Corruption of the Light
Chapter 6.
o-o-O-o-o
"What?"
"Yeah..." Izuku began to laugh awkwardly as he tried to ignore the look that Toh was giving him. "Quirk decided to make itself known, in one of the nastiest ways possible. Gave Mr. Yagi quite a scare."
Toh just blinked once, twice, a third time as Izuku fidgeted under her gaze, as she twisted her jaw around like she just tasted something unusual as she processed just what she been told. Part of her could understand where the boy was coming from, not all quirks were neat and tidy, a lot of the furniture at her house had a scorch mark or two from when hers came in. Difference was she was four or five when she got her flames. Izuku just turned eighteen if memory serves. Not completely unheard of, there were several cases of late bloomers, but that left her with one obvious question...
"I thought your quirk was strength enhancement?"
"What? No, what gave you the idea that my quirk had anything do with strength?"
"I have personally watched you lift things my old man would have trouble with, and no offense String Bean, but he's is literally bigger than you and thinks bodybuilding is a normal hobby and he would've struggled with some of the things you moved."
"I don't know what you want me to say, but my quirk has nothing do with my strength. Recovery Girl said my quirk was something that I just never noticed till it changed and I passed out..."
"Your quirk made you pass out... and how did you meet Chiyo-baba?"
"Well there was some vomiting too… Wait you know Recovery Girl?"
"She's an old friend of the family, and don't you think I don't notice you trying to pivot away from what happened to you."
Izuku felt himself wince as Toh nipped his plan. "What do want me to say?"
"Well how about you telling me what your quirk does for starters."
Izuku wilted under Toh's "That's the thing, I have no idea what it does exactly aside from some very basic ideas… You know what, how bout I show you."
"Show me what..." Toh started to say before trailing off as she watched an inky blackness begin to slither up the teens arms before stopping half way up his upper arms. "...The hell is that?"
Izuku just grinned as he flexed his arms. "My quirk."
Toh just ignored the teen's smug grin as she took in the boy's sudden change. The stuff covering Izuku's arm had solidified in a way that revealed rather sinister patterns in the ebony material, so giving his arms one last glance before she said something that caused Izuku to drop his grin.
"Your quirk's weird."
Izuku just sputtered, mind scrabbling to come up with some form of a comeback before settling on something that would was more akin to a toddler than a young man, meaning he pouted in the most adorable way that forced Toh to hold back a snort.
"My apologies..." Toh said with a snicker that only caused to Izuku to pout even more. "Your quirk's not weird, just..." She paused for a moment to think of the proper term she wanted to use before settling on one that she hoped wouldn't offend the Green bean. "...It's different."
Izuku just narrowed his eyes at the girl, but the sound of his phone ringing interrupted what he was going to say, especially so considering that his phone was still in the girl's possession, and the fact said girl held no hesitation when it came to answering it.
Toh just glanced at the phone ,instantly recognizing the number and decided to further mess with the teen.
"Izuku Midoriya's phone, Green Bean is currently unavailable, would you like to leave a message?"
Izuku just gaped at the audacity of Toh before wincing as he heard the caller start to ream out the girl currently holding his phone captive and while he had no idea who it was, he could hear the ire in their voice and they apparently belonged to the Inko Midoriya school of thought, because Toh was looking more and more like a kicked puppy with each passing moment.
Toh just continued to wince as Chiyo-baba continued to scold her, apparently her hearing wasn't going in her old age and she instantly recognized her voice. Now if she would let her get a word in between asking why she was in possession of Izuku's phone and just how she knew the boy… Luckily Chiyo paused to breathe and giving her a chance to speak.
"Chiyo-baba, I'm a friend of Green Bean's. I met him awhile ago." Toh immediately regretted what she said as she could hear the tone change in the elder hero's voice.
"Really now Missy..."
Toh was really regretting it now as she mentally prepared herself for the line of questioning that was sure to come. Now she just needed a little bit of privacy…
o-o-O-o-o
Izuku just blinked as Toh started walking away. Leaving him standing there, All Might figure still in hand, on the beach like an idiot.
Why was she walking away with his phone, while occasionally throwing him a glance as she moved? Who could she possibly know that also knew him? He could only say the first thing that came to mind…
"I am so confused right now..."
o-o-O-o-o
Toh just kept till she felt she was far enough that Izuku wouldn't be able to hear anything from her or the phone before she finally spoke into the phone.
"Chiyo-baba..."
"Took ya long enough kiddo. Take it you needed a few moments to get some distance?"
Toh just stayed silent, refusing to implicate herself further as she could hear the smugness in Chiyo's voice.
"Want to know something? I met with your mother a few weeks ago for some tea and we talked about the usual things, like how's life been treating her. How your father has been doing. Things like that, but she finally mentioned you..."
Toh was dreading where this conversation was going…
"...Told me that she has been noticing a slight change about you. That you seem to be a bit chipper, even going so far to describe how some days you have a little extra pep about you..."
Toh could feel her cheeks start to burn and it wasn't her quirk…
"She refused to believe me I suggested that you could possibly be seeing someone…
Toh's face was positively burning now.
"I'm not going to ask for the details now, but I am going to make a suggestion. You are going to stop by for a visit for some tea. Now I'm sure your blushing your cute little head off so I'll ease up for now, but I need you to tell the boy that I strongly suggest he takes it easy for the next few days. I understand that he's excited about his quirk, but his body will need some time to adjust. You of all people understand what I'm talking about."
Toh finally found her voice as she tried to to get her flush under control. "I'll tell him."
"Girl you don't need to sound so down. Hell this is good for you. Have him take you out and have some fun..."
The blush was back in full force.
"Now I'm going to let you go and be sure to pass on my instructions, and remember I expect a visit soon. Ta ta."
o-o-O-o-o
Izuku had long stopped watching Toh as it became obvious she involved in a rather personal conversation. With who, he hadn't the slightest idea but he was past the point of questioning anything anymore. Normalcy had long since left his life.
So now he bided his time with a bottle of water from the cooler that Yagi had left behind earlier as he watched the waves roll at the edge of the beach. Idly wondering about some things, like with the beach cleaned up and summer in full swing, should he expect to start seeing some patrons enjoying the beach now that the threat of tetanus and who knows what else eliminated, and if so how would he continue his training? Not that he was opposed to people coming to the beach, beach meant swimming, swimming meant swimsuits, swimsuits on women specifically. He was so not opposed on that end, he was still a teenage male after all.
And with that thought his mind went on a traitorous path about swimsuits and the various women in his life. Like what kind of swimsuit would Toh prefer? Was she a modest one piece gal like his mom or did she prefer the two piece styles? Was she the type of girl that would flaunt her tattoos or cover them. Izuku was quite curious just how far they went. He knew the one's on her hands extended up her arms a fair bit, and there was the one that extended up from her neck to her ears, but were there others? These were questions that he needed to know…
"Hey Green Bean, you in there?" Toh asked as she waved her hand in front of his face.
"Huh?"
"You were zoned out man. Didn't even notice me standing here."
Izuku blinked. "Was just thinking."
"Had to be some heavy thoughts then for you not to notice someone standing in front of you." Toh said before she tossed his phone back to him, snickering as he scrambled to catch the device before it hit the sand.
With phone safely grasped, Izuku glowered at the girl before muttering how she didn't need to throw it at him much to her amusement, before he remembered something.
"Who was that on the phone?" He asked, noting the girl stiffened and was she blushing?
Toh on the other hand kicked a bit of sand his way before turning about face and speaking. "That was Chiyo-baba..."
That piqued his curiosity. What had Recovery Girl had wanted with him?
"…She wants you to take it easy for the next few days. Said something about giving your body time to adjust to the changes."
'Okay, that does make sense. But that leaves me with a new problem...' Izuku thought to himself as he turned to stare at the large cooler currently sitting in the sand. The hell was he supposed to do with that? He obviously couldn't leave it here. While Dagobah wasn't the bad side of town he wasn't keen on someone not snagging a seemingly abandoned cooler and he had no idea when Yagi would be back.
"Why are you staring at that cooler, Green Bean?" Toh interrupted.
"Just figuring out what I'm going to do with it."
"Take it home?" She suggested.
"The beach is almost forty five minutes away when I'm jogging. I don't want to think about that while carrying a cooler." Izuku said before he stood up and began to rummage through his bag in search of his wallet, pulling out the billfold and started counting bills. "I guess I could call a taxi..."
Toh nodded in agreement, before an idea popped in her head.
"Grab your things and follow me..."
o-o-O-o-o
Izuku wasn't sure what to make of Toh's suggestion as he followed the girl. Though he was pretty sure he looked ridiculous as he walked behind her carrying the cooler. Moreso as he followed her down several streets along with the odd alley. At least people seemed to ignore him and the idle talk with Toh made him forget about just how long they've been walking.
It was after another trip down a seemingly random alley that led them to what he assumed was their destination. Why a random Ramen shop he hadn't the foggiest, but he was smart enough to not question it. Or why he had too stand outside while she ducked in. These were things he knew not to question, so he just stood there awkwardly, holding a cooler for a few minutes, before Toh popped back out and beckoned him to follow her in the shop. Leading him face to face with one of the largest persons he has ever met.
Well he wasn't sure what he would call it because the only thing he call it was that he was in the middle of a stare down with a classical Japanese Oni. An Oni that easily dwarfed him by two head heights while sitting on a low stool and was easily three times as wide as he was. No one could fault him for being more than a bit intimidated, considering the man had red skin, horns, and were those tusks sticking out of the edges of his mouth? Though he a little less intimated when Toh walked up to the giant and gave him a hug before turning back to the teen.
"Green Bean, this is my Uncle Matsu. Uncle Matsu this is Green Bean. He said you could leave your cooler here as long you need to." Toh said, before turning back to the giant of a man. "Is Meru about?"
The man just mumbled something before gesturing to the stairs that must've led to the apartment above the restaurant that Toh quickly ascended leaving Izuku alone with the older man.
Que awkward silence… Until the large man spoke, causing Izuku to jump and nearly drop the cooler he was still holding.
"You don't have to keep holding that thing ya know kid."
Izuku could literally feel the man's deep timbre in his stomach before he sat the cooler down and laughed awkwardly before the man spoke again.
"You got nothing to worry about. A friend of Toh's is a friend of mine."
Well that put him at ease. Didn't have to worry about being eaten.
"Now I know your name isn't Green Bean, so would you care to properly introduce yourself?" The man asked as he extended a large hand forward. "I am Matsu as Toh said."
"Izuku Midoriya, sir" Izuku said as he attempted to shake the man's hand trying to ignore the fact of just how easily his hand was swallowed in the man's grip.
He was about to say something, but the sounds from the apartment above drew his attention as the pair of men looked up, following the sounds of what could only be described as stampede as it echoed through the floor. Getting closer by the millisecond before what sounded like the door to the stairwell being ripped from its hinges before something leapt down the stairs and hit the landing.
It was another Oni, albeit a much smaller one. About the same size as Toh if Izuku had to use a comparison, and very female, and wet? Why was she wet? Why was he questioning it? The moisture was making her shirt cling to her in very interesting ways and were those running shorts?
The girl just looked around for a moment before zeroing on the teen and Izuku felt that sensation of primal fear stir in his gut as he realized he was basically a prey animal in this situation and the way she smiled particularly unnerved him, as he noted that more than a few of her teeth had points to them. What he didn't notice was Matsu standing now and quickly putting distance between himself and the teen. Leaving Izuku to his fate as the man noticed his daughter grabbed the railing and preparing to launch herself, something that Izuku was acutely unaware of.
Thankfully Toh was there as the Oni launched toward the teen, quickly wrapping an arm around the Oni girl's midsection, forcing a comical "Urk" from the red skinned girl as the wind got knocked out of her.
"The hell did I tell you?!" Toh barked at her friend? Izuku wasn't sure how he would describe the relationship.
The Oni girl just continued to struggle in Toh's grip before turning to look at Toh. "This is the first guy you bring by and you expect me to be rational? How long have you known me?" She asked before gesturing towards Izuku. "And he such a cutie too!"
Okay Izuku hadn't expected to hear that as Matsu snorted off to the side. Neither had Toh apparently, as she loosened her grip unconsciously letting the Oni pull forward before being snagged by the back her shirt. Which made another fact be known to Izuku. Wet Oni girls apparently forget bras. He was so going to get Toh something nice soon.
Matsu could already see where this was going and mumbled something about whipping something up in the kitchen and stepped behind the kitchen curtain drawing Izuku's attention from the pair of girls to his quick departure and just how tall the ceilings in this place were.
"Are you going to calm down?" Toh hissed.
"You going to quit pulling my shirt bitch. I am just a scrap of fabric away from giving up the goods. Not that I mind, he's a cutie after all." Meru whispered back, giving her friend a devious grin.
"You wouldn't dare..."
"How long have we known each other?" Meru asked, giving Izuku a quick glance before turning back to Toh.
"I will light your ass up..." Toh hissed through her teeth.
"Ya know that's not a threat you can use against me right?" Meru whispered with a grin.
Toh just sighed as she released her friend. "Promise me you'll behave."
"I promise nothing." The Oni said as she approached the teen. Smile widening as she caught the quick glance downwards he did, even as he looked like a rabbit in the front of the fox. How was she to blame when presented by such a delectable morsel of a man, and to catch Toh's eye… There had to be something special about this guy. "Hello there."
Izuku just stood there in silence as the girl awaited his response. She just stood there smiling at him, but a quick glance behind revealed Toh's trying to see her ablaze with her mind. Izuku was ignorant of somethings but he recognized that look, even with the mask. Katsuki gave him that look for years.
"Earth to cutie..."
Izuku blinked once, pulling himself from his thoughts as the Oni girl just continued to focus on him, still smiling.
"Um… Hello."
"He speaks!" Meru exclaimed as she took a step forward causing Izuku to take one back, his mind unconsciously trying to protect itself from the new madness that presented itself as Meru took another step forward, stopping as Toh stepped between the two and started pushing Meru back.
"You are freaking him out, Meru."
The Oni just shot her friend a look. "I'm not freaking him out, he's just shy." She said as she stepped to the side. "You're shy right. I don't weird you out right?"
Izuku nodded. "A little bit yeah."
Meru's face soured as Toh snorted, souring further as she could hear her father chuckling among the various rattles of pans and cutlery.
"Told ya, Meru." Toh said as she herded Izuku towards one of the booths that sat against the wall as Meru followed with a pout, letting him take the inner seat as she sat on the outside. A small protection against a friend that had no idea what personal space was.
"My god Toh, you are such a party pooper…" Meru said as she flopped down across from the duo, making sure to shoot Toh a look as she slid down the bench so she was directly across from Izuku. "You never let me have any fun."
Toh just heaved a sigh, idly making a circle with a finger on the table's surface. "Meru your idea of fun is why you haven't had a boyfriend since high school."
"Oh low blow matchstick. You know my dad scares away almost all the guys, and then the one's that can handle him my mother does, and speaking of scary parents. You're one to talk… Ow! why'd you kick me?!"
Izuku just blinked as he noticed one of Toh's shift back into position. He was beyond confused. These two seemed to be friends but he wasn't sure, he wasn't exactly the expert when it came to friendship. But he recognized some ques, the way the two would bite at each other, but there was no hatred in their eyes. This was a bit of a game for the pair. So he did what he usually would in this situation, he sat and observed. Though there was one thing that stuck out in his mind…
"Matchstick?" He asked, shrinking down as both girls focused their attention on him.
"You didn't show him?" Meru asked. "Really playing this close to the chest ain't ya." Meru spoke while giving a quick glance to Toh before focusing back on Izuku. "I call her Matchstick because of her quirk."
That caught Izuku's attention. He had so many ideas as to what Toh's quirk could possibly be…
"She can make fire. Hence Matchstick."
Toh just sighed as Izuku turned to her with expectation in his eyes before she raised her hand and stuck a finger in the air, a bright blue flame bursting into existence for a second before snuffing it out.
"That is so cool!" Izuku exclaimed, going full bore analytical mode. "Is the flame blue because of the fuel or is it because it of the temperature?"
Meru cut in before Toh had a chance to speak a word.
"Ah she burns so hot it's like being next to the sun. A being so bright that few would approach, rather to bask in her beauty from afar…" Meru yelped as Toh kicked her in the shins again. "Will you quit kicking me damn it."
"I'll quit kicking you when you learn to hold your tongue. It's about the only thing I can do to you to get you to shut up."
Meru just glared at her friend. "You're just pissy your quirk doesn't work on me."
Izuku just blinked as the pair of girls continued their stare down before both of them relaxed and a semblance of normalcy was restored. The trio sat in silence for a minute before Izuku turned to Meru.
"Immune to her quirk?" He asked, leaving the unasked question hanging.
"What? You just thought my quirk was this cute little package?" Meru asked as she gestured to herself. "I lucked out when it came to looks, mom's genes came through for me in that respect..."
Izuku could've sworn he heard the mumble of 'goddamn brat' from the kitchen, but returned his attention back to the Oni girl across from him.
"...Got her quirk as well. Hey Toh, you up for a little demonstration?"
Toh just rolled her eyes before laying an arm across the table palm up and conjuring a ball of flame in her hand.
"As you can see..." Meru said as she reached out and put her hand into Toh's flame, never wavering in the slightest. "I'm fire proof. Very handy in my line of work."
"As a ramen cook?" Izuku asked, startling as Toh let out a snort next to him. He did yelp when a bowl of tonkatsu ramen was plopped in front of him. Turning to his left he nearly screamed when he saw Matsu standing at the end of the booth, currently holding another bowl which he placed down in front of Toh, before walking back towards the kitchen.
"Be a cold day in hell before I let her back here again." He rumbled out as he slipped back behind the curtain.
"I only started a fire one time dad!" Meru yelled.
"Still cleaning up the soot marks..." He rumbled.
"You suck so much dad." Meru mumbled.
"So you tell me..."
"Bah!" Meru said with a pout. "Mess up making breakfast once and you think it was the end of the world..."
"You did set the kitchen on fire." Toh stated as she picked up a set of disposable chopsticks and snapped them apart, before turning to Izuku. "What are you waiting for? Dig in."
Izuku just looked down at his food before turning to look towards the kitchen. "How did he know?"
"Know what, hon?" Meru asked as she played around with the wrapper from Toh's chopsticks.
"What kind of ramen I like?"
Meru just waved her hand while flicking the wrapper in Toh's direction. "Dad just has a sixth sense when it comes to these things. Come's with being a chef for years I guess."
Izuku could understand that as he picked up his own set of chopsticks and prepared to take a bite before stopping as something moving at the edge of vision caught his attention, rendering him paralyzed. It was Toh, calmly eating her food. Unaware that she was being watched, till something in the back of her mind told her to look around.
"Hmm?" Toh mumbled around a mouthful of noodles, glancing between Meru and Izuku, idly noting that Meru was focusing on Izuku rather than her. Quickly slurping up the noodles, she spoke. "What?"
"You took off your mask..." Izuku said as he continued to stare, making her start to feel a tad self conscious, before his next comment nearly caused her to nearly self immolate. "...You're really pretty."
It was a testament to her self control that she didn't spark off at the impromptu compliment but she couldn't stop the blush, moreso when she watched Izuku began to splutter and attempt to hide his face in his arms as the realization of what he had mumbled came to him and Meru cackling at both of their reactions had her falling back to elementary habits. Mainly the one that made kids want to hurt the ones causing their embarrassment. Well tried to at least.
A quick jab with chopsticks to Izuku's forearm revealed that his quirk seemed to have an autonomous function to it as a patch of black bloomed on his skin, completely nullifying her attempt at wood based pain infliction. Meru on the other hand lacked this protection...
"Oh my god!" Meru cackled. "You two are such a pair of dor… Son of a bitch!" She yelped as Toh's strike was swift and merciless, chopstick finding a target in the skin between Meru's thumb and index finger. "Will you quit it, Toh!"
"Are you going to stop embarrassing me?" Toh asked.
"Embarrass you? All I did was make an observation." Meru said as she tried to rub away the pain in her hand. "I mean look at him." She gestured to Izuku. "He's so damn cute trying to hide his face while mumbling up a storm."
Toh just raised her chopsticks up, ready to inflict more damage before she glanced over to the boy. Noting that even his ears had gone red. 'Goddamn it, Meru had a point.' Izuku was just a pile of muttering adorableness. But she couldn't let Meru know she shared her views, so she struck…
"Hah! Thought you would get me again, but I'm prepared this time." Meru exclaimed as she stopped Toh's strike with her own set of chopsticks, before a snort interrupted her monologue before it could start, as she and Toh focused on the source of the sound. "Something you want to say, hon?"
Izuku's response was to go stock still under the pair's gaze before his stomach decided to let it be known how it wasn't happy with the current situation.
*Gurgle*
That singular sound broke the tension, as Toh let out another snort as Meru giggled cutely.
"I think it's best we postpone our battle till after you two finish your meal. Cutie is starving here."
Toh nodded as withdrew her chopsticks and resumed eating. Leaving Izuku glancing between his bowl of soup and the red skinned girl sitting across from him deciding that the food was a safer option as Meru winked at him before he took up a small portion of noodles and brought them to his mouth, slowly chewing and swallowing before he took a much larger portion and began to eat with gusto.
Meru just watched, quietly whistling as she watched the teen demolish the bowl of ramen, idly catching the site of father poking his head out of the kitchen and nodding with apparent approval before he returned to his task. That was a good sign and so she watched the duo eat in silence for several minutes before the sight of Izuku raising the bowl to his mouth as he downed the broth signaled it was safe to speak again.
"So how do you two know each other?" Meru asked, honestly curious because Toh was not one to go out of her way to meet new people.
Izuku was about to answer but Toh had beat him to the punch. "Met String Bean when he hurt himself being an idiot. Had to bandage him up so he wouldn't get an infection."
Meru nodded in understanding, that was something Toh would do, but that still left some unanswered questions. Like why she was so close to the cutie, even to the point of protecting him from her. But before she could continue her questioning she found herself facing a line of questioning of herself.
"How long have you two known each other if you don't mind me asking. I mean..." Izuku rubbed his hand awkwardly through his hair. "You guys act like you have known each other for a long time..."
Meru just laughed, she could imagine what she and Toh looked like from the outside perspective.
"Me and Toh had known each other since primary school. I was one of the few that weren't scared of her quirk. It's one of the reasons where still besties even after all these years."
"You were a little imp that refused to leave me alone." Toh said between bites.
"God you are such a tsundere." Meru mumbled before turning back to Izuku. "Anything else you would like to know, cutie?"
"You mentioned your quirk and how it helps with your job. What do you do?"
"Well as I said earlier, my quirk isn't just like my dad's. I mean I did get my base looks from him I'm not anywhere as strong as he is, I guess I follow more in mom's footsteps, as my quirk seems to be better version of hers. She can handle high temperatures but I am completely immune to fire and heat which is handy for what I do."
"She works for the local fire department." Toh supplied as she finished her food and pushed the bowl to the side.
"Oh..." That made perfect sense actually to Izuku. Her quirk was perfect for that line of work.
"Yeah it's a hard job, thought about going into hero work but didn't have the gumption for it so became a fireman? Fire woman? Not sure what I'd call it, but it lets me able to help people and a whole lot less paperwork. We also put out a calendar once a year, I'm Miss July this year by the way." Meru said with a small grin.
"Same month as my birthday." Izuku muttered to himself, not aware of how Meru's smile went predatory which Toh did.
"Would you quit being a thot for one minute?" Toh asked, already knowing the answer.
"I'm not a thot. Am I thot, cutie?" Meru asked Izuku.
Izuku shook his head, he had never heard that term before and didn't know what a 'thot' was, so he went with the least offensive option.
Meru just shot Toh a smirk before turning back to Izuku. "So I answered one of your questions, now answer one of mine. Toh said you two had met because you hurt yourself, what were doing that caused you to get hurt?"
Izuku pondered for a moment on how to answer. There was no real reason to lie, it wasn't like it was a huge secret that he had been cleaning the beach, he would just omit some facts as to why he needed to clean the beach.
"I've been cleaning up Dagobah beach, taking care of all the garbage and scrap metal and a piece decided it didn't want to be thrown away without a fight. Tore my arm up something fierce. Toh must've seen me struggling and decided to help me."
"You looked like a hurt puppy, just standing there and bleeding. Someone had to help you." Toh muttered.
Meru just giggled as Toh further confirmed her tsundereness.
Izuku continued. "After that Toh would just stop by, and the rest is as they say history."
Meru nodded, that sounded like something Toh would do before something a thought tickled her mind. "You said were cleaning up the beach in Dagobah. The place that looked like a junkyard?"
Izuku nodded.
"Oh my god, you're the guy all of mom's friends were talking about! They said there was two guys that started cleaning up that place. There was a really skinny lanky guy and with him was this young guy that was you?"
Izuku just nodded once more.
Meru gave a good once over before speaking. "I can't disagree with what they said, you are quite a cutie." Meru said pointedly ignoring the glare Toh was giving her.
"Must you be so thirsty, Meru?"
"Oh don't give me that crap, Toh. I was just giving a compliment where a compliment was due."
"And the flirting?" Toh asked.
"Can you blame me?" Meru gestured to the teen across from her. "I mean look at him, he act so shy you want to eat him up, and if the rest of his body is like his arms, I wouldn't be opposed to the idea. And what about you? You're the one who decided to bring him here, and I've known you for too long Toh. You aren't the the type to just pick up a random guy, he must've caught your interest if you're willing to go out of your way to help him."
Toh's face instantly flushed as she stood up as far as the booth would let her. "I only brought him here so he wouldn't have to carry that cooler all the way home. No other reason than that!"
Izuku just sat there in silence, too socially retarded when it came to women that the majority of what the two girls were talking about just flew over his head, as well as the obvious flirting Meru was doing to him to Toh's ire. No, his mind decided for him to focus on other things. Like Toh's piercings. The ears and nasal ones weren't too strange, there were students at his school that had similar. But the silver ones on here cheeks and the middle of her chin were not anything he had ever seen before. They did look good on her, accenting the differences between her light skin and darker bits, though he had to ask the obvious question…
"Did those hurt?"
Toh and Meru paused their argument to look at the boy, with the former speaking up. "What?"
"Your piercings, did it hurt to have those put in?"
Meru interrupted. "She cried like a baby."
Toh just shot her friend a glare before she spoke. "Yeah it hurt to have them put in."
"So why did you do it?"
"Ooh, ooh." Meru bounced in her seat. "Let me answer it, Toh. Let me answer it."
Toh thought about it for a second, she could let Meru explain. But Meru has been a pain in her ass since she met Izuku and would no doubt attempt to explain it in one of the dumbest way possible…
"She had a bout of teenage angst, bit of an emo phase." Meru said as she shifted in her seat to dodge Toh's strike against her shins.
"I did not have an emo phase."
"Call it what you will." Meru said before he raised her hand to mouth and whispered to Izuku. "Huge emo phase, I still have pictures. But let me give you a little history/biology lesson. As long as I've known Matchstick, she could make fire. Nothing too weird, especially considering her family. Now years pass, we get older, puberty hits, Toh and I start to change. Noticing boys, jublees start coming in quite nicely if I do say so myself. But something else happens to Toh..."
"I will tell him the rest, Meru." Toh interrupted, before facing Izuku. "How much do you know about how quirks can change."
"Usually when someone goes through puberty their quirks can change, some get stronger or even a whole new effect."
"So you get where I'm going..." Toh asked before she continued as she gestured to her arms and face. "I didn't always look like this. When I was thirteen my quirk changed. The fire I could make burned so much hotter than it used to. I hurt myself, almost hurt Meru..."
"That was the day I found out I'm fireproof. My clothes not so much..." Meru interjected.
"I had to be put under Chiyo-baba's care for almost a month while my body healed and adjusted and by the time I was healthy enough to come back to school I looked like this and you know how people can be..."
Meru interrupted Toh once more. "The bitches at school that didn't like here started calling her Frankenstein and it caught on. They tormented her even when we entered high school, though they eased up after Toh and I kicked their asses, but there was still whispers..."
"So you really were a delinquent?" Izuku asked as the corners of his mouth quirked upwards.
Toh just narrowed her eyes. "What are to trying to say, String Bean?"
"Nothing, nothing at all."
Meru was much less reserved. "Oh my god, he thought you were a Chuuni! At your age!"
Izuku just tried to look everywhere that wasn't Toh's as she glared at him, luckily Meru decided to have mercy on the teen. "Nah, Cutie. Toh really was a delinquent, we even formed a small gang. We raised hell but nothing bad enough to get us on the radar of the cops or heroes. Even had a bit of a following after we got into a fight with a rival gang. Which bring us about how Toh got her piercings. Would you believe me if I said alcohol was involved?"
Izuku just blinked before turning to Toh, her refusal to meet his gaze all but confirming what Meru was saying as Meru continued her story.
"So you remember how everyone would call her Frankenstein? Well one night we hanging out, talking, when one of our kouhais brought out a couple bottles of vodka. Where she got it from? Who knows. But we were bad-asses, we could surely handle a few drinks..."
Meru leaned forward…
"We got so wasted. When..." Meru pointed at Toh. "This is one gets all weepy and starts bitching about people calling her names when one of our underlings suggests to Toh that she roll with the name and how Frankenstein was bad-ass and Toh would look so bad-ass if she just had the stitching along the seams of her marks. It kind of snowballed from there. Ended up going to the place that did Toh's gauges and they didn't ask too many questions when a small troupe of drunk teenagers showed up and even I have to admit they did good work. So wish I had my phone that night, she was bawling her eyes out when the Piercer brought out her tools."
"I was not bawling." Toh interrupted.
Meru just shot her friend a look before turning back to Izuku. "So she's crying and all teary. Which personally I didn't get cause the needle they used for her gauges was a lot bigger, but she was a trooper and they did most of her face that night. Think all of us ended up getting some kind of work done that night."
Meru smiled as she noted Izuku giving her face quick glance, looking for the obvious. "Quick hint, Cutie. Never said anything about it being anywhere on my head..." Grin widening as the teen flushed as his eyes betrayed him.
Leaning forward, she whispered. "Want to see it?" Relishing the look of outrage that bloomed on Toh's face, she continued as she grabbed the bottom of her shirt. "Here, I'll show you."
Izuku found his eyes covered a second later as he heard Toh admonish her friend.
"The hell do you think you're doing, Meru?"
"What, I was going to show him what I got done that night? What do you have against belly buttons?"
'Belly buttons?' Izuku thought to himself as he pulled Toh's hand away from his eyes, revealing that Toh had covered his eyes with one hand while attempting to keep Meru from lifting her shirt with the other.
"God you are such a prude, Matchstick. I wasn't going to flash him, just showing him my piercing. See." Meru said she stood up a little, shirt lifted just enough to reveal her belly button and the silver heart that hung of the piercing before letting go of her shirt and sitting back down. "Adorable right?"
Izuku wisely kept his mouth shut and just nodded. He could literally feel the ire pouring off the girl sitting next to him.
"Now back to my story. So we got drunk, got pierced, then came the task of getting ourselves home. Thankfully we pretty much completely sobered up, but we still reeked of cheap vodka, but most of us got home easy, but when it came to getting Toh home we were screwed."
Toh shot Meru a look that seemed to say watch what she was going to say next.
"So I'm walking her to her door, getting ready to put in her key when the door opens up with her dad standing there. Going to assume you haven't met him, but he a big man, a big, scary, man, and there is her daughter standing there with her friend. Both stinking of cheap booze and his daughter with a lot more holes in her face than when she left. I'll admit it, we should have been scared to death but when you grow up with..." Meru gestured to the kitchen. "...Most thing aren't that scary anymore. Especially when her sweet little mom walk by, takes one look at me, then at Toh and just says how cute she looks like and for her dad to get out of the way so we can come in."
Izuku just glanced at Toh. "Your mom sounds like mine does."
Meru perked up at hearing that. "Is your mom one of those moms that looks small and diminutive but is secretly terrifying when she wants to be?"
"Very."
"She sounds just Toh's mom and mine. But back to what I was saying, so her mom walks by when her dad is trying be wrathful god and just knocks the the wind from his sails."
"My mom is not terrifying." Toh interrupted.
Meru just continued. "You just don't notice it, honey. Your mom rules your home. You sure as hell didn't notice it that night. She made your dad back down, even had him bring us tea and cookies. He should've kicked our asses seven ways to Sunday but after she talked to him he looked like a sad puppy. A sad puppy with diseases… Your mom is damn scary when she needs to be."
Toh just sighed as she hung her head and began to rub her temples. "Why did I decide I decide to come here again?"
"Because you wanted to see your bestie?" Meru suggested.
Toh just looked up and stared at her friend. "Yeah… my bestie… right..."
Meru just stared back. "You're just mad I know so many of little secrets that I can embarrass you with." She said before turning to Izuku. "Did you know that I had to get her, her first rabbit?"
Izuku had no idea what a 'rabbit' was but before he could ask he found himself being pulled out of the booth by a rather embarrassed Toh and being led to the exit of the restaurant.
"Oh don't be like that, Toh. I was just making a joke." Meru called out as she slipped out of the booth to follow.
"Izuku would you mind stepping outside for moment?" Toh asked Izuku with a look that told him it would be wise to comply.
Which he did, leaving him standing outside the restaurant as the door shut behind him. He could hear the sounds of talking coming from inside, but not enough to make out what was being discussed, but he had an inkling when Toh stepped out a few minutes later followed by Meru. Who stepped in front of him and bowed her head.
"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable with my actions."
Izuku stood there staring at the rather sad Oni girl that was in front oh him. His heart clenched as she looked up at him with those big watery eyes. So he did what felt right in this situation, and reached out and gave her a head pat and told her it was okay. Now to say what happened next was a surprise to Izuku was an understatement. One moment he was giving head pats, the next he was having his breath being literally squeezed out of him by an overly affectionate Oni girl.
What he didn't notice was the impish grin said girl gave her friend as her hands started to wander. Though he did squeak a little when he felt one of her hands slip a little south, and he could've sworn he heard Toh start to growl from behind him.
Toh on the other hand was not a happy camper. She knew how Meru operated and didn't buy the girl's apology one bit, especially when the puppy dog eyes came out and she was right as the red girl quickly swept up Green Bean in a hug. Then the girl shot her a look that just made her blood boil, then she got touchy feely with Izuku and she began to growl. Nearly lit Meru's ass up when her hands wandered south. But before she could enact her fiery punishment, Meru released Izuku and took a step back, still keeping up the cutesy act much to Toh's ire as Izuku just stood there, complete with a stupid look on his face till she decided to grab his arm and pull him towards the main street. Leaving behind Meru as she practically dragging the teen along.
Meru on the other hand wasn't surprised by Toh's action. The girl was always a bit of a tsun but she was so fun to get her riled up. It was one of the reasons she went for a hug, though she admit the wandering hands was more for her. Cutie was buffed underneath those loose clothes and she just had to cop a feel when she slipped him a little surprise. The fact that it got Toh all worked up was just icing on the cake.
So she just waved as Toh dragged the boy away, watching them till they were out of sight before she turned around and entered the restaurant. Ignoring the look her dad shot as she walked towards the stairs that led to the apartment before she found herself standing in her room before she flopped down on her bed, she'd be nice for now but she swore to herself she was going to give Toh such a grilling next time they were alone. After all it wasn't often that her bestie brought someone by, and for it to be a boy… yeah… They would be having a long talk.
o-o-O-o-o
Izuku wisely kept his mouth shut as he let himself be led by Toh. He may have not been wise to the ways of women but even he could tell she was not in the best of moves. Maybe it the death grip she had on his arm or the sound of her muttering under her breath. Yeah… she was not a happy woman.
Now he would have let her do her thing, but now she was leading through parts of the city that he didn't recognize and that just wouldn't do…
"Toh..."
She of course ignored him, preferring to continue her angry mumbling, but hey, Izuku recognized the name Meru. So that was progress, but the building were starting to change businesses starting to give way to more residential buildings…
"Toh..." Izuku called out to her once more, and once more was ignored. But he was pretty sure he was now being led the opposite way of his apartment and there was no signs from Toh that she had planned to stop any time soon. So he took matters into his own hands…
o-o-O-o-o
Toh was not a happy camper. She had originally planned to bring Izuku to Meru's as a favor to him but that plan had gone AWOL the moment she answered Meru's question about the random visit. Which led to and Izuku being forced into eating, not that she would complain. Uncle Matsu's cooking was awesome like that. But she had not planned on subjecting Izuku to the whirlwind that was Meru, at least not for awhile.
Now Green Bean probably thought she was a weirdo as Meru decided to reveal so many of her personal secrets. Even going to so far to tell him about her parents, thankfully he didn't ask anymore questions. That bombshell was one that she was going to reveal on her terms thank you very much. Then there was Meru herself. She had to admit part of that problem was her fault. She should've known better, especially with how much history the two girls shared.
Meru was the most outgoing and outspoken of the two of them. Always has been. It was why they always balanced each other out and had been friends forever. So while Toh had always been rather quiet and shy, Meru was the type to yell out what she wanted which sadly passed on to her attempts at getting a boyfriend. Most of them were scared at her declaration of attraction and the few that got past that literally ran away when Meru brought them home to meet her parents. A situation she felt would happen to her if she brought a boy home, her parent would've been first obstacle then there was her sisters… She shuddered to think what those three would do…
But Meru… Why did Meru have to act the way she did? Green Bean didn't notice the looks, but Toh sure as hell did. Meru was all but humping him with her eyes and that hug at the end? Toh was pretty sure there would've have been dry humping if she hadn't been present. She also didn't miss the look Meru shot her as her hand went over his rear. The goddamn nerve of that girl! She had only met Izuku that day, she hadn't helped him when he hurt himself. Hadn't seen the improvements the teen had made in such a remarkable time. If anyone was going to feel Izuku up it was going to be her.
'Shit' Toh thought to herself as her mind took a wide right. She still didn't come to terms on what Izuku was to her. She was sure she thought of him friend but anything more? She just didn't know. She obviously worried about him, she spent most of the morning sitting in the sand waiting for him. But in a romantic sense? She wasn't sure.
He did have a way in making her laugh, even going so far to make a bit of a fool of himself to do so. He was rather attractive in a dorky way, but he was filling out rather nicely. Hell she'd even admit to have a few dreams about him, especially after the day he taught her how to cut up cars with that saw. But did she want to pursue a relationship with someone who was several years her junior? Would he?
Toh knew how she looked to others. She hid her face because of her quirk, still wore the clothing she favored when she ran her gang. But before she could continue that self depreciating line of thoughts she found herself falling forward, nearly hitting the ground before she found herself wrapped in a pair of strong arms. Green eyes staring at her with concern.
"Toh?"
Toh just relished the feeling of her body in his arms for a few moments before her body decided to betray her by pulling itself out of Izuku's arms much to her chagrin. "What happened?"
"You tripped..." Izuku said as he looked at her awkwardly. "Actually it was pretty much my fault. I stopped and you weren't paying attention..." He just made a gesture to try and get his point across.
"Why'd you stop?" Toh asked.
"Because I have no idea where we are."
That caught Toh's attention, as she looked around and began to recognize the surrounding buildings. Damn her traitorous body, while her mind was busy with various thoughts, her body went on autopilot. Leading her and Izuku towards her home. Christ, she was less than a block from her house! She was sure as shit not prepared for a meeting between Izuku and her family!
"Why didn't you stop me, Green Bean?" She hissed out as she looked around, praying that none of her neighbors were out. All it would take was one seeing her with a boy and the neighborhood gossip train would build steam till it made it way to the station of dad or worse mom. But so far everything seemed to be fine… Was that Mrs. Nakamura? Shit it was her, but she hadn't spotted them yet… Oh she was waving at them now. It would just be a matter of time before the grapevine would reach her parents and she would be subjected to questions she wasn't sure she could answer at this point of time. But for now she had one problem, but at least she could fix this one…
Turning back to Green Bean she spoke in hushed tones. "Green, I need you to go home."
"What, why?"
"You see that woman?" Toh asked as she nodded her head in the direction of Mrs. Nakamura. "That is Mrs. Nakamura, a close friend of my mom. Now she is one of the nicest people you could ever meet, but she likes to talk..."
Toh took a step closer to Izuku. "She saw me, she saw you. She the both of us… walking together… it will be only a matter of time before she tells my mom what she saw."
"Not quite getting your point, Toh. What does it matter if someone saw us together or if your mom finds out?"
"Think Green Bean, think! What would your mom do if you suddenly brought a girl home?"
Izuku closed his mouth thought about for a moment before coming up with the most reasonable scenario.
"She would probably offer them tea and snacks. Then talk to them for a bit, maybe ask a few questions before she decided to bring out the photo albums..."
"Exactly! Wait, what?" Toh exclaimed before realizing what Izuku had said. Shit he had a point. Her mom would probably do the same, with the addition of her dad sitting there trying to be intimidating. Then there were her sisters. Natsu and Fuyumi would most likely be personable, but Sho? She didn't want to think of what Sho would do. That was a risk she wasn't willing to take. Maybe in time, but not right now.
"She'd probably grill you as soon as I left the room. That sounds like something mom would do."
Okay Green Bean's mom sound more like hers. She could work with this. "So you see where I'm coming from."
"Kind of… But why did you bring me this way then?"
"I wasn't thinking, Green Bean. I was just walking while on autopilot." Toh said before narrowing her eyes at Izuku. "Why'd you follow me for so long?"
"You have my bag." Izuku said as he pointed to the mentioned object before looking down to his arm. "You also had a bit of a grip on me. I did try to stop you a few times though."
Looking down to Green Bean's arm, Toh could see the slightly discolored skin where she must've held onto him. She apparently had a stronger grip than she had thought. "Sorry about that."
Izuku just waved her off. It wasn't like she had hurt him, but the way she was acting made him worry about her. Toh seemed to be one that always kept her cool, to see her acting so manic. Meeting her family couldn't be that bad right?
Oh if he only knew…
But before he could raise the question he found his backpack being pressed into his hands while Toh leaned close to him while looking in a completely different direction. Then he heard the urgency in her voice.
"She's got her phone… Oh fuck, I think she just took a picture… Izuku, I need you to go now. Before she calls my mom."
"Are you sure?"
"Izuku, I appreciate the sentiment, but if you taut little ass isn't walking down that street in the next ten seconds..." She left the threat hanging…
"You think I have a taut ass?" Izuku asked, shrinking back as a bright blue flame was his answer he wisely turned about face and started walking back the way they came till he was sure he was out of the danger zone before he returned to a more normal pace before a somewhat familiar sound emitted from backpack, revealing that he had just received a text.
Pulling the device from his bag, he quickly unlocked the phone and double tapped the text icon. Revealing a brief text from Toh.
'Sorry about scaring you off like that, but I'll explain more the next time we meet up. Thinking I'm in the clear for now.'
Izuku just blinked at the text. Wondering just when did Toh get his number before remembering that she had his phone earlier. So it wasn't too weird that she would've added her number.
Closing the text he noted time. It was already mid afternoon. He would have to hurry to make it home by a reasonable time. There he could he sit down, maybe take a shower as he unwound from the rather eventful day he had. Hell, maybe he would send a Toh text later, but first he needed to get home first. So with that thought in mind be began his trek home…
o-o-O-o-o
Toh heaved a sigh as she closed the texting app as she prepared to open the gate that led to house. She had lucked out so far. Her father's car was gone so he was most likely still at his agency. A quick glance at her phone told her the twins were still at their jobs, leaving her to possibly have to deal with Sho and her mother. The former would most likely be sleeping, a result of nights spent trolling various forums and the latter…
She released a sigh when she saw her mother's shoes were missing from the entrance way. Things were finally looking up for Toh after all. She could feel the tension leave her body as she looked at the empty space that normally held her mother's shoes. She could finally relax. Well maybe after she got herself something to drink first. She was rather thirsty after all…
So slipping off she shoes, she made her way to the kitchen and grabbed a small bottle of juice from the fridge before making her way to the living room and flopping down on the couch as she flipped the television on. Her mind not really focusing on the moving as she took a small swig of juice as her mind wandered. Thoughts about today, thoughts about her past, so lost in her thoughts she never noticed herself getting sleepy…
Toh sat up with a start as her eyes adjusted to the dimness of the living room. She had never meant to fall asleep and had no idea how much time had passed. It must've been a few hours at least considering the lack of light but where was the TV She swore that it had been on when she fell asleep so why was it off? Smacking her lips, she reached for her juice and took a sip as she looked down at the coffee table.
There, under her drink was something that only one person in the household used regularly, a simple innocuous coaster. That meant mom was back… Maybe there a chance of small mercies…
Rei Todoroki took a seat next to her daughter, idly stirring a mug of tea, as Toh sat there in silence till the sounds of her mother tapping her spoon against the rim of her mug startled Toh. Rei just smiling placidly all the while before she sat the spoon down and raised the mug to her lips and taking a small sip as she took in the appearance of her oldest…
"Something wrong dear?"
Toh just shook her head, not trusting herself to speak.
Rei just nodded as took another sip of her tea before placing the mug down and turning to her daughter, smile never once leaving her face as she asked a rather simple question.
"So who's your friend?..."
o-o-O-o-o
No real excuses, caught Covid and got knocked around for a couple weeks. Had a few other minor medical issues but nothing major and with warm weather here my job is finally picking up. Can't give a time frame for next chapter, but should be sooner rather than later. A fair bit shorter than this one too. Hadn't planned for this one to be so long but it kind of ran away from me a bit. As always enjoy and leave a comment/review, I'm getting a kick out of what some of you guys think Izuku's power is and loving some of your suggestions.