Disclaimer: We do not own My Hero Academia or its characters.

Chapter One—Izuku

"No, no… please. Not today. Not today!"

Out of any day for my car to give me trouble, today had to be the day. I'd managed to secure an interview for a position as an assistant to Shoto Todoroki, CEO of the largest and most known publishing company in Japan. It was a huge deal, more than, I was lucky to even have this interview and yet here I was, punching my steering wheel and begging my hunk of junk to cooperate.

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity, especially for a guy like me. For the past two years I'd been waiting tables at a high end restaurant, and it was enough with me working every free second that I had for me to squeeze by. However, my student loans were hanging over my head, threatening to crush me at any given second and now I finally had a chance to get a second job—a great job and I was going to be late!

When I realized that I wasn't going to get anywhere with my car, I got back out of it and ran as fast as I could to the nearest bus stop. It didn't do me much good considering I had to wait five minutes before the bus arrived—five minutes that I didn't have. This day couldn't possibly get any worse.

My anxiety prevented me from standing still as I waited for the bus, I was jogging in place as if it would get me there any faster and once the bus finally pulled up, I wanted to be the first one on. Unfortunately, there was a group of elderly people waiting together, one that kept dropping her walking stick and I did my best to help them get on the bus, taking another ten minutes.

The bus could only take me so far, leaving me two blocks away from Todoroki Publishing. I was already late, only by five minutes but that was a lot considering I should have been fifteen minutes early to make a good first impression. I left the bus in such a hurry, that I didn't look where I was going and ran straight into someone, crushing the cup of hot coffee they were holding between us.

"Hot!" I screeched, green eyes widening as I gaped at my white button down shirt now with a large brown stain that was hot and wet. "No, no, no!"

This was it. There was no getting worse than this.

"I'm sorry! So sorry!" I yelled frantically as I ran off, ignoring the woman who was cursing me for everything I was worth.

When I finally ran into the building, I was fifteen minutes late, heaving for each breath and looking worse than I probably ever had in my life. The coffee had yet to dry and I was covered in sweat, still hurrying to the nearest desk where two receptionists were looking at me with disgust.

"Um, hello." I panted. "I'm Izuku Midoriya… I'm here for an interview…"

Both of the ladies blinked at me in disbelief before one of them cleared her throat and picked up the phone. I waited as patiently as I could, my anxiety rising more and more by the second. She spoke to someone, giving my name and then she laid the phone back on the hook and smiled at me.

"Mr. Todoroki will see you in his office. Take the elevator to the twenty-third floor, his office is the only one on that floor."

I nodded and made a beeline for the elevator, my heart pounding. Mr. Todoroki. Nobody told me he would be interviewing me himself! My true panic didn't set in until I was in the elevator. As soon as he got one look at me he was going to send me on my way. I wasn't prepared. I should have tried to reschedule. I should have never even attempted to try for this job. It was all too much and by the time the elevator came to a stop on the twenty third floor, I had made up my mind to go right back down and not even attempt to humiliate myself any further.

However, when the doors slid open, the CEO himself was just opening the door to his office that was directly ahead of the elevator, a cup of coffee in his free hand. I gulped, face going red in shame. He was dressed impeccably in a light grey suit and black tie, his hair combed and tamed, a striking contrast of red on one side and white on the other. His handsome face had a dark scar over his right side, but it did nothing to take away from his sublime flawlessness. Our eyes met and I was struck with another set of mismatched colors, one blue eye and one grey. He simply blinked at me and raised both his eyebrows as he was seemingly frozen in place.

I stepped off of the elevator nervously, trying my best to cover the stain on my shirt, which was impossible and completely foolish to even attempt but hey, I was trying! Trying really hard not to cry that is.

"M-mr. Todoroki… I um… I'm really sorry. I'm late and a mess and I'm sorry… b-but I can explain everything." I tried my best to apologize and savor this opportunity, voice trembling with every word. If I cried now I was going to crawl under a rock and die.

"Mr. Midoriya?" He asked for confirmation and I nodded. "You may come in." He told me and then went inside his office, leaving the door open behind him.

Taking a deep breath to try and calm myself, I followed him into the office, hesitating by the door, unsure if I should leave it open or close it. Mr. Todoroki gestured for me to close the door as he rounded his desk, so I did and then took a seat across from him when I was prompted to do so. I kept quiet, waiting for him to settle himself and begin, because I didn't know what to say or do. I already knew the position was out of my reach—even more so now that I'd showed up like this. It was official, I was going to cry.

"It seems you've had an eventful morning." He mused and took a sip of his coffee before placing it down on his desk. "I was running a little late myself." He confessed, reaching into his suit jacket to retrieve a handkerchief that he offered to me.

I stared at the handkerchief, noting it was embroidered with his initials and looking as if it cost more than my car. Should I take it, maybe he would think me rude for refusing it. But if I did, would I really wipe my sweaty face with it? Then what? Hand it back to him? Have it laundered? Panic was consuming me once more.

"Go on." He encouraged. "I'm taking a leap of faith. If you get the job, you can return it to me later and if you don't get the job, I'll never see my handkerchief again. Make sure you do your best, it's one of my favorites."

"Thank you, sir." I smiled despite everything and accepted the handkerchief, dabbing the silky smooth cotton material against my face until it was free of sweat and then I held tight to it, resting my hands in my lap. "And yes… eventful morning. Um, my car wouldn't start and I had to take the bus but I was running so late so there was a lot of rushing and a coffee incident and it was awful… I promise I don't usually look like this."

"Hm." Mr. Todoroki nodded in understanding and took another sip of his coffee. "I won't hold it against you. Now then, shall we begin the interview?"

"Thank you very much. Yes, sir." I smiled, feeling relieved that he was still giving me a chance to prove my worth.

He reached for a file that had already been laying on his desk and opened it, eyes on its contents as he spoke. "I've gone through your application a few times, but I would like to hear some things explained in person. What attracted you to this position?"

Oh. An easy question to start off.

"I'm still a student right now, but my dream is to become a publishing agent and editor so I'm eager to learn more about the industry. Currently, I have another job at a restaurant, but it's not enough to support me fully and it isn't helping me gain any experience in the publishing field. I really, really want that. I want to put myself into a position that lets me show how much potential and drive I have when it comes to this sort of work. So, this position seemed perfect for what I want. So I can learn and grow and have some experience when I finally get my degree and go out into the publishing world."

He hummed and waited a few moments before he asked his a couple more questions. "How confident are you in your current skill level? Are you comfortable and familiar with computers, printers and all that entails?"

"Oh, yes sir! I'm very techy and also a quick learner. I'm confident that I would be a great person for the position. I'm a really hard worker…" I didn't just want the job, I needed it and I would do everything I could to prove myself worthy.

Mr. Todoroki nodded again and then closed the file he had been looking at, gaze raising to me. "And what would you say your strengths and weaknesses are?"

"My strengths are definitely my intellect and ability to multitask. I have a strong work ethic that I have been praised for and I encourage you to speak to my other boss to ask for yourself. My weaknesses… sometimes I do get nervous and I overthink things, but I'm not afraid to ask for help if I need it."

"I see. Last question, Mr. Midoriya." He said and folded his hands on top of his desk. "What is your opinion on Zaru Soba?"

It was a strange question for an interview, but I wasn't going to let that mess me up. Thankfully, it was something I knew of. "It's one of my favorite dishes, especially in the summer. Did you know there are many health benefits, it's very high in protein and really tasty too." I laughed lightly, feeling a lot more comfortable than I had when I arrived. "Overall, my opinion on Zaru Soba is that it's great and… now I kind of want some."

Mr. Todoroki's eyes light up for a second before he reached for his coffee again, finishing off the cup. "That's all I needed to know. We have your contact information and will get back to you tomorrow afternoon to let you whether you got the position or not."

His words made it impossible for me to know how great or slim my chances were, but I was effectively dismissed and all I could do was hope for the best. I stood up slowly and smiled kindly at him. "Thank you for your consideration." I said and held up my hand holding the handkerchief. "I will launder this and return it to you… even if I don't get the position." I promised and then slid it into my pocket, proud of myself for making it through this.

"Then I shall see you again regardless. Safe travels, Mr. Midoriya." He said, the hint of a smirk on his face.

"H-have a good day, Mr. Todoroki." I managed, tone a lot higher than necessary.

Forcing myself not to run, I let myself out slowly and closed the door behind me. It was only when I was alone outside of the office that my heart pounded and my breathing faltered. That was the strangest and most intense thing that I had done in a long time. It was nothing like I expected—he was nothing like I expected and oh my he actually went through the interview with me… he still gave me a chance and even if I didn't get the position, I was grateful for that.

The rest of my day was much better, and I was in a great mood. Even though I was still a mess, I was all smiles on my way home, deciding to slow things down and walk. My hands were in my pockets, my right fiddling with the handkerchief until I arrived at the local laundromat and walked inside. I approached the counter, loving how fresh and clean the place smelled.

I wanted to be mindful of the seemingly delicate material, so I thought I would pay for it to be cleaned professionally. The wait for the handkerchief was only twenty minutes and when I received it back, I really wanted to keep it forever. It was so soft and elegant and rich looking—so soft and silky. I wondered if it was his only one, or if he had many. Maybe he had all different colors, but after seeing him in that sharp grey suit, I wondered if he was a colorful person. Maybe he only liked neutral colors and cool tones, then again, maybe he liked to switch things up sometimes.

That night, I had a shift at the restaurant and had a few good tippers which brightened my mood even more. Time didn't seem to sit still for me like it did so often and even when I got home to finish up the essay I had due the following morning, I still couldn't shake the smile from my face—nor could I quit playing with Mr. Todoroki's handkerchief.

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My two classes the following morning were simple, boring really. I spent most of my time making notes and comparing theories over some discourse in my creative writing class. It was one of my favorite classes, because it was open and fun and a true learning experience for me. I also spent a fair amount of my morning wondering if I would get a phone call possibly telling me I had the job at Todoroki Publishing. It would be one step closer to me reaching my goals, but I couldn't let myself get my hopes up. After all, I had showed up like a homeless person.

Sadly, my car was still giving me trouble, so I had no choice but to work around it. At least it wasn't so bad as long as I was prepared for it. Punctuation was important and I prided myself in always being early to everything—some friends even calling me an overachiever. That was funny considering I was nobody and had next to nothing. I hadn't achieved anything, but I knew one day I would. To never give up, that was my motto. I had to face everything that came my way, both good and bad, and work through it all.

It was on my way home that afternoon that my phone rang and my heart stopped beating. I stopped where I was, digging my phone out of my pocket and staring at the unprogrammed number in disbelief. No way. Wait, I couldn't get excited. It could be a scam caller, or worse, it could be someone calling me to tell me I was a failure and hadn't gotten the position.

Regardless, I swallowed hard and answered. "Hello?"

"Mr. Midoriya."

Holy crap, it's the man himself. "Mr. Todoroki?" I squeaked and quickly cleared my throat, mentally chiding myself for getting flustered. My cheeks shouldn't have been so red.

"Good afternoon." He said in greeting and got straight to business. "I called to congratulate you on getting the position, we'll need to schedule a follow up meeting in order to get you settled in."

"Called to… settle a follow up… WAIT WHAT?!" I screamed, completely in a daze. Nothing was making sense. His words rang through my head repeatedly in a jumbled mess as I tried to make sense of it all. No way he just called to tell me I got the position, yet that was exactly what he said. "Oh wow, I'm going to cry. This is the best thing that's ever happened… and after I showed up looking so trashy. Maybe I seemed as desperate as I am, but did he really pity me or actually see that I do have potential? Probably both, I mean that would make sense, yeah I can totally see it. Holy cow, I can't believe this. I have a position—Mr. Todoroki is a really nice guy apparently, I should—"

"Izuku."

I gasped. Mr. Todoroki was still on the phone and he called me by my first name. "... I was thinking out loud, wasn't I?" It was one of my worst habits, one I just couldn't seem to shake.

"It's alright, I know you're just excited to have received the internship." He told me. "I can fit you in tomorrow morning at eight or later that night, a little after nine. Do either of those times work for you?"

I tried not to scream, managing to keep it down to a quiet squeal. "When do you prefer to have me sir? Anytime is fine for me, I'll have my schedule clear no matter what!"

"Nine would be the most ideal."

"Tomorrow night?" I asked, heart speeding up a bit at the late hour. Would anyone else even be in the office at that time?

"Yes, I have more free time then." He explained.

More free time? Maybe it would take a while and he didn't want to have to rush our discussions. Of course. "Very well. I'll be there by nine."

"Until then, Mr. Midoriya."

"Oh, um, sir!" I called before he could hang up and smiled when he waited to hear what I had to say. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He said and then added, "I look forward to working with you."

"Me too!" I grinned, feeling beyond excited. "See you tomorrow, sir."

I hung up the phone and stared at it, being completely still and quiet for all of three seconds before I screamed. Nobody could understand my elation at receiving that phone call and actually securing the position. I couldn't wait to give this my all and show Mr. Todoroki that he made the right choice with me.

I had to return his handkerchief too!

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Since I didn't have to meet Mr. Todoroki until nine, I didn't have to miss any classes, or my shift at the restaurant. It was a sucky day at work, but my excitement to see my new boss again and learn more about my position prevented my mood from souring.

My shift ended at eight and since my car was still out of commission and I didn't want to risk being late, I took the next bus as far as I could and then walked my way to Todoroki Publishing. It was already dark out and I was thankful for my uniform consisting of black slacks and a white long sleeve button down, so at least I looked presentable.

And I didn't have to run.

I arrived with fifteen minutes to spare, perfect for me. As I wandered in, I fussed with my curly hair, knowing there was no taming it, but still trying anyway. Just as I expected, the receptionists from the day before were not behind the desk and other than a couple security guards by the entrance, I didn't see anyone else as I made my way to the elevator and up to the twenty third floor.

I was early… and he did say a little after nine, so that had me hesitating outside of his office. I didn't want to impose or interrupt him if he was in the middle of anything, but I also didn't want him waiting on me if he was expecting me to show up earlier. In the end, I decided to announce my arrival, if he wanted me to wait, I would. I walked over to the door and knocked three times, waiting patiently while moving my ear closer to the door so I could hear if he acknowledged me.

"Shit." I heard Mr. Todoroki curse quietly before he called out much louder, "Come in."

It sounded like he wasn't quite ready for me, but since I was called in, I opened the door. "Good evening, sir." I greeted him with a smile, finding him seated at his desk, his suit jacket hanging over the back of his chair, a couple empty cups on his desk along with an intimidating stack of papers. Maybe he wasn't as free as he thought he'd be.

"Good evening." He said as he made a mark on a piece of paper with a pen. Then he set it down, giving me his full attention. "I apologize for making you wait, I thought I would be finished before you got here. The time completely escaped my notice."

"Oh, it's fine. I'm not in any rush… anything I can help with?" I walked over to stand in front of his desk, wondering if he'd already finished the big stack, or if the smaller stack was what he had completed.

"I appreciate the offer, but I don't want to take up your time." He declined. "We have a few things to sort out before I can put you to work."

Feeling dejected, I plopped down in the chair across from him. "But my time is yours and if I help we can sort things out sooner. Don't you think?"

Mr. Todoroki raised a brow at me. "Are you . . . pouting, Mr. Midoriya."

Oh crap. I straightened my face quickly. "N-no way."

"Mmhm." He mused, a small smirk appearing, but he soon schooled his features. "If you're that eager then I supposed there isn't any harm in letting you lend a hand."

"Yes!" I grinned and scooted my chair closer, eager to help him anyway I could. "Just tell me what you need and I'll take care of it."

"There was a miscommunication earlier today between me and one of the editors." He informed, taking out a pencil from his desk. "One of our authors started her vacation this afternoon, but we needed a hard copy of her latest novel before she traveled out of the country. I told him to have her prepare the final draft and then go pick it up at four, an hour before her flight. At six thirty I get a call from him saying that she never showed up to deliver the novel. He couldn't get a hold of her by cell phone, so I had to intervene and pull some strings.

"I spoke to her through the airline phone on the plane to find out that he was the one that never showed up and she left, not wanting to miss her flight. I called the editor back, relay the story she told me, asking for an explanation. Apparently he heard me say six instead of four and completely messed up the time. Luckily, the author took a risk and left her work sitting outside of her apartment door. The editor retrieved it and brought it to my office a little after eight. I examined the novel and realized it was not the final draft and demanded he show me the message he sent the author. What I have in front of me, Mr. Midoriya, is the first draft of her novel that he was going to pick up at six."

"There were no major changes after the first draft?" I asked for clarification. With such a short amount of time, pulling a full edit on the first draft of a novel wouldn't be so simple. "Do you have the digital copy?"

Mr. Todoroki sighed. "Some writers are extremely sensitive and only give out hard copies. She, unfortunately, was one of them. The editor told me there were no major changes from what he and her discussed a few weeks ago, but at this point I don't trust his word or his hearing skills. All I can do is edit the novel and then type it up to email it to the author. Hopefully she responds and makes whatever changes are needed before the deadline."

"And the deadline is when exactly?" I asked, noticing that the bigger stack had already been gone through by him. He was quick.

"The day after tomorrow." He answered and handed me the pencil. "Would you finish editing the hard copy while I start typing it up?"

I stared at the pencil, stomach fluttering. Little old me, editing a real novel… "pinch me." I had to be dreaming. "Editing… me… this has never happened before. I really wasn't expecting this—I mean coffee runs and making copies and reading emails, sure, but EDITING? Oh wow, it's not even my first day, like my real first day, but here I am—taking this pencil and starting my first edit." I took the pencil and slid the small stack over to me. "It's going to be weird coming in at the end, but that won't stop me. I've got this!"

"Admirable enthusiasm." He complimented, hands going to his keyboard. "Show me what you can do, Izuku."

My heart beat a little faster at the praise and encouragement and I giggled excitedly as I got to work. The novel was an extremely well written mystery that pulled me in, even missing the first three quarters of it and I found only minor things that needed editing as I went through. Mainly formatting things, but it was well polished—as any novel should be before being sent in to an agent.

Mr. Todoroki's quick typing was the only sound in the room as the two of us worked and for once, I didn't start rambling aloud. I was way too focused on the task given to me, one that so important I couldn't even believe it was given to me. I concentrated hard, putting my all into editing the remainder of the draft and then read over it again before getting up to add it to the rest of the papers he had yet to finish typing up. He was working so quickly, I was blown away. While the boss was completely engrossed in his work, I looked around his office.

It was spacious, his desk in the center right in front of the back wall which was all glass, overlooking the city which looked really beautiful from behind so high and at this hour with all the lights shining brightly. My eyes went wide at the sight of it, I hadn't even noticed before.

"Oh wow… so pretty." I whispered, hands and face against the glass as I peered out in awe. Oh, but I had things to do!

The far left of the office had a black leather couch and even a kitchenette. I found a coffee pot there and decided to start a brew—we were going to be here for a while. The small refrigerator was stocked with water and fruit. Mr. Todoroki was apparently a healthy man. Not that I was surprised, he looked so fit and clean and handsome.

On the far right, the entire wall was lined with books which I skimmed over as I waited for the coffee to brew and listened to the steady sound of Mr. Todoroki's typing. His office was as clean as he was… and it smelled like him. I liked it. When the coffee finished, I poured him a cup and carried it over. He didn't seem like a cream and sugar guy, though there was cream and sugar available. I didn't add any to his, deciding to risk it. His mix matched eyes were locked on the screen intently, not even glancing away as I set the coffee on his desk for him. I left him to it, returning to the coffee pot to pour myself a cup—having extra cream and sugar.

The first sip had me humming in delight. It was warm and perfectly sweetened. I wished I could do more, but I couldn't type up the novel for him and I didn't want to overstep either. Deciding to keep quiet and not distract him from his work, I returned to my seat across from him, wishing it was beside him instead so I could see what he was typing—though watching him certainly wasn't bad. He looked even better when he was so focused, still calm and cool, but with such concentration. For some reason I wondered what kind of faces he'd make in all sorts of situations. No matter what, I was sure he'd always be hot.

Wait… what?

My last thought had my face flushing scarlet and I tore my gaze away from him. That didn't last long though. Mere seconds and I was looking back at him, gripping my cup a little tighter when he picked up his own and had a sip.

He paused, staring intensely at his computer before taking a second sip. "Thank you." He hummed and shifted his gaze towards me. "How did you know I like it black?"

"Just a hunch." I smiled warmly at him, definitely not blushing. Who am I kidding—my face was hotter than my coffee.

Mr. Todoroki continued to watch me and soon a small smile appeared on his face. "A leap of faith. You have good instincts."

"I like to think so." I shifted in my seat slightly and crossed my legs, trying to hide behind my cup but I wasn't so sure it was working out.

"Modest, too. It's a shame you said I was a really nice guy."

A shame? I blinked at his words, tilting my head slightly in confusion. "What do you mean? You are really—OH! That reminds me," I set my cup on his desk and reached in my pocket to pull out the handkerchief folded in there and held it out to him with a big smile. "I had it cleaned for you. Thank you so much."

He glanced down at the cloth and then back at me. "That isn't mine."

"W-what?" I asked, stunned. How could he even think that? Did he forget that he gave it to me? We had a whole conversation about it though… more than once. "S-sir, it is. Yesterday… remember you—and I… it's yours."

"I've never seen it before." He said, his small break over as he went back to typing.

Never seen it before… "B-but sir… you loaned it to me and… and…" it has your initials on it!

"If I had ever given my lucky handkerchief to a complete stranger who had a rough day, I wouldn't want to take it back. It seemed they needed it more than I did." He said and gave me another small smile. "Not that there is such a person because I most certainly didn't loan it to anyone."

His lucky handkerchief.

Clutching the cloth in my hand, I pulled it back to me and held it against my chest. He wanted me to keep it, didn't he? That's what this was. A gift…

"I will treasure this." I murmured, feeling touched from the bottom of my heart. They do say it's the little things that feel the biggest.

"I don't doubt it."

I really could have burst into tears, never expecting to meet someone so kind. He'd given me a wonderful opportunity and only proved to me more that he really was nice and thoughtful. I stared at the handkerchief in my hand, toying with the end between my thumb and index finger while Mr. Todoroki worked.

Even with his incredible speed, it still took another three hours for him to finish typing up the novel. By then, we'd finished the pot of coffee and I'd busied myself moving the pages for him as he went. When he finally finished, I straightened the papers and placed them in the large envelope they belonged to. It was almost one in the morning, but after all the coffee and excitement, I wasn't tired. I was raring to go and eager to learn more about my position—and hear his thoughts on my editing, since he had yet to say anything.

"You're so fast, sir. I can't believe you finished it tonight." I smiled sweetly at him. "Would you like me to file this or do you need it out?"

"You may file it." He said and leaned back in his chair, eyes on me. "You're certainly on a roll tonight, Mr. Midoriya."

There was something really intimidating about him when he was all eyes on me—something that made my face turn red and my gaze avert. I quickly took the envelope and walked over to the filing cabinets, looking through until I found the correct place to put it. Everything was alphabetized so it made it simple to figure out.

"I haven't done anything…" I mumbled, not sure how to feel about him thinking highly of me. Was he thinking highly of me? Was this praise… I liked whatever it was, for sure, but I didn't know what was happening.

"And there's that modesty again. I already knew you had the makings of a great editor, but I didn't expect you to be so attentive." He said and then added, "But now that I think about it . . . I shouldn't have been surprised at all."

"Shouldn't have been surprised… makings of a great editor… w-what do you mean?" He was being too nice now. Any more and I may overheat.

Mr. Todoroki shrugged in response, but his eyes were gleaming. "Let's just say I'm very observant. You'll do well here."

There was something more going through his head, I was certain of it. Still, I had no way of knowing what thoughts he was having and no matter how badly I tried to figure it out, I came up with nothing.

"I will do my best, sir." I promised him while moving to take my seat once more.

"Good." He said, sitting up straight. "Now let's have that discussion I owe you. As you know, the internship is being my personal assistant. You'll be expected to accompany me throughout the day and act as my liaison in order to help prevent miscommunications like today. I can't spend all my time repeating myself or hounding employees to do what they should already be doing. Aside from that, your focus should be on learning and gaining as much experience as you can."

It seemed that I would be even more important than I thought. Truthfully, I expected to be running around and catering to Mr. Todoroki's needs. Coffee. Food. Other things. But he was keeping me to really lighten his load and that was gratifying. I would get to be hands on and really learn some things. This was so much better than I expected.

"I'm eternally grateful for the opportunity and I promise I won't let you down. As this is very important to my growth as an aspiring editor, I would like to work full time here and just take shifts at the restaurant when I'm not needed here. With my classes, some I'm taking online and some are on campus. My campus classes are Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, but I could try and switch to evening classes if you need me to. I'm sure you may need me in the mornings—or all day. I will have to discuss things with my professors, maybe they have a suggestion or two.

"I could possibly even do more online so I don't have to go in as often. Or, if you don't really need me on the weekends, I could do school and my other job then… but wait, I'm not sure. Weekend classes on campus are unlikely due to my courses. I suppose I could still ask, that wouldn't hurt. Maybe the evening classes would be best after all, or I could even try to have one longer day and then have more time to be with you. That wouldn't do at all though, that could take up an entire day when you would—"

"Izuku." He interrupted. "You don't have to worry, we'll work around your school schedule. My work weeks are Monday through Saturday, but it's up to you whether you want the weekends off to take shifts at your other job. As long as I can contact you during the week when you aren't able to be here, and you work hard and keep up on your duties, I won't have any complaints."

"So on the days I have classes, I'll just come in once I finish? And I want to work here, not there! I'll be here anytime you want me. Saturday too. I can work at the restaurant on Sundays. And… and I'm serious, I'll be so dedicated to being your assistant, I'm going to blow your mind."

Whoa. What am I saying? Whose confidence was this? Now I was blushing again, great. How embarrassing.

He raised his hands up in surrender, chuckling at me. "Easy, I believe you. I arrive at the office at seven every morning and you can come by when you can on the days you have classes."

"Got it. I'll be here by seven every other day and after classes I should arrive a little after lunch time." I would just focus on my online classes after work at night. Easy.

"It's decided." He stood up from his chair and slipped his suit jacket back on. "Well, I've taken too much of your time already and we both need some rest. I'll drive you home."

Drive me home? "W-what? No, sir. That's okay." I shook my head quickly, not wanting to be a burden to him. My home was probably way out of his way. "Oh, but there aren't any buses at this hour and… that is a far walk. It would take at least an hour—probably two. It's also dark and scary out there. I would hate to have to walk all the way home, but cabs are running! Yeah. I'll call a cab."

Mr. Todoroki walked over towards the door, pulling it open. "Come along, Mr. Midoriya. We'll pick up some food on the way. I'm starving."

"Ooh! Food, you say?" I beamed, hurrying behind him. My stomach was rumbling just at the thought.

I hadn't eaten since lunch and even that was a small portion. My excitement dimmed when I remembered that I was under strict orders from myself not to eat out. The power bill was due in just a few days and money was tight. I couldn't be careless, my mother was depending on me. When I thought it safe, I pulled out my wallet for a peek and realized take out was out of the question for me.

As we stepped into the elevator, I tucked my wallet back in my pocket. Hopefully with my new position, I wouldn't have issues like this in the future, but for now, this is how things were. It wasn't a big deal, I would find something at home, I just didn't want to embarrass myself by having no spare money—or by him seeing the small apartment building I lived in. Regardless, I was thankful for his kindness and happy to tag along with him on any stop he needed to make on the way.

A/N: A KanaTyy collaboration XD