A/N: Welcome to the 5th arc! Thank you all for your reviews and support. I am imagining some of you are still reeling from the last three chapters. Here's what I will say about it, I've had that specific event planned since I started this story. The 4th arc is my favorite because it has the sweetest and darkest moments. It's also one of my payoffs that I had hoped no one would notice. :) If you look back to when we were first introduced to Asp, you'll notice he already knows her. Chapter 18, he says "You're even more pathetic than I remember." He's always known who she was, even Shigaraki called her out, "You're Hoki? Rather pathetic, eh? I thought you'd be bigger... scarier." I'm trying not to give too much away, but yeah, I've got plans for these two. Anyways, after that rollercoaster, this arc is more... tame? Enjoy!

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Moving in with my homeroom teacher is strange.

Stranger yet is the way he walks me up the stairs with a hand on my shoulder, as if to ensure himself I'm real. That this is real. He lives on the top floor of a rather small apartment complex. And unlike Yamada-sensei, he doesn't wave and greet each resident, though they all still stare.

His door is simple, the paint chipped, and the knocker removed.

When he enters, he pauses, scoops something up, and holds the door for me.

I enter and it's like the exact opposite of Present Mic's. Everything's simple and minimalist. White walls, wooden furniture, and what looks like a tower covered in carpet in the corner. There are no curtains on the window, no little knickknacks put about. It's empty except for the necessities, and even those are plain. I turn to Sensei to ask what I should do, only to stop at the furry kitten being held in my face.

"Ah…"

"This is Miska," he says in his normal, droll tone. "Leave your bag here at the door and go play with her in the living room. I'll make dinner and we can talk about the rules."

I shrug off my bag as ordered and take the tiny creature. She purrs in my arms and I can't help the little smile. It feels like the first smile I've felt in ages. She paws at my face and I lightly scratch her face the way I would the strays that sometimes came up. She leans into the touch, her purr rising in volume.

Sensei says nothing, grabs my bag and moves it by the couch. Then he's in the kitchen, water running and washing his hands.

I move towards the couch and sit on the floor.

The rug there is knotted, but warm. I let down the kitten and watch it pounce away before slinking towards the odd carpeted tower. She climbs it and I watch with half a smile as she falls off, shakes it off, and lays on the floor licking her leg.

"Miska," I whisper. The kitten stops licking to look at me. I click my tongue, holding out my hand. She turns back to her leg licking.

"Toys are in the tower," Sensei says blandly. I look back and catch his eye. He raises an eyebrow before nodding towards the carpeted thing in the corner. I notice he's also removed his capture weapon and pushed aside his sleeves.

I swallow, noticing the scar on his elbow, and look away.

"Yes sir," I say.

I find the cat toys easily enough. There's at least three of them in the top compartment. I pull out a feather attached by string to a stick. I giggle quietly when the little black and brown creature scampers around the floor chasing it. I play until the timer beeps and Sensei calls me to eat.

"Go wash your hands," he says. I move towards the sink and do so. He gestures towards a cabinet and I pull out two bowls.

He fills mine first and then his own.

"Sit at the table."

It's a plain square table, marked with several scratches, and bare except for a simple bowl of fruit. I put down my bowl before grabbing us both utensils. Dinner is awkward and strange. The soup tastes like water, the silence feels like a funeral, and despite the kitten now curling around my heels, dinner reminds me that this is permanent. My appetite disappears. I stare at the mostly full bowl. Sensei, eating silently beside me, says nothing.

He stands when he finishes and rinses out his bowl, setting it in the sink.

I move to stand as well, but he stops me with a hand.

"Eat your dinner and stop playing around."

I frown into the bowl

"I'm not hungry."

"You haven't eaten since this morning," he says, rubbing his neck. "Your body is hungry whether you are or not. Now eat."

Yui-san wouldn't have cared.

The thought makes my stomach churn. I drink the broth obediently and it swirls dangerously in my stomach. I rinse my bowl and this time Sensei doesn't try to stop me. He motions me to his couch, and I curl up on the end. Sensei lifts Miska, now licking herself in the middle, and deposits her on my lap.

She lets out a little whine but settles down when I run my fingers through her fur.

Sensei takes a spot on the other end and sits cross-legged before sighing.

"House rules."

I nod and wait for him to continue, staring at the kitten now purring in my lap. There's a long pause, and part of me wonders if he's changed his mind about this whole thing. If maybe he'll take Yamada-sensei's advice, but then he continues.

"First, you will tell me when something is wrong."

I look up at such a strange rule, and he catches my eye.

"You have a habit of hiding your feelings and they end up exploding out via your quirk. While I can and will erase it if this happens, it's only rational to be preventive."

I nod at the logic, silent, and he sighs heavily.

"Second, as of now, you have no room. You'll sleep on the couch until we pick out furniture. Once the room is yours, you may do with it as you wish. However, you will respect your furniture and not throw any of it, break any of it, or slam doors."

I feel my eyes widen at his vehemence at the last bit. He waits for my nod before moving on.

"Bedtime is at nine-thirty every night. At that point your phone should be charging, your materials packed, and you should be ready for the next day. We will leave for school at 6:30 and breakfast will be at 6. Questions?"

"N-No sir," I say quietly, petting the kitten still purring in my lap. He nods.

"If you'd like to go somewhere after school with your friends, you will need to ask permission. Otherwise, you'll stay with me completing any homework until I finish grading papers. You will also carry your phone with you every day, and you will use said phone to communicate any complications. If for some reason, something happens, you are to call me immediately."

I nod.

"Good," he says nodding. Then he sighs and slumps on the couch. "I'll go get some blankets."

Because of... everything, I admit quietly that my pajamas are dirty. Sensei frowns at that but ultimately says nothing. Instead, he ends up disappearing into his own room and finding me one of his own extra-long, oversized shirts. It's black like almost all of his clothes, and incredibly comfortable. It hangs down to my knees, but also exposes my shoulder and neck. Sensei frowns when he sees the skin there, eyes following the scars on my chest.

He waits for me to lay on the couch, pulls the covers over me, and tucks them around my shoulders. I hold my flashlight under the cover, turning it on so the light glows under the sheets. He sits by my feet and frowns.

"What are you doing?" he asks, looking at the light.

I blink tiredly at him.

"I… I don't like the dark," I whisper. His eyebrows furrow.

"Are you afraid of the dark or your quirk activating in the night?"

"Both," I answer honestly, licking my lips.

He turns away and sighs.

"I see. Go to sleep."

Sensei stands, turns out the lights, and goes to his room. After a while, I close my eyes and sleep. I'm so tired I don't dream.

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Sensei is not a morning person. I suppose I had always known that but waking up on the couch with him thumping noisily in the kitchen is incredibly surreal. Still, in the time it takes him to make himself a pot of coffee, I manage to take a shower and dress. He frowns at me as he slurps from what looks more like a soup bowl than a coffee cup, looking like he slept in his hero costume. He stares at me oddly when he sees me as if confused why I'm there.

I pull awkwardly at my fingers and wonder what to do.

"Hoki," he manages, once the entire bowl is drained. "Ah. Are your things together?"

I nod and he refills a more portable looking cup.

"Good, there's cereal beneath the counter. We leave in twenty minutes."

I nervously fill my bowl and eat. It tastes like cardboard and sugar, but I swallow it all when he gives me a rather dour stare. We head to school after that. Sensei doesn't really talk. I don't know what to say, so instead, I spend the morning trying to match rhythm with his stride.

I'm the first one there.

I pull a book from my bag and read as Sensei flips on the lights and frowns in my direction.

"There's thirty minutes before we start, will you be alright alone?"

I nod without looking up. I suppose that was enough. He leaves and I try not to feel the oppressive quiet in the room.

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I'm barely five minutes into my book when 1A's door opens. I look up in surprise and blink at the purple-haired boy in the doorway.

"Hoki."

"Shinsou," I smile, putting away my book. He walks in looking around, hands stuffed in his pants. I rise to greet him. "What are you doing here so early?"

"Sensei told me to meet him," he says gruffly. My eyes widen and I can't help but smile. He wrinkles his nose in my direction, slouching tiredly forward. "You look better."

My smile dies, and I look down, pulling at my fingers.

"Yeah," I say, moving back to sit on top of a desk. Glasses would have a fit. "Thank you for saving me. I… I don't know what I would have done without you. You were a real hero."

Shinsou makes a sound in his throat, and I glance up.

"Don't be cheesy," he says looking away, his ears I notice hold a distinctive pink hue. "Besides, I only knew where to go 'cause you kept shouting street names. Damn villain didn't even notice. Idiot."

My smile feels more brittle.

"Yeah," I whisper.

"That was your home, wasn't it?" he asks. I nod and he sighs. "Damn. That sucks. You going to be okay?"

He sounds genuinely concerned.

"I… Yeah. I was supposed to be sent away. I… I would've had to give up my spot at UA. But… But, Aizawa-sensei signed my guardianship papers."

There's a silence. I peak up at him. He's staring. Mouth open, eyes wide, looking dumbfounded.

"W-W-What?" I ask shrinking.

"Nothing, I just… Wow, he really likes you, huh?"

I blush. I hadn't thought about it like that.

"I… I guess…"

He frowns and moves, bumping his shoulder against me.

"You… need a hug?" he asks. I smile, eyes watering.

"Yeah."

He leans sideways and squeezes.

Of course, that's when the door opens. I blink in surprise as Glasses of all people walks in. He's scratching his chin and muttering to himself. He pauses seeing us, and just sort of stops. Then his eyes narrow and I quickly push the other boy away as I hop off the desk.

It's too late.

"Hoki-chan!" he chides, racing forward. His arms move stiffly as he begins his rant, slapping his hand in emphasis and gesturing widely. "You know better than that! We can't sit on the desks! Think about our school's reputation! What would the upperclassmen think-"

As he starts lecturing, Shinsou blinks, glances at me, and raises an eyebrow.

I shrug.

"Are… Are you even listening? Hoki-chan, as our class representative-"

"I should probably go," Shinsou interrupts dryly. "This looks important."

"Wh-What? Oh, Shinsou-san, you're the guy that Midoriya fought, from the general studies, right? You don't have to-" Iida says, suddenly seeming to realize there's more than just us in the room. I scowl when Shinsou doesn't even turn around. He throws up a peace sign and slides open the door.

"Yeah, I'm good. Later Hoki."