Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia
Chapter 83:
At eight o'clock at night, Zach Sazaki lay flat on his back with his phone barely held up in front of his face. He was exhausted, and the pain from earlier echoed in the back of his mind making him flinch on occasion. He had not known the extent of the injuries the civilian killed earlier had received. It was not just his mid-section that was crushed, but his legs were smushed as well by one of the villains who had made his arm huge and crushed the man in his grasp. The guy who had been killed was an important businessman in a company planning a big merger with a competitor, so the police were investigating to try and find out who may have wanted him dead, though the news was doing a fair share of speculation as well.
Zach scrolled through the news on his smartphone and then spotted something that made him smile and tap the screen over the triangular 'Play' button. It was an amateur video but one that a big news program got a hold of and put up on their website. Zach shook his head for just a second when he saw his face on the screen. I should have known not actually talking to the media wouldn't keep this from going up. Zach thought about the guy who had talked to him after he had finished reviving the only deceased person at the crime scene where many others had been injured. The man had come out of his building holding up a phone while the outer perimeter was still up keeping the media from swarming him.
"…there are a bunch of rumors saying you rode back into Musutafu on a motorcycle the other day. Is that true?"
Zach saw himself on the shaky video turning towards the guy who had just run out of his building looking really excited. Midoriya stood next to him on his left side with an arm around Zach's back helping him stand. Zach almost grimaced while watching the video because he saw the look on his face, but he kept smiling when he saw himself on the video realize the phone was recording and smoothly start smiling at the citizen. His legs had just felt like they were crushed and un-crushed slowly by a massive hand, but he had tried hard to stop them from shaking while facing the man behind the camera.
"Yes. That was one of the reasons I went to Bikergang's agency. With the driving skills I learned over my internship, I will be able to get to the scene before my time limit runs out, which I had often been unable to do before." The boy helping him stand on the screen turned towards him with wide eyes for a second, then Zach turned his way too and said something in a quieter voice that his green-haired friend nodded along to.
Zach turned his phone off and placed it down next to his pillow. He smiled and dropped his arms down to his sides again. He was tired, and though it was early, he was fine going to sleep feeling like he was. He didn't even turn on Nightmare, though the thought crossed his mind for a second. He just closed his eyes…
THUD!
What the Hell was that?! Zach sprinted towards his door and ran outside.
"You bastard!"
Zach spun his head to the left after running out his door, and Kaminari was sprinting towards him with a furious look on his face. "Wait- what is-" Kaminari grabbed Zach by the front of his shirt and threw him backwards. Zach fell to the floor and skid back on his butt, and he turned his head and looked around to see his other classmates looking towards him with looks of regret, sadness, and a lot of anger. No one looked angrier than Kaminari though who ran at him and tried kicking him in the face.
Zach rolled to the side and scrambled up with a panicked look on his face. "What's happening?! Kaminari!"
"They killed her!" Kaminari yelled at him. "Jirou! And you know why?"
No.
"It's because I was friends with you! I- I should never have-"
"Sazaki, you're expelled. We can't have the other students in danger…"
"Zach? You're back?"
"Did they shut down the dorm system?"
Zach shook his head at the two in front of him. "It's not that," Zach began, his voice soft and his eyes pointed down at the ground. The adults in front of him made confused and interested hums, and Zach lifted his eyes to look them in the eyes as he said what really happened. When he looked up though, the man on his right had a hole in his chest, and the woman next to him was covered head to feet in burns. Zach stumbled back but bumped into something that he spun to see. "Jenny!" Zach shouted, as the girl behind him was looking past him with horrified eyes. "Don't look," Zach said, throwing his left arm in front of her face and holding it on her back. He covered her eyes and clenched his own so tightly at what he had just seen behind him. "Don't look Jenny. It'll be… it'll be," Zach trailed off, because he was remembering something that made his entire body shake.
Zach pulled away from the girl he was holding. "Toga," Zach hissed, and he shoved her away before bringing both hands up to his head. "No, NO! Jenny! DAMN IT!" Zach's body covered in Nightmare as he marched forward to the girl getting up off her butt from when Zach pushed her. Her eyes filled with terror while looking him up and down, and Zach froze because of how convincing it was.
"Are you, going to kill me?" The girl with red hair asked. "Again?" She whispered, and Zach gasped out black steam while taking a step back. The short girl with long red hair in front of him looked older for a moment, the face of his mother flashing over her own so both of them were staring at him.
"This can't be-"
"Why did you come back?!" Kaminari's voice shouted behind him, and Zach spun his head to the side. He looked behind him and saw Kaminari, with Momo and Kirishima on his sides. Yaoyorozu pulled her head back with pursed lips as she stared at him, like she wanted to say something but couldn't because it was too horrible. Kirishima was shaking in anger, his fists clenched so hard, and then Zach spotted All Might far behind them laying slumped against a wall with Midoriya and Bakugo in front of him crying in grief. Then both of them turned his way, the same time Kaminari took another step towards him and yelled, "I trusted you! They killed her, because I got close to-"
Bang bang bang Budududud brr-r-rrr! Kaminari stumbled back with three holes ripping through his shirt, blood splashing out behind him. Kirishima and Yaoyorozu started looking in at him, only for machine guns to riddle them and sent them sprawling too. Zach spun his head to the right where he saw a group of people running his way, holding up smoking guns and pointing at him without caring about the people they had just killed.
"F-f-FUCK YOU!" Zach screamed, and he rose his arms and created huge spheres of blackness bigger than his own body. He threw them towards the villains, all of them people he recognized. He threw the first, then he hesitated at the eyes of a man with spiky black hair who looked straight into his. Zach screamed and he threw the second one before spinning and running towards where his friends were.
Zach dropped over Kaminari's body, though he looked towards Kirishima with a terrified look on his face. I, I can't. Why didn't you… why didn't you harden? You should have- Zach's eyes were starting to widen as that did not make much sense to him, but then he looked back at Kaminari because he was not feeling any pain. Zach had his right hand down on Kaminari's body, but he was not coming back either. It did not make sense like with Kirishima, but this had him much more panicked than questioning why it was.
"Bone bullets," a voice said behind him. It was a voice that sent chills down his spin, and Zach turned his head to see Shigaraki Tomura standing only a few feet behind him. The man was smirking at him without any hands attached to his body. His face was uncovered, his lips cracked and twisted in a horrifyingly taunting way. "Specially made, so you can't bring them back."
"No!" Zach yelled, and he looked back at Kaminari and then at Momo and Kirishima too. He scrambled over to Yaoyorozu's side and reached down to try and pull the bullets out with his bare darkness-spilling hands. His eyes widened though as he started digging into her body with his hands, because he remembered seeing the blood splash out of Kaminari's back. That meant that the bone bullets had gone fully through him and were not stuck inside, yet he could not bring him back anyway. "No, no no no! Momo! MOMO!" Zach put his whole body over her and tried flooding in the darkness of his Nightmare form, but he was feeling no response. He turned Nightmare off and pressed his hand into her as hard as he could, and his head snapped back to look at Kaminari, and then he looked around desperately for someone to help him while he saved them. Midoriya and Bakugo were gone though, no one was there to help him. It was just him and Shigaraki, in the middle of a city street.
How far from my old apartment is this- wait, I was at school- "They won't be coming back," Shigaraki said, and Zach spun his head to the villain who stopped smirking at him and rose a hand instead. "And neither will you!"
Zach fell backwards and pushed away with his hands down on his sides. He pushed back, and then bumped into the bodies of his friends. And behind Shigaraki he saw Jenny look towards him from where she was standing on the street again, and her parents with their fatal wounds, and he saw Jirou laying on the ground with blood pooling around her. Shigaraki reached down and put his hand on Zach's chest as the boy pushed back against the stack of bodies piling up behind him. Shigaraki's hand ripped through his shirt and then his chest- "AHHHH!
"AHH-" Zach shot up and snapped his eyes open huge. He stared forward through a red veil, panting out black steam and feeling his chest heaving. Zach reached his right hand up and he slid his fingers out of his glove, touching his chest with his bare fingertips. "What the, hell?" Zach muttered, and he fell back on his pillow while still panting like crazy. The black aura around him faded off, and Zach stared up at his ceiling with wide eyes as the red tint left his vision. "Ah haa ah hah, ahh," Zach brought his left hand to his face and wiped it down from his sweaty forehead over his eyes and to his chin. He shook his head around and kept panting for a few more seconds, then he rolled on his side and picked up his phone to check the time.
"Three thirty?" Zach mumbled, and he rolled back on his back and spread his arms to the sides. "Sorry Sato," Zach muttered, a grim and dreading look on his face. Why the… I wasn't in Nightmare when I went to bed. I left my glove on even, but I guess I pressed it into my chest or head while I was sleeping. Can't control muscle movements in my sleep. Does that mean, I'd never be able to sleep with… Or even next to- Just- gah! Zach's cheeks went red even as he was trying to be serious, and he started smiling for a second at what he was starting to think about. That dream, Zach thought, his smile disappearing. The memory of his dream was fresh in his mind, though some parts seemed to be fading since he recalled just appearing in different places and situations scattered throughout it.
Zach sat up and he put his legs off the side of his bed. He brought his hands up to his forehead and pressed it down into them. That wasn't too rough. He shook his head in his hands and lowered them, forcing a smile on his face and sitting up straight. I was in such a good mood when I went to bed though. Wish it could've stopped them. And, I wish dream me actually stood up to Shigaraki instead of just, just dying like that? I guess that's what woke me up. Zach glanced back at his pillow, then his phone next to it, but he sighed and rubbed his forehead with his left hand again. Might be able to get back to sleep, but I went to bed pretty early from the exhaustion anyway. I have all the sleep I need, especially if a nightmare like that is what's waiting for me…
Zach stood up and took a step away from his bed, took a deep breath, and then he crossed his dark room to his dresser that he could see now that his eyes had adjusted a bit. Zach glanced at his blender and the tub of protein powder next to it, but he shook his head while reaching to his dresser drawers. Have to wait until at least around breakfast to make a post-workout shake, but it won't be worth it if my workout was already so long back… Unless I just work out until then? Why not?
He grabbed a power bar off of the top of his dresser and unwrapped it. Zach chowed down on the bar full of protein and fiber and nutrients, and he washed it down with water from a water bottle he had a 24 pack of on the floor next to his dresser. It was the same pack he had bought months ago, as he would just go refill the bottles with the clean U.A. tap water when they were all finished once a week. Zach got changed into a tank top and gym shorts, but then he put on a sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants on over them. Hell, if it's going to be this long of a workout, I might as well get in an hour run to start it off.
On Tuesday early afternoon, Zach was walking back towards Class 2-B with a couple of girls who were looking in at him with eyebrows lifted at his response. The pink girl on his right side had just mentioned how he seemed pretty quiet at lunch, and his girlfriend on his left side asked him if he was feeling tired. He had responded by mentioning his early morning run and workout, which he had not thought about hard enough back when he decided to start them. I was exhausted the night before, but that nightmare made me feel so awake. I didn't realize I was actually still pretty wiped from it- it was just one person! It shouldn't have gotten me like… Well, he was pretty fucked up.
"You knew we had that intense hero training with All Might and Ectoplasm sensei this morning," Ashido started. "Why were you pushing yourself so much?"
"I actually, forgot about that," Zach admitted with a bead of sweat rolling down the right side of his face. He shook his head and then turned right to the girl who he realized during this walk back he really had not talked to very much at lunch despite them sitting close to each other. "But Mina, you said that Rainbow Sparkles wants to have you for the internship, right? Congrats."
Ashido rolled her eyes as she had said this already, but she repeated anyway, "She said she's fine with a weekly one, but not for the whole summer like we talked about yesterday."
"Still cool though," Zach said, and Ashido smiled back and agreed.
"Have you thought any more on what you will be doing, Zach?" Yaoyorozu questioned from Zach's other side.
He glanced in at her, and his immediate first thought was, Oh shit! Should I stop calling Ashido 'Mina?' It's just become so second-nature. Wait, Momo wouldn't care about that. She knows I would never- right? Yeah. I think she isn't like that. Or… Well wouldn't it be weirder if I stopped? Or maybe… What was the question?! "Oh, yeah," Zach replied, nodding to the tall girl who had a perplexed look on her face wondering what Zach was just thinking about. "I decided to call up some of the agencies I was really interested in when going through the list. The ones I was most disappointed weren't in-" Zach paused, and his eyes widened for a second. SHIT! Can't finish with "Hokkaido." That would raise the question of why it had to be there. I want to check out the ones that never made the tournament thing I made. "Well, I was disappointed I could only pick one of all those thousands of offers I got. So," Zach put his hands back behind his head while saying it in a mock-smug voice that was really just joking around.
Yaoyorozu could see it on his face that he was joking, while Mina behind him humphed and crossed her arms in a frustrated way over her chest. Zach turned to her in surprise that she did not hear the joking tone, but he smiled as her humph seemed faked too. "Well I'll totally get thousands more next year too," Ashido said. "Besides, I bet you didn't get an offer from Rainbow Sparkles like I did."
Nope, I did. But… Zach put his left hand up to his chin and scratched for a second, "She probably only takes female sidekicks-"
"Not true!" Ashido called out excitedly. "Haha! Take that you top tier!"
Zach lifted his eyebrows and let out a small laugh only to raise them higher as she seemed serious about that. "Top tier?" What does that- I mean, I've used it to describe people before… Well, I told Gentle Criminal I considered him "top tier." And Edgeshot was… Am I? I, I guess if I look at it from the outside in, objectively, I am. The things I'm trying to do. The things I've already done. The fact that I consider myself a symbol whenever the camera is on me, that I feel the pressure- whoa. No one's ever called me "top tier" before. Zach started smiling more smugly but actually serious about it this time. "Ah! Don't let it get to your head!" Ashido could see Zach getting a big head even as she tried teasing him right there.
"Didn't know you thought I was so 'top tier,'" Zach said, turning to Momo and giving her a smile as he went back to a teasing tone himself.
Momo put a hand sideways in front of her mouth and giggled into her index finger and thumb, then she lowered it and said to try and get them more on-track, "So, did you decide on anyone in particular? Or is it still a list?"
"Just, a list really," Zach said. He scratched the back of his head again and then continued, "The night I picked Bikergang I was up the whole night, spent hours and hours… I'm not looking forward to narrowing it down again."
"You should still have it narrowed pretty well from the first time though, correct?" Yaoyorozu asked him.
Not really. I skimmed through the first time if they weren't in Hokkaido. There are still thousands on there I haven't really looked into at all. A lot that I was interested in but didn't want to waste time… "Yeah, so it shouldn't be too hard," Zach said, deciding not to bother them with those details and making it sound like a problem. I'll deal with it pretty quickly, once I take the time out to do it. "I really need to get to it though," Zach said aloud, and he got a more thoughtful look on his face. "Could really use some money. Kind of want to get a mini-fridge in my room."
"How much does one cost?" Ashido asked.
They were nearing their classroom, and they turned the corner into their hallway so the sign outside their door was just up ahead. Zach glanced at the pink girl on his right and replied as they walked back to class, "More than I have."
"Which is how much?" Ashido asked.
Zach lifted his right hand and started counting on his fingers covered in the thin black material of his glove. He rose one, two, three fingers, then he held up his hand with his index finger and thumb touching to make a circle. "This much," Zach said. "I'm broke," he admitted.
"Couldn't you," Yaoyorozu began. Zach turned to her and started shaking her head, but she frowned and then continued anyway, "If it is for a fridge, then does that not constitute food?"
"What are you talking about?" Ashido asked, as the other two seemed to be excluding her from the conversation with whatever they were talking about.
Zach sighed and then glanced back at Mina for a second, "Momo's talking about my Aunt Maye." Ashido's eyes widened for a second and darted back to Yaoyorozu who started frowning softer at Zach's back as he brought his aunt up himself. "I still use her money sometimes, even though I cut off ties with her and my cousin Tsura." Ashido's eyes widened more, and Zach just continued casually as if he were talking about class or internships or lunch. "It's not really fair-"
"Why'd you-" Ashido began, but she stopped herself. Then she said in a softer voice, "Is it because of what she said at your trial?"
"Kind of, but I pretty much forgave her for that," Zach replied. "I also just don't want to drag them into my life." What's the way to make it sound like I care the least about them? I really don't, but I also have to make it sound like I'm not just saying it to protect them. Yet if I don't say it at least kind of like that, it'll seem like I'm lying. "So the quicker I get my own money and can fully cut off ties, the better-"
"Zach, you don't need to worry about that," Yaoyorozu began quietly. The girls stopped walking even though the door to the classroom was right in front of them, and Zach got a bead of sweat on the side of his face that they were trying to have a conversation about this.
"You can reconnect with your family," Ashido started too. She thought about all the things that had happened to him that would make Zach against getting close to people, since he did not seem to hate them like she thought he might.
Zach just shook his head once though and turned back to the two of them. "It's fine. It's been a while since I cut things off now, that I don't really want to get back in touch with them. We weren't all that close in the first place. And besides, it's not like I don't have people I'm close to anyway." Zach smiled at them while hinting at something obvious that made the two smile right back at him. "But yeah, so I need money," Zach said while turning to the door and walking up to it. "You talk to Ballerclava again, Momo?" Zach asked while glancing back at the tall girl heading up behind him.
"Yes," Yaoyorozu began, allowing Zach to change the subject as she saw he was doing. "Though, I am not, doing it for money reasons-"
"Obviously," Zach and Ashido said at the same time, making Yaoyorozu's cheeks go a little red. Then Ashido added, "I saw you and her on the news during my internship, and they kept talking about how cute you were! It isn't fair. Ever since you and Kendo were in that commercial you two are like the 'beauty pair' of U.A. You know pink is in right now? It's true!"
"I have not heard them call us a 'beauty pair,' or anything of the sort," Yaoyorozu started hesitantly, though she thought about something Kendo had told her once that sounded pretty similar to what Ashido just mentioned.
"But you are cute," Zach added as Yaoyorozu tried to counter Ashido. Zach said it while they were walking back towards their seats, and then his eyes widened a bit as he saw Kirishima and Sero turn their heads towards him at the same time. He did not whisper it and they were just having a casual conversation that usually would not draw attention from others, but apparently others had caught him say that almost like they were looking out to hear it.
Ashido's disappointment at her lack of media appreciation vanished in an instant as she brought her hands up in front of her chest in glee. Kirishima grinned and Sero put a hand over his mouth to try and hold back the laughter as he saw Zach look towards the two of them with an expression of dread on his face. Yaoyorozu coughed into her hand once to wipe the smile from her face as she saw Ashido looking at her with a look of pure glee and excitement at what she just heard. "Ah, thank you," Yaoyorozu said, before turning and heading back to her seat to avoid drawing more attention up towards them.
Ashido ran after Yaoyorozu, while Zach felt way too awkward to just head back to his seat or to follow after them. Instead he walked over to Sero and Kirishima who would not stop smirking at him. "Shut up," Zach said while leaning down on the desk next to Kirishima's seat.
"I didn't say anything," Sero said as Zach said it while looking at him. "But, 'oh Momo, you are so cu-'" Zach's eyes narrowed and his expression got seriously dark, and Sero closed his mouth and got wide eyes. As Sero got that look on his face though, Kirishima just smirked more and started laughing at how quick Zach got him to shut up. Zach grinned as Kirishima laughed with that, as he was a bit worried he made himself look too angry all of a sudden. Sero got a bead of sweat on the side of his face and then laughed nervously for a second, before muttering, "Man you can be scary even without red eyes."
"Don't need 'em for you at least," Zach teased, making Sero frown again while Kirishima laughed again.
"I thought it was manly," Kirishima said, cutting in back on Zach who sweatdropped again as they had not dropped it to start messing with Sero instead like he wanted. Sero grinned again too and was not going to get dissuaded this time by a scary look. As much as he wanted to make fun of Zach for it though, Kirishima added, "Making your girlfriend smile without caring how you look, even if you look like-" Kirishima cracked a bigger grin while Sero's smile covered half of his face. Sero had thought for a second that it would be difficult to make it embarrassing for Zach with Kirishima building him up, but Zach did get an embarrassed look on his face as Kirishima's compliment turned into a tease midway through.
My girlfriend? Zach thought, completely different from what the other two thought he was getting embarrassed about. I haven't, did I- We are, right? Mineta asked it but we were saved by Kaminari spilling about him and Jirou. I kind of wish, he hadn't though. Yeah it was awkward, but if I had just said yes quicker there… It is yes! Isn't, it? Oh man… Of course it is. I think.
"Um, so Momo?" Zach began, while the two of them sat together on the foot of her bed. He was nervous and he gulped while looking at the girl next to him who was also internally freaking out at the moment. "I was wondering, how I can answer when people ask if we're dating, without lying, unless I take you on a date first." Yaoyorozu's eyes shot open wide and Zach opened his mouth to continue fast, but she responded before he could.
"I'd love to-" Momo replied, before cutting herself off as she thought she may sound too eager. She sat up straighter, feeling less nervous than she had when the two of them were sitting together on her bed without any clear sign of where this was going…
"That's great," Zach whispered in a huge amount of relief. He lifted his gaze to her face again after sighing, and he smiled at the girl who smiled back at him. She's waiting. Oh my God she's waiting for what the date is?! I didn't think this far ahead! "I'll, um, I'll uh let you know, what I was planning- later. 'Cause it's a surprise right now," Zach explained.
Yaoyorozu continued to smile and pretended not to notice Zach's lack of a plan. "That sounds interesting," Momo said, then she got nervous herself. I hope that does not put too much pressure on him to make it interesting-
"Interesting?!" Oh crap! Why didn't I just come up with something right there? Like a movie, or a dinner… Zach tried his best not to gulp and he stood up quickly instead. A movie or dinner? Maybe both? Are those interesting, enough… Wait. Zach turned back and said he actually had some stuff to do, and Yaoyorozu agreed that she had some studying she wanted to get done as well. He paused before leaving her room for just a second, thinking about a better way of leaving her room. He just got more red in the face and left before he could though. It's not the time. Besides, if we kissed right now- I want to. But! She'd know, something. She'd know I'm thinking about what's wrong. It's more than just the money problem, and what I need to buy with that money. I, can't go out with Momo. Not off campus. Not until, I fix a mistake.
Zach patted his pocket where he had a buzzer from the school's main office. Have fifty five minutes or so. Shouldn't need more than ten to get this done, then I can still get to the library and do what I said I needed to do. Should run there too, and pick up some more power bars just in case they know I didn't get there right away, that way I'll have an excuse for that too. Zach paused where he was on the sidewalk and bent down as if to tie his shoelaces. Bending down like that gave him a good view behind him, and he stood up straight after the quick check before darting to his left and into an alleyway.
Zach walked down the alley, and he spotted a thinner alleyway cutting off of it that he knew was around here. Zach walked right up to the narrower alley and into it, and then he frowned since there was no one in front of him. "Hey," Zach called out. He did not hide his voice very much, even though he was not wearing a hoodie or hat or anything to hide his appearance. It's too hot. Would have drawn attention. Nobody should be looking out their side windows down here though, and as long as I don't lift my head it shouldn't- Zach rose his head despite what he was just thinking, and his eyes widened as he spotted something dropping down towards him from the roof on the left side of this alley.
The girl dropping down from the roof landed in front of Zach and lowered her right arm that had a grappling gun at the end of it. Zach stared at that grappling gun, his eyes narrowing for a second as he tried to make out what it looked like. So that's her Quirk, Zach thought, as the girl's grappling gun was disappearing. It was not that she was holding it in her hand, but her hand had actually turned into one since he could see the gun losing color and fingers pulling away from each other. He turned his gaze back to the girl's, looking into her bright green eyes and keeping a frown on his face as he stared at her. "So," Zach began.
"I'm so glad you came looking for me," she said, like she was unable to hold it back anymore.
She had landed a fair distance from Zach, and Zach realized it was similar to him because it looked to be the exact same distance they had stood apart from each other in their last talk. He decided to keep that distance for now. "Yeah," Zach said, and he grimaced as that was not a great response. I'm still not really ready for this. How do I deal with someone like this? She was up on the roof. Is that where she's been living, or is she just following me from rooftops now because I spotted her when she followed from the streets? I need to keep my gaze lifted up and down while I walk around for now on. I thought I had been doing that, but maybe having this stalker will be good for practicing knowing when I'm being followed.
"I need you to…" Zach started, but he stopped himself again and frowned at the look in the girl's eyes. It hasn't changed. I thought, maybe a bit of time away after denying her like I did, maybe it would fade. She's still enamored though. What do I do about this? How do I handle this?! I can't have this!
"What's your name?" Zach asked. Start off slow. Figure out more about her, and then-
"Whatever you want it to be," she replied, and Zach sweatdropped while suppressing a groan.
"That's not," Zach began, but he sighed and rubbed his forehead in frustration instead of continuing. I couldn't find any news reports on it. They had become common at that point that maybe it wasn't a big deal, especially with villains doing so much around that time… Though maybe it was the nature of how she died, which is why they didn't make a news story about it. Why they wouldn't release her name. "What about your family?" Zach asked.
"I don't have any," she replied, and Zach felt a pang in his chest. He knew what that felt like, and it made it even harder for him to just deal with this girl as if she was crazy. "I don't need any," she added, and she closed her eyes halfway, bit down on her bottom lip, and looked towards Zach seductively. She took a step forward but Zach took a step back and gave her a harsher look that made her lose that expression and just look scared instead.
I'm, not as afraid of this girl, as I was last time. I still don't know how to deal with her, Zach lost his harsher look because she was the one who looked afraid now, afraid of the way he felt about her. I saved her life. No, I brought her back to life. There's a difference. How do I save her? Do I let the police deal… I'm the only one she thinks cares about her. Going to the police, she's around my age, so they wouldn't just find her a new home or family or… would they? Unless, the thing about her family is a lie. What if she killed herself, because she was in a bad situation she was trying to escape? The police could send her back to that, to her parents who may have reported her missing… I don't know! I still, don't have a good answer! But, but as much as I sympathize with you, Zach narrowed his eyes at the girl in front of him in a serious way. "I need to understand you," Zach said.
The girl's eyes lit up, and then they shot open wide because Zach continued, "Because I have a girlfriend." He looked into her eyes, searching for what he imagined Toga would look like if someone she liked had just told her that. He tried to see a look of crazed affection that would go too far, or something that would set off alarms in his head that would allow him to call the cops on her easier. Is she crazy enough, that I have to be afraid for Momo? If she is, then I'm going to arrest her. Even if, that might be selfish and I want to think of a better way… Zach frowned more as the girl in front of him did not respond. "Well? I want to know, how does that make you feel?"
"Well," the girl began, and she twirled her right foot on the floor and looked down at it nervously. "I'm sure she doesn't love you like I do. You'll realize that someday."
That's, not reassuring. Zach did not know how to respond to that. He rubbed his head, and he muttered, "I don't understand you. I, I do care about you," Zach lowered his hand and looked softly at the girl who smiled so brightly back at him. "But you can't- you can't just live like this. I, want to help you."
"You've already-"
"No, I haven't," Zach said, which only made the girl's face brighten way more. He grimaced though at that look and decided to try going on anyway, "I don't have money to help you with, though you've been surviving on your own well enough from the looks of it. But even so I could still-"
"I have money if you want it?" The girl offered, and her eyes opened wide as Zach's did from her offer. "Really!" She exclaimed.
"How?" Zach asked, feeling nervous about what he was about to hear.
"I stole it," the girl started, and Zach felt a pit in his chest. That pit slowly faded though as the brown-haired girl continued, "From my evil stepmother who kicked me out when my, dad died." Zach's eyebrows lifted up and he got a confused look on his face, and the girl who immediately replied to his question continued as she saw his interest and want for her to keep going. "She took all my dad's money, before all my cards were cancelled but after I killed myself. I took out a lot of cash afterwards which made her cancel the cards, and I put the money in stuff so I wouldn't have to carry the cash on me and so it'd rise and make me more to keep up this lifestyle of mine-"
"'Put money in?'" Zach questioned the odd wording of one of her last sentence.
"Stocks and stuff," the teenage girl replied.
Zach nodded once like he understood. Maybe… I, feel like she's less insane than I thought. She's smart at least, it sounds like. I didn't know how she could be living out here like this, and I don't know if I'd consider it stealing if it was from her own dad's money. Maybe, she's…
Wow he is so hot. That face, those scars, I wish I could see his whole body right now. Where are the rest of the scars? Are there more than I know of? How does he look riding a motorcycle? I want to ride on his motorcycle, and ride on him! The girl in front of Zach started getting red in the face and panting while Zach looked at her, and he got a bead of sweat on the side of his face wondering what she was thinking of. Her expression made him question again how sane he was just starting to think she was.
"I think," Zach started. He took a step back and the girl in front of him got a depressed look on her face, but she did not step after him. She's just going to let me walk away again. "I still don't know, what to do. But don't come near me if I'm out with-"
"I'll keep protecting you," the girl cut in, then she pursed her lips with a scared look in her eyes like she was afraid she had done something super wrong by cutting off her true love. Then she continued quickly before he could get mad, "But I would never let anyone else know I'm following you, or they might try to stop me!"
Zach felt himself get even more hesitant as he was about to leave. He just gave a small half-nod though before turning away, as he did not want to see what her reaction to that would be. Would those people be right to do so? Stop you? Even you know they would try, because it's clear that's the right option, right? Or, is it just because those people care more about the law than actually helping people like you? People like you, are ones who aren't really bad but who can't fit in to this society. Crazy people, but not bad people. How can I help you? How do I make you normal? Is that really- yeah, yeah I definitely need to do that. Maybe not completely normal, but just get you to stop stalking people- me. If I could get you to just be a big fan, maybe? Or, or, OR?! I'm not a fucking psychiatrist! But, even Softy said there are things where she'd have to report me… Though, it's not like I wasn't considering it right there either.
Zach walked out of the alley at the same spot he came in on and just turned the direction of the library. He walked for a bit and then started jogging as the conversation had taken some of the hour he had away from U.A. that afternoon. How do I do right by you? Zach shook his head and took in a deep breath. I don't know. So I'll save it for next time. You don't seem crazy enough to attack me, or my friends. It's like you know that I'd never accept you if you did that. And I wouldn't, you're right. I almost wish you were that crazy though… no, don't think like that, just because it would be easier to handle. This is a complex problem, with a complex solution that I'll have to figure out on my own.
As for my monetary problem though, Zach thought, slowing down his run and looking across the street at a shop selling something he absolutely needed. He bit down while glancing at an ATM next to it, then he sighed and shook his head. It's too important.
Zach looked longingly up ahead towards a group of four girls and he sighed which made the blond next to him roll his eyes. "Geez, you two've been walking to and from the dorms every day. Give it a rest," Kaminari said. Zach glanced in skeptically at his best friend who shrugged with a grin, "Yeah yeah, I know I've been doing it too. But girls gotta have girl time and we can't start spending all our time around them either. It'll make us look like wusses."
I wouldn't mind that, if it meant… Oh, maybe I am turning into a wuss. Zach sweatdropped at what he had almost just thought in a completely serious way. I wouldn't mind though. I really wouldn't. Every second I spend with her- gah! Sports. Cars. Motorcycles! Riding my motorcycle, with Momo, and her hands around my sides. I bought that second helmet I needed so that she could ride with me. Now I just have to wait until our date-
"Oh man, you are whipped," Kaminari said with a shake of his head, and Zach spun back to him with wide eyes as he had flown off track in his own head for a minute there which his friend apparently noticed.
Zach lifted a hand and scratched the left side of his face next to his eye a couple of times sheepishly. "Yeah, maybe," he admitted. Kaminari laughed as Zach did not even try to deny it. The two of them walked outside and there were a lot of others walking around them as school had just ended. As soon as they were out the doors though, the two of them stopped and glanced around with risen eyebrows at the atmosphere outside of the school. The girls were seemingly ignoring it and heading on ahead, but there were Class 2-A and Class 2-B students all over the place just outside of the school building.
The two who just walked out started heading forward towards where Tokoyami was talking to a good friend of theirs. The two boys who looked pitch black turned to Zach and Kaminari, and Zach moved his head to the side a bit too to see who that other spiky-haired person was next to Kuroiro who he recognized. He's bulking up, Zach noticed as he walked over. Guess being in the hero course does that, though maybe he's working extra hard considering all the time he missed.
"What's up?" Kaminari asked, since the others looked pretty intense as they were heading over. He did not usually see that intense a look on Kuroiro's face, and it went down a bit as the two others from Class A walked over.
"You guys talking about the joint training?" Zach wondered, and Tokoyami nodded.
The black boy with the Quirk Dark Shadow glanced back at Kuroiro and said, "It will be a dark moon that rises on Class B the night of that training."
"Class A will be the ones staring into the abyss," Kuroiro countered, and he turned around and started away while Zach lowered his bottom lip a bit and gawked at him.
"Guess they heard about it too," Kaminari said, putting together why Zach asked when he came over and the responses from Kuroiro and Tokoyami.
"Vlad King sensei told us right before the end of class," Shinso said. He glanced at Zach and Zach back at him, and Shinso added before turning to walk after Kuroiro, "I hope to see you there."
While Shinso was turning, Zach nodded his head with an intense look back at him. Shinso hummed to himself while heading away, as Zach did not even respond to that challenge as if avoiding getting brainwashed early on. Zach grinned after Shinso's back was turned, hoping he had gotten the spiky-indigo-haired boy nervous which could work well for him next week.
When Zach turned to ask Tokoyami about that 'dark moon' stuff, he looked past Tokoyami who was already looking over his own shoulder. There were some other Class A and B students around out there, ones who were starting to get louder and had garnered the attention of others outside of their own classes. "Well, I mean, who didn't expect that?" Kaminari started with a sweatdrop while looking over towards the blond in Class B who was leaning forward and making taunts at an increasingly angry Kirishima.
Zach started walking over, and he glanced around that area to see Tetsutetsu also looking competitive but not as blatantly contemptuous. Koda was backing away from near Kirishima who had looked to him for help in taunting Class B back, and that just encouraged Monoma more who said that even Kirishima's own classmates knew they were going to lose. Koda's eyes opened wider at that and he started shaking his head fast as that was not what he meant at all while he backed away with his palms held up.
Zach started jogging over as it seemed like Kirishima might just start fighting in a second from the way his fists were clenched. Then someone else ran by Zach and he felt some relief, for a split second, only for it to vanish as Sato called out to Monoma, "And how many from Class B made it into the finals of the Sports Festival?"
A tick mark appeared on Tetsutetsu's face as that was still a sore spot, and he yelled at Sato asking where he was in the finals. Kirishima mentioned that he was, and Monoma leaned back with a smug look on his face and said, "By luck alone-"
"Hey guys," Zach started as he jogged up between the groups. "Can't we just settle this during the training?" He glanced around at the others like he was stating something really obvious right there. "Whoever wins is the better class," Zach said, lowering his arms he had risen to just get the others to cool down. Kaminari jogged up after him, and Tokoyami was still behind him looking over too. Tetsutetsu frowned but humphed and crossed his arms.
Monoma frowned at Zach too, but then he sighed and shrugged his shoulders. He held up his palms like there was nothing else to do, then he opened his mouth to make a taunt at the Class A who just cut off their competitive banter. He wanted to say that Zach was just ending it there because Class B was clearly winning the debate, but he stopped and lowered his hands instead while looking back into Zach's eyes. "Fine," Monoma said, turning and walking off which made Tetsutetsu turn and walk with him. Monoma glanced back over his right shoulder after a second though and said, "You know the physicals are the day after the training. We'll be sure not to mess you up too much before them."
"I won't make that same promise," Tetsutetsu added loudly, and Monoma grinned towards his classmate with a look that said 'nice addition!'
"Oooh," Kirishima clenched his fists and they hardened way more than his normal Hardening. "Now, we can't lose," he said. The redhead looked at Zach with that serious look on his face, "You made it so we can't-"
"We weren't going to anyway," Zach replied before Kirishima finished. "Right?" He asked, and Kirishima's angry look vanished with a big smirk that was just as competitive replacing it instead. He started laughing and agreed with a loud shout to make sure those Class B's heading off heard his confidence. Zach glanced towards Koda and asked again, "Right?" Koda smiled and nodded fast too which Kirishima saw and smirked at, and Koda looked happy Kirishima did not think he thought they were going to lose.
Monoma sighed while walking off with Tetsutetsu who turned over his shoulder and shouted back at Kirishima in the distance after hearing his yell. The two of them started a shouting match, while a small frown formed on Monoma's face. Why didn't I insult Zach? Zach? He did say not to call him Sazaki, but are we really on a first-name basis… No, that's not the reason I didn't taunt him. That Class-A… Monoma sighed again and then lifted his eyes up to the sky, his arms shaking for a second so he had to clench his fists and make them stop. Thinking about the pain, of bringing those people back. The nine people I saved. Each one was so horrible. And that feeling, when I finally asked about it, he said it was the same feeling as when he died himself. And yet, I saw the report just the other day that you went and saved… And the picture I saw of that guy before you brought him back, it was horrible. Worse than any I saved. Even just what I did, I still feel it sometimes. I still remember those, worst pains of my entire life.
"Could you give me some advice?"
Ojiro got a hesitant look on his face and scratched the back of his head at the question. "Um, what about?" Ojiro asked.
Zach got just as hesitant a look on his face as this was such a weird thing to ask. "Well," Zach started. "I'm just, nervous about dating for the first time," Zach said. Ojiro got a sweatdrop on the side of his face but nodded since he could see Zach had trouble bringing it up in the first place. Zach could see Ojiro was trying to humor him at least, and he was appreciative about it but continued quick so they could both get out of this fast. "Because I think I've already made so many mistakes and I just don't know what I'm supposed to do."
"And, you want to ask me…"
"Because you and Hagakure," Zach started to reply. "I mean, you've been going out for months now, like half a year even."
Ojiro started nodding, and with a soft smile forming on his face he said, "Almost."
See! You even know when exactly you guys started to be able to say that. The exact day even… Not that, I don't remember June third. "So, any advice? Like, what am I supposed to do?"
"Ummm," Ojiro scratched the back of his head again and then he shrugged which made Zach sweatdrop this time. "I wish I could've done the first month, or couple of months, better myself." Ojiro admitted it with a grimace, and Zach's eyes widened as he did not realize the two of them had been struggling with it.
Do people not think I'm struggling? Zach thought. I, I know a few of them think we're great together or so they've said, but I keep messing up! She doesn't even know what we're doing for our date. Should I just tell her- even after telling her it was a surprise? GAH! "But really, I guess one thing…" Ojiro leaned back as Zach leaned forward with a super interested look on his face.
"Yeah?" Zach asked hopefully.
"Be careful about commenting on her appearance," Ojiro said. A bead of sweat on the right side of his face slid down and he admitted while looking away, "Even if you think it's a compliment, just be careful."
What could you have possibly said about Hagakure's appearance? Zach sweatdropped but nodded in appreciation for the advice.
"…Versus Sazaki, Shoji, Koda, Asui, and Hagakure."
Zach looked away from Vlad King, All Might, and Mother Russia who were standing in front of the two second-year hero classes. He glanced around at his classmates who were just called out with him for the second round of competitive rescue training between Class A and Class B. It was more of an obstacle course than anything from what the rest of the classes just witnessed the first teams go through. Saving the hostages just meant fighting some robots at the end along with a single ANT that was guarding them, but the obstacles to get to the final rescue ground were difficult on their own.
Tsuyu should be able to get us through the raging river part just fine. Ground Eta changed up a lot though, and we didn't see all of it in the last round. I hope they don't open up different routes for us… but knowing U.A. Zach was walking for the starting area and joining up with his team, but he glanced over towards the group of Class B students walking over towards their starting line not too far away too. They had all put in earpieces they got from their respective homeroom teachers earlier that were being connected to their teammates now. Zach heard some words of encouragement and cheers telling them to win from his classmates behind him, but he was focused on the opponents looking his way. Monoma's going to be pretty intense. But still, they only have four Quirks between them with him on their team. Though, what can my Quirk do to help in an obstacle course? Well I have my grappling gun too.
Zach was wearing his white costume with some upgrades on it he added since returning from his internship a week and a half ago. On his waist were a few more knife sheaths now, six in total with four on his right side and two on his left on either side of his white grappling gun. He changed his gun's color to white as well as the steel of his helmet, so now his entire costume looked white from head to toe. He had run out of knives during the Trigger lab raid, had to make sure he kept careful track of them during the battle and couldn't use them as throwing knives as often as he had wanted. By his final fight in the street he had only had one left and he did not want to get caught in a similar situation again.
After Zach checked out the rest of Monoma's five-man team, Zach turned his head and looked up at the screen for a second and the end of the obstacle course where Class A's first team had beaten Class B's. Disappointed Shinso isn't on the other team, but he's probably more disappointed he didn't get his rematch. Zach shook his head and looked down to focus on his teammates who were all gathered up at the gate in front of him, or at least three of them were. Zach thought the fifth member was there too, though he did not realize he did not see her there until he heard her voice behind him, "So how are you and Momo doing?"
Zach nearly jumped and he spun to the girl behind him who was completely see-through except for a pair of gloves on her hands and the shoes on her feet. "Um, not bad," Zach said, and he turned back forward and walked up to the others to try and start talking about the obstacle course. Shoji turned to him and nodded, and Zach nodded back before asking, "What do you guys think? Is it going to be the same path as the last one?"
"We are starting at the same point," Asui began, putting a finger up to her lips. "But you think they may have rearranged the course, Zach-chan?"
"They had the cameras moving to follow the teams, so we don't know what happened to the course behind them," Zach said, though he did not say it too confidently as it was more of a thought he had had than something he believed. I thought going second was good because we'd get a good idea of the training, but even the final robot battle might change up. Can never be too sure with U.A.
"Only two minutes to prepare young heroes," All Might called out. "The hostages have been reset as have their kidnappers…"
Koda doesn't have great mobility. Neither does Shoji, or Hagakure really. Shoji kept up with me at the Sports Festival, but in the terrains in the obstacle course I should be able to move pretty quickly with my grappling gun. Not in the river, but Tsuyu should be able to get us all upstream fast. How many on their team can-
"Do you guys want to pick a team leader?" Hagakure asked, leaning forward and looking around at the others (not that they could see her looking).
Shoji glanced around and hummed for a second while looking at Zach's thoughtful expression. Zach looked towards Tsuyu though and said, "I think Tsuyu should do it, if anyone."
"Zach-chan," Tsuyu started. She opened her mouth to continue on something, but then she paused and glanced behind her at the closed steel doors blocking off the obstacle course. They did not have the time to argue about it, and Tsuyu continued, "I actually do have an idea." Shoji thought Tsuyu was going to continue with something else there, but he turned fully to her and started listening closely instead as Tsuyu went on with a short but thought-out plan.
Nice! Zach thought, a smile on his face as he was glad she had a plan.
They had twenty seconds left when they were all ready. They lined up at the door as Tsuyu told them to, with Koda in the middle and Shoji and Tsuyu on the outsides. Zach stood on Koda's left between him and Shoji, and Hagakure was on Koda's right next to Tsuyu. Hagakure leaned forward a bit and looked in at Zach who got a bead of sweat on his face as he could kind of tell she was looking at him from the positioning of her feet and gloves. "I hear you got a pass for the two of you off campus tonight," Hagakure said with what sounded like a huge grin on her face. "I was totally surprised you asked her out you know?"
Zach just let the sweatdrop roll down the side of his face, deciding that not answering was the best move at the time. Shoji and Koda were not the types to jump in and tease him about what Hagakure was saying so he figured the three of them could just keep looking forward awkwardly together. Tsuyu then said, with only seven seconds left in the countdown, "I wasn't surprised." Zach started turning his head to the right, confused and a bit interested though still just looking out the corners of his eyes more than everything. "I thought Zach-chan and Momo-chan were already going out, because of all their late night visits to each other's rooms-"
Zach practically did a spit-take while the other three on the line dropped their jaws and shot their eyes open wide. And the three teachers who had earpieces in connected to both teams' communications also dropped their jaws. "There weren't any-" Zach started denying, only for a loud buzzer to go off and the steel door in front of them to open inwards.
Tsuyu called out, "Let's do it." The shortest girl in Class A hopped forward, and her team ran after her though three of them were now darting shocked looks at Zach whose face was bright red as he started muttering quickly into his earpiece for context.
All Might chuckled to himself after a few seconds of watching the teams run into the obstacle course. He rose a hand and scratched the back of his head through his pushed-back blond hair. Ah, the innocence of youth. Young Sazaki, I am surprised to hear about you and Young Yaoyorozu. Surprised, and happy.
"The two of them?" Mother Russia muttered, glancing back towards a tall girl in Class A. "He should get better grades then."
Vlad King grunted but focused closer on Class B's students who were moving ahead at the same pace as Class A's despite the latter's distraction. "Beat him, Monoma," Vlad King mumbled at the second team's team leader whose plan the teachers had all heard over their earpieces.
Zach shook his head around and splashed water off to his sides. The course wound up staying the same as it was the round prior, and they made it up the river fast thanks to Tsuyu's plan. She was now resting on Shoji's back after getting them all up through it at once, and they started sprinting through the muddy ground that was deeper in certain sections that were hard to see so their team was forced to trudge through it. Zach pushed through the mud fast and tried predicting where the path would be the most shallow based on what the mud looked like, though he was finding it hard not to split his focus. Late night visits to each other's rooms? What is she talking about?! I'm not in Momo's room, or her in mine, that often! Like a few times I went over if I needed to talk to her about stuff, or when I asked her- and she came to my room to work on our reports though… Oh man, does everyone on our floor- or did just Tsuyu see it a couple of times? I don't think Tsuyu's the type to talk about that kind of stuff, and she probably didn't say anything about it until right there just talking with Hagakure about- Zach's right foot fell into some deep mud and his whole body sank down nearly to his chest.
"Zach," Shoji reached over and an arm extended out towards Zach. Zach grabbed hold with his left and thanked Shoji for getting him out of there. As Shoji placed him on more solid ground up ahead though, Zach darted a look up at the girl on Shoji's back. Or was she messing with me? No one would ever suspect you to do something like that Tsu, so you could feign innocence and just be smirking internally right now. Oh you sneaky frog!
"This is, amazing!"
Zach felt the arms around his sides tighten a bit and the hands held on his front squeeze. The excited voice he heard call out behind him matched the way he was feeling as those soft hands squeezed him. The feeling of flying down the highway was good too, and he had purposely gone slower than usual just on the normal drive across Musutafu so that the difference in speed would surprise the girl on the back of his motorcycle.
Yaoyorozu looked left and right and at the cities split on their sides on the elevated highway they were driving on. Most of Tokyo and the surrounding cities were so close that there were not many trees or nature areas around them, but she looked out in the distance towards the closest trees down the highway and wondered if they were going that way. Where are we going? Yaoyorozu wanted to ask, but he had apparently gotten into the secret idea when she accepted at first that he just had not had a date planned out yet. She smiled behind the dark visor of her red helmet, and she loosened her arms around Zach's sides but continued to hold onto his front so she would not fall off.
The bright smile on Yaoyorozu's face got combined with a couple of red blushes on her cheeks as she thought back to Zach handing her the helmet. She had asked him if he had brought a second one since she did not remember seeing it when he first arrived, and Zach had replied, "For you." Momo's cheeks stayed red as she thought back on it again. Even though she knew Zach's money situation and how it was not really his cash that he had spent, it actually made it sweeter in her eyes because she knew how reluctant he was to use that money. But for me he'd- The tall girl on the back of the motorcycle turned her head to the right as they changed lanes, and she looked at the exit sign showing they were getting off to go to Navu City.
"What's in Navu?" Yaoyorozu asked, leaning forward and speaking towards the side of Zach's helmet. They were slowing down at the same time, so her leaning forward and calling out for over the wind turned out to be unnecessary so she sounded like she was screaming for no reason.
Yaoyorozu's face turned bright red as she still did not know even the basics of riding on a motorcycle, but Zach responded just as loud as if the wind was still making it hard to hear so she was right to do it too. "A restaurant!"
Aha! Jirou was right! I am very glad Ashido was not. "He's gonna bring you straight to a love hotel-" "What restaurant?" Yaoyorozu asked, in part to stop herself from getting as flustered as she had when Ashido brought that up earlier that day.
Does she not want it to be a surprise? I should stick with my gut and- no, not if she's not into it. But, how can I tell? "We're almost there," Zach said, and he got a half-smile on his face behind his visor but was praying she did not call out in annoyance that he just tell her already. Midnight sensei said it was a great place, and All Might agreed. I would have been nervous about the style if Midnight was the only one. Zach thought back on the subtle scouting he tried to do throughout the last week since he had managed to procure a two hour pass for him and Momo some time in advance. He remembered asking for the pass and how weird it had gotten between him and the lady in the main office who asked where he would be going, when the panic really set in as he had had no idea.
Zach saw the place coming up and he started taking heavy breaths as he awaited Momo's first reaction behind him. It was not too fancy a place, and he suspected Midnight and All Might both knew that when talking to him. Please don't ask to pay. When I start up my internship, I'll put money back in my Aunt Maye's account for the stuff I've spent recently. I mentioned that to you specifically for this reason. Please just let me pay at least this time, and whenever…
Is that where we are going? Can Zach afford to take us here? Should I ask? I, I don't think so. He was likely mentioning the money he will be making soon more often than usual, for this reason. Instead of worrying about it then, I should just enjoy. Yaoyorozu gulped but looked back up at the steakhouse the two of them were driving towards, slowing down on the road towards the parking lot next to the building. "This place looks great. I've never heard of Outfront Steakhouse before."
"I heard-" Zach started. Ah! Don't say I asked people! "It has good reviews online," Zach said, though that just made him feel more embarrassed at his method of picking.
Zach drove into the lot and found a spot right at the back of it. He felt relieved as there were almost no spots in the lot as even on a Wednesday night the place seemed pretty crowded. The two of them got off the motorcycle and Zach took the keys before popping open a box on the back that they could leave their helmets inside of. He did not want to have to take them into the restaurant with him, and Roady's old motorcycle had the steel box attached to it anyway for costumes, gear, or other things he might need to take with him.
On the way into the restaurant, Zach was in panic mode as he did not know how to walk next to his girlfriend. A part of him wanted to hold her hand, though since it was a dinner and the two were dressed a little nicer than usual he thought maybe he should take her arm and lock elbows, but they were going to reach the door in a second anyway and he had to open the door for her. Zach quickly moved forward and Momo gave him a confused look as he rushed ahead of her, then Zach took the door and opened it and she smiled at him gratefully before stepping inside. So far so good! Zach thought as that smile definitely looked genuine to him.
Zach walked in after Yaoyorozu and they stopped before the podium where the hostess was standing. They stopped because one step in through the door, and the couple in front of them behind the podium glanced back, the hostess looked over, and then more and more of the restaurant turned their ways. Zach's eyes grew huge and he suddenly remembered something that he had forgotten while planning this date. Everyone knows who I am! How am I supposed to have a date like- Wait a second, I made reservations. Whoever answered didn't say anything then when I told them my name. Maybe it's not that-
"Lifebringer?"
"Is that Lifebringer?"
"Whoa what's Lifebringer doing here?"
"Hey, that's Yaoyorozu from Class A."
"I saw Creati on the news recently too."
"Are they together?"
Zach's face started to go red and he turned to Yaoyorozu and opened his eyes wide as her face was just as red as his. "Um, maybe we should-" Zach started to the girl who turned to him.
"Lifebringer," a deep voice said, and Zach looked forward to see a man walking out from the kitchen and towards the podium. He had on a suit and looked like he might be in charge, and the man stepped right past the podium and onto Zach's other side as his date. The man clapped a hand down on the five and a half foot tall boy's shoulder, and he said, "Come. I heard you had a reservation here for two," he glanced at the girl next to Zach with a grin then back at the confused boy, "and I got you two a great private spot so you can enjoy your meals in peace."
"Really?" Zach asked in surprise. Yaoyorozu's eyes also opened a bit wider as the problems she just saw with how they were going to enjoy their meal were being fixed for them.
"Oh yeah, we've got a VIP room all set up for ya'," the friendly manager started walking and he practically pulled Zach along, though the boy was not really resisting this stroke of fortune. He looked at Yaoyorozu and shrugged his shoulder closer to her, and she walked after them with a grateful expression on her face. She thanked the man for thinking ahead for them, and he told them not to worry about it.
Zach started to get nervous as they headed back though and the man showed them a very, very nice looking room. "Oh," Zach started when he walked in. The broad-shouldered man in a suit looked down at the kid wondering what was wrong, and Zach glanced Momo's way for a second before leaning up towards the manager and saying, "A room like this, I don't know if I can afford-"
"Nah kid, this is on me," the manager clapped his hand down on Zach's shoulder again while the boy's eyes were opening wide. "You brought my sister back to life last fall."
Zach and Momo's eyes both opened huge, and Zach quickly turned to his date and said, "I really didn't know-"
"I believe you," Yaoyorozu said quickly, as she could see why Zach would think she might think that. "What a coincidence though."
Coincidence? Like those two guys at the library, Riley and Nico knew the valedictorian girl? Or Tanaka-san's cousin's daughter's husband? Thinking about the convenience store clerk he frequented and how distant the person he saved in relation to him was, it did not seem like it was actually much of a coincidence at all. Zach was still surprised though, but now he regretted taking that cash out from the ATM unnecessarily. Make that the last time ever then. The cash in my wallet now. Toss the card even, just to make sure.
Zach and Yaoyorozu sat down at the table and got some waters and bread put out for them while the decided. As Zach pretended to look down at his menu though, his heart was racing and he gulped a few times while hiding behind the laminated paper. I wanted to tell her stuff today. Things, I'm still hiding. We're going out now. This is, a date. So we're dating. She's my girlfriend. And I trust her. I care, about her. I don't want to lie to her. But, she already doesn't think I'm lying to her. I'm not! I just, haven't told her the truth yet. That's the same as lying.
"So have you narrowed down the internships you're thinking about yet?" Yaoyorozu questioned, still hiding her face behind the menu like Zach but trying to break the silence. It felt to her like they forgot how to speak to each other all of a sudden, but she relaxed a bit as Zach replied with a couple of names of cool heroes he had been thinking about contacting. It was easy for Zach to ramble about his potential internships and what he was thinking about them, and the two of them started a conversation about it all while Zach yelled at himself in his head for letting it go this way. Just letting the conversation be on stuff like this is easy. Stuff she already knows! Come on, tell her something new. I really shouldn't be lying to my girlfriend. And I don't want her to find out secrets about me from other people. I want her to know everything in case stuff does come to light one day she'll already have my back, I think.
"But you aren't thinking of going back to Bikergang?" Yaoyorozu asked. Zach paused after her question, and she added quickly, "It's just, you have talked about your internship there as a great experience. You say he taught you a lot beyond just driving, so I am just a little surprised you never mentioned going back to his agency."
Not everyone wants to go to the same person on their next times. That's, a lie for me though. I did want to go back to him. What can I tell- anything! Don't hold back. She can tell when you're lying. Just, just be truthful. "I actually, asked Bikergang if I could come back," Zach started. His heart started racing faster but he kept a calm expression on his face while continuing, "But he didn't want me to."
"He didn't?" Yaoyorozu asked in surprise, leaning forward a bit and staring wide-eyed at Zach.
Zach glanced around, then he looked back and shook his head. The look around at first made Yaoyorozu pull back a little as she wondered what that meant. "He-" Zach started, and he pursed his lips for a second only to see her looking at him confusedly in a way that made his heart pound. "He heard one of the villains call me Reaper."
Zach said it fast and then shut up. He shut up and stared hesitantly at his girlfriend who could see he was waiting for her reaction. "Reaper?" Momo asked. "Why did they call you that?"
Oh shit! I tried. I did it. Now I'm fucked! No, no just, just keep it… "It's just, what the villains called me during my time with them," Zach replied. "No," he muttered, looking down at the table for a second. "It's, what I told them to call me," Zach admitted. He looked up into Yaoyorozu's eyes and added, "Never said it to Kaminari, or Midoriya, but I picked the name myself."
"Why Reaper?" Momo asked. He doesn't want to talk about this. He's trying so hard to force himself to talk about it, but it seems like he'd rather talk about his name choice. "What made you pick that name?"
Zach's eyes widened a bit, and then he smiled and replied, "It was always, one of the first names I'd think of. Even back on the day we came up with our hero names in class, though I think back then I considered using 'Grim Reaper' instead."
"I like Lifebringer more," Momo said, and Zach smiled and nodded back at her.
"Me too," he agreed. Reaper, was also what I chose as an anti-hero name. I thought it was a good name for a villain, but an even better one for being an anti-hero. It was too dark and spooky and ominous for a hero. Can I say- no, then I'd have to tell her all about the anti-heroes, and about the villains, the stuff I really did…
"Hey Zach," Momo started again, and Zach lifted his gaze back to meet hers. "Don't ever feel like you have to force yourself, with me," she said. As much as I want to know everything. I want you to do it on your own terms, without having to force you. And I know you will.
Zach stared into Momo's eyes for a few seconds after what she just said. He saw an understanding in her eyes beyond what he thought he would find even if he had explained how he was feeling, or what he wanted to tell her. He almost got lost in those soft gray eyes but shook his head around before he did. "I don't," Zach replied. He nodded while saying it to assure her he meant it, then he leaned back on his chair and let out a long sigh. Momo tilted her head a bit to the side, then her eyes widened as Zach said, "I can't believe we were the only Class A team that lost today."
Yaoyorozu stared at him in surprise for another second, then she lifted a hand and laughed into it. "Well," she began, smiling while moving her hand away. "Class B thought my team's victory was unfair too though, because we had six members on it."
"You would have won anyway," Zach argued back. "They never even made it to the final area by the time you guys had saved the hostages. Great plan by the way…" Zach hesitated and then said while glancing to his side, "So, I think Tsuyu saw me going into your room at night, a couple of times." Zach got a sheepish look on his face while his girlfriend's eyes shot open wide, and he rose his left hand and scratched his cheek with a finger for a second before mentioning what Tsuyu had said before the training. "I think she actually knew what she was doing, but I can't really tell since it's Tsuyu. But then she even apologized afterwards like she knew we got distracted, though she could've noticed after she mentioned it."
"So that's why," Momo whispered, and Zach gave her a confused look. Yaoyorozu had a shy look on her face thinking about what Tsuyu might have thought she had seen, but she shook her head and replied to Zach's look, "Right before your team went in I noticed you all on the camera looking… well, I must explain to Tsuyu."
"I already did," Zach started, then he chuckled nervously and finished, "Though I think only Hagakure didn't believe me. Until I started asking her what she thought was happening, what kind of things she and Ojiro might do to make her think- and she stopped talking about it."
Momo lifted her hand and giggled into it again, and the corners of Zach's lips pulled so far up at her cute look. She let me change the conversation. She wants me to tell her at my own pace. That's, that's amazing. She's amazing. She, understands me. Momo mentioned something about her team's trip through the obstacle course and Zach listened close to every word she said. And that'll make it easier to tell her… he thought while looking at the girl speaking so freely to him, who he felt like he could talk to too. Everything.
A/N Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed...