Welcome back everyone! Nothing new to rep-
OH I SO LIED!
I do have something new... a chance for YOU! You can now vote for who you'd like to see be the 'mommy' for the two adorable munchkins in the upcoming chapter! I can already highlight how the next few chapters will go, and if you're expecting updates based on the upcoming U.S. holidays... you're right!
So if you want to pick a lovely woman to win... you better vote, and vote now! The poll will be closed after I finish the next chapter... or sometime near it, who knows? I'm terrible at remembering.
ONE LAST THING!
I now have a Tumblr. I really want to interact with everyone, so I sucked it up and made one. Feel free to say hey, ask questions, or anything you want. You can find me on there as ScandinavianSensation, just like my username.
That's all! Enjoy the chapter!
In an effort to give aspiring heroes an opportunity to feel like regular students, U.A. allowed students to host their own small costume party in the courtyards, and they also released classes for the day, giving the students a chance to go grab some last-minute supplies for their costumes. For the most part, the classes remained separated, but for certain groups, they didn't mind having one large party - a testament of peace to commence the beginning of the holiday season.
Between Iida and Kendo, it was decided that this year, Class 1-A and 1-B would cooperate in their efforts, and host one large-scale party, in an effort to improve relations between the two 'warring' classes. Of course, there was immediate opposition from Monoma, who was adamantly refusing to interact with Class 1-A, and she settled for the diplomatic route of simply telling him to stay in his room.
Otherwise, the plan went off without a hitch, and there was plenty of excitement among the junior class for the upcoming festives. Through the two weeks warning everyone was given, there was plenty of time for everyone to go and get their costumes. For a few students, they weren't particularly sure what they even wanted to go as - and the same held true for Midoriya.
He'd taken his two little followers to the local market, where a nearby warehouse had been rented out to display costume ideas for all ages. And while Eri and Kota had seen a few that they liked, overall, the store was too small, and the selection was too limited for either child to see something that they wanted. The both of them wanted to go as something unique - something that wasn't as common.
Now, they were sitting on a bench in the park, both children with an ice cream cone in-hand as they took a few minutes to relax before walking back to the dorms.
"You should be a superhero!"
Midoriya sighed, but smiled, and patted Eri on the top of her head, eliciting a frown and a blown raspberry as he tussled her hair. "I can't go as something I'm training to be."
"Why not?" Eri asked innocently.
"W-well... because I'm..." Midoriya trailed off awkwardly. He had no idea how to explain to her what he was thinking, because technically, there was no reason he couldn't still go as a hero. And he'd already dressed as All Might for the countless year before this year, so he kind of wanted to mix things up. Plus, he was trying to become his own hero, and the more he emulated All Might, the more he recognized they were significantly different. "I don't really know?"
"He's already a hero, Eri," Kota interrupted. He was fondling with the small nubs on his hat in his lap. It was rare for him to have his hat off, but slowly, he'd been keeping it off when he was indoors after being scolded by Aunty Inko about being impolite, and although he wasn't inside, he wanted to try keeping it off at times to get used to the feeling. "He needs to be something else."
Eri nodded slowly, with a finger to her mouth. "Oh! That makes sense!"
"What about you two? Do you have any ideas?" In honesty, Midoriya had been paying attention more to the duo than he had been paying attention to his own tastes. He knew neither of them had really celebrated Halloween in the past - well, at least it was implied that Eri hadn't. He actually had no idea if Kota had or not, but judging by his visible excitement when he announced they were going costume shopping, it was assumed the Pussycat Heroes had been too busy to celebrate much.
Kota had been eying a rock-monster costume, but ultimately, it bore a little too much resemblance to Muscular, and he'd seen Kota turn away from it with disdain. After that, Kota hadn't seemed terribly impressed with anything. Eri, on the other hand, was enamored with a fairy costume and a fiery devil costume, but she decided against the two after some intense internal debate. Truthfully, with her flowing snow white hair, he believed she'd pull off a fairly good devil-look, but he also wanted her to pick what she wanted.
"I-I have an idea." Kota's stutter caught Midoriya's attention, but his guardian knew better than to ask. Kota wasn't immediately open; he preferred to hold onto his thoughts until he had them sorted out, unlike Eri. He cleared his throat and kept talking, as if it had never happened. "But I don't think I'll find it here."
"Do you want to look somewhere else for it?"
Kota slowly shook his head. "It's okay... I know where I can find it."
"Me too! I know what I'm going as!"
Midoriya smiled. "What about you, Eri?"
She giggled and made the gesture of zipping her mouth. "It's a secret!"
Kota smiled toward Eri, and a look of understanding passed between the two children, though not without Midoriya noticing. But... subtly, he smiled. A warm feeling filled his chest as she two children whispered back and forth while he 'glanced' down at his phone, pretending like he wasn't paying attention. To see his two little munchkins getting along... it made him genuinely happy. Lately, they'd been getting along significantly better, and Midoriya suspected it had something to do with school.
It was good for them; they were slowly making friends, and in turn, their social skills were developing further. And, as Midoriya suspected, dealing with so many different people - including people that perhaps they didn't like - they began to find a new appreciation for each other when at home.
His phone lit up with a text message from Uraraka, which he quickly popped open. 'Are you busy?'
'No, what's up?' He replied.
A gentle autumn breeze danced through the small park in the midst of the city square, bringing with it cooler temperatures and a few scattered, multicolored leaves, drawing Eri and Kota instinctively closer to a heat source - which turned out to be Midoriya. It was practically subconscious at this point, with the green-haired boy readjusting so that the two could nestle into his side. Even with the ambiance of the city all around them, the trio felt like they were in their own personal world.
"Maybe ask Yaomomo...?" Kota whispered gently to Eri. If the young boy thought that by leaning over Midoriya's lap would help mask his voice, then Midoriya would need to talk to him about stealth. But, he continued to 'pretend' he couldn't hear the two plotting away. Whatever it was that they wanted, he knew better than to rain on their parade.
Another buzz emitted from his phone, and this time, Midoriya did let himself get distracted. 'A few of us were going to make some SPOOKY snacks if you wanted to come back and help!'
'Yeah!' He smiled in earnest. The first time he'd made western-style Halloween snacks with his classmates, he'd thoroughly enjoyed himself, and found himself looking forward to the next time he got to cook with everyone. It had been messy, but the delicious aroma paired with the laughs made the experience highly worth the clean-up. 'Is it okay to have Kota and Eri help?'
While he knew that none of his classmates would mind their involvement, he still wanted to make sure. Maybe it was because he was still skittish when it came to social interactions and accidentally messing up, that made him want to seek reassurance, or maybe it was just because that was the polite thing to do; but he still found it better to ask and make sure.
Waiting for a reply, Midoriya felt a gentle squeeze from Eri as she trembled ever-so-slightly as the breeze swirled around the trio once again, this time, sending goosebumps down the green-haired boy's spine. Regardless of whether it was okay or not - which he highly suspected it would be - it was time to head back to the dorms, anyways, lest they want to catch colds.
And, Midoriya really didn't want to see either of his little ones have to deal with illness.
"What do you guys say to heading back?" Both Eri and Kota had finished their ice-cream (despite the chilly weather), and nodded eagerly at the prospect of heading to the warmth of the indoor world. Midoriya realized he'd have to check the weather from here on out, otherwise, he'd be playing doctor more than he liked.
A vibration alerted Midoriya to a text back, and he smiled when he read it. 'Definitely!'
An idea occurred to Midoriya, and he smiled softly. "You know... if we get back fast enough, we can probably make some snacks."
"C'mon, Slowpoke!" Kota urged, beginning to run ahead once he heard the prospect of sweets. Eri giggled loudly, tugging on Midoriya's arm.
"Izu, run!"
The night of the Halloween party came, finally, and for Class 1-A, it couldn't have come sooner. Marred by test after test, followed by the increasing workload of preparing for graduation, the entirety of the student body was wearing down day-by-day. It almost seemed like a miracle that they'd gotten a day off, and several students used the free-day to sleep as late as they could without sleeping the whole day away.
Eri, surprisingly, was a late riser - something that Midoriya hadn't exactly expected. Her first few weeks with him were marked by consistent nightmares and constant insomnia, but eventually, the nightmares gave way to pleasant dreams and late-sleeping. Kota was also a lover of sleeping in, but he often woke up accidentally due to his habit of being a light sleeper, and he'd awaken whenever Midoriya went his morning runs or workouts.
Today, however, Midoriya noticed that both Eri and Kota were up far earlier than normal, and were more evasive than usual, as well. Throughout the day, it was rare to see them together - almost as if one of them was dedicated to distracting Midoriya from something. He hadn't the foggiest idea where the other little one was, but he decided to accept that he should let them go through with their plans and he'd just ask later after the party.
"Y-you stole my costume!"
"No! You stole my costume!"
Midoriya sweat-dropped as Kirishima and TetsuTetsu immediately pointed at one another, a look of disbelief on each other's face as they somehow had decided on identical costumes. They'd both opted to dress as 'kung fu warriors', because, as Kirishima said, he was 'an unmoveable man, and there was nothing manlier than warrior of the body'.
"That's actually impressive..." Ojiro said quietly, scratching at the back of his head in amusement. He'd opted for dressing as some orc-ish looking creature, letting his tail hang limply and drag on the floor ominously.
Hagakure bounced up to Ojiro animatedly, wearing chains around what seemed to be her wrist and ankles. They dangled in mid-air, casting the illusion of a her being a ghost. "I think they coordinate it!"
"Oh, Hagakure!" Ojiro took in her simple costume, but smiled at its simplicity, yet charming illusion. "I like your costume!"
She bounced in place happily, rattling the chains against one another as she presumably clapped her hands. "Thank you! I'm like a ghost! Ohhhh~"
Part of Midoriya recalled what Ashido had once said about the two of them needing to just get together already, and he smiled softly as he watched them interact. Ojiro was honorable - that much became obvious after the first Sports Festival, but if nothing else, he was kind and attentive. Hagakure, in a moment of unusual sorrow, had once admitted to Midoriya that she disliked her quirk, because it became hard for her to feel like she was part of anything. He'd comforted her, and she'd later admitted the same thing to Ojiro, bringing them just a tad closer than before.
"Wow, Izu~" He froze. He knew that flirty tone. "You look delicious~"
Like he was impersonating a pole, he stood ramrod straight, and sSlowly, Midoriya turned around, catching the amused eye of Ashido. Her costume was very simple. She had red shoes on, and wore a pink jumpsuit that practically blended into her skin, making her appear nude at first, sending Midoriya into a blushing fit. He barely noticed her star-wand, or the hammer latched onto her back.
"A-A-A-Ashido!" He tried to block his vision to Ashido's amusement, her laugh jingling lightly in the crisp autumn air, sending an odd flutter through Midoriya's heart. She grinned widely, and grabbed Midoriya's wrists, moving his hands from in front of his face.
"Relax, Dekuman, I'm clothed," she teased.
To her word, she was clothed, it just didn't exactly seem that way. But as he actually looked, he could notice the subtle differences in pink, with her leotard being a darker pink. She also had two pink blush marks on her cheeks, obviously put there via make-up. She cocked her hip to the side and crossed her arms, smirking as she noticed Midoriya taking in her costume.
"Someone's been caught staring!" Kaminari said from behind, grinning widely, slinging an arm around Midoriya's shoulders. He was dressed as a classic Western comic hero - Static Shock, and looked fairly cool, in Midoriya's opinion. He laughed at Midoriya's flustered face. "Relax; it happens to all of us!"
Midoriya sighed in defeat, prompting more laughter from Ashido and Kaminari. "I was just trying to figure out her costume..."
"I'm Kirby! Duh!" Now that she mentioned it, he could see the resemblance. The only thing that messed up the image was her lack of being... a round ball. "I gotta say, you pulled off that Spiderman costume really well."
He'd decided to become 'Spiderman', simply because of the lore behind his existence, according to comics, as well as Eri's suggestion. He hadn't planned on going as a hero, but ultimately, he procrastinated for too long, and had to settle for a rather common costume. But he wasn't upset with going as Spiderman - after all, the masked webslinger was considered one of the top heroes in his comics; a pure and true hero. The exact thing that Midoriya wanted to be.
"Those tights are pretty... tight," Ashido said with a teasing grin, but a sparkle in her eye. Before she could keep teasing, Kaminari noticed something.
"Hey, where are Eri and Kota? I figured they'd be latched onto you."
Midoriya put a finger to his chin and looked skyward as he tried to recall what he'd been told earlier. He didn't even notice Ashido freeze up and shoot Kaminari a warning look. "I think they're getting dressed, still. They said they didn't want my help."
"Aww, are the little ones all grown up?" Kaminari laughed as he pat Midoriya on the back, while the green-haired teen quietly thought to himself.
There would be a time where they wouldn't need him anymore. Once they learned to harness their quirks in the best way possible, and they slowly grew into their teen years, they'd inevitably begin to branch off and rely more on their friends... much like everyone at U.A. was doing. He was the lone exception - his mother was all he'd had for the greater part of his life... he couldn't bare to phase her out now. In all honesty, he wouldn't really be able to stray far from her, even in the far future.
She just meant too much to him.
But... at the same time, it was bound to happen, and he'd smile when he saw them do great things. They'd still love him, and it was only natural that everyone grow up eventually. He'd just have to make the most of the time he had now. Besides, he knew that they were still quite a few years from even trying to separate themselves from him. Eri could barely sleep at night unless he was nearby, and Kota was still seeking reassurance like it was vital to his life.
He smiled. No, they still needed him, and he'd be right there for them, every step of the way.
"W-whoa dude." A look of panic spread across Kaminari's face as he looked at Midoriya. "I didn't - it was a joke, they're still, I mean-"
"What he's trying to say," Mina said slowly and deliberately, shooting the yellow-haired boy a look that clearly meant 'shut-your-mouth', which he obliged by immediately, "is that you're raising them so well, and it shows by their comfort being away from you."
Despite knowing that wasn't really what he meant, Midoriya smiled good-naturedly and rubbed the back of his head. "T-thanks, Ashido. But... it's okay." A genuine, full smile broke across Midoriya's face as he thought about how far the two children had come since falling into his custody. "One day they'll be grown up. And... that's good."
And he meant it.
"Maybe so..." A pleased, and slightly - was that smugness? - voice came from behind Midoriya, and he turned to see Yaoyorozu, garbed neatly in a white lab-coat with her long, silky hair jutting out wildly, unlike her usually stylish ponytail. She also had a pair of glasses on, though they lacked the lens. Finally, she had colored contact lens in, giving her the suggested look of a crazy scientist. "But today isn't that day."
From under her oversized coat, two smaller people emerged, both wearing the same costume. Midoriya's breath hitched and his emerald eyes widened as he went spiraling down memory lane, staring at the two doppelgängers in front of him.
Even with the hood that draped slightly over her sapphire eyes, Midoriya easily deciphered Eri's appearance, and realized it was Kota next to her. They both had on Midoriya's original costume - the very same costume his mother had designed him back in his first term of U.A., where he'd opted to go with the home-look, instead of relying on the Support Companies to make him anything.
From the make-shift knee pads, to the bunny-ears he'd become somewhat famous for back when he'd sported them, to the signature red shoes that he still (!) wore to this day, their costumes even had his mouthpiece that he'd intended to be a crude impersonation of All Might's smile. Truthfully, it was almost like looking back in time at his younger self... and it made him feel... strange. Like a warm bubble had grown in his chest, and was spreading a gentle warmth throughout his body.
"W-what...?"
Kota nervously scuffled the ground, unable to look his guardian in the eye. The party had long since gone quiet, everyone holding their breaths and quietly snapping pictures of the tender family moment. Even Class 1-B realized the significance, and quieted down, watching the developing scene with amusement. Eri coughed quietly, and spread her arms out slowly, slightly spooked by the sudden spotlight.
It was as if a proverbial stage-light was shining on the trio, and she was nearly sweating in the heat of the smoldering light.
"Ta... da?" It sounded more like a question, than a surprise, but knowing how shy and awkward Midoriya could be, most everyone recognized it was probably the best Eri could do with whom she was learning from. Plus, with the way her costume was just a bit too big and ended up going just past her fingertips, it was just that much cuter for everyone watching, and almost everyone felt their heart squeeze.
It was all too much for Midoriya, as tears prickled in his eyes. "Y-you're going as... m-me?"
"We... w-we wanted to go as our hero..." Kota mumbled, still gazing down intently, as if he'd be frozen like a statue if he looked up. "A-and..."
"You're our hero...!" It might have been the way her voice rose, just ever-so-slightly, enough to bring a sense of familiarity over the members of Class 1-A, or maybe it was the way her fists balled up within the sleeves of her oversized costume, but for just a moment, there was a familiar fanboy, suiting up for the first time, and proclaiming his intent to be the best hero he could be.
Even Kota, with his timid look, sent waves of déjà vu coursing through the onlookers, as his eyes shone brightly, displaying the truth he internalized.
The green-haired teenager rushed forward - with what might have been Full-Cowl - and engulfed the two children in a bone-crushing hug, which they eagerly returned. They all did their best to not cry, and no one knew who cried first, but upon the first tear, countless more joined it, as Midoriya sobbed for the 'two-best-kids-anyone-could-ever-have', and everyone could only laugh as they watched.
"Group hug!" Uraraka claimed suddenly. She couldn't help but feel left out, and wanted to do something to show her joy at the sweet family display.
Ashido laughed and nearly tackled Midoriya - who was kept upright by Shoji - and was quickly followed by almost all of Class 1-A, minus a select few. Even Yaoyorozu decided to join in, and quickly found herself smothered by arms and shoulders, though she sighed good-naturedly and silently hoped Mineta wasn't preying somewhere within the dogpile, otherwise she'd have to scold him something fierce for displaying such perverse tendencies in front of children.
"Alright, who's ready to bob for apples?"
"Sato, where are all the sweets?!"
"MINETA, IF THAT WAS YOU, I SWEAR IT WILL NOT BE PLEASANT!"
As the crowd broke off, Midoriya sighed happily, squeezing the two children to his side, and placing a soft kiss to their hair.
Under the moon, he spoke softly, causing the two to burrow into his side further.
"You two are my heroes."