Chapter 8

"So what have you learned today? Whoever answers the best gets extra credit."

"Ehm... We learned that proper communication is important?"

"Why does that sound like a question Hagakure? Are you unsure?"

"Ehm... No, Ms. Argent. I just..."

"Yes. And that is the perfect example why verbal discipline on the field is so important. Facts have to be stated short, precise and clearly phrased as statements, not unknowns. The sooner you internalize that, the better. What else have you learned?"

"You told us that requesting clarification when we don´t understand something is crucial, rather than being polite and staying oblivious."

"Exactly, Yaoyorozu. Next."

"Uh... We now know that information itself is worth nothing if you cannot use it."

"Precisely, Jirou. Next."

"Leaving one´s foe entombed in a surplus of light may blind him to the darkness encroaching on them trough their own shadow."

"And could someone please repeat that without trying to act out a Shakespeare play?"

"I think Tokoyami means that bombarding your opponent with too much or false information can distract them from your real plans. Uh. Right?"

"Very good, Ojiro. In the future make it a habit to speak like you actually live in the twenty-fourth century, Tokoyami. That comes right back to our first point from Hagakure. People need to understand you or they won´t be able to help you. Next."

"Ms. Argent, you taught us today that being well-informed is the cornerstone of becoming a successful hero. We all need to learn the ins and outs of our gear, our surroundings, our teammates and if possible our enemies before engaging. Without sufficient preparation we could risk endangering ourselves – or worse – the civilians we are sworn to protect. In fact it would be the greatest dishonour to fail them by not adequately learning the details that the hero profession thrives upon. If we want to live up to the expectations placed on us by others then it is imperative that we absorb as much useful knowledge as possible."

"Correct, Iida. Although you should aim to be more brief in your explanations. I did not ask you for your morals, but only for the strategies I told you today. No, don´t apologize. Next."

"Uh... L-letting others k-know of your position regularly is essential f-for protecting yourself against ambushes."

"I only mentioned that offhandedly, so it is nice that you caught that, Midoriya. Anyways, what do- Oh. We don´t have time for that anymore. As homework I want you to scream the phrase: 'Help! Request backup immediately! I need help!' as loud as you can and as long as you can. Make sure to find a spot where you don´t disturb the peace too much and don´t hurt your vocal cords. Also write on a piece of paper why you think this exercise is important and bring it tomorrow for me to collect. Dismissed."

~[#҈#]~

Tanya stepped through the door of her apartment and tossed her jacket on the nearby coat hanger before heading towards the bathroom for a quick rinse-off shower. As she walked by the entrance to her kitchen however, her heightened sense for danger suddenly flared and she quickly somersaulted away, throwing up her barriers and readying herself for a fight. However instead of a villain or assassin sent to take her out, there was only Himiko. She was standing rigidly in the kitchen near the table and was facing her, but she had her head down and her fists were clenched into the front of her skirt.

Tanya blinked and straightened from her combat stance, dismissing her silver barriers.

"Himiko? Is something wrong? Has something happened?"

"You tell me, Senpai." Toga spat, not lifting her gaze.

More confused and chest tightening for some reason, Tanya took a hesitant step forward.

"Himiko...? Please tell me what's wrong."

"I saw."

"Saw what?"

"The pictures. They're all over social media." Himiko said as if that explained anything.

Tanya was now close enough to reach out, though she hesitated, hand hovering as she didn't know what she was supposed to do.

"I still don't understand-"

"You don't understand this?!" Himiko suddenly screamed, hand reaching into her pocket to whip out her smartphone, the screen lighting up to reveal a picture of Tanya in profile as she lectured in class. And judging by the bright blue ribbon in her hair that was now currently in her pocket, it was from today.

Now Tanya was confused, and angry that one of her students had taken their phone out during class. "What? I'm just teaching. Why would that make you upset?"

"There's a dozen of them!" Himiko wailed with tears in her eyes as she swiped through the pictures.

Some of her in hallways, some in the lunchroom, and a few more from the classroom from different angles, meaning she had more than one student to punish tomorrow. But right now, she had a very distraught girl to calm down, and that required her to first understand why these images made her so upset to begin with. Something that couldn't happen as long as the younger girl was a blubbering mess.

Reaching out, Tanya grabbed her wrist, causing the phone to clatter to the ground, and pulled. Himiko resisted, but not as much as she could have, considering Tanya managed to move the physically stronger girl without use of her quirk. She wrapped her arms tightly around her middle and held Himiko´s head to her chest while she rubbed soothing circles into her back. Those lessons on how to pacify distraught children during a crisis response were really coming in handy right now.

"Shh, shh..." Tanya whispered. "Calm down, Himiko. It's alright, everything's going to be alright."

"N-no it's not," was the whimpered response as Himiko's legs gave out, bringing both of their knees to the hardwood floor. "You've fallen in love, a-and now you're going to spend all of your time with them, a-and you aren't going to want to be around me because I'm weird and not cute, and I'd scare them off, and- and-"

"Wait? Fallen in love? Me?" Tanya asked, pulling back to search the girl's tear-stained face. "Who said that? And how would any of those pictures prove it?"

Himiko rolled her eyes and sneered at her, which made Tanya's chest clench again with how unusual the expression was on her subordinate's face.

"I'm not stupid, Tanya! I can see the ribbon, same as everyone else, and I know what that means. I know that you would never, ever wear something so adorable because it's too girly. Not unless someone really special gave it to you. Obviously it's a gift from someone you love. Why else would you wear it, and in public, no less?! I can barely get you to wear the 'kiss-the-cutie' apron I got you when we cook together, and that's only when it's just the two of us!"

Tanya stared gobsmacked for several seconds at the panting girl in front of her, then started to chuckle heartily.

"Toga Himiko, you are a very amusing young woman, you know that?"

In response, Himiko sputtered and leaned back. "Amusing? I'm not joking, Tanya!"

"Yes, amusing, because you got all worked up over this." Tanya went on to explain, pulling the offending ribbon from her pocket. "It's not even a gift. At least not one accepted happily. It's from Kayama Nemuri."

Himiko's eyes narrowed as she repeated in a harsh whisper, "Kayama Nemuri... so that's the name of the one taking my senpai away."

"Himiko, no!" Tanya said sternly. "You will not try to attack a fellow heroine, especially when she's not even guilty of what you're accusing her of. It was merely me paying back a favour for her helping me this morning. My jacket had been torn last night during a fight, and she repaired it for me before classes started. In return, however, she asked me to wear this ribbon for the school day, and it would have been rude of me to refuse. That's all that happened."

It was silent for a few seconds before Himiko asked in a surprisingly fragile voice: "... Really?"

"Yes, really." Tanya assured with a lopsided smile, causing the other girl to lunge forward to hug her, once more crying onto her shoulder.

"Really, Himiko..." Tanya whispered as she resumed rubbing up and down the girl's back. "I can't believe you'd think I'd abandon my kohai so easily."

"I'm sorry, Senpai." the distraught girl whimpered with a little hiccup. "I just saw the pictures, and got so... so jealous. It was like my heart melted and burned down into my stomach. I thought someone was taking away the only good thing in my life."

"Come on now, there's no need for dramatics. I'm sure I am not the only good thing."

Tanya felt the head in the crook of her neck shake. "You are."

"Hm, well what about raspberry sorbet?"

There was a snort and giggle, then a reply of: "Not funny."

"That's right." Tanya agreed with a nod, "I am not funny, and don't you forget it. Now come on, stand up and let's go make ourselves presentable. We both look utterly unprofessional right now."

"Alright... Were you about to take a shower?"

"I was, yes."

"Can I join you?"

"No, Himiko. That would be indecent."

"But we showered together at the HPSC gym!"

"Three times, and you failed to keep your hands to yourself those three times, and so now we shower separately. Also, we are in a private setting so it is generally less socially acceptable." she lectured.

Honestly, Himiko was lucky that she had Tanya as her partner, because other people would be far less willing to ignore being groped while washing themselves. They could even get the impression that Toga had tried to initiate something sexual! Which was frankly ridiculous if you knew the over-excited girl any better. Tanya was sure that it was all fun and games to her due to her uncaring nature concerning any social boundaries. It would be a surprise to Argent if her young ward even really knew what love was beyond the dictionary definition.

"But what if I promise to keep my hands to myself this time?"

"In a shower that has barely more than a hundred centimetres squared in floor space? I find that unlikely."

"But you're super small! We can fit in easily!"

"... I'm going to pretend you didn't say that, and the answer is still no."

"Ahh..."

"...But you can have your turn first so you won't have to worry about running out of hot water. It'll give me time to make us something to eat, anyway."

"You're too good to me, Senpai."

"I'm starting to believe so, yes. Now hurry up and go."

"... Senpai?"

"Hm?"

"Tomorrow morning, before you go to your teaching job, can... can you let me do your makeup?"

"I don't wear makeup."

"Please! I promise I won't make you even more super adorable and cute than you already are! It'll be professional! I've learned a bunch about makeup to accentuate my disguises! The HPSC even hired real makeup artists to give me lessons, so I can make you look mature and serious and even more appealing all at once!"

"I don't know..."

"Pleeease! Please! Please! Pleeease!" whined the girl, pouting in a way that made it impossible for Tanya to resist. Why did she have to look like a fluffy kitten at times?

"Alright, fine! I'll wear the makeup."

Damn it! She was becoming soft.

"Yes! I'll show that Nemuri lady how to really make Tanya-sama pretty!"

"What was that, Himiko?"

"Nothing, Senpai~. I'm hopping into the shower now!"

Tanya stared with narrowed eyes in the direction her subordinate had skipped off before shaking her head and returning her attention to the near-barren fridge. Looks like they would be having stir-fried vegetables and glasses of milk for dinner tonight.

Maybe they could head down to the bakery a couple blocks away for dessert. For Himiko's sake of course, since the girl did have a stressful day and could use it. Tanya was certainly glad that her third puberty had all but run its course so she didn't have to deal with things like mood swings and hormones trying to make her irrational.

She was a paragon of rationality and emotional control, she thought as she put on the 'kiss-the-cutie' apron and tied it behind her back. After all, making her partner happy was one of the most important and satisfying activities in her new life.