Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger
More than ever, hour after hour
Work is never over - Harder, Better, Stronger, Faster by Daft Punk

I came out of the Daycare, and Shoto was shifting his feet outside. I felt instantly bad for snapping at him. It's just been hard, thinking about leaving Kaiden with strangers, paying someone else to do what I could have done had I not wanted to pursue a dream. And the pure sadness of not being there for him, either. I hoped that I would be able to pay for this without harming Kai. Only time would tell.

A mismatched set of winter and summer eyes regarded me seriously while I took a deep breath, "I'm sorry, Shoto. You didn't deserve that."

"I overstepped. Again."

I shook my head, "Maybe, though I appreciate the offer." I tried for a smile, but it failed, "We'd better go before I start crying."

"I don't want that," He smiled for me. "Let's get to work."

I followed him as he tried to talk me out of my sadness. He spoke about the agency, and I tried to listen while watching his legs and shoulders move under his clothes. It felt a little like a betrayal of the maternal feelings I was bogged down with a second ago, but it was a good distraction. I noticed his slippers and smiled. Soon I was as happy as I was when I pulled up.

"So, I need to get ready," He gestured to himself with a self-depreciating grin, "Obviously."

"I bet you're just as effective in those sweats." I was flirting. Badly, but he chuckled, "And I have my new clothes to change into as well."

"Then let's get you a passcode to the private elevator. You'll use the code anywhere that the public isn't allowed to go. If you get a job offer," He reached under his shirt, and I saw fingers outlined in his sweatpants for a second. He withdrew an ID card, "you'll get one of these."

Those little bubbles of obsession rolled through me as I thought about that ID card. I tried to stuff them down as I followed him into the shop. I had to, that much was plain. I could not have a crush on the guy who was supposed to train me. To break me as Aizawa-sensei had said. I had been able to do this for Midoriya once upon a time. I could try again.

For the next week my days consisted of meeting Shoto in the morning, dropping off Kaiden, patrol, study, workout, spar, pick up Kaiden, go home, study, workout and sleep. It was worse than when I was a student, learning during the day and work study a few hours during the week and on weekends. Shoto had to stuff new laws into my head. New patrol strategies. I spent hours each day in their training facility strength training. Time working on my quirk. Trying to do different things with it. To say that I went home exhausted each night would not be an overstatement. That first week was brutal.

Tsu helped with the laws and other things I needed to remember. She'd quiz me during dinner, and we'd bundle up a sleepy Kaiden and jog each night. It was still winter, which meant that it was cold, so the jogs were bracing. I enjoyed them. I was becoming stronger. My clear school-aged memories made me realize that Shoto, had he been doing this back then, is a beast. I was quickly becoming faster and my endurance felt like it was getting better too.

I was making progress and I was proud of myself for it. The unfortunate part was that I was not able to shelve my growing admiration for Shoto. Every moment spent in his company makes me like him more. He'd been a friend, of sorts, in school, but he was so much better than he was then. He was more confident, less of a wreck with people, and he obviously likes spending time with me, too. We did everything but shower together.

Those niggling thoughts of Midoriya dissipated like smoke in the wind. I'd had a crush on him for a year, maybe longer if I were being totally honest, but I hadn't been able to be his friend. That realization shook me, but I had to just let it go. It didn't matter. This relationship, the one where Shoto and I were constant companions, was something Midoriya and I had never had. I was just afraid that it would fall apart.

Shoto had told me what happened after I lost my quirk. How everyone I'd known had been so supportive. How I'd left to speak privately with Midoriya and had never come back. He said that he'd gotten the truth of what izuku had said to me. And I was devastated anew by his thoughtlessly heroic words.

My memories were still filtering back. Or I was doing enough of what I used to do that I didn't feel like such a stranger in my own head any more. I was shaving my legs when I remembered that I had a standing appointment for waxing downtown. That had surprised me, though now, with my flirtier costume, it was saving me so much time. I remembered things by doing other things. Sometimes, those memories were a nudge, sometimes they broke into my consciousness like a rock thrown into a pond.

During the second week, Shoto suggested we take turns leading patrols and deciding where we would go. I relished the feeling of responsibility and joy that being a hero on patrol brought. I loved being with him, period. It was starting to be a problem. He was in charge, and I had to learn from him, but all I wanted to do was touch his unbelievable hair. Or stare into his eyes, or any number of things that I knew I'd done before. I just wanted to rediscover them with Shoto.

"I'm sorry? What did you say?" I giggled, "I sorta just floated away there."

Shoto's answering smile made me flush, "You've been working really hard. I'm pretty proud of your progress."

I shrugged, "I had to. You're pretty strict, sempai." I gave him a wink, and he shook his head so I finished, "You were talking about patrols, right? Since I have to be with a pro at all times, I suggest breaking up the team." My finger swizzled through a condensation ring on the table we were sitting at, "I'd like a chance to work with Bakugo, I mean Dynamight, which is still a horrible name, Burnin'... Maybe even Endeavor."

"That's a good idea. In fact, Dad had already suggested that I stop hogging you." His fingers danced on the table top, after working with him so closely, I knew it was a nervous gesture. "You didn't mind, right? Us working together so much?"

I shook my head, and captured his fingers, "Absolutely not!" The blush was back, though I tried to stuff it down with a heavy breath, "Shoto, without you…" I applied pressure, and he turned his hand up so that we were holding hands now, more than just touching, and I erupted in a full body flush that had too much to do with how beautiful he looks when he's trying not to look sad. And he was. I recognized that too. "Without you I'd never have made it this far. Seriously."

He looked away, then back, "I suppose I just don't want to share you."

"Too bad," Katsuki's loud voice interrupted us. I snatched my hand back and Katsuki shook his head. "I've got her today, right, Uravity?"

"As ever," I deadpanned with an eye roll, took the sheet out of Shoto's grasp and wrote in Dynamight twice. "Today and tomorrow. Then Moe," I added Burnin'. With a dash of pleasure, I put in Shoto for Thursday. He'd want to make sure I was doing well, right? I bit the end of the pen, "Endeavor wants to work with me?"

"Endeavor what?" Enji entered with a steaming mug, and lowered himself into a seat that groaned under his weight. He was just as huge and intimidating as he'd been when I was younger. His hair was greying around his scar and temples, but he was just as vital as he'd always been. His summer sky eyes sparked something in me. But it washed away a moment later.

"Uh," I began ineloquently, "Would you like to do a patol with me and some training Friday?"

He sipped at his coffee, "I would." He glanced at me over the rim, "If you're ready."

"She is." Shoto traded a look with me.

""What do you think, Uravity?" Enji put his mug down, "Are you ready?"

"Yes." I took a breath in, and smiled at him, "I'm ready."

He cradled the coffee in his large hands, his eyes looking far away for a moment. "You have a child?"

"I do." I nodded, "He's at the daycare just down the street."

"You aren't worried about leaving him without a mother?" Enji turned the full force of his gaze on me.

"Sometimes." I locked my hands together, "Since I don't know who his father is, I have to admit that I'm scared for Kaiden when I go on patrol or participate in action. But I also think that fear makes me better. I want this world to be a place where Kaiden can grow up and live a happy life." I shrugged, "I bet that's how you feel." I laughed, "Or felt, I guess, since Shoto and the rest of them are grown-up now."

Enji shook his head, "You're wiser than I was at your age." He tilted his head, and glanced at his son before his eyes settled right back, "You don't know who fathered your child?"

I tapped my head, "Amnesia. When you saved me, I'd been hit in the head. I lost my memories, but regained the use of my quirk."

He nodded slowly, "Fine. Friday." He stood, draining his mug. "I just popped in to check the schedule anyway."

Shoto scraped his plate with chopsticks, searching for even the smallest noodle fragment, "You could have just called. Is something wrong?"

"No," Enji said with a smile. "Honestly, nothing is wrong at all. One of the local stations is running a piece they're calling 'One Year Later', and they're interviewing heroes to get their perspective on what is working and what needs improvement after the quirk rights conference."

"Look at the time," Bakugo sprung out of the seat like it was on fire. "Come on, Uravity. Let's go."

I shook my head, "Have a good day, Shoto. Endeavor."

"Enji." He said, "My son's friends call me Enji."

"I am looking forward to working with you on Friday, Enji." I gave him a small bow and followed Bakugo out of the kitchen and into the street.

"He would probably fry me alive if I called him Enji," Bakugo grumped sourly, yet very quietly, and I giggled as we walked out of the shop and into the Winter sunshine. "Well?" He stopped and his ember-colored eyes bored into mine, "You're the boss today. Where are we patrolling?"

While I was with Katsuki, he didn't have me studying the law or reading incident reports as Shoto had done. He patrolled longer and trained more in the gym. For those two days, I was just plain doing more, and Katsuki being Katsuki, came up with several clever suggestions for me to work on. How had I forgotten his keen mind?

Burnin' did pretty much the same thing, but added in personal appearances. She was a local favorite, and during patrols would often hand out business cards and photo ops. Shoto would stand still if someone was brave enough to ask, but Burnin' seemed to thrive on the attention. It was a different kind of education. One that Moe said that a woman needed more than a man, sadly.

Shoto, being my Thursday, was happy to see me again. I took us to a harder part of Shibuya district, a place Bakugo had shown me, and we patrolled while I told him all about the last few days. He listened attentively, and gave such detailed advice that it was a joy to talk about these things with him. When we got back to the shop, I demonstrated some ideas that Bakugo had come up with. Together, we made the most amazing aerial ice show in Japan. Possibly the world, but I'm probably biased.

"He can come up with good ideas." Shoto gave his friend grudging praise, then smiled and laughed, "Katsuki's come a long way too. I am glad you two had fun together."

We were heading back to the locker room when I paused, "I wouldn't trade him for anything, you know?"

He smiled, and it went all the way to his eyes. For a half second he just let his gaze rest on me. Then I was in his arms. He gave me a hug, his lithe yet powerful arms holding me tightly for a second or two longer than was strictly friendly. He released me with a small blush riding his un-burned cheek. I bit my bottom lip. Yes. A problem. A giant, gorgeous, strong, sweetly blushing problem. Too bad I couldn't bring myself to care about it any longer.

When Friday came, I thought I was prepared for Endeavor. After spending a week with his son, and a couple of days enduring Bakugo, I thought, 'What's the worst that could happen?'

Just walking around with Endeavor was tiring. Standing still, the man exuded strength and power. When we ran into a couple of quirked criminals trying to shake down a local convenience store, that's when I got to feel what it was really like to be studying with one of the big five. Working with Ryukyu had been tough, but this was more. More demanding, maybe even more fun.

"Sometimes it's not about pure power," Endeavor stomped down the street. "It's your reputation. Yes, it's good to have all the things needed to be a top hero: agility, speed, and power. But not everyone has those."

I studied my fingertips. It was true. I would never have pure power. I would never be the fastest, not even the most agile. I negate gravity, and you NEED gravity for those things. "Then how can I become a top hero?"

"That is the beginning of wisdom." His flames flared, then settled to a manageable level. "If you can ask yourself that then you're ready to become a hero."

He turned those burning blue eyes on me, and my mind gave a jolt. Not quite a pain, and I dismissed it. I'd definitely seen these eyes before. Endeavor was a part of my childhood, after all, and Shoto had one eye just like it. It was just a random, useless memory. I put my attention back on the man before me.

"I think you're hero material, Uravity. The path you take," he reached out a hand to grab my shoulder, "that's up to you." He laughed then, "I let myself get caught up in a circle of recriminations and mistrust. It's a hard road. Some of us take a long time to get on the right path. I can see you're a better person than I was. Win the people, Uravity. Keep honing your skills." He gave me a critical look, "If you work with a partner, you would be unstoppable."

That made me stop to wonder. How could I do that? Who would benefit from working with me? I felt like someone had just handed me the key that would unlock my potential. Not as a solo act, but as someone who was devastating with the right partner. I had a sudden desire to hug him. But I held back and nodded instead.

By the time that we got back to the shop and he set me to work on doing all his paperwork for the day, I was just worn out from jumping all over the city. I spent the rest of Friday typing up incident reports that still needed to be invoiced and indexed against the criminal databases. By the time I was allowed to turn off my screen and get Kaiden, I was ready to complain loudly and at length to anyone who would listen.

AN/ Senpai and Sempai are the same, they're interchangeable. I just happen to like 'm'. Unless I don't. LOL Izvadite moje najbolje! Thanks to Mosevic who makes me sparkle for you.