She turned to Izuku "This the place? I have list with me." Izuku looked at the sign hung up and followed a giddy Pony.

Together, they sat on the train and waited to get back to campus. Throughout this shopping trip, Izuku had a blast with the energetic girl. Cold wind flooded the train when the doors opened. A frozen breath escaped Izuku's mouth and stayed visible before his eyes. He glanced at Pony and saw as the wind blew her hair back. Frantically. Pony tried to pull her hair back over her ears. He spoke "Hey...Pony what's wrong?" She watched him and panicked "Did you see? My ears, did you see them?" Izuku took a minute to register the shift in language and blankly stared at her. "Ya. I saw them, why?" A horrified look covered her face and she hid her face in her hands. She muttered to herself about how terrible this was. Izuku dumbly stated "What's wrong with your ears? They looked good to me." Her doe eyes shot to his curiously "What? My ears look good?" Izuku nodded "They look pretty normal for your quirk. There doesn't look to be anything wrong." Pony horror melted away to a soft smile "Ya. Don't tell anyone. When I was in America, people didn't really like my ears. So I'm a little hesitant for people to see them." Izuku reached out and shimmied his fingers through her hair and towards her ear. He traced the edge until it ended in a point. His finger continued back down the underside and over her silver earring at the bottom. He said "Your ears are great. Don't let anyone tell you different."After she suppressed a shudder, Pony hugged him and started again towards campus.

Christmas finally had meaning. Izuku had finally found meaning for Christmas. Friends were his new found Christmas inspiration. These people who surrounded him with happy smiles and laughter were the reason that this once tiring holiday was lit up like the Christmas tree. Everyone happily chatted and exchanged funny stories. Momo and Itsuka shared some glasses of eggnog. Mineta and Kaminari were passed out drunk from their special family eggnog. Uraraka was busy with her family, so was Iida. So neither could attend. Bakugo and Kirishima were holding each other a little too tightly. Todoroki stoically stood next to Izuku like a body guard. The 1-A and 1-B girls were chatting together and exchanging tid bits of gossip.

The group started to split apart and migrate into smaller groups. Mina walked up to Izuku and slyly put a small package in his hand. To avoid the peering stare of Shoto, Izuku excused himself to the upstairs floor. He opened the package and saw a note and some mistletoe. He pocketed the mistletoe and read the note.

'Yo Mido, I set up a perfect chance for you and Pony. Don't waste your chance. Grab the Pony by the horns and ask her out.

Sincerely Mina.

Izuku worriedly looked around for anyone spying on him. Surprisingly, he noticed Pony standing on the balcony and observing the falling snow. On pure instinct, Izuku was pulled towards her and joined her in the falling snow. Pony's face exploded into a blinding smile and she lunged at him. She squeezed him in a strong hug. Izuku decided he wouldn't waste his chance. He hoped he wasn't wrong, because if he was he was totally screwed.

They pulled apart and Izuku started "Merry Christmas Pony. I actually got you a gift." Pony gleefully watched as he pulled a small box out of his pocket. She was stumped on what could be inside. He laid the box in her open palm and stepped back. Pony opened the box and noticed the contained jewelry.

"What? I don't understand."

Izuku overlapped her hands with his "They're earrings. I know you don't like your ears, but I think you should. They are apart of what makes you, you. And I love all of you.I want you to be proud of how you look." He was surprised at his own bluntness. Pony stared speechless at the earrings. She softly began to cry. Continuously she muttered "Thankyouthankyoythankyou." He stepped forward and hugged her shaking body. Her shaking hands tightly clutched the earrings. Pony raised her head and he could see the tears falling down her cheeks. "I

don't fully understand my feelings but I know that I want to try this with you." Pony softly spoke. She continued "I want to date you, Izuku." Izuku leaned closer to her with a smile on his face. When they were inches apart, he muttered a soft "thank you". Together they connected in a soft kiss. Izuku's hands pushed her hair behind her angled ears. He spoke quietly against her lips "I want you to be proud of how you look, Pony." With even more force, she attacked his lips and displayed all the passion she could.

Once they separated, Pony reached up to pull her hair from behind her ears. Izuku intercepted her hands and intertwined their fingers. He muttered a soft "please". Pony reluctantly let her ears stay exposed. She then handed the box back to him. He confusedly watched her. She asked "Can you put the earrings on me?" He nodded and clipped the jewelry on her ear. She asked "How does it look?" Izuku quickly responded "You look beautiful." She blushed and whispered "Thank you, really." He replied back "You're welcome."

Izuku and Pony descended the stairs hand in hand. Everyone crowded around and collected voices said "Whoa""Nice earrings""You and Mido got together?" "You guys are a couple?!" "I'm so jealous". Mina commented a lighthearted "Hey Pony, nice hair accessory." Pony failed to notice the mistletoe hung on her horn. Quickly Izuku wrapped an arm around Pony and kissed her. He brought her down into a dip and then straightened up. The classes watched with rapt attention. The class berated them with questions but Mina and Todoroki deflected that allowed them to sneak out of the party.