Chapter 12: Trust.
"Sooooooo, any idea what this is about Mineta-kun?" Izuku chirped as he and Minoru both walked to All Might's office.
"Your guess is about as good as mine dude." The small boy through his hands behind his head. "I got no friggin idea."
"I see, well I'm sure we're in no kinda trouble." Izuku said.
"I could see me being trouble, but you? Naw. You seem like the boy scout type." Minoru looked up to him.
"Right, I'm just going to take that as a compliment." Izuku frowned a bit.
"I meant you're the kind of dude that follows the rules. Ya know?" Minoru smirked.
"Oh, yeah...hehehe. That's me alright!" He smiled nervously.
The two young boys soon reached All Might's office and entered.
"Excuse me? All Might sir?" Izuku called out.
"Yoooo All Boss. Wassup?" Minoru chirped.
"Hahahahaha! Young Mineta and Midoriya! Come in! Come in!" All Might gave a warm welcome.
"Hehehe, happy to see you in better spirits then when we first met All Might." Izuku smiled walking in.
"You two met before?" Minoru asked as he followed.
"Yes we did young Mineta. It wasn't the best encounter but today. I plan to make up for it." All Might smiled.
This made Izuku smile very warmly.
"I called you both here to congratulate you both and to tell you young Midoriya..." All Might then bowed his head.
"I am sorry." All Might said in a regretful voice.
"Sorry? For what?" Izuku tilted his head.
"For what I said to you that day. About whether or not you could become a hero even if you were quirkless. I told you to be more realistic. I apologize for that. Anyone should be able to become a hero if they try and I know you WILL be an amazing hero and amazing job out there. I am sorry young man."
"Thank you sir...thank you so much." Izuku wiped his eyes.
"Wow, talk about touching." Minoru smiled.
"Thank you for accepting my apology young Midoryia. Now for you young Mineta. I'm very proud of your progress! Not only that your new found self restraint! I haven't heard a single complaint about you yet!" The large man smiled widely.
"Heh, thanks All Boss. Though I will admit. Hasn't been easy." Minoru smirked rather nervously.
"Hmm? Are you some kinda trouble maker Mineta-kun?" The green haired boy raised an eyebrow.
"Well kinda. I'll explain it to you later. Let's not spoil the moment with that baggage." Minoru rubbed the back of his neck. "Trust me. We'd be here AAAAAALL friggin day and a half."
"Hahahaha, alright if you say so." Izuku patted his back.
"Midoriya you have a strong and powerful quirk and I know you'll use it to make a brighter future. Walk tall and proud." Said All Might.
"Also you two seem to be good friends."
"Oh well we did help each other out at the entrance exams and well we just seem to get along." Izuku said looking toward Minoru.
"Yeah, he just has that easy friend aura to him." Minoru smiled to him. "It just draws people to him."
"Hahaha, indeed. A hero should feel friendly and approachable. You two should continue to be friends. I'm certain you two can help each push forward and lift each other up when things get rough." All Might said.
"That was already kinda the plan we made on day one." Minoru nudged Izuku with his elbow.
"Yes, we actually made a vow to watch each others backs on the first day." Izuku confirmed.
"Very good! You two sure don't waste time!" All Might cheered.
"Oh trust me, I've had enough of that." Minoru looked down a bit smiling sadly.
Izuku placed a hand on his shoulder gaining the smaller boy's attention. Izuku smiled warmly at Minoru, causing Minoru to smile back as warmly as well.
"Work hard you both. Those bright futures you dream of just might be yours!" All Might gave them both a good pat on the back. "Now then. I'd like to ask Minoru. Your techniques are rather interesting. The one where you bounced around the room at high speed. Where did you get that idea?" All Might pondered.
"That? I got it from an idea I had with my sticky balls a while back. I had this idea where I could place my sticky balls all around a room and bounce from one to another like a pin ball. I did it ONCE then never again, cause well. I'd pretty much never have a chance to set that up in an actually battle soooo yeah."
"However my new latent has made a lot of things that were impossible for me possible." He crossed his arms. "So I though of the same thing, just with my new found speed and well. Boom. It worked." He laughed bashfully.
"Hahahaha! Now that's pretty funny." Izuku cackled as well as All Might.
"Well as the saying goes. You never know unless you try." Said All Might.
They three all shared a laugh together and soon after said their goodbyes. As the two boys left, All Might couldn't help but smile. The future had never looked brighter.
"Wooo, well that sure was a fun huh Izu-bud?" Minoru said to the green haired bot as they walked down the hall.
"Yeah it really was, glad we did it."
"Same here now then. Wanna go grab some food? Hang? Train? Or all of the above?" Minoru asked.
"Hmmm. I'm fine with whatever." Izuku replied.
"Rad! Okay how about we hit the ramen shop, then the arcade?"
"That sounds neat, let's go!" Izuku smiled.
As the two chatted and made their way out the school, they spot two girls talking with each other. Upon closer approach...they see it's Reiko and Setsuna.
"Dude. It's those cuties from the first day.~" Minoru nudged the boy with his elbow winking.
"Mineta-kun." Izuku gave a stern look.
"Whaaat? C'mon dude. You know we gotta talk to em again. We got their attention from the first time." Minoru looked to him.
"What? Really?" Izuku tilted his head.
"Duh man! The green curly haired one seemed to like you a lot and I THINK the sliver haired one took a shine to me. I think. Either man look. They're curious about us now. Now we indulge that curiosity We play it right, they'll be interested in us and if we play our cards right. BOOM. We've got ourselves some girlfriends!" Minoru smirked.
"Mineta-kun, listen to me. I will have no part in this, if this is some kinda game your playing. Someone's feelings are not to be treated like sport." Izuku crossed his arms.
"What? No dude, agh listen. Sorry if that sounded bad okay? I mean just. Let's keep talking to them. Get to know each other and become friends and maybe. IF things get a bit more intimate then hey. That's pretty rad." Minoru explained carefully.
Izuku stayed silent for a few moments but then sighed.
"Okay, okay. I understand what your saying. We just to get to know them better and if things just so happen to get romantic then it's a nice little bonus. Yes?"
"Yeah man, totally."
"Alright, very well. Let's do this..." Izuku gulped.
"I'm not that good with flirty girls like Togake-san...or well girls in general. Before you say it, yes I have talked to Uraraka-chan but it's a bit shaky." Rubbed his arm nervously.
"Just take it easy man. Just, I dunno. Image her as someone you know. Maybe that'll work." Minoru shrugged.
"Okay I'll try that."
Minoru nodded and smiled. They then both walked up to the two girls conversation.
"Ahem. Ladies.~" Minoru chirped.
"Hm?" Setsuna turned her head and Reiko did as well. "Heh, well, well. Lookie here! Broccoli boy and Grape boy again!~" Setsuna smirked.
"Salutations." Reiko greeted still with an expressionless face and monotone voice.
"Heya you two. Wassup?" Minoru smiled.
"Ah, nothin much. Me and Spooky here were just talking about what we think of our classmates thus far." Setsuna placed her hands on her hands on her hips with an ear to ear sharp tooth grin.
"They are quite the lively and unorthodox rabble of people. However that makes them quite fascinating." Reiko said.
"The one's we like thus far is a blonde girl with horns named Pony, girl with orange in a pony tail named Itsuka." Setsuna added.
"We're still getting use to the others. It will take a substantial bit of time to do so for all of them. However the task is not an impossibility. I look forward to seeing where these strings of fate will lead."
"Shall they bind us together or lead us down different branching path in this unfinished quilt that is our destinies?" Reiko spoke.
Izuku and Minoru just looked very suprised. She had such a way with words.
"Hahahaha!~ She got a fancy way of talking and I gotta say I love it already!~" Setsuna chuckled.
"That she does." Izuku said in amazement.
"Jeez, talking to her would never get boring. That's for true." Minoru added.
"Do you mean these words?" Reiko asked Minoru.
"Huh?" Minoru was caught off guard.
"You said speaking to me would never be boring. Do you mean these words?" She stared into his eyes with a calm gaze.
Minoru gulped and nodded his head slowly.
"Yeah...I mean it. I mean how could I not? You have such a cool way of talking! I'd listen to you for hours and stuff!" Minoru tried his best to go with the flow.
"I see. I express sincere gratitude for your gracious words." She wait with a small smile.
This really surprised Minoru. Did he actually say the right thing for once?
"Woaaaaaah. He got her to smile!~ Nice Grape boy!~" Setsuna congratulated him.
"Hehehe, no problem." Minoru laughed nervously. Again. This was new for him.
"Heya Hair Twin. What's shakin bacon?" Setsuna winked at Izuku.
"U-Uh, n-nothing's shaking. Well I mean, just getting used to this school I guess is what's um...shaking." Izuku tried so hard to keep it together.
"Hahaha! Still so cute.~"
"T-Thank you. You're cute too..." Izuku said with a blush.
"Awww, thanks buddy.~" Setsuna coed.
"Just telling the truth." His calmed down just a bit.
"( There ya go dude! You're doing it! )"
"Well an undeniable truth it is." She stroked her ego.
"I like you Midoriya-kun. We should totally hang sometime." Setsuna smiled.
"I would like to see more of you Mineta-kun. You have this curious aura to you." Reiko said with her expressionless face back.
"R-Really?!" Izuku was taken back.
"We'd LOVE to! How does this weekend sound?" Minoru smirked.
"Hmmm. I'm free. You Reiko-chan?"
"I do not believe I have any activities scheduled for this weekend."
"Then it's a date!" Minoru chirped.
"DATE?!" Izuku screamed with his face a blushing mess.
"You know what? Eff it!~ Sure!" Setsuna pumped her fist.
"I do not believe I have ever embarked on a date before. I will not deny. My expectations are rather high. Which is rare." Reiko spoke with a small glimmer of excitement in her eyes.
"Awesome!" Said Minoru.
"Wait, hold up..." Izuku tried to interject. "( Is anyone even listening to me?! )"
"Alright see ya boys!~ I'm out!~" Setsuna flashed a peace sign and skipped off.
Reiko only waved goodbye and walked off as well.
"( Right. They're not. )" Izuku face palmed mentally.
"Duuuude we just scored dates!~"
"I-I-I, you...agh...You are impossible." Izuku hung his head.
"Ah, don't sweat it dude. You've got some time to prepare and I'll help ya too." Minoru crossed his arms smiling arrogantly.
"For some reason I feel like taking dating advice from you, isn't very wise." Izuku lifted his head with a raised eyebrow.
Minoru's smile faded quickly.
"Yeah, can't really say you're wrong there." He agreed cringing. "I may need to ask for advice myself." He rubbed the back of his head.
"Us both. Oh wow that happened so fast. My heart is pounding." Izuku held his chest.
"Sorry about that dude. Was kinda in the moment." Minoru apologized.
"I-It's okay, I mean hey. I just got my first date!" Izuku smiled trying to look on the brighter side of things.
"Me too! I've taken my first step out of loserdom!~" Said Minoru.
"Loserdom? Oh. Mineta-kun please don't say that. You're not a los-
"I am Izuku." Minoru looked away with his tone dropping.
Izuku was surprised by him using his first name and was also off put by his somewhat depressed tone.
"I am a loser...because I chose to be one." Minoru turned away fully. "I've been given a chance to finally remove that label I put on myself."
"Until I do so. I'm still a loser. A journey isn't finished in a few steps." His fist clenched. "I've only take baby steps. I've got a Hell of a long way to go from here." He looked down.
Izuku remained silent. This scene before him hit hard. In ways, he saw himself in the way Minoru was presenting himself right now. Izuku had thought he was a loser and was always destined to be one. He put himself down for so long thinking he'd never be any good but still held onto a fleeing hope.
A hope he could rise above his circumstances. Eventually that day came and he couldn't be happier. However. Minoru here has great skill and power and yet. He still feels miserable. Confused and saddened Izuku did the only thing he could think off.
Without warning. Izuku knelt down and embraced Minoru from behind.
Minoru's eyes widened at this. Was Izuku hugging him? Why? So many thoughts passed through his head but, he did not stop Izuku. He simply let it be. For some odd reason, he wanted this to last a bit longer.
"Okay if that's what you believe. Then fine but, your not alone and I'll be here to help you." Izuku spoke in a soft and supporting tone.
Minoru remained silent and a faint warmth came from his heart. Minoru slowly brought up one hand and placed it on one of Izuku's arms.
"Thank you Izuku." He tightened his hand. "Thank you." He closed his eyes.
"It's in my nature." He smiled.
After a few seconds Izuku released Minoru. Minoru then turned to smile at Izuku.
"Sorry I killed the mood with that gloomy crap." Minoru said.
"It's called being human. We all have our inner demons but, that does not make us less." Izuku reassured.
"Hehehe, man I swear you're some kinda guru or something." Minoru smirked.
"I'm not. I just speak from experience." Izuku smiled too.
"Well you must have been through a lot."
"Oh you have no idea, however let's not get into that. Heh, we'd be here for a couple of days.~" Izuku joked.
"Hahahaha! Yeah screw that noise!~" Minoru laughed. "Thanks again man. Really. Now let's go get us some food!"
"Yes, I'm really hungry after today." Izuku rubbed his growling stomach.
"Well I'd bet using all those quirks can get tiring." Minoru added.
"Yeah it can, however I'm working on it."
"Same story over here with mine." Minoru rolled his eyes.
"Heh, again. Aren't we a pair?" Izuku said.
"Yes, yes we are.~"
They both shared a laugh them headed off for ramen together and they both say, their bond grew 10 sizes that day.
To be continued.