Despite our conversation, the mornings aren't any less boring and the afternoons aren't any less frustrating, though I'm much more careful to smile at Shinsou. It's exhausting. I'm exhausted. And by Friday, I sprawl out on the couch not sure what to do.
"Is this you attempting to tell me something?" Sensei asks when I make a loud, huffing noise. "Because it typically works better when you say, 'Can I talk to you?'."
I flop over on my back and scowl at the ceiling.
"Sensei, I miss people."
He pauses whatever he's doing, could be anything since he just got out of the shower, and wanders over; hair still damp and wrapped in a towel. I'm supposed to cook now, that's what I've done all week. I should get up and get started, but I don't move.
"Do you?" he asks. He doesn't join me on the couch and I'm sure if I looked over, he'd be raising an eyebrow.
"Yes," I say, and it sounds more like a whine. I sigh again and groan and flop myself over again. I rest my chin on the side of the couch, my legs where my back should go, and dangle my arms against the floor. Miska, the traitor, comes by and rubs up against me, tail twitching on my nose. "I miss Mineta-kun and Explosive and Frog-chan."
Sensei snorts.
"I'm so tired of these walls," I grumble before blowing air as the kitten that turns for a second pass. She stills, ears twitching, and judges me harshly. "I hate summer."
"Fascinating," Sensei drawls, and I have the feeling its anything but. "You have a phone, Rin. You can call all of these people."
I turn and glower at him and he shakes his head, going to the fridge. I grimace when I see what he pulls out. Vegetables. I quickly roll over the couch and stand, hurrying to the kitchen before he gets too attached to the idea of cooking.
"I've got it," I say, washing my hands.
Sensei smirks.
"I don't know, Rin, you seem upset," he teases. "Perhaps it'd be best if I cooked tonight."
"But you don't use seasoning," I groan.
Sensei snorts.
"It's nutritional, that's all that matters."
"It's bland," I grunt, and the dark-haired man pulls out a cutting board and begins dicing the vegetables. "Are you really cooking? If I measure out the spices, can you add them?"
"No," he says, and I scowl at him. He completely ignores me. I grab a skillet, put the oil and seasonings in it, and stick it on the stove. Logically, he wouldn't want to waste ingredients, right?
He glances backward and smirks.
I wrinkle my nose at him.
"How's your back?" he asks instead, changing the subjects.
"Pale," I answer just to see what he'll do. His expression sours.
"Really? Does it hurt?" he asks more specifically.
"A little, but not as bad," I slump against the counter. After a moment I move to the sink and slump there so at least I can watch Sensei chop. "You asked me that this morning."
He looks unamused, though I don't know if that's at the conversation or me staring at him—which he's really not a fan of. You'd think as a teacher he wouldn't mind.
"It's nearly seven, Rin. Pain medicine doesn't usually last all day."
"Yeah, but it's just scratches."
"Did your previous caretakers know your quirk had this side-effect?"
"Yes, sir," I answer, and I frown when he glares at the carrots. "This is when I'm supposed to tell you, you look annoyed, right? Cause you look really annoyed. Do you need a break? I can bring you my bunny."
"No thank you," he says dryly, and I can't help but giggle. "I'm not annoyed at you."
I scratch my cheek, but he says nothing more.
Everyone's always known it scratched me. Even Mama. The first time it ever manifested we'd all been asleep, and Sora had told me some nightmarish story about boogie men that lived in the dark. I'd been terrified going to sleep, and when I'd woken it'd been there. Giant, black tentacles just like in the story. The whole house had been in an uproar, Daddy charging in and Mama screaming in the doorway.
Then they'd realized it was me.
Daddy had drunk a lot after that.
"Sensei, do you drink?" I ask curiously. He pauses, eyebrows furrowing.
"What?"
"Do you drink?" I ask miming a shot glass. His face darkens and I immediately stop. "Ah, sorry…"
"Not with you around," he says. I blink.
Huh?
"Why not?" I ask. He frowns.
"Multiple reasons. I have no idea what memories you associate with it, it impairs my thinking, and I'd rather not give you access to it at all."
"Oh," I scratch my cheek again, there's a pimple there. It's kind of painful. "I wouldn't drink it. It's gross. I… I might smell it though. It reminds me of Daddy. He liked the clear one, Vodka? It burns and makes me shiver. He used to like to watch the faces I'd make."
"I see," is all Sensei says.
Then he moves over and starts putting the vegetables in the skillet coated in seasonings.
"Mama didn't like it either," I decide to go on. "She said it tastes like horse piss."
"Don't use that phrase, it's not polite."
He doesn't sound upset, so I shrug.
"Okay." He says nothing and I sigh, bored. "I have three brothers."
"Do you?"
"Yeah. Ryu, Sora, and Kaito. Ryu's the oldest, he'd… he'd be twenty now. And Sora was closest to my age, he'd be seventeen now, his birthday is in July, but we never got along. He used to call me names and push me. Kaito was my favorite. He'd read me stories sometimes when everyone was busy, and he'd stop Sora from picking on me." I smile fondly before sighing. "They all hate me now though…"
"Oh?"
I look oddly at Sensei's back. He doesn't turn around, still moving the vegetables around.
"It was my fault we got taken away."
"Was it?" he asks, and he still doesn't look at me as he opens the fridge, pulling out a container of left-over chicken. I wince when he adds it straight to the pan.
"Yeah. We couldn't pay the bills."
"How old were you?"
"Nine? Ten?"
"Fascinating, I didn't know ten-year-olds were required to pay bills." I scowl at him and reach forward, wrapping my arms around his middle. He grunts but doesn't remove them.
"That's not what I meant," I mumble into his back. "Daddy said it was my job to help. But… But once they arrested him, we couldn't get enough."
"And so you were removed?"
"No…" I trail off remembering those Winter nights, so cold my breath would cloud the air. It was hard to sleep hungry, head aching and dizzy. "We ran out of food first."
He stiffens.
"So Mama sold our stuff, but it wasn't enough, so they cut off the gas."
He clicks off the eye and moves the skillet. Then he turns, I let go, but his hand is in my hair, running over my head and I return, this time to his chest. I can feel his breath, smell his detergent. The fabric of his shirt soft against my cheek. He always wears such soft clothes.
"That sounds scary," he says quietly.
I shrug.
"A little. They were mad at me," I answer quietly. "When we'd go to bed Ryu would glare and Sora would say mean things and Kaito stopped telling them off. And we had to take cold baths."
Sensei makes a humming noise.
"Then we lost power."
His face darkens.
"This went on that long?" he asks, fingers tightening in my hair.
"Daddy was arrested in November. The gray suits came in February."
"None of that was your fault," Sensei says flatly. I don't want to argue, so I say nothing. He seems to realize this too because he goes on. "Do you remember when we talked about abuse and I told you there were multiple reasons a child could be removed from a home? Neglect, abandonment, and exploitation?"
I stiffen.
"Y-Yes."
"Using a ten-year-old to rob a gas station is child exploitation. Forcing a child to do anything for the profit of another is exploitation, especially if to the detriment of the child. How often did she have you rob these places?"
"I… I don't remember," I admit quietly. "We did it every month. I… I think I was four or five when it started?"
Sensei says nothing for a long moment, and I look up to try and catch his expression. I immediately wish I hadn't. He looks nauseous. I flinch, but he just pulls me back.
"Thank you for telling me," he says.
"Are you upset?" I ask staring at the bottom of his chin. I can see him swallow.
"Yes, though, again, not at you."
"I didn't mean to make you upset," I tell him. "I'm sorry."
"Rin," he releases me and squats so we're eye-level. "You didn't make me upset. I'm sad that your parents hurt you, and angry that it's been going on since you were five. You're fifteen and as far as I can tell, you've spent the last ten years suffering because of irresponsible adults. You're not the one that needs to be apologizing. That isn't what childhood is supposed to look like."
I frown.
"I… It's not that bad," I whisper.
"And how is that?"
"'Cause I have you," I tell him, smiling a little shyly. I lean forward and wrap my arms around his neck, tilting my forehead so it touches the top of his. "You make everything better."
He scowls and I giggle.
Then I kiss his nose.
He stands abruptly and I squeal as I'm pulled with him.
"Go wash your hands, it's time for dinner."
.
.
.
Saturday, unlike normal, Sensei rises at 9. I stare at him oddly as he shuffles his way into the kitchen looking more like a zombie than man. He puts on the coffee, stands there, and nearly dozes off again.
I leave the couch, where I'd been quietly daydreaming about what it'd be like to be a pirate. And when I arrive in the kitchen, I grin noticing his mouth's slightly open.
"Sensei?" I whisper, poking him. He grunts and opens one eye. "What are you doing?"
"Coffee."
"Why don't you sit on the couch and I'll bring it to you?"
"No."
I smile and he groans, rubbing his face.
"Why are you up?" I ask, trying again.
"Nemuri is coming."
"When?"
"9:30."
I blink, look at the clock on the microwave, and then frown back at him.
"Sensei, that's in 15 minutes."
He stares and I can hear the words he's too lazy to mumble out. Obviously.
"Why's she coming?" I ask instead.
"Can you not wait for the coffee?" he asks, voice low and graveled.
"No," I huff. "You said we're supposed to get eight hours of sleep and Midnight-sensei is interrupting that. She should come by later. It's not healthy."
Sensei scowls.
I flush and grab his favorite coffee bowl from the cabinet. The coffee isn't finished, but he pours it into the bowl anyways.
"I asked her to bring some books for you," he says after a long sip of the scalding liquid. He moves to his chair and I follow, not really sure what to do with this strange change in schedule. "This was the best time for her."
"Books? For me?" I ask, curious. "About what?"
"Self-esteem," he says, returning to the coffee. I wait impatiently as he drains the black liquid. "She picked them up a few weeks ago but keeps forgetting to bring them by. She's also been out of town since school ended."
I frown taking in Sensei's crumpled dark clothes.
"Shouldn't you change?" I ask. His lips thin. "You slept in that."
"Stop nagging," he says flatly.
"I'm not nagging!"
He stares and I flush.
"Fine," I huff crossing my arms. "I'm going back to the couch."
He says nothing
I lay across the cushions and grumble into the couch, annoyed.
"Wasn't nagging."
.
.
.
Midnight-Sensei is late. I can tell it annoys Sensei as his eye keeps twitching and his lips thin. I have nothing to say to him though, since I'm a nag. I also don't move when he tries to sit down. Instead, I sprawl myself out and huff.
He raises an eyebrow.
"Are you pouting?"
I don't answer.
"Move your legs."
I hum and pretend he doesn't exist.
"Rin," he says dangerously. "Follow directions."
I bend my knees and put the legs back.
"Look Miska, I moved my legs."
"You're being childish."
"Well… well you're cranky."
"It's too early for this," he snaps and picks up my legs. He sits and I squirm to the other side of the couch, glowering. "If you didn't want to be moved you should have done what I asked."
"You didn't ask anything," I scoff at him.
He groans.
"Where the hell is Nemuri?"
I consider going to my room but decide not to. I was here first, he should leave. So instead I start humming, I pick the most obnoxious tunes I can think of. Sensei's eye twitches, his eyebrow twitches, and his scowl becomes more pronounced.
"Please stop humming," he grits out, glaring. Midnight's about 20 minutes late and he's already pulled out his phone.
"No, thank you."
"Then go to your room," he says flatly.
"Whatever," I mumble under my breath. He freezes, and before I can rise from the couch, he has my ankle. With a sudden tug, I slide across the couch, my shirt rising up. "Hey!"
"What did you just say?" he snaps, and his eyes are narrow.
I cross my arms and glare.
"I said, whatever."
"What is your problem? It's not even ten in the morning. It's too early for this nonsense." My lips thin and I breathe deeply, hurt. He seems to realize this too and sighs, but he doesn't release my ankle. "What could you possibly be upset about now?"
"Why don't you stop nagging me?" I growl. He looks exasperated.
"You're-" he cuts himself off and glares when a knock finally sounds on the door. He drops my leg, crosses the room in quick, long strides, and snatches open the door.
"Oh, hey Shouta!" Midnight says on the other side. "Sorry I'm late-"
"Just take her and go," he scowls. "I'm going back to sleep."
Then he stomps off, closing his door to his room.
Midnight blinks in the doorway, head tilting as she stares at the now closed door. Then she looks at me and raises an eyebrow.
"Did I miss something?"
"No," I huff and cross my arms. Midnight closes the door behind her, a pile of books in hand, and sets them on the table before coming to take Sensei's spot. I hurriedly pull myself upright, feeling weird at the way she's so instantly comfortable.
"Looks like the two of you were having an argument, what's going on?"
"He says I'm moody," I grunt, glaring.
"Are you?" Midnight asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Probably," I admit sighing. I slump forward. "I don't mean to be, it just keeps happening."
"I could see that," Midnight says smiling brightly and I glance at her in surprise.
"You… you could?"
"Well, yeah! You're finally relaxing," the woman says laughing. "And you're a teenager. I think it's a general law that teenagers are required to be moody. So what do you say we get out of here and you can spend the day with me?"
My eyes water.
"Really?" I whisper, hope bubbling up in my chest. Something, anything besides these walls.
She blinks, startled.
"Uh, yeah?"
I can't help myself. My skin bursts into a bright glow, wings explode from my back, and I wrap my arms around the woman's neck. She makes a little noise but then giggles, hands on my wings.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
"Alright, alright!" she laughs, patting my back. "When they said you could make wings, I had no idea they'd be this pretty. But, seriously, put them away for now and go get ready. We can go shopping or walk around the park or something."
.
.
.
Despite not being particularly fond of people or large crowds, I can't help but grin and glow with excitement to see someone, anyone, other than Sensei and Shinsou. It isn't like I don't like both of them, but the change is so nice. I skip and dance and chase a pair of geese and grin when Midnight calls me back.
"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you this excited," Midnight says, long dark hair swishing as she walks. She tilts her head, amused. "It's just the park."
"It's different," I say, looking at everything. Someone sells ice cream by the lake, an old woman sits on the bench, and several couples walk hand-in-hand through the trees.
"What do you mean by that?" she asks, and I don't look at her, instead watching a child with a red balloon tied around his wrist jump up and down.
"Sensei won't let me leave 'cause the villains weren't caught and… and Asp-" I cut off and grimace. Midnight makes a noise of understanding and rests her hand against my shoulder.
"Ah, so you've been stuck in that tiny little apartment all week?" she asks.
"Yes!" I groan. "Sensei works all night, so I try to be quiet until he wakes up, but there's nothing to do and I train in the afternoons, but it's always awful because I'm horrible at controlling my quirk. And it's only him and Shinsou, and I like them both, but I'm so tired of just seeing them. And I wish school wasn't over because I miss my classmates, but they aren't here and I can't see them cause I can't leave. And- And- And-"
Midnight laughs and leans across my shoulders as I pause for a breath. Her large chest presses against my back and it's weird and I wrinkle my nose.
"Rin-chan! That's awful!"
I flush, covering my face.
She laughs harder, pulling me close and I think she's purposely putting her chest against my face and—why is she so embarrassing?
"Midnight-Sensei!"
"Ah, ah, ah!" she tisks. "Auntie or Nemuri. None of this Sensei business outside of school. I'm your godmother, baby girl."
I blush harder and push the crazy woman away.
"I don't know what that means," I mumble, lips pursed as I try to control the redness in my face.
"It means when you're sick of Shouta and his man-ways, you need to call me! Or text if that's easier! If I'd known you were feeling stir-crazy, I'd have helped. Or at least I'd have sent Hizashi to you, since I was out of town, or someone else. Girl, no wonder you're moody!"
"I… you would?"
She leans forward and bops my nose.
"Absolutely."
My skin brightens and she grins.
"There's a cute little boutique over here and I think we should get some bathing suits! I'm going to the beach for a few days, and I need a new bikini!"
"The beach?" I ask, curious in spite of myself.
"Oh yeah! I love it, the waves, the sand, the sexy men buying me drinks. Girl, the beach is amazing. Have you ever been?"
"Oh, uh, no," I answer quietly. "I've read about them though and seen pictures. They're pretty."
"Oh?" she says, but she sounds distracted. I look over, surprised to find her on her phone. I shrug and pull her out of the way of a passing couple and she types and walks. The boutique she leads me to is small but brightly decorated, and thankfully cool.
"Welcome!"
I flinch automatically at the welcome, but Midnight doesn't seem to notice. Instead, she mumbles out a greeting, sends another text, and finally puts away her phone. Looking around, she takes in the room before dragging me over to the swim section. Or what I assume is the swim section, though it looks more like brightly colored underwear.
"Mid-Auntie?" I ask, the word weird on my tongue.
She grins and hands me two outfits.
"Which color do you like better?"
I point to the purple, not at all interested in the bright yellow thing in her hands. She grins, starts shuffling through a rack, and I just kind of stare. When she realizes I have no idea what to do she pauses and shakes her head, smirking.
"Okay, shopping 1-0-1," she says, wagging a finger in my face. "No standing around staring. You gotta go through the clothes and look for something. Pick a section and look for colors you like or something that you think might be flattering. Remember though, the hanger's flat, so if you're not sure, grab it because sometimes things look better on people than they do hung up."
I nod and quickly do as she says.
"Grab at least five things," she offers, moving on to another rack. She's fast, her arms already full of at least three different outfits. "Also, be mindful of the sizes, but remember they change depending on the store and brand, so it's sometimes a good idea to hold it up to you too."
It takes about fifteen minutes but eventually I find five hangers and she steers me to the changing room in the back. Unlike with Yamada-sensei, she doesn't wait to talk to people. She opens a larger room, pushes me into the stall, and follows behind me. She shuts and locks the door, before immediately stripping.
I blink, surprised at her sudden nudity, but then shrug and do the same.
She giggles.
"You know, I thought this part would embarrass you," she says, pulling on a bathing suit that looks to be made of more string then fabric. I'm not really sure how she knows what goes where, there isn't even room for a tag.
"Why?" I ask, trying on the purple one. It looks and feels like underwear, except in a different texture and with less padding. I can see my nipples through the bra thing and the bottoms are too tight, digging into my skin.
"I suppose I expected you to get all shy with how quiet you can be," Midnight says, pursing her lips. "Hmm, those bottoms are no good. But I like the top. What do you think?"
She strikes a pose on the doorway, one leg crossing the other and both arms rising to the top of the stall in a v-shape. It lifts her chest and exposes the thick scarlet strips of fabric that crisscross under her breasts. She looks like someone wrapped her in strings.
Miska would adore it.
"It's very stringy?" I answer, not really sure what kind of answer she wants.
"Does it make me look hot, cute, skanky? If you saw me walking by, what would your first thought be?"
I try to imagine her walking through the park.
"I'd probably wonder if you lost your clothes," I admit and she snorts, putting her arms down.
"The answer is sexy as hell," the woman says grinning, already pulling off the outfit to try on another. "Red makes you look confident, but I go for the darker colors to match my complexion. I have a cooler skin tone. I also leave my stomach open because I have abs, which you do too, and I want to show them. These things take work to make and keep and it shows you're strong, athletic. As for the top, this one fits me well because I have a large chest, it barely covers the skin, but the straps keep it from looking too revealing, not that I personally care if it's too revealing. But it wouldn't look so great on you because you have nothing to really show off up there, so you'll want to pull attention to other parts, your best parts."
I pause from pulling the third bathing suit on, it's a one-piece with large chunks of fabric cut out from it. Midnight had suggested it.
"Best parts?" I ask, curious.
She smirks, clipping on a black swimsuit. It looks like someone pulled some stretchy panties too far though, and it clings tightly to everything with a large hole at her stomach. The back is little more than a string.
"What do you like best about yourself, physically?"
"I don't know," I say, looking at her oddly.
"Hmm," she says, raising an eyebrow. "There's nothing about your body you really enjoy? Maybe the fact that you're a little short, so you come off as dainty? Or the fact that you have strong arms and legs? You've barely got any fat on you, a lot of girls would kill for that. And your hair is super straight, though it could use a new haircut. Or maybe the fact that you have a cute face?"
My face burns.
"I… what?"
"A very cute face," the woman says laughing and she reaches forward squeezing my cheeks. It's the first time she's touched me since we entered the changing room and I quickly shake her off, embarrassed. "This one looks okay, I think the black looks better on you then the colors, but the cut isn't great. Try that black strappy two-piece next, that's probably the keeper."
I do as she says and she moves to strip off her outfit before pausing.
"Oh, almost forgot, what do you think?"
I grimace.
She laughs.
"Yeah, just checking. It's horrid, but I needed to check you'd tell me. You gotta be careful with some people because they'll lie and say you look great to keep from hurting your feelings."
I pause and glance her way.
"Would that hurt your feelings?" I ask, suddenly concerned.
"No," she says laughing. "I've got enough confidence I'm comfortable walking out of here naked. I love my body and I'll make anything I put on it look good, even if I could choose things that make it look better."
"Oh," I say, blinking. "You'd really go out naked?"
"I'll restrain myself today," the woman says smirking. "Only because there are laws against that sort of thing nowadays. And Shouta might get fussy at me for corrupting you."
I pout but finish changing into the black strappy outfit she suggested.
She grins.
"That's the one," she says adjusting a few of the strands that had gotten twisted. Then she pulls out my braid and scatters my hair.
"Hey!"
"Just give me a sec," she huffs and starts pushing my hair messily across my head. Then she turns me and unlocks the door. Still dressed in her horrible outfit, she struts out and pulls me in front of the mirror. The girl that stares back looks as unfamiliar as usual.
Dark hair windswept and messy, dark eyes behind dark lashes, and tanned, glowing skin. She looks pretty if you ignore the acne, the cracked scar on her arms, the red craters across her upper torso, and the three claw-like gouges on her arm. The black fabric, crisscrossed in thick strips against her chest and hips makes her look softer, wrapping around slight curves I've never noticed.
I stare.
"You look beautiful," she says, and I frown at her.
"Thank you," I respond politely, but for some reason her words repeat in my head.
You gotta be careful with some people because they'll lie and say you look great to keep from hurting your feelings.
"You want to get it?" she asks, catching the frown but not commenting. She tries on the rest of her outfits, but only keeps the red one she put on first. I change back into my shorts and T-shirt.
"I didn't bring any money, and Sensei didn't offer his card," I say shrugging.
"I didn't ask you that," she says pursing her lips. "As Godmother I get to spoil you too, you know."
My eyebrows furrow.
"Spoil me?" I ask, confused. She taps her chin and purses her lips. Why?
"How to explain this one?" she hums, grabbing the black bathing suit. "Shouta and Hizashi are two of my best friends. I love them like I would two annoying, ridiculous brothers. I would do anything for them, and they care deeply for you. I don't think I've ever seen Shouta act as soft as he does with you, or Hizashi be as careful and quiet. They adore you and I want to see why. So, while we might not have as close of a relationship, I want to do unnecessary things to make you smile too."
I blush.
Her smile is more genuine, and she reaches forward, dragging me close.
"They… they do?" I whisper.
"Yes," she says, squeezing. When she pulls back, she smiles. "Now, there's a shoe store down the street and I wanted to look at some new heels. You ready?"
.
.
.
By the time we finally return home, I'm exhausted.
Not physically, keeping up with Midnight isn't that difficult despite the fact that she often gets lost in her text messages and I end up having to steer her out of incoming traffic. But mainly because she talks, a lot. She isn't like Aizawa-sensei who only likes conversations in short bursts, or Yamada-sensei who loves to talk, but can carry a conversation by himself. Midnight wants replies. She wants me to share my thoughts on everything, whether I think anything of it or not. It doesn't matter that it's a pair of shoes, she wants to know how they look—like some shoes? She drags me to a mannequin and wants to know if I like the outfit it's wearing—I guess? And then she makes me practice certain responses like greeting people when we walk in stores, talking to cashiers when we check out, and she'll just randomly start up conversations with anyone.
It's so embarrassing.
Especially when they start calling me her daughter and she doesn't correct them.
When we return, I put up my purchases, a dress, some shoes, and the black bathing suit, and, for a moment, just collapse on my bed. Midnight, somewhere in the kitchen, talks to Sensei.
As tired as I've been of this place, returning back to it is relieving.
"So what do you think?" Midnight asks when I finally drag myself off my bed and return to the kitchen. She's posing yet again, only this time against the counter, so her chest is fully exposed and her back arched.
"I don't know," he says, scratching the hair on his chin. It's shorter I notice and I wonder if he shaved. "That's four days and she hasn't made any progress with her quirk. With this rise in villainous activity, and the fact that she's been targeted twice, three times if you want to include the incident at the mall, she needs more focus on her training."
I pause and his eyes move to me. He frowns.
I wonder if he's still upset about this morning?
I grimace, I should probably apologize. Maybe after Midnight leaves?
"Rin."
Midnight turns her head and grins at me but doesn't change her pose. Sensei gives her a sour look that she ignores.
"Are you talking about me?" I ask instead.
"Yes," Sensei says shortly. "Go to your room."
I don't, furrowing my eyebrows.
"But if you're talking about me, shouldn't I get to hear it?"
"No," he says, and I blink at the firmness in his voice. "When adults are having a conversation, you are not automatically invited even if you are the current subject. You can take Miska with you."
I shrink and pout petulantly at him.
He meets my stare and raises an eyebrow. Midnight laughs and he narrows his eyes.
"Don't start."
"I didn't say anything!" she laughs, but she moves then, dropping her pose and closing the space between them. She pokes him in the chest. "You're such a strict Daddy."
I don't know that my head has ever turned so fast. I stare, wide-eyed at the woman's figure pressed so close to Sensei, and stare as his eyebrow twitches.
"You aren't helping your case," he says flatly not moving and I can see his jaw tightening. When his eyes move past Midnight to me, I squeak and hurriedly grab Miska. The kitten makes an annoyed noise as I take her and a toy to my room. "Shut the door."
I scowl but do so.
I set down at the sleepy kitten and quietly lean against the door, pressing my ear to the wood.
"She's listening at the door," Midnight giggles.
"Probably," Sensei says, and I can hear the annoyance in his voice.
"How about this then?" Midnight says and I can hear her voice lowering and slowly moving away. "Looking rationally at what's going on, you know her quirk is emotional manifestation. You also know that the shadows she relies on are fear-based. Have you considered this isn't a behavioral issue but a cognitive one? We both know she's socially and emotionally immature, the social one can be chalked up to a lack of exposure. But emotionally? I mean, clearly the trauma played a part, but what if it's an executive functioning issue?"
There's a long pause and I consider the strange words.
What's executive functioning? And cognitive? Do they think I'm stupid?
I frown at the kitten. She yawns and stretches out on my floor.
"She has no control of her positive emotions either," Midnight continues. "I get the logic of having her control the negative ones first since they're so destructive and what she automatically calls on, but I'm wondering if so much focus on such negative emotions isn't part of the problem."
Whatever he says next is lost as music begins playing, drowning out their words.
I scowl and move away from the door, slumping across the floor with Miska. Nearly twenty minutes later, I'm half-asleep when someone knocks.
"Rin-chan?"
I rub my eyes tiredly and blink up at the busty woman now leaning over me.
"Midnight?"
"Auntie," she corrects softly, kneeling on the floor. "Wake up sleepyhead, we want to talk to you in the living room."
I sniff and pick myself up, slowly rising to my feet. She takes my hand and pulls me along behind her before pushing me to the couch. Aizawa-sensei is already there, his dark hair down, face set in a bored, neutral expression, legs crossed. I immediately scoot beside him, leaning into his warmth.
Midnight makes a noise and sits on my other side.
"How cute!" she whispers.
Sensei grunts.
"Sit up," he says flatly. I pout but do as he says, yawning and covering my mouth.
"'Scuse me."
His lip twitches.
I take a long, deep breath and roll my head on my neck.
"Sensei?"
"Nemuri and Hizashi have invited you to go to the beach."
I blink and it takes me a long moment to process his words.
Why?
"What about you?" I ask, frowning. I rub my eyes and try to concentrate.
"I have commitments here. Beyond the fact that I have patrols, Shinsou will require the full two weeks before training camp to understand the basics of the weapon well enough to practice alone. I also need to meet with Vlad to go over information for our homerooms. So I will not be attending."
"But you said I need to train to…" Still tired, I mumble out something about immature. He immediately scowls and I realize I just admitted to hearing the first part of their conversation. I wince. "Ah…"
"When I send you to your room, I expect you to follow not only the letter but intent of those directions," Sensei says flatly. I cringe. "Yes, you need to train. However, Nemuri believes increasing your positive memories would allow you more control over your negative emotions."
"Oh." Midnight snickers and leans over, draping her arm around my shoulder. I look her way and she grins.
"Do you want to come?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Perfect! We're leaving Monday and we'll head back Thursday afternoon!"