Sorry about the delay, I expected this to take a week. Not a whole month. But between updating My Alternate Hero Academia and messing with a few other story ideas that I'm not going to do, it ended up taking a full month. Trust me, the other stories would have been interesting but they seemed too much of a good hook but no good plot behind it. One of them was going to be called, 'Chronicles of an Otaku Cinnamon Roll Transgender Cyborg Heroine Jesus.' I think the title alone explains both why it was so interesting but impossible for me to properly plan out to write. Anyway, enough with this bs, here is the story! I hope you enjoy.
…
.Izuku knew Koichi was paying so letting him order for the group was a reasonable request. But he hadn't expected him to splurge with a sushi platter.
"That, that is way too much! You don't make that much at your job do you?" He complained about the price.
Kazuho stomped on his toes. "Why are you complaining? If Koichi wants to splurge, let him! It's not like he has a ton of hobbies to spend money on." She pointed out.
"Is that supposed to mean something?" Koichi quickly asked his girlfriend, who shook her head.
"No, no! I'm just saying you don't waste your money on stupid stuff!" She clarified her stance.
Koichi nodded to the assessment. "Well that is true. Anyway Izuku, this is a celebration. You got into the top hero course in Japan! If I want to spend money on my friends success, why can't I?" He dawdled for a minute before admitting, "and I have been craving good sushi for a while now but couldn't justify paying for it."
Izuku let out a sigh, knowing complaining would get him nowhere. And if he wanted the food in the first place, who was he to deny him? "Fine, fine, if it means that much to you I won't make a fuss." Letting his annoyance extinguish, he eventually gave them a sincere smile. "So I guess then I have to think you for treating us to such a good meal. I didn't ever think to order sushi from here, but if you are shilling out for it it must be worth it, huh?"
Koichi's face suddenly grew nervous. "I didn't even think of that… I never had the sushi here."
Kazuho's joy at the meal grew sour. "Then why did you order it for everyone! I thought you knew it was good. Do you know how many places put sushi on the menu because they can mark it up and it is down right crap!" She pointed out the obvious concern.
Izuku couldn't help but defend his friend. "Hey, we don't know how good it will be! This place has great food, so why wouldn't the sushi be any different?"
"I would wager you are both correct. My father has a soft spot for this place and said while the sushi is good, it is a bit overpriced for the quality you get." A new voice interrupted the conversation.
They turned to the owner of the voice, who got a good look at the trio for the first time. There was recognition from both sides.
"Oh my god, your Pop Step and her friends!" The teenage girl excitedly pointed out.
"And you're the girl who tried to help greenhorn last week when Mt. Lady ruined our show. Small world." Kazuho noted.
"You remember me! That is so cool. I'm such a big fan of your work, Pop Step!" The teenager kept fangirling.
Izuku wasn't sure what the hell to do. The cute girl from before was right there, and he had no idea what to say. And he knew if he did say anything, Kazuho was definitely going to tease him for it. He wanted to put his head into his hands in frustration, but that would just look weird.
"You flatter me too much." Kazuho pretended to be humble at the praise.
The girl didn't realize this before shaking her head. "No, no, I am! I downloaded all the songs you have put out, and even found your original song 'Pop Saves the World!' I even seen all the movies you've been in...at least twice!"
Everyone at the table had been surprised at that comment. Her film career had been little noted in her community of followers, but this girl seemed to be eager about them.
"You have? Even Captain Celebrity Sets Sail?" Koichi couldn't believe anyone would sit through that trash twice. It may have been her biggest role, and a special place in their hearts since it was where the trio came together on set, but it was by god awful.
The teenage girl was less expressive when she nodded. "I thought...maybe there was a secret message to it? But it was really shallow in the end. But your role was so cool, it made the Captain look less like a jerk! And the part you had in Tokyo Idol Battle 3 was so cool, I don't get why you didn't get another big scene. Rocket Love was kind of fun...but you did kinda phone it in. You played a decent villain though! And the 'Illegals' documentary got me interested in you in the first place and really showed me how much good there was in the world, even if they had to break the law to do it! Not that what you guys are doing is technically right, after all, you should be focusing on meeting the legal requirements to be heroes but I understand!"
Kazuho couldn't help but smile at the girl's enthusiasm. "You are totally right but, between us girls, this is more fun." She joked around.
Koichi, however, was playing damage control based on one of the girl's comments. "Hey, hey, why do you think we are vigilantes with her! I'm just an office worker, and Izuku is just her music manager!"
The girl cocked her head with a dead eye look at the man. She was silent for a few seconds, staring him down. "Do you really expect me to believe that?"
Koichi was a little intimidated by her blank expression. "Uh...yes?"
"It's really obvious you're the Crawler." Koichi couldn't help but be pleased that someone got his name right as she then pointed at Izuku. "And he is your sidekick Greenhorn."
Izuku's eye twitched, Koichi's eyes bulged out as his cheeks puffed out while Kazuho began to laugh. The teenage fangirl looked confused before her idol explained between laughs. "Oh my god… he didn't have a nickname...I just called him that… American slang for newbie… but it fits… it fits so well!"
"She has a point there, Greenhorn." Koichi teased as he calmed down from his near laugh.
Izuku turned scarlet in embarrassment. "I'm not a, i'm a manager! I just help, i don't have a name! Now she won't ever stop calling me that."
"Damn right, Greenhorn. I like you, what's your name?" She pointed to the girl that had brought her such amusement.
"Oh, my name is Momo Yaoyorozu. I didn't mean to be rude." The girl gave a slight bow when she introduced herself.
"Alright then, Yo-Yo, are you busy? I'm sure the platter is big enough for all of us." She invited the girl to the table while quickly giving her a nickname.
"Yo-Yo? Um, well, I was just out taking a breather. I have been studying a lot lately." Yaoyorozu gave the offer some consideration.
Surprisingly (not to Kazuho), Izuku made an attempt to convince her. "While Yaoyorozu, you know what they say about how eating helps brain function, especially fish. We wouldn't mind if you sat in." He was tapping his fingers together and not looking at her, but his voice came out clear and earnest.
Both of his friends saw how red he was, and Koichi was stunned at the initiative. He eyed Kazuho, who gave him a look that told him that he should back them up and that there was more to the story. Sighing, he piled on. "It looks like they don't mind the company. Don't worry about paying, this celebration is on me."
Momo was obviously surprised by the effort in their offer, and couldn't help but acquiesce. "I guess I don't have anything else to do, and it would be rude of me to reject such a kind offer." She took the open seat between Izuku and Kazuho, still looking a bit starstruck to be so close to someone she admired. "I didn't mean to interrupt, I was only walking by when I heard your argument and I could not help but give my input."
"It's no problem, it was helpful!" Izuku quickly commented on her statement.
The other two nodded. "It definitely helps to know it will be good, even if it is expensive." Koichi pointed out.
"It's nice to know I am helping." She clearly looked happy to be of assistance. "So, you mentioned this is a celebration. Can I ask of what? Are you releasing a new album? Is the speculation true that Crawler and Pop Step have finally begun dating? Are you in another movie?" Momo began to list up things she could think of celebrating.
"Wait, people think we are dating?" Koichi was a little surprised people had speculated that. She was an idol while he, as put bluntly before, had a plain face.
"You two are dating though." Izuku was quick to point out.
"I just thought people thought I was her 'loser leech'." He used air quotes of a statement he had no doubt read online at some point.
Momo was buzzing in excitement. "You mean it finally happened? You two got together? I thought you two looked so good together, I always wondered why you weren't dating sooner."
Kazuho shot a glare at Koichi. "Because as much as I love him, he's kinda dumb and can't see a great thing in front of him."
Koichi turned to Izuku from help but he only nodded. "Koichi, you guys should have been dating a long time ago. It was obvious."
"Not to me." Koichi pointed out. What was left unsaid, that Izuku knew, was that he felt she didn't like him like that or she could do better than him. It was stupid but now in the past.
Kazuho returned her attention to their interloper. "No Yo-Yo, this isn't a celebration of Koichi coming to his senses. This is a celebration for Greenhorn for getting his life together and finally getting into high school."
"Kazuho, you make it sound like I was on drugs or something and I didn't make it into school." Izuku complained.
"I did sort of wonder why you weren't in high school, Greenhorn. You can't be much older than I am, and you seemed more than intelligent enough to succeed in high school. And I doubted you were being taught by private tutors like myself." The teenage girl commented.
"Please, Yaoyorozu, please don't call me Greenhorn. My name is Izuku Midoriya, so you can just call me Midoriya."
She blushed a little. "It is rude to call someone a name like that, isn't it? I apologize, Midoriya. So if it wasn't something extreme like that, why are you starting high school late?"
Izuku got nervous because a pretty girl asked him a question that was embarrassing to answer, but he muscled through it. "I, well, I didn't make it the first time I applied so I had to take a year to improve myself so I could get in. And it worked!"
"And if I am not being nosy, what school would that be?" She was curious.
"This brat is leaving us behind and going legit. He got into U.A.'s heroics department, can you believe that!" Kazuho answered for him.
Momo's eyes lit up in surprise. "Really, you'll be going there as well?"
"Yeah, the letter came in the mail yesterday." He meekly admitted. Then, a pause, before he caught what she said. "What do you mean, as well?"
"Oh, yes, well, it must be a small world. I will also be attending the U.A. heroics course this upcoming year. They assigned me to class 1-A. How about yourself?" She asked in interest.
Izuku was gaping like a fish. The pop idol saw his state and slapped him in the back of his head to reset so he could start working again. "Uh, yuh, yuh yeah. Same."
"It looks like it was fate that brought you here, Yaoyorozu! I guess we are celebrating your success as well?" Koichi raised his water glass in a manner to inspire a 'Cheers.'
"Oh, thank you very much Crawler… what is your real name? I'm sorry, it is rude to call you by your vigilante names." Momo didn't want to seem rude.
"You can just call me Haimawari." He told her his last name.
"I don't mind you calling me Pop-Step but my real name is-"
"Kazuho Haneyama!" Kazuho was interrupted by an embarrassed Momo. Looking at the trio, she blushed. "I'm sorry but...I am a fan and your name is public knowledge." She confessed.
"Don't worry about it Yaoyorozu, Kazuho is pretty cool you calling her pretty much anything...like Mrs. Haimawari." Izuku slid in a dig at his boss, which he thought was fair.
Kazuho glared at him, obviously annoyed, before a conniving smirk spread across her face. "That is very funny, I-zu-ku." She drew out saying his name, which clued him in on how he had messed up really badly. "You know Yo-Yo, Greenhorn hear was talking about you last Friday after you tried to help him. You should have heard him talk about you, calling you a bombshell…" She let the words hang in the air.
Momo's blush became a darker shade of red while Izuku's was bright as he frantically tried to salvage the situation (in his eyes). "No, no! I didn't … I mean… those were your words! I didn't say anything that,,,provocative." He toed the line of not putting his foot in his mouth well.
"Fine, but you did call her attractive." Her sharp remark cut Izuku since he wouldn't lie and say he hadn't. Instead, he did his damndest to steer the conversation elsewhere.
"Um, anyway, Yaoyorozu, I didn't see you at the entrance exam. I'm pretty sure, I mean I have seen you before at concerts and I would have at least recognized you. So, uh, where were you in the auditorium?"
Her blush had died down, and Momo began to awkwardly scratch her knuckles. "Ah yes, well the truth is I wasn't at the entrance exam. I actually got in via a recommendation."
"Wow, we got ourselves a future top ten hero here!" Kazuho quickly joked, impressed by whatever potential her fan must have had to get such a thing.
"You must be quite strong then, wouldn't you?" Koichi couldn't help but be intimidated, remembering how his attempt at entering a hero course had flopped.
"Reco-recommendation! That is amazing! You must be...incredible if they let you in without taking the exam. Seriously, the only let the smartest and strongest get a recommendation." Izuku found a new way to make Momo blush at the gushing of praise.
"Well, I mean, we did take an exam to ensure we were up to stuff so it isn't as if we didn't prove our worth." She tried to humble her achievement.
"Still, I have to admit I am in awe of you, Yaoyorozu. I bet you are going to be a great hero." Izuku kept complimenting, making her blush even more.
"Awwwhhh" Kazuho added in a mocking tone. Izuku did his best not to draw attention to it.
"I'm sure you are going to do great. And if you ever do need help, I'm sure Izuku will be able to help you. He is always willing to do so." Koichi added mostly in earnestness.
"That...sounds good. I hope you do not mind your friends offering your assistance Midoriya?" Momo asked, hoping they were not being rude.
"Of-of course not. I'm sure you won't need it, but I will be willing to help if you want it." Izuku felt awkward, knowing Koichi meant well but it was out of his comfort zone.
She nodded slowly before pausing. She looked uncertain about something before looking back up. "Then...would you mind helping me...in combat sparring?"
"What?" Izuku flatly asked in surprise.
"Well, you have had no doubt the most experience of anyone in class about real combat. I know everyone else fought the robots for the entrance exam, but real people are much different. I would like to come into U.A. as prepared as I can be, so if you do not mind I would think it would be very helpful for us to spar before classes begin." Her words came with a few pauses and a wavering tone that grew more assured as she convinced herself the plan was wise.
Izuku looked to his two friends, each of them giving him different expressions. Kazuho was smirking like a cat that caught the canary, and he realized she was going to be of little help. He could already tell she was having too much fun teasing him (or even them). Koichi gave a knowing look that told him he thought it wasn't the worst idea in the world. Gulping, he nodded. "Sure, I can do that."
Momo smiled, a little surprised of his quick agreement. "That...is great! I go to a gym on the east side of town, called Athletic Hall. It has a combat room that we can use, and has top of the line equipment."
"Athletic Hall!" Koichi interrupted in a surprised tone.
"Yes, what of it?" Momo was confused.
"That, that place is so expensive. When I was looking for a gym to go to, it had an annual membership cost of 500,000 yen a year! I found a good gym that costed me less than 100,000 annually." Koichi was shocked this girl was casually going to such an expensive place.
She drummed her fingers on the table, a little embarrassed. "I… didn't know how much my parents spent for the membership."
"I knew it! I bet you are a rich girl, ain't you Yo-yo?" Kazuho pointed at her a little triumphantly. "You always gave off that feel. Not in a bad way, of course."
"Well, I guess that would be true. My parents have been very successful. I hope you don't judge me for that." Izuku could see that people had in the past. It wasn't her fault she had grown up in 'the good life.'
"I never would, Yaoyorozu. Just because your parents have money doesn't mean anything about you. A person should be judged by their actions, not by what they have." He tried to wisely tell her.
She looked towards him and smiled. "Thank you Midoriya. I'm glad you feel that way. I hope you don't mind going to such an expensive gym."
Something triggered in his mind. "Uh, not to be rude or anything but will I have to pay for a guest pass or anything?" As much as he didn't care if she had money, it didn't mean he should be reckless since he sort of...didn't.
"Of course not. Even if they did charge us to bring guests, there is no way I could make you pay for that. It would be my idea after all." She earnestly told him.
Finally the sushi platter came to the table, curbing the conversation as the four patrons began to dine on the good (but as Momo pointed out, not great) sushi and enjoyed more casual conversations about simple things.
…
They agreed to meet Saturday at noon at the Athletic Hall, and Izuku did well to hide his eagerness to meet with his future classmate when she was with the group. Koichi returned to his place of work, leaving the duo of him and Kazuho to walk back to her van which they had used to get here.
He was on edge as he felt the expression radiating off of Kazuho. The teasing he had done when he realize she and Koichi had finally gotten together seemed more foolish in retrospect.
"So, she gave you her number." She started, innocently enough.
He nodded, having spent enough time around her to know where it was going. "Yeah, I gave her mine. So we can contact each other in case something comes up." He told her the reason why they had done this, as if she hadn't heard it a short while before.
"And willingly giving up her Saturday to spend time with you." She began to turn the screw.
"To train and spar. Something a lot of friends would do for each other." It was safe to assume they were friendly with each other, him and Momo? That wouldn't be a hard thing to buy.
"So just a boy and a girl…"
"And a whole gym of people." Izuku quickly tacked on.
"An interesting choice for a first date, isn't it?" She turned the screw hard into his side.
His head dropped. "It's not like that!" He exclaimed aloud. "We're just classmates, maybe friends."
"For now." She added on with a grin. "Who knows what will happen once you get to know each other better and start spending time together."
Izuku gritted his teeth. "Why are you doing this Kazuho?" He could tell this would not be the only time she played matchmaker between the two of them.
"Because, Greenhorn, your little Yo-Yo is a total package. She is obviously smart, pretty cool to hang out with, friendly, shares common interests with you, her parents are loaded and, like you said before, she's a bombshell."
"I didn't call Yaoyorozu a bombshell!" He technically had, but it didn't count in his eyes.
"Whatever, fine, she's good looking. I'm just saying that she must be comfortable around you if she is going to invite you somewhere with her. So lean into it. You don't need to be a, and I quote your lovely little childhood friend here, a loser Deku about it. Man up, make a move, get the girl. Simple, right?"
"Can't she just be a friend?" He asked hypothetically.
"Come on Izuku, do you really just want to be friends with her?" She poked him in the head as they turned the corner to the block where they parked the van.
He grunted and swatted her hand away. He also didn't answer her question. Because, yes, maybe he didn't want to be just friends with the girl. But he barely knew her, and he thought it was a little ridiculous (and unfair to her) for his friends to try and pair him off. "Why yes, I should take relationship advice to the girl who pined after someone for five years before HE made a move." He commented as he entered the van by the passenger seat door.
"I don't have to drive you anywhere, you know that?" She was annoyed as she entered by the driver's door."
"And I don't have to help you run a show since I technically am supposed to be focused on getting ready to enter U.A." He came back with, putting on his seatbelt.
"The show won't be until tonight, I'm sure Koichi will be available. Or maybe I can get one of the fans to do it. I'm sure Yo-Yo wouldn't mind." She quickly came back with.
"Koichi is staying late, and you wouldn't trust any of them to do the stuff you need." Izuku pointed out the flaws in her threat.
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Greenhorn. Get a guy a girlfriend and all of a sudden he gets a backbone."
She had the last laugh as she started the van, as he was blushing and embarrassed to even look at his friend. The plans were set to meet up for another renegade show that night, and he was dropped off at his place.
His mom wasn't in, as she had woken up already and was out for personal reasons so Izuku took the time to catch up with his various studies. While he knew he was a fair bit ahead of wherever U.A. curriculum was going to start, he knew he had to have great grades to keep up with the grind of hero studies so he was putting in the time now instead of pulling an all-nighter comes June or July.
He was only at it for twenty minutes or so when he got a quick text message that surprised him. It was even more surprising to see it came from his father, who almost never texted. He guessed he must have been at work, so the speed of it was key. A second, follow up text appeared before he could open it up.
Heard U.A. letters are out. You get in?
And son, you talk to your mom yet bout visiting?
He hadn't, but had been planning on it once he got the letter. Seeing no time was better than the present, he decided to ask her once she got back from her errands. Quickly he replied in a text.
:) Yeah I did! How did you hear about it?
It was a fair question, since this stuff was usually kept on the down low and he hadn't mentioned it. It was also a delaying tactic, if he was lucky enough for his mom to show up shortly. Apparently his dad was right by the phone because he got a reply in a minute as he lazily looked over the chemical table.
Dashi got mad his kid didn't make it.
So, another parent then. Makes sense, literally thousands of kids had applied.
What did your mom say?
It seemed like he couldn't hold it off until she got here.
Waited to ask until I got in so she was in a good mood.
She's out now, gonna ask when she is back.
He went back to his textbook, waiting for a reply from his dad. After a few minutes, he began to search his phone for hero news while half attempting to study, waiting for his dad to reply. After about twenty, he figured his dad wouldn't for a little while. Either he had to go back to work, or he didn't like his answer. Izuku decided it was what it was, and began to reimmerse himself in the studying.
That only lasted another ten or fifteen minutes before his mother arrived from her errands. She had been just out and about and talking with her friends.
"Izuku, what class did you say you were in?" She asked as she went over her talks with her friends.
He was still half-studying so was a little surprised by the question. "Huh, oh, uh...1-A. Why?" He asked her.
"Oh that's good. Katsuki is in that class as well. Mitsuki mentioned it when she told us about his frustrations with his rank."
Izuku let out a long sigh, having been hoping with Sero that maybe Kacchan wasn't in his class. He was a friend, but he was crude and ultra-competitive to a degree that was unhealthy in his opinion. Being the best was something Izuku understand, crushing everyone on the way was something he didn't.
"Sero, the friend I met at the exam, was in the same battlefield as him and said he must have done really well with all the robots he defeated. What was his rank?" He was curious about that however.
"You know how he is, he was so mad that he came in second. Apparently the boy in first place scored 84 in total, compared to his 77." She recounted to him.
Izuku's mouth couldn't help but hang open. 84? 77? First place alone nearly doubled him, and Kacchan beat him by 30 points! He could have doubled his villain points and still lost to him. Maybe it was the distance, but he hadn't realized how powerful he had become. Along with the boy in first, Yaoyorozu, and the other recommendation students. Everyone was so powerful in his class. And in stumbled in… Greenhorn. Him.
Shaking the jitters off of him, he reminded himself he had earned it and had proved himself worthy of standing alongside them. Closing his jaw, he just nodded towards his mother. "That does sound like Kacchan. He always wants to be the top dog." Deciding this conversation was perfect for a segue, he made one. "Anyway mom, I've been wanting to ask you about something. Dad called me last Friday…"
"Hisashi called you?" His mother was surprised, not expecting that apparently.
"I mean… he does contact me sometimes. It isn't like he ignores me." He made a defense of his father.
"Of course honey, it is just a bit surprising. I haven't really spoken to him in a couple of weeks…" She admitted.
"And it's about that. He was asking that, if it wasn't too much trouble, we could spend the day and go see him."
His mother became silent at the suggestion. Staring blankly, it didn't seem like she liked the idea, so Izuku elaborated. "He just wants to see us and, well, he is trying to handle his problems and he doesn't think he can handle coming back to town yet. I know it's a lot so I just wanted to hear what you think about it."
"Not yet."
She seemed to answer immediately after his argument. "Huh?" He reactively asked.
"Not… not yet. I, I'm not ready for something like that. It's just...it's just… not right now. Maybe, in a little while… when the time is right… and well" She began to mumble and go on, making Izuku quite aware where he got the habit from.
"It's okay mom." He cut her off. "I understand." Which was mostly the truth. "I'll tell him you can't right now."
She began to nod a little frantically. "Thank you, Izuku honey." Her eyes began to well up. "What did I do to deserve a son as good as you." She reached in for a hug, which he quickly leaned into and let his shirt get a little soaked.
Mom said she can't right now. Maybe later. Told her to call u.
He sent the text after his mother had finished her crying on her shoulder. He kept half-studying chemistry and half-looking at his phone for hero news for a few attention split, he accidentally took hero notes in the middle of his chemistry notebook. He ripped the page out to join the latest edition of his Hero Analysis for the Future notebooks (which reminded him he had to change the name of the last two, so brazenly called 'Vigilante Quirk Analysis Notes'.)
As he began to put away things so he could head out to set up the Pop Step, he finally got a text back from his dad.
Fine
He could tell his dad wasn't pleased, but he didn't know what to do. It lingered on his mind on his way to meet up with Kazuho. They were quick to get to work, with Izuku doing his best to brush off the teasing she was throwing at him as they finalized the set list and her makeup.
Though calling her Momo Midoriya did garner a rather large reaction from him that nearly caused him to faceplant into her van.
It wasn't too long after sunset when they converged on their location. Using a nearby trio of trees as his out of the way base, Izuku set up the speakers and laptop. As soon as he began to play the opening background music, Pop Step made her entrance bounding into the scene with a flourish and a grin. They were taking a risk by playing in such an open plaza so close to Downtown, but they knew the rules. They had done minimal advertising for this show as Kazuho was treating this Pop Step performance as a recruitment to her fan base over a fan appreciation event. So the fact that the denizens of Musutafu City were slow to cluster to watch the idol break into song was no big surprise to either as they pressed into the first song.
About ten minutes in and into the third track, Izuku was happy to see a small crowd of fifty or so pausing to watch her dance and sing to the music. A few members in the crowd were regulars, but most were people who gathered to watch before they moved on to continue with their night so the show was looking like a big success. Watching the crowd, he didn't notice the person walk up behind him until there was a gentle tapping on his shoulder. Quickly turning, Izuku paled to see Eraserhead staring down at him in civilian garb. It was very similar to his hero garb, except without the goggles and a lot less scarf.
"Izuku Midoriya, why am I not surprised?"
That was incredibly worrisome, as he wasn't sure how Eraserhead knew his full name. He knew him as Midoriya, but he had never mentioned the full name. Unless he had gotten it from his brief encounters with the police. But either way, everyone knew using someone's full name was meant to tell them they were in trouble.
"Good evening, Eraserhead. Don't worry, we aren't breaking any laws with this show! This is a public plaza, performances are legal until 9 p.m., we are not violating the sound laws, we aren't panhandling or advertising our goods, and we aren't using any firework or firework related objects!" He quickly went through the list so he could prove they were in fact on the good side of the law. (Very shaky, but good.)
Eraserhead gaze lingered on him as he took a second to analyze the scene to determine if all of the points Izuku said were logical. Izuku noticed a glimmer of acceptance in his eyes, realizing he had been right in his assessment. He didn't get to enjoy it, as Eraserhead spoke again. "Indeed, but that isn't why I came to you Midoriya." He began, using his usual term for the boy. "And I ask you call me Aizawa, or sensei from now on instead of my hero name."
"Shit."
Aizawa heard the natural response of Izuku, even under his breath, glaring at him when he realized it. Izuku had the decency to look away in embarrassment.
But it was a natural reaction, one he should have seen coming. He had known from some time ago from Midnight that Eraser- Aizawa was a homeroom teacher from Year One Heroics Department. Considering there was two classes, it was fifty-fifty he ended up with the underground hero. Still, it was disheartening to know your teacher was famous for expelling students, even getting rid of his entire class this previous year by the School Festival. The earlier feelings of doubt tried their best to manifest again.
"I'm-I'm sorry about that sensei, I was surprised to learn you are going to be my teacher." He tried to explain.
"And that causes reason for profanity?" Aizawa lorded over him.
Izuku took a second to make sure everything about the show was going well and that Pop Step hadn't noticed the heroic interlude he was facing. Seeing it was good, he told the truth. "Well, uh, I heard from Midnight about how you often expel students… and since I had to work so much to make it… I guess I am a bit worried since you probably don't have the highest opinion of me." Normally he might have fibbed but his encounters with the man in the past told him he usually could tell when you were lying.
Aizawa took a moment to look up at Pop Step performance before looking back down at Izuku. "Regardless of what you may think, I respect your tenacity and desire for improvement. You want to be a hero with everything you have, a noble goal indeed. Even if I expel you, I have a feeling you would just continue your actions with her and Crawler." He told him.
Something in Izuku's head clicked. "And it would be better to nurture that desire then neglect it?" He asked.
Aizawa's eyes lit up in confused recognition of his words. "Where did you hear that phrase?"
"Principal Nedzu said a hero used it to describe me in his letter telling me I was accepted. That was you, wasn't it?" Izuku asked, confident he was right.
Aizawa glared into the abyss for a few seconds, a frown growing on his face. He was worried this distaste was directed at him. Then he heard the man speak. "Of course that little schemer. He would say that." It was obvious he had meant the Principal. He returned his attention to Izuku. "Yes, those were my words. You don't need to speak of it again. While I do believe in those words, I will hang on my ability to remove my trust in you if you break it. I expect you to give everything you have in my class and in every class at U.A. Do you understand?"
Izuku looked a cross of offended and in awe. "Of course sensei. Why would I give anything less to my dream?" He asked rhetorically.
He looked down and smirked at his student. "I knew there was a reason I didn't turn you in with your ragtag bunch of 'unaffiliated sidekicks'." Izuku stopped his own chuckle at the turn of phrase Koichi and Kazuho would pull out on occasion when working with established heroes. "And just so we are clear," Aizawa interrupted his amusement and regaining his focus, "your only capacity in working with Pop Step is as her manager?"
Izuku nodded. "Yeah, yeah, of course. Even that I probably won't be able to do much once I start classes in U.A. I have to focus on being the best I can be, right sensei?"
Aizawa gaze lingered on Pop Step performing one more time before responding. "While that is true, it would be foolish to neglect the ones who helped you here. Everyone needs friends, good friends. And despite their poor judgements, I think you have made a few good friends in them. Am I wrong?"
Izuku shook his head, grinning in how cool Eraserhead, his new sensei was. "No sensei, you are right. They are pretty good friends."
Aizawa let out a sigh, and pulled out his eye drops. Putting them in each eye. "Unless I run into one of her concerts again, I don't want to see you until the first day of classes. Can you handle that Midoriya?" He asked, beginning to walk away.
Izuku waved at his sensei leaving form. "No problem, sensei." He basked in the glow of how well that conversation went. Until he remembered he was doing something, and got back to work on managing Pop Step's show.
…
A few days later on Saturday, a quarter before noon, Izuku wandered with a gym bag over one arm and a phone in the other hand to the front of the Athletic Hall. Wearing a nicer looking casual clothing (not knowing what one wore to an expensive gym). He was shooting a text to Yaoyorozu asking where she was and that he was here. She quickly sent a text back.
Give me two minutes, I'm walking and just 2 blocks away
Izuku put his phone in his pocket and stood by an empty set of bike racks, gently tapping on the metal to hide his nerves and pass the time. A very pretty girl was coming to meet him and hang out with him. He was also getting ready to teach someone about live combat situations and demonstrate his fighting ability. The nerves were coming in both directions at him.
"Midoriya, I'm here." He heard a voice call out from his left. Turning, he saw her arrive wearing a simple pink blouse and grey calf-high sweatpants along with her gym bag. She was also wearing a headband, no doubt to keep the hair out of her eyes.
Gulping, he waved at her. "He-hey Yaoyorozu. How are you doing?"
She smiled at him, adjusting her gym strap bag on her shoulder. "Good, good. And you?"
"Great." He answered.
She nodded, happy with his answer. She nodded towards the Athletic Hall entrance. "Are you ready to begin?"
"Yeah." He did another quick one word answer with a nod to accompany it. Finding that agreeable, she took lead and walked into the Athletic Hall and he quickly followed. He was hoping he didn't make a fool of himself once they got serious.