A small announcement everyone, please deal with me. I think is obvious English is not my main language. What 's more, my keyboard conspires with my computer to try to put things in a logic in Spanish.
So I would like to know if anyone would like to Beta the fic. It would really help it so that everyone could enjoy the fic more easily. So if anyone wants to help or knows someone who does, please just send a PM. I could really use the extra set of hands. I am not Goro. I don't have 4 arms.
Also, once again, I am really thankful to all of you for your favs, follows and reviews. It means a lot to know the good reception this is getting.
Now! Note off, let us go.
As always! Own nothing!
Chapter 3. - Unwanted rival. Sister knows best. Let us try.
Inko Midoriya was many things. A proud mother, loving wife, and the best cook in the humble opinion of Izuku and the not so humble opinion of Katsuki who swore there was no one better than her at cooking.
But she also was used at having Katsuki in her home asking questions or expressing her thoughts. At this time in the weekend, Izuku had gone running saying he needed to keep working his body. Katsuki had appeared a bit later asking if they could chat.
She kindly nodded at the girl expecting the usual questions regarding the hand of Izuku. She was not expecting the girl rant about a classmate of theirs.
"And then she wouldn't stop looking at him!"
Katsuki was angry. She held the cup she had given her with tea tightly. Mostly because by holding something in her hands she was repressing herself of causing explosions. Inko had a strict rule that there would be no explosions in her home.
One can only call the firefighters so many times in the same week.
"She had the same eyes as me!"
Inko felt it was a weird reason to be angry.
"I am sorry Katsuki, but I fear I don't see anything bad in the girl having the same eye color as you."
At this s,he groaned before speaking.
"She looks at Deku the same way I do! I saw it in her eyes!"
At this Inko couldn't avoid laughing. It was so different to see Katsuki angry at something like that.
"I don't see what the problem is, isn't Izuku your boyfriend already?"
She said it teasingly and noticed the shyness that suddenly came to Katsuki.
"I… I haven't asked him…"
Inko had trouble hearing it, and even more so to believe it.
"You have never asked him? But you want to marry him."
At this Katsuki nodded.
"I thought that as we were best friends and there was no one else who wanted Deku… that I could just jump straight to marrying him."
Sometimes, sometimes Inko Midoriya forgot how cute Katsuki could be. Right now was one of those moments. Still, she had to speak the truth of the deal.
"I know, but the thing is… if Izuku and you are not a couple, this girl…you said her last name was Todoroki?"
She nodded.
"Todoroki has as much chance as you in that case. If she does ask Izuku to be her boyfriend, she has all the right to do so… I know is not what you wanted to hear, but the thing is you two are not a couple."
She spoke with kindness. She knew how much Katsuki liked her son. Still, there was no use in lying. The girl needed to know the full facts. She was surprised at seeing her nod. It was obvious she was angry.
"She already has the advantage of Deku thinking she is pretty! Damn her long hair!"
Inko looked at Katsuki that signified one thing only.
Language.
"Sorry… but is! Argh!"
She was having a hard time avoiding to explode the teacup and to swear. However, that wouldn't earn her points with the mother of Izuku. Even less in asking for his hand.
"Don't worry about it Katsuki. Maybe she is just thankful; you know Izuku has that effect on people."
Said girl smiled knowingly. While the others in her old school may not have appreciated, she knew people like Iida and Ochako did appreciate Deku.
And that was exactly what worried her.
She saw in Todoroki something similar to herself. Both were women with the decision and the fire to reach for the number one hero position. They obviously had good combat instincts. She knew the stun explosion trick wouldn't work again. Not while she was expecting it.
What's more, as much as she hated to say it, Todoroki was pretty.
She carried herself with a regal aura. As if she thought she was better than the others. And sadly she had the feeling that she did had the necessary skill to back her claim. There was just too much she didn't know about Yukiko Todoroki.
"Maybe you are right, maybe I am just seeing too much into it… of course I am seeing way too much into it! Is not like she could get a crush on Deku just because he was kind to her!"
She started laughing loudly at the idea.
Meanwhile Inko Midoriya was simply thinking that what Katsuki described was the exact same thing that actually happened in the past.
She hoped this Todoroki girl wasn't like Katsuki. Otherwise her son would be getting into one big problem. But what were the chances it would be like that?
Surely, she was only thankful right?
Fuyumi Todoroki was having a surprising phone call from her sister.
"Fuyumi, how do you know if you like someone?"
Fuyumi cursed under her breath as her teacup ended up falling to the floor. The good thing was that it was made of plastic, so it wouldn't break by such a fall. Still the surprise was there. Her little sister had just asked her for advice.
Not that they didn't speak. Is just her sister never called for something like that.
She often spoke as if she was reporting the situation on her home with her brother and… well… Endeavor.
She had to admit it was hard to call him "Dad."
"Fuyumi?"
She got out of those thoughts and focused on the phone call.
"Sorry Yuki, mind repeating that? My phone reception was bad for a moment."
Said girl repeated the question.
"How do you know if you like someone?"
She knew she would have dropped her teacup again if she hadn't leave it in the table next to her.
"Oh, well… you want to spend more time with them, you wish to know all about them, you want them to spend time with you, not because they can get anything… But simply because you like having them close… well… you want them always to be with you."
She was no expert in romance. Honestly she was still single. Still she had her crushes in high school and knew a thing or two about romance.
Okay she didn't know anything of romance outside of the usual advice on television. However, she couldn't say that to Yuki.
"I see… how can I know if they like me back?"
At this, she cursed. She didn't know much. And in a joking manner she spoke.
"You can always ask them."
She heard humming on the other side.
"I see. Thanks Fuyumi. Have a good day."
She heard the beeping sound of the phone call ending.
"Yuki?! Yuki?! Yuki!"
She cursed under her breath.
Hopefully she understood she was kidding.
Yukiko sighed. She knew her sis was kidding by the end. Most probably she didn't know much about how to ask such a thing. Still she appreciated the help. She liked Deku.
Not in the romantic sense of the movies her brother saw when he thought she wasn't looking. No, it was different. She felt like she could actually have a friend in Deku. One that wasn't forced by her father, someone who wasn't an arranged marriage candidate either.
Someone who simply thought her quirk was cool and he was kind to her without expecting anything in exchange.
That's all.
Still, there was the fact that the watchdog around him wouldn't let her get close.
Kacchan. Her name seemed to be Katsuki. But Deku called her Kacchan. Meaning those two were close. And judging from what she knew, she was the watchdog who never let anything happen to what it was told to keep safe.
And sadly that meant chatting with him wouldn't be so easy…
Or rather it could be.
They would, after all, have a class on rescue coming soon according to their teacher, Aizawa had been clear on it. Maybe they could have a chance to chat. How hard could it be to have a nice chat? Surely they would be able to have a small chat and try to make a friendship between them bloom.
Is not like something bad could happen right? After all, it would be a controlled stage in UA.
It seemed that the sole universe sometimes conspired against the chance to chat with Izuku. Katsuki and Yukiko had ended up getting together in the landslide section of the rescue area. They had little to no trouble getting rid of all of them. A loud explosion of Katsuki and a freezing wave from Yukiko and all of them were trapped.
She had made clear her intentions to the villains who were frozen that either they started talking or they would end up getting hypothermia thanks to her quirk.
Katsuki found herself impressed at the cold look she had as she spoke. She wondered if this was the same girl she saw looking kindly at Izuku.
Soon they spoke, and mayhem occurred. Needless to say everyone didn't know was harder to believe. The fact they had been attacked by villains or the fact they managed to make it through without a loss thanks to All Might and the teachers who came when Iida managed to run and call for them.
It had been something different.
Todoroki knew she was expected to fight villains. She didn't expect to be in such a scenario, she had felt confident. She didn't need to use her left side at all. With her quirk she managed to beat everyone with her ice. Proof that she didn't need his quirk…
Katsuki simply was surprised at the number of thugs they had managed to get, she noticed they didn't seem to have quirks ready for combat, and what's more, they didn't seem to be suited to fight them. As if they were simply a distraction. Maybe they were, seeing All Might fight so close was something different.
A smile came to her face as she thought of it.
One day Izuku would be able to fight the same was All Might… no, that was wrong. He would fight in his own way, but with the strength that All Might uses.
The thought of it managed to make her smile
Needless to say. Katsuki had a lot of free time. Following the fight in the rescue zone, the headmaster Nedzu had ordered a free week for the students to relax. Katsuki wanted to visit Izuku and see how he was healing. It seemed he had hurt himself a bit. Nothing as serious as the zero pointer, but still he got hurt.
And normally she would have gone to see Izuku. But she wasn't with him due to the girls in the class wanting to get out together. Spend some time just going around stores and seeing a movie.
Honestly she wasn't interested. She would have rather used the time training and spending it with Izuku, but her mother insisted she should make friends. And before she could make a rebuttal her mother kindly had already called Ochako saying she would go out with them.
Ochako was happy. And sadly, she didn't feel like she should ditch her. If they asked her she would deny it. She would end up killing whoever voiced her thoughts. But she sort of thought Ochako was okay as a friend.
Therefore, she found her first day of relaxation in the mall, in the company of Ochako, and the not so good company of Todoroki.
She was impressed with Ochako, the girl simply seemed to be able to make friends without any trouble. And in her ability to make friends with everyone she ended up inviting Todoroki with them. The rest of her class was…. Okay?
The pink girl with horns, Mina Ashido, was similar to Ochako, Yaozorozu was interesting, and obviously seemed different in a way she wasn't sure of. She didn't had anything against it. It just was obvious something was there. Tsuyu was straightforward when speaking. She liked that, she could work with that.
She had to admit she was enjoying the simply walking around, window shopping, just going around. Moreover, it was getting her crazy. She preferred her time with Izuku. They would go get something to eat, visit a few stores with manga and All Might figurines and chat of anything they thought of.
But she guessed this was going to be different. They weren't Izuku.
She had a sadistic fulfillment in seeing Todoroki was having it as hard as her if her discomfort was anything to go by.
Ochako voice broke her thoughts.
"Todoroki, I just noticed, you dress similar to Kacchan!"
A few thoughts rushed to Katsuki. First, she had to explain to Ochako she could not go around calling her Kacchan, Kacchan was the way only Izuku and sometimes her mother called her. And the second one. Was that it was true. Ochako statement was true.
She often dressed in pants and tee shirts, they were more comfortable than dresses and skirt her mother wished for her to try. In fact… she doesn't remember a single photo in which she doesn't wears pants. They were more comfortable to her than skirts.
And it seemed Todoroki shared the feeling. She was wearing pants and a long sleeved shirt. It wasn't what one call feminine. But it showed she seemed to share her thoughts.
She spoke to Ochako.
"I simply prefer dressing like this… dresses aren't my thing."
And they weren't. Her father constantly spoke how she should have someone to earn more popularity, to take into account how Kamui Woods and Mountain Lady were a couple for mediatic purposes.
She didn't share the thought, and if that was true then it was saddening to believe other heroes acted like her father in the quest for more popularity.
But she hated the dresses. Because they were meant for her to use them and try to get together with a hero whom her father approved of.
She wouldn't let herself fall in such a marriage…
She unconsciously touched the scar in her face.
"I just don't like them… they are not my thing…"
The girls nodded. But the mood had shifted obviously. Though Katsuki hadn't been forced to come out of her home and not spend time with Izuku to end up in such a situation.
"What are we all waiting for?! I came here to eat! So lets go get something!"
Her loud attitude broke the heavy mood and everyone ended up nodding and walking behind her. Ochako came close to her and whispered at her quickly.
"That was really nice of you Kacchan."
Said girl simply snorted before she kept walking forward.
"I don't know what you mean, I am hungry, and that's all. So don't leave me waiting all of you!"
Ochako found herself smiling. She had the feeling Katsuki wasn't the type to admit she could be nice. If anything, that small act of kindness in taking the conversation away of Todoroki proved she was nice. Deep down, really deep inside the loudness and foulmouthed attitude, was a nice girl.
They ended up simply eating hamburgers, afterward they said they would go see a movie, Katsuki lied to them saying she had already seen it. Is not she didn't want to spend time with them, but she really wanted to go visit the bookshop and get a manga for Izuku. Maybe one for herself if she was lucky.
You could never have enough of the Fist of the North Star.
She wished sometimes that her quirk could cause such explosions. But well, she could cause explosions. Just not the same type. Small victories she guessed.
To her surprise, she ended up noticing Todoroki was following her in the mall. She took it as simply walking in the same direction, after the all the exit to the mall was near the bookshop.
When she entered and saw Todoroki behind her, she knew she wasn't simply walking behind her. She still didn't stop herself of checking out the manga section. Only to see Todoroki now staring at her. She had enough.
Not that she had a long patience to begin with.
"What do you want?!"
She threatened at the girl who looked at her with an expression that showed nothing. No fear, nor intimidation. Simple disinterest.
"Do you have Midoriya address?"
The question made her temper rise.
"Eh?! What's that to you?"
Todoroki simply kept her question.
"Do you?"
At this Katsuki groaned before answering.
"I do but I am not telling you!"
At this the owner of the bookshop approached her and told her to keep quiet. She wished to tell him to go die, but she remembered that would get her thrown out. So embarrassedly, she nodded.
"Could you give me his address?"
Katsuki kept her calm. Motivated by the wish to buy a manga for Izuku and one for herself.
"No, I am not."
She took the manga she was reading but before she could move away Todoroki got in front of her.
"If you don't help me I will tell Ochako you ditched them. I know you didn't see the movie."
Katsuki looked at her with anger before crossing her arms. Stopping herself of exploding. Literally.
"How do you know that I lied?"
Todoroki smiled. A smile that was showing how smug she felt about it.
"I didn't, I do now."
Katsuki wanted to blast her off, that trick was something Izuku often did to catch her off guard whenever they were chatting. He always knew she wasn't one to lie. Moreover, while Ochako might not feel bad about it, she didn't want to imagine her face slightly losing her usual smile at knowing she had ditched her and the rest of the girls.
Katsuki opened her palm in front of Todoroki.
"You better, not tell Ochako. If I learnt that she knows, I am not joking, you are going to die."
The fact she hadn't shouted those words are what made Todoroki understand how serious she was. She nodded. She motioned for her to follow her. She paid for the manga and left.
Todoroki walked with her and simply asked.
"You are not going to tell me where he lives?"
Katsuki, now free of having to stay silent in the bookshop answered back as loud as ever.
"As if! I don't trust you alone with Deku! I am taking you there to fulfill my part of this deal! But I am not letting you alone with him, so get ready icicle, I will be your chaperone for the day!"
Katsuki wasn't worried. She would take Todoroki to see Midoriya. Then in the home of her soon to be husband, her mother in law would look at Todoroki and deny her the entry. She would never allow an enemy to enter her home.
That's the exact reason why she could only scream one thing inside her mind when Inko Midoriya opened the door for both girls and offered them something to drink and a slice of cake she had bought for Deku.
Mother in law! How could you do this?! Traitor!
Inko sheepishly bowed at Katsuki understanding the reason the girl was glaring at her.
While Inko was sitting, she took on the look of the girl in front of her. White hair and red, and a scar on what she thought was a beautiful face. She smiled at her.
"So you are a friend of Izuku?"
The girl seemed to be stunned at the kindness she was being given.
"I hope to… he is nice."
Inko found herself surprised at the wall she was seeing. It was obvious Todoroki wasn't a people person. She guessed it had to do with her scar. Still she smiled at her.
"Izuku is a nice boy for sure. Did you know Katsuki wants to marry him?"
She said it trying to make her laugh. Instead she was met with the same serious face from Todoroki. Still she did got a reaction of Katsuki who looked proud of herself.
"Indeed! I am going to marry him, so hands away of Izuku!"
Said boy had just arrived back from his exercise, and had a look between tiredness and embarrassment at the loud proclamation.
"H-Hello Kacchan"
His stutter was a result of the exercise more than of the embarrassment. He was almost used at hearing the marriage proclamation by now. Almost being the keyword as there was no simple way to get used to such a thing.
It was then he took notice of a third presence in his home. Todoroki was there.
"Ah! Todoroki, w-what are you doing here?"
He was fearing she wanted revenge against Kacchan and his mother had intervened. Instead, he found himself surprised at what he heard.
"I came to check on you. I thought you were hurt by the incident."
At this Izuku blinked but nodded in thanks.
"I am actually well. Thanks for checking Todoroki... I honestly didn't know you and Kacchan were friends."
Izuku spoke with a smile on his face as his eyes closed in a mix of happiness and soreness. The exercise had been good but it had also showed how actually tired he was about their previous experience. Still the smile on his face came naturally at knowing Katsuki was making friends.
"Izuku you should take a bath."
The words of his mother took him out of his trance and as he nodded and excused himself he took the stairs for the bath.
At this Inko Midoriya had to stand up and stay in the front of the stairs. Yukiko Todoroki couldn't understand why she had the need of moving from her place. Until she heard Bakugou groan.
"Come on! What is so wrong in me taking a bath with him?"
Inko looked at her with a smile but it was obvious she would not relent.
"Sorry Katsuki, but I insist that boys and girls can't share a bath together… even less two teenagers."
Before she could speak up Inko pointed to the kitchen.
"Why not take another slice of cake? Is too much for me and Izuku, but with four people here that cake will be well shared."
Katsuki wanted to groan but she only moved towards the kitchen. Todoroki found herself following the girl with a short temper.
In the kitchen she spoke.
"She is nice."
At this Katsuki simply glared at her.
"Don't get used to it; mother in law is under my protection, just like Deku. So hands off from them."
Todoroki knew she was being honest. Therefore, she did the same.
"I only plan to make friends with Izuku. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't plan to go around playing house like you. I will be the number one hero."
While the intent behind the comment was to anger Bakugou, said girl simply held a smug smile in place as she walked away from the kitchen with two dishes of cake. One for her, and one for Izuku.
"And yet, I managed to beat you, even though in your words I am just playing house. Doesn't that mean you are simply not good enough?"
She left the kitchen. And the only reason Todoroki didn't made the whole place a field of ice, was that she suspected Inko Midoriya wouldn't appreciate her house becoming an ice field. Even more, she doubted Izuku would want to be friends with someone who just came to his home and brought a mess…
She would simply have to wait for a chance to fight Katsuki Bakugou and encase her in ice.
Surely the chance would come…
Cut!
And yeah, with this chapter I have pretty much left the bases for the next couple of chapters before we get into the sports festival. As said before, I am not intent on retelling the manga, yet it was necessary to cover certain parts of the story so we could go with it. Thanks everyone! Your comments, favs and follows keep this story going. Thanks again. And if someone wants to help being a Beta reader for this, much appreciated.
I will hopefully see ya all and a beta soon with the next chapter. Knowing the enemy! Explosions vs Ice.
See ya!.
