Yes! I am back so soon! To thank you guys for your support and also to apologize for having waited this long before posting the last chapter, here's a new update! I'm really happy to see that you guys actually liked the little Shindo/Kira development, and I hope you'll keep enjoying my story as much.
Also: this follows what would be the next episode, so minor spoilers ahead.
Warning: Kira's language, Kira's hopes and Kira's doom (kind of)
Enjoy!
Kira was lying on the couch, her head hidden under a pillow.
"… still alive, Kira?" wondered Sero, half-amused and half-worried.
"I wish I wasn't," she groaned. "Kill me now..."
"Told ya he was interested," simply shrugged Kaminari.
"I know…"
"But I thought you weren't interested?" pointed out Kirishima.
"I wasn't…"
"Then why did you say yes?" wondered Jiro, lifting an eyebrow.
"I panicked!"
::
"Kira-san, would you like to go on a date with me?"
…
…
…
"… eh?"
…
…
…
"EH!?"
The ginger looked to her friends for help, but they were all pointedly staring at her, their point proven. Understanding she needed to give an answer, she said the first thing that came to mind.
"Sure!" she blurted out. Everyone's eyes widened. "Err, I mean… yes? I-I mean, I don't-"
"That- that's great!" beamed Shindo, a faint red tainting his cheeks. He let go of her hands and pulled out his phone. "Let's exchange numbers!"
"Right...!?"
::
The ginger sunk even more into the couch, if possible. Jiro sighed, patting her back in comfort. Uraraka tilted her head, thoughtful.
"You know, maybe it's not that bad of an idea," she pointed out.
After a second, Kira pulled the pillow off of her face, staring at her with suspicion written all over her features.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you've never really had time for yourself, right?" pointed out the brunette. "It's always been about your goals and your training. Maybe starting a relationship is a good thing. It'll take your focus off of training, allow you to take a break-"
"Something we can all agree you need," added Kaminari.
"And you might have some fun, right?" concluded Uraraka, smiling.
"But my training-"
"Can wait," Yaoyorozu cut her off, sipping her tea. "You've been focusing on training your whole life. It's not healthy, Kira-chan."
The ginger groaned yet again. Before she could add anything, though, she received a message on her phone. Curious, she looked it up, and paled.
"What is it, Kira-chan?" wondered Tsuyu.
"It's Shindo. He's asking if I'm free after school tomorrow," answered the fiery teen, feeling a little faint.
"Eh, already?" mused Kaminari. "He's completely smitten with you."
"You should not let him await for your answer too long, else despair might take over," stated Tokoyami, as edgy as ever.
"What are you going to say?" wondered Ojiro.
"My ship~!" Ashido sobbed in the background.
"Would she even be allowed to leave the school premises, though?" then pointed out Shoji.
"She'd have to ask Aizawa-sensei," agreed Sero.
"Guys… why are you all so intent on me going out with the guy?" whined the ginger.
"Because you need some time off," replied Kirishima, flicking her nose. "It's an opportunity. You're still a teenager, aren't you? Live a little!"
Kira snorted. "You sound like my bro-"
The word stayed stuck in her throat.
There was a moment of silence. All knew what she was about to say, and didn't know what to do to comfort her. How were you supposed to comfort someone who had just discovered her only family had killed their parents and was now one of the most wanted Villains of the country?
Kira sighed, getting up.
Izuku frowned. "Kicchan-"
"I'm fine," she cut him off. "I'll just… go for a run. I'll be back later."
No one had the heart to stop her.
.
.
Kira was staring at her phone. It had been a little over thirty minutes since she left the dorms. She had yet to answer Shindo, not knowing what to do. Should she follow her friends' advices and go for it? Or just stop everything and keep on focusing on her goals?
"Kira."
The ginger didn't move, didn't acknowledge his presence. She knew Shoto would come sooner or later, another reason why she stepped out earlier.
"… I'm sorry," he finally said, lowering his eyes.
"… what for?"
"For disappointing you. I know I let you down, and I should have known better-"
"Yes. Yes, you should have known better," she agreed, her tone sharp. She rose to her feet, her back still turned to him. "But disappointing me? I'm not disappointed, Shoto. I'm worried."
He stilled at that. What could she mean?
"You acted stupidly. You almost got a student really hurt because you weren't thinking. I know Inasa didn't help, but you should have known better. I'm not- I know everyone makes mistakes, but that? That was utter bullshit. I know you, Shoto. Had Shindo really been injured by your attack, it would have destroyed you. You wouldn't have been able to use your Quirk any longer, you would have started believing that you're no better than Endeavor or some shit like that."
"I wouldn't-"
"You would!" She finally turned to face him. "Because you might be strong, but you're still letting your past control you. And- and no matter how hard I might try, I can't help you if you won't help yourself. And that's fucking annoying!"
"Kira-"
She roughly poked his chest, almost making him stumble back. Her eyes were blazing, and he realized that, contrarily to what he had believed earlier, she was in fact still very angry.
"Do you realize how worried I am about you? Do you realize how- how frustrating it is, to understand that I can't help my friend no matter what I do?" She bared her teeth. "What the hell am I supposed to do, uh? How should I fucking feel about all of this, if not angry!?"
Silence followed her outburst. Shoto simply stared at her, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape. He had planned to apologize, to get yelled at some more, and then for things to go back to the way they were before.
He did apologize.
He did get yelled at some more.
But things would never go back to the way they were before.
Kira…
Because he only now realized how precious Kira was to him, what she meant to him. As the girl ranted, her words struck a chord, and made him understand that yes, he had someone who cared about him.
And… he cared a lot about her too.
"-oto? Shoto?"
The boy blinked, startled. The ginger was now looking at him, frowning, and waving her hand before his face.
"Sorry," he blurted out. "For… worrying you."
She gaped for a second, before closing her mouth.
"You should be," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't scare me like that again, you moron."
That made him smile. "I'll try."
She nodded, accepting his apology at last. Before any of them could add anything, though, she received a new message.
Curiosity got the better of Shoto.
"Who is it?"
"Shindo. You know, the guy you almost barbecued?" Okay, she wouldn't let that go so easily. Fair enough. "Anyway, he asked me out, and now he's waiting for the answer."
"Asked… you out?"
That wasn't what he was expecting. The thought kind of… irked him, to be honest. He didn't know why, but it did.
"Yeah. Weird, uh?" She laughed a little. She fiddled with her phone. "Anyway, I think I'll say yes, see where that's gonna get me. Who knows? Maybe something good will happen." Her smile turned a little bitter. "God knows I need it."
He didn't like that look on her face. He didn't like to see her hurting like that. So, he did the only thing he could think of at the moment, and stepped forward, before wrapping his arms around her.
She stilled. "What…"
"It's called hugging. You said you needed something good, right?"
"I guess…"
"As a wise person once told me: everyone needs a hug at one time or another." She stiffened at that. "Even tough girls like you."
::
He stiffened. "What are you doing?"
"It's called hugging, dumbass. 'Cause right now, you seriously need a hug."
"I do not-"
"Everyone needs a hug at one time or another," she hugged him tighter. "Even tough guys like you."
::
That made her laugh, and she finally hugged him back. He took a moment to enjoy the warmth of her body against his.
He enjoyed her presence. He trusted her. He like-
"Well, we should probably go back now," she remarked, pulling away. "Come on. School's starting tomorrow, right? Can't be exhausted for the first day back to school."
"… right."
She laughed again, and grabbed his hand. "Don't make that face! I mean, have you just seen the last three months? I can barely imagine what the next ones will be like."
"So you're impatient to start classes again. Can't wait for math?" he couldn't help but tease.
At that, her cheerfulness died down somewhat as she scrunched her nose. "Ugh, don't remind me."
He chuckled a little at that, and they started walking back to the dorms.
If any of them noticed they were still holding hands, neither commented on it.
.
.
"Uh? You guys got in a fight?"
The next morning, the young girl came back from her morning routine. When she arrived to the dorms, though, everyone had already left.
Well, almost everyone.
Kira stared at Izuku and Katsuki who were… cleaning the dorms. They were injured, though not too badly, and she couldn't help but wonder how they ended up under house arrest… and she got her answer.
"It- it wasn't that bad, Kicchan," assured Izuku, picking up a garbage bag.
"And I'm the less reckless person you've ever met," she replied, rolling her eyes. "What were you fighting about anyway?"
They both stiffened at that, and the ginger lifted an eyebrow. It couldn't have been that bad, right? For them to have such a reaction…
"Kicchan…" Izuku bit his lower lip. "He knows about One For All."
…
…
…
"Wait, what?" She gaped, snapping her eyes to the fuming blond. "You told him!?"
"Kind of? He found out most of it by himself, and then All Might showed up and explained everything to him," precised the green-haired boy.
"Figures you'd know about it, Carrot," grunted the bomber.
"Circumstantial happening, really," she assured, waving her hand. She then narrowed her eyes at them. "Though, now what? You gonna tell anyone, Spikey?"
"As if! I'm not fucking stupid!"
She simply shrugged. "Just wanted to make sure. I find it pretty ironic that the first one to find out is you."
"What's that supposed to mean!?"
"Well, you've been bullying him for years now…" She pointed out, a little colder. "Gonna try something again? He's not the weak kid you used to kick around."
"K-Kicchan, it's not-"
"I know that," he spat. "And I'm gonna surpass him, chosen one or not. And I'll surpass you too, Carrot!"
She should have kept silent. She really, really should have… but she couldn't stop it.
"Maybe start with getting your provisional license then, right?"
"SHUT UP!"
The fiery teen laughed at that.
"Err, Kicchan?" Izuku decided to step in before things got out of hands. "Aren't you going to be late for the opening ceremony?"
"Wha- fuck! You're right!" Now panicking, she quickly picked up her things. "Crap, crap, crap… See you guys later!" She rant at the door, but stopped in your tracks. "Deku, come on! We don't have time for this?"
"Eh?" blinked Izuku.
"Not you, the cat!" As if on cue, the green-eyed cat jumped on her shoulder, and she scowled a little. "Should have picked better names…"
And then she was gone.
The two boys stared at the slammed door for a few seconds, a little dazed by how fast she had left.
"… you made a… good choice."
"U-uh?" Izuku turned to Katsuki, who was already back to cleaning. "What-"
"Trusting her. It was a good idea."
After a few seconds of silence, the boy understood that the bomber wouldn't say anything else. As himself started cleaning again, though, he couldn't help but agree with what Katsuki had said.
.
.
The opening ceremony was over and done with. They had made quite an example out of Katsuki and Izuku's fight, though didn't give any names, and mentioned something about Hero internships that greatly intrigued the students.
They were now back in class, ready to get started on their studies once more.
"Well then. Starting today, we'll be resuming our normal classroom activities. I know you've all been through a lot, but now is the time to renew yourselves," started Aizawa-sensei. "To help you reach your full potential, despite today's activities being limited to a classroom lecture, this semester… we'll have even tougher training than before."
"Excuse me, sensei?" Tsuyu raised her hand. "If I may? I was wondering if you could please tell us more about the Hero internships mentioned during the opening ceremony?"
"That's right, the Headmaster said something about those," mused Sero.
"I'm interested as well," nodded Tokoyami.
"It seems to be something that most of the upperclassmen are involved in, too…" pointed out Yaoyorozu.
"I was planning to tell you all about it some other time…" sighed their homeroom teacher, rubbing the back of his head. "But now that I think about it, I suppose it's more logical for me to tell you sooner than later. Put simply, they're Hero activities done off-campus. Think of it like a more formalized version of the field training you did with Pro Heroes before."
"Wow, I didn't know there was a system like that," mused Uraraka. She then stiffened, paling. "Wait. What was the point of all the struggles we went through for the Sports Festival, then!?"
"That's right!" agreed Iida, somewhat startled by the realization. "If we have these internships anyway, then it wouldn't matter if we were getting scouted…"
"But wouldn't it be hard for us to actually participate to this… program, if we haven't been scouted before?" however pointed out Kira, thinking it over. "If I understand this right, then those internships are kind of like extracurricular activities; they're not the school's responsibility per se, more like the students'. So, if you didn't make any connections during the Sports Festival, you'd have greater difficulties participating."
"It's as Suttoki said," confirmed Aizawa-sensei. "And, in the past, each office would conduct their own recruiting efforts, but it often caused a lot of trouble because they would fight over U.A. students. That's why it is the way it is now."
"S-sorry for jumping to conclusions!" Uraraka bowed, before sitting back down.
"Because you have acquired your provisional licenses, you are now eligible to participate in formal, longer-term activities," pursued the Hero. "In the past, there weren't very many examples of first year students with licenses but, with the rise of the Villains, we are very deliberately thinking about your participation. You will also be expected to write about your experiences, but I'll properly explain all of that as well as your next steps at a later time. For now, I've got some matters to tend to."
On that, he went to open the door, letting enter Present Mic for the first English class of the semester. As the energetic blond started ranting about his subject with as much enthusiasm as usual, couldn't help but let her mind wander back to her friends, still stuck in house arrest.
They would really be out of the loop once they came back, uh?
Meh, I'll brief Izuku in. And maybe Spikey, if he's nice.
.
.
"So, are you free today?"
- Shindo
Kira sighed, texting back.
"Depends. I'll have to ask permission from my teacher. You know, what with our new rules and all that crap."
- Kira
After a few seconds, she received the reply.
"Text me when you know, then. I think we're going to have some mixed training together soon, though, if what our sensei's been telling us is true."
- Shindo
She raised an eyebrow at that. Had Aizawa-sensei truly agreed to that? Though in a way, training with seniors could only be helpful.
"That'd be cool. I'd like to see who'd win between the two of us."
- Kira
The reply was almost immediate.
"As long as you don't pull that sword of fire on me. It's a really awesome move, but I'd rather not be killed in a friendly spar."
- Shindo
She snorted.
"What, can't handle a little heat? Kind of ironic, considering you're asking out a girl who can turn into fire."
- Kira
"Oi, Kira, you done flirting already?"
The ginger eeped, instantly hiding her phone as Kaminari and Sero loomed over her shoulders.
"Don't do that!" she protested. "And we're not flirting. I was just telling him that I'd need permission to leave the premises before we could meet up, is all."
"Kira, we read your texts. That was totally flirting," deadpanned the blond.
She stared at him flatly. "I'm giving you two five seconds to run and try to save your asses from being barbecued."
Needless to say, they wasted no time in scurrying away. As soon as they left, the ginger received a new text. Somewhat curious, she quickly read it over.
"I can handle anything if it's for you."
- Shindo
She flushed three shades of red at that, and quickly put her phone away.
.
.
I can't believe I'm doing this.
She had to ask permission to her teacher… to go on a date. If there was anything more embarrassing than that, then she didn't know what it was.
Already regretting it, she knocked on the door.
"Come in."
She entered. Aizawa-sensei was, thankfully, alone in the teachers' room. Thanking God for this small miracle, the ginger quickly went to his desk.
"What is it, Suttoki?" her homeroom teacher asked, not even looking up from his computer.
Well, there goes nothing. "I'd like permission to leave the premises after school hours."
"What for?" he replied without missing a beat, still not looking at her.
"Err…" She fiddled with her phone. "… I've got a date."
His fingers froze above the keyboard as he stiffened. Slowly, he turned around to look at her.
"You're kidding, aren't you?"
"… no."
He groaned, rubbing his temples. When would he catch a break, seriously? "It'd go against school rules… but I guess it can't be helped." She's getting better. If dating someone can take her mind off of training, than so be it. "I'll warn the Headmaster, but you'll have to be back by eight, at most. And it won't be a daily occurrence, you hear me? If the students from other classes hear about this…"
"I-I understand! Thank you very much!"
"Just get out of here already."
"Hai!"
She spun on her heels, but he then remembered something. "Suttoki!"
"Yes?"
"You're not allowed to brief either Midoriya or Bakugo on the internships," he warned. "That's part of their punishment."
Well, there goes my plan. Maybe I can say it in secret-
His eyes flashed red. "And I'll know if you said anything."
"R- right…"
Nevermind, not risking it.
"Thanks again, Aizawa-sensei!"
Only then realizing he had actually agreed to letting her go, she left the office with a bounce in her step. As soon as she was gone, Aizawa let his head hit his desk. That girl was going to be the death of him, seriously.
The hell I go through for my students… She better be grateful, that brat.
.
.
"Yo! I'm allowed to go out! Anyway, do you know where the Yakinasa Café is? We can meet there if you want."
- Kira
The ginger reached the dorms at last. She was a little nervous now that everything was said and done with. She never went on a date before. What was she supposed to do?
Wait, I can't wear my school uniform, right? She paled a little. Am I supposed to dress up? I don't have any makeup either… Maybe I should take a shower? I took one this morning, and another after training, but-
"Kira-chan, you okay?"
The ginger startled at Jiro's appearance.
"I… Frankly, I don't know."
The purple-haired girl frowned at that, and Kira showed her the message she had just sent to Shindo. Understanding flashed in her friend's eyes, before some sort of determination replaced it. Without warning, she grabbed the ginger's arm, and started pulling her along.
"K-Kyo-chan!?"
"Girls, urgency meeting, ASAP!" Jiro called out to the others as they passed through the mess hall.
At first surprised, they then noticed Kira's more or less terrified face, and all understood instantly what this was all about. Dropping whatever they were doing, they all started pushing the ginger towards the elevator.
"Err…" Kaminari scratched the back of his head. "Do you need any help?"
Ashido waved cheerfully as the elevator's doors closed. "Girls only, sorry!"
Kira paled. I've got a bad feeling about this.
In her pocket, her phone buzzed, signaling a new message. Ignoring the intense stares she got from her friends, she opened it.
"That's great! And yeah, I know where it is. See you at five?"
- Shindo
Kira's nervousness instantly went up a notch.
"You got it. See you later!"
- Kira
"Later!"
- Shindo
The ginger exhaled deeply, putting her phone back into her pocket. They then reached the fifth floor and, in the blink of an eye, Kira found herself trapped in Yaoyorozu's room, and cornered by the other five girls.
"So… what are we doing?" she dared to ask.
"We're getting you ready for your date, silly," Ashido replied, jumping in place. "This is going to be so much fun!"
Kira paled even more. That's it, I'm going to die.
.
.
"We're done~!"
At Ashido's exclamation, all of the boys gathered in the mess hall looked up from the game of cards they had started. It had been an hour or so since the girls went away, and all had been wondering what had gotten into them.
"Done with what?" wondered Tokoyami.
The pink girl grinned cheekily, gesturing behind her. They could now hear the voices of the other girls, who seemed to be debating about something.
"You're sure it's not too much?"
"Of course not! You're really pretty, Kira-chan!"
"But… this is a casual skirt…"
"Don't worry, Kira-chan. It suits you."
They finally showed up.
"You're sweet, Momo-chan, but-" Kira froze in place when realizing all the boys were still there, and groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "Of fucking course they're still here. Go figures, really."
"Aww, don't be shy! You look great, Suki-chan!" assured Ashido.
"I look girly!"
"Kira-chan… you are a girl," wisely pointed out Tsuyu.
"I know that!"
As the girls bickered some more, the rest of the boys simply laughed. Seeing the ginger so easily embarrassed was rather refreshing, and there would be no end to the teasing, that was for sure.
"Don't worry, Red One, you look great!" assured Kirishima, sending her a thumbs up.
"Thanks, Red Two," she sighed, admitting defeat. Fighting it any longer would be useless, that much she knew. So, she spread her arms, and faced the rest of their classmates. "So? Good enough for a first date?"
Her friends quickly reassured her on that aspect and, soon enough, she became more comfortable. In all honesty, not much had changed: her hair was braided, her contacts were thankfully still intact, and she was as comfortable as she would have been in her usual clothes. The skirt simply wasn't something she was used to wearing outside of battles or for the school uniform. Her costume had been made with a skirt so as to allow her more mobility, and that was that. There was also some light makeup, nothing much but enough for people who knew her to notice.
But now? She had spent the last hour getting ready for a date. She didn't know whether to be amused by it, or to bash her head into a wall for wasting so much time on such a petty thing.
"If you feel good, then is it such a petty thing?" was what Tsuyu simply told her earlier. And, well, in a way… maybe she was right.
I'm allowed to enjoy silly things once in a while, aren't I? She remarked to herself, pumped up. There's nothing wrong with that!
It was soon the time to go. Waving goodbye to her friends and promising to be back on time –she did not want her teacher's kindness to be wasted-, she then left the dormitories, a knot in her stomach. She was still nervous, but it wasn't as bad as before-
"Kira…?"
Shoto had had a rather… long, day. He knew he wouldn't have access to these internships, to begin with. He didn't have his provisional license, after all. But then, he also had to deal with the slow realization that had started to dawn on him the night before.
He liked Kira a lot. Maybe a little more than a friend should.
And he didn't know where to stand with that, or what to do.
As soon as the day ended, he left for a run, to try and clear his mind. As he was coming back to the dorms, though, he spotted a familiar fiery braid in the distance, heading for the school's gates.
He stopped in his tracks.
"Kira…?"
There was half-a-second of stillness, before the girl stopped and looked back at him, smiling brightly.
His heart missed a beat.
"Shoto!" She waved, completely unaware of what was going on through the boy's head. "I didn't see you at the dorms earlier. Went for a jog?"
"Aa. Where are you going?" He had to ask, had to know. Kira had always been a pretty girl but, right now… "You look different."
"In a good way or a bad way?" she half-joked.
"A good one, of course."
"Aw, thanks! But I'm going on a date right now, so that's why the girls decided to help me out a little," she admitted, rubbing the back of her head. "I have to go now, though."
Right. She told me about that yesterday.
Shoto didn't like it. He really, really didn't like it.
"See ya later!"
"Wait!"
She blinked, startled. It was rather rare of her friend to be so expressive.
"What is it?"
Don't go. "… be careful. We don't know when the Villains will move again."
"Don't worry, I can take care of myself," she smiled again. "But, if it can reassure you, then I promise I'll be careful. Good enough?"
"I'll take what I can get. We both know you can't really help it anyway, what with being a trouble magnet," he teased lightly.
"I am not…" She trailed off, before rolling her eyes. "Okay, fine. Maybe a little. But! Nothing's gonna happen, okay? If there's a problem, then you'll be the first to know, promise."
"I'll hold you to that, then."
"Great, then-" Her eyes suddenly widened in horror. "Fuck! I'm gonna be late! 'Later!"
She quickly pecked his cheek, before spinning on her heels and making a run for the gates, cursing on the whole way, and leaving a dumbstruck boy in her trail.
He lightly touched the cheek she had just kissed so mindlessly, his face completely devoid of emotions. Then, he let his hand fall back to his side, and started to head back for the dorms.
I need to talk to Kaa-san about this.
.
.
Kira arrived to the meeting point at exactly 5h15. She started looking around, worried Shindo might have believed she wasn't coming after all, when an hand fell on her shoulder. She glanced back, only seeing a mess of black hair.
Scared out of her wits, the twisted face of Ren flashing before her eyes, she wasted no time in grabbing the wrist, twisting it and turning around to trap the arm of her attacker in an arm-lock.
"Ow! K-Kira-san…?"
It took her a few seconds to come back to reality.
"S-Shindo!?" She instantly released him. "Oh God, I'm so sorry about that! I thought you were…" Hagane. "Someone else..."
"Note to self: don't sneak up on the ninja-girl," grunted Shindo, massaging his arm.
"I'm really sorry-"-
"Nan, don't worry" he cut her off, chuckling a little. "Those are actually great reflexes. It'll be fun to spar together. So, wanna go in?"
"Err, sure?"
They entered the café. Kira didn't really know what to do or sat, simply shifting from feet to another until they were led to a table.
As soon as they took their seats, though, the ginger couldn't hold back her tongue anymore.
"Why?" Shindo lifted an eyebrow at that, confused, and she flushed a little. "Why… did you ask me out? Don't take me wrong, I'm really flattered and all… but we barely know each other. We literally met yesterday."
"I just felt like it," he shrugged.
She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "You ask out random girls when you feel like it?"
"No, wait, that came out wrong," he chuckled sheepishly. "What I meant is… well, you looked like a pretty awesome girl. You're just a freshman, but you already have most of the qualities of a Pro. From what little I've seen, you're strong both in terms of abilities and of heart, and you're a great fighting partner. I grew interested in you, and so I took my chance."
"I… I see."
"Now, my turn: why did you accept?" He leaned on his hand, a small smirk on his lips. "We barely know each other. We literally met yesterday."
She rolled her eyes at him using her own words against her, leaning back in her seat. Now that they had something to talk about, she was somewhat more relaxed.
"To be honest… I panicked." He snorted at that. "No, really! I… don't really have experience in this sort of thing. You know, dating and all that jazz. But then, my friends pointed out that I had nothing to loose trying. And, well, you look like a pretty cool guy, and you were really amazing during the exam too. So… why not?"
He chuckled at that. "Fair enough. Frankly, I don't have all that much experience in term of relationships either, so that makes two of us."
"You?" she echoed, somewhat disbelieving. "You look like the kind of guy who has his own fanclub."
"I… kind of do." He cringed at that. "Not interested in rabid fangirls, though."
"Wow, don't I feel safe right now," she deadpanned. "You sure none of them followed you here? Is there a risk one might try to maim me?"
"Meh."
"… how reassuring."
There was a moment of silence. Then, the two started laughing. Now truly relaxed, Kira then picked up the menu. She hadn't eaten yet, after all.
Shindo did the same. "I'm paying, by the way."
The ginger looked over her menu. "No. I'm the one who told you to meet at this place. The least I can do is pay for the meal."
"But it's the boy's job to pay for the dates."
She glared. "Not with me around, it's not. We'll split the bill and that's that."
He paled a little. "Yes ma'am."
They spent the following hour talking and enjoying the food. At some point, Shindo dropped the honorific. They also agreed to drop the whole 'first-date-so-it's-awkward' vibe and simply hang out as friends. Friendship came before romance, after all, and they were both ready to give it a try.
Kira was coming back from the bathroom when she found one of the waitresses flirting with Shindo. Well, it was kind of a one-sided affair, but the ginger didn't really know how to feel about it.
"-and I've already got a date, so-"
"Come on, just give me your number," smiled teasingly the blonde waitress, leaning closer. "I'm sure we can-"
"Is there a problem here?" Kira stepped in. She didn't want to start a cat fight, even less over a boy –that would just be weird-, and she didn't want to ruin their date either. "Can we help you with something?"
The blonde turned to her, startled, and her eyes went wide.
There was a moment of silence.
Then, the waitress whistled lowly. "Wow. Nevermind your number, pretty boy, I want hers. Feeling up for sharing?"
Kira's cheeks instantly turned red, and Shindo let out a breathless laugh.
"Sorry, I don't like sharing."
"Aw, too bad," mumbled the blonde, before finally walking away.
The ginger dropped in her seat, eyes wide.
"Did that just really happen?"
"I can't believe I got dumped for my own date," he joked.
"Oh my God…" She let her head hit the table, making him laugh yet again.
Suddenly, on the television by the counter, the usual music announcing a flash-news was heard, gaining all's attention.
"Breaking news! There has been a leak of information from the police force working on the Kamino case." Kira snapped her eyes to the television on the counter. Leaked information? That couldn't be good. "One of the members of the League of Villains, the group responsible for the abduction of two U.A. students and the destruction of Kamino, has been identified!"
Not good. Not good at all.
"Kira? You okay?" Shindo frowned, glancing from her to the television. The girl had suddenly gone pale. "Do you want to step out-"
"Shh!" She couldn't take her eyes off the screen, her guts churning almost painfully.
And then, to her greatest horror, a picture of Hagane appeared. His black coat, his silver mask, his black hair and his purple eyes… The more she looked at him –at Ren-, the sicker she felt.
"Seishin no Hagane's true identity has been revealed! His name…" No. No, God, please no- "Is Suttoki Ren." A picture of her brother, in his civilian clothing, appeared next to Hagane's. "Suttoki Ren was actually the Archivist, working as a mole for the League of Villains all along, and relying to them numerous information, such as the location of the training camp of U.A. that was attacked this summer."
"Suttoki…?" Shindo was gaping at her now. "You mean…"
"Some might recognize his name, considering he is also the brother of the U.A. student Suttoki Kira." A video from the Sports Festival started playing, showing her battling Shoto. "It is to note that Suttoki Kira was one of the two students who was abducted during the training camp. Now, whether her brother has-"
The TV was turned off. It was the blonde waitress from earlier, who now held a blank expression. She simply nodded to Kira, before going back to the kitchen, as if nothing had just happened. The ginger barely noticed, though, too caught up in her own nightmare.
She could feel the stares of the clients, she could hear the suspicious whispers, she could feel the tension in the air.
Why… How…
"Kira?" She was in shock, Shindo could see that much. He could also see the how the civilians were now watching her-as if she was a bomb about to explode. "Come on, we're leaving."
He left the money on the table as she slowly rose to her feet, in a daze. He grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her towards the door, forcing her to walk. She merely followed his lead. As they stepped out, though, they were instantly spotted by the people outside.
They were talking loudly. Hesitating. Pointing fingers.
"—it's her?"
"Her brother's a Villain-"
"Think she knew?"
"Obviously."
"—can't trust her-"
"Maybe she's-"
"—a mole too? The Heroes wouldn't risk it."
"But they wouldn't know-"
"They didn't even know about their own Archivist!"
"But she-"
"—not knowing about her own brother?"
"Bullshit!"
"She's a traitor too."
Damn it… Gritting his teeth, Shindo grabbed his jacket and threw it over Kira's head, to hide her hair. She instantly grabbed it, keeping it in place.
"Come on, I'll walk you back to U.A.," he announced, still pushing her.
She merely nodded, still a little out of it.
Damn it…
.
.
"… are you okay?"
"My brother's a member of the League of Villains, he betrayed everyone who ever trusted him, and everyone now knows that I'm related to the one who acted as a mole for years for the Villains," grunted Kira. "But yeah, I'm just fucking peachy."
Sindo didn't know what to answer to that. Who did?
Kira then sighed, her anger deflating. She rubbed her temples. "I'm sorry. It's just… I wasn't expecting this to blow up in my face. Not so soon, at least."
"So you knew already?"
"Had to. I'm the one who found out, back at Kamino."
"That's… rough."
The fiery teen let out a bitter laugh at that.
"Isn't it?"
They kept on walking. They could now see U.A.'s gates.
"Thank you," she then said, handing him back his jacket. "For helping me out, back there. I don't think I would have been able to even move if you hadn't pushed me. The civilians-"
"These people are stupid, and ignorant," he instantly replied, frowning. "I'm still a little confused, but I know this much: you're not like him. If they can't see that, then that's because they're just plain idiots."
At his words, the ginger finally relaxed a little, and let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.
"Thanks, Shindo. Seriously."
"Well, kind of had to protect my date, right?" he half-joked.
At that, she however lowered her gaze. "Shindo, about that-="
He smiled, placing a comforting hand on her head. "You want to break it off, uh?"
"… I'm sorry. I know we said that we'd try but, now, with what just happened…"
"I understand," he assured, sincere. "But we can still be friends, right? I still want that spar you promised me."
She took in a deep breath, before offering him the brightest smile she could manage at the moment.
"Sure thing." They then stopped by the gates. "I'll see you around, then?"
"Yeah. See you around, Kira." He then leaned in, and gently kissed her forehead. She blushed at the gesture as he pulled back with a soft smile. "Keep safe, okay?"
"I-I'll try. No promises, though! Safe can be so boring…"
He barked out a laugh, and he ruffled her hair. "Stay strong, Kira. Call me if you need anything, okay?"
"I will. Thanks again, Shindo."
"Anytime."
She waved one last time, before heading back inside. He simply watched as the gates closed behind her. Once she was completely out of his sight, he sighed.
He simply hoped she'd pull through whatever mess she had just gotten into.
.
.
When Kira reached the dormitories, all of her classmates were waiting for her, worry marring their faces.
She tried to smile. She really, really did.
"Kicchan..." Izuku said hesitantly.
But she just couldn't do it. The tears broke out before she could stop them and, soon enough, she found herself breaking down in tears in the arms of Yaoyorozu, the rest of her friends offering their silent support.
Well, that's one way to fuck up everything, uh? With the info-leak and the relation between Kira and Ren now exposed to all, Heroes, civilians and Villains alike, things are bound to get messy.
Anyway, hope you liked this one, and I'll see you guys later!
Plus Ultra!