Chapter Forty-Two: Capture
Aisla sat at her desk after her therapy session that day, but she wasn't really there. She sat up straight in her chair, notebook open in front of her and pen at the ready, eyes trained forward toward the desk of her instructor. Her ears were open and willing to take in the knowledge presented to her, but actually hearing the words was what had been so difficult for her lately. This, along with a few other reasons not exclusive to her breakup, was why Mr. Aizawa continued to send her to the school guidance counselor. Although she was secretly happy she didn't have to be yelled at by Hound Dog. She'd take Doctor Fujinari and his tea over getting barked at for an hour.
Aisla tried to hear the lecture; she wasn't sitting there spacing out like someone else might. Her ears took in the words, but her brain jumbled them into nonsense speech that she couldn't fully comprehend. It sounded like her teacher was talking to her from underwater, slow and garbled. That was why Aisla hadn't been taking notes for a while now. She was broken, and if she didn't figure out how to change that, she was going to be kicked out. Someone who wasn't able to hear, or learn, obviously didn't belong in the hero course.
Or anywhere at all, she thought pityingly. Where would Aisla go if she couldn't stay in school? What would she do with her life if she wasn't a hero? Ever since she was a little girl, it had been a dream of hers to be like her favorite pro hero, Eraser Head. He was strong and overcame so many obstacles to get to where he was today. Eraser Head's eye quirk was so similar to her own, that each time she saw another success of his on TV, Aisla grew more and more inspired.
Yet, here she was, seated not twenty feet away from her favorite pro hero while he passed along his knowledge, and she was retaining none of it. The thought made tears prick her eyes. Why was this happening to her? Why couldn't she just get over Katsuki's rejection and move on with her life? Teenagers broke up all the time! It wasn't like Aisla and Katsuki were the exception to this. They were kids, too—young and naïve. It wasn't like they were soulmates or something, just two kids in their first relationship. High school sweethearts never stuck together anyway.
A pain twisted her heart at that thought, making her wince a little. She bit her lip to try and distract herself from the inward pain, and rubbed at the spot on her chest where it burned the most—right over her heart. It did nothing to alleviate the tearing of her most vital organ, though, and when her teacher's eyes focused on hers, indicating he knew she wasn't paying attention, she forced herself to push it all down.
Get a grip, Aisla, she scolded herself as she tried to focus on the lecture to no avail. Mr. Aizawa's words still barely registered in her mind as actual speech. She did alright, speaking with people one-on-one, but for some reason, when she was in class, it was impossible to block out the din of thoughts. The rumors that circulated campus still weighed heavily upon her mind, leaving her mind with little room for anything else.
Agony, she thought with a visible shudder. She caught Shoto's concerned eye from the corner of her own but refused to meet his gaze. She knew he was worried about her, but there was nothing he could do to make things better. There was nothing anyone could do. She was stuck in this deep chasm of misery and numbness, unable to pull herself out long enough to catch her breath before getting dragged back under.
A sigh of relief escaped her when the bell chimed for lunch, though she wasn't eager to get to the dining hall so much as away from the classroom. Trying to focus in class, and ignore the taunts she couldn't stop herself from hearing inside her head, had been an exhausting struggle. She needed a mental break from everything. Her plan had been to go to her room and maybe close her eyes for a few minutes, but Shoto appeared at her desk with a knowing expression mixed with a little bit of disapproval. She kind of felt like she was being chastised by one of their teachers.
She blew some wayward strands of hair concealing her vision and slumped in her seat, refusing to move.
Shoto chuckled, eyes twinkling with both amusement and concern. "Come on, Ru, don't be so stubborn. When's the last time you ate? You look horrible."
She glowered at her desk. "Gee, thanks," she muttered under her breath.
"Miss Haru! Todoroki!" Mr. Aizawa snapped from the front of the room, making both of them flinch in surprise. "I want you both to stay here for the lunch period. I'll have your food delivered to the classroom. Is that understood?" His expression was firm and said he wouldn't accept 'no' as an answer.
Aisla deflated, head dropping into the crook of one arm that lay on her desk as she let out an audible sigh.
"Stop pouting or you can stay after class, too," he warned. "You can keep Bakugo company in detention."
She straightened at once, though she couldn't manage to meet his gaze or speak her reply. Inside her head, she told him that she didn't plan on eating anyway, so it was a pointless act on his part. She knew what he was doing without even hearing the words aloud. Mr. Aizawa must have been in cahoots with Shoto, because both of them seemed to be determined to make Aisla do things she didn't want to do.
I wish everyone would stop trying to force me to eat when I feel so sick I want to die…
Shoto took the empty desk next to hers and worked on homework while they waited for lunch to be brought to them. Aisla sat with her head in her palm and idly twisted strands of hair between her fingers, wondering what she could do to get out of this situation.
"You don't hum anymore," Shoto murmured from her left. She glanced over at him, startled by this sudden observation. He wasn't looking at her; his eyes were trained on his paper as he frowned slightly. "And you don't draw, either."
Aisla didn't know what to say to that. She'd never told her friend the whole story from the night of her breakup, only the parts where she'd confessed her love and Katsuki had rejected her. She'd left out the part about how she'd confessed—in a drawing she'd spent weeks working on, only to have it crumpled in a fist and thrown on the floor like garbage in less than a second. Who would want to draw again after something like that?
As for the humming… That was a habit she'd had since she was a little girl. It wasn't something she was often aware of, but she knew that people teased her about it good-naturedly. She hadn't even realized it was something she'd stopped doing. It wasn't like the drawing—there was no foul memory to spoil the act for her—she just hadn't been doing it. The most likely reason…was that Aisla only did that when she was feeling happy. She hadn't been happy for a while now.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling guilty for some reason, like she'd upset her best friend by losing her old habits.
His gaze lifted to meet hers, but she couldn't hold it for more than a heartbeat. "Aisla, don't apologize to me. I understand why, but I'm not angry or blaming you for it. I'm worried about you, that's all. I hate that you're losing parts of yourself, piece by piece. I feel like it has to be killing you inside."
She peeked up at the desk in the front of the room and saw Mr. Aizawa staring right at her, expression matching Shoto's concern. She looked away, not wanting the pity of yet another person.
"I'm fine," she lied, pitching her voice low so her teacher wouldn't hear. "You don't have to worry about me, Shoto."
"That's not true," he accused just as softly before turning back to his paper.
Iida walked in just then, carrying three trays of food and some tea. Aisla's stomach lurched and she tried to keep the bile from reaching her throat.
"Leave it on my desk," Mr. Aizawa instructed Iida as the boy started in Shoto and Aisla's direction. "Leave," he barked, and Iida made haste out of the room.
Lucky him, Aisla thought irritably.
"Miss Haru," her teacher called. "Come get your food and sit down in Ojiro's seat for the remainder of lunch."
Aisla just sat there, giving him a look of disbelief. His gaze was unrelenting and unblinking—a battle of wills that she was sure to lose. He wanted her to sit right in front of his desk so he could watch her suffering up close.
She resisted the urge to sigh and made her way up to the front of the room. She grabbed a tray of fish and rice, vegetables, and some kind of biscuit before turning on her heel and setting the tray down on Ojiro's desk. Eating in plain view of her teacher was a nightmare she'd never wanted to see come true, but she understood his reasoning. He wanted to help her avoid going into the lunchroom with all of her classmates, but he also wanted to make sure she actually ate.
He feels responsible, she realized as she picked at the fish with her chopsticks.
"It's okay…" Shoto encouraged her softly when he sat down beside her. "Start with the rice, it's light and won't upset your stomach."
Aisla doubted it, but plunged her chopsticks into the bowl of rice anyway and stirred it around as an excuse not to eat it.
"Stop playing with your food, Miss Haru," her teacher chastised.
With an audible sigh, Aisla finally lifted a small bite of rice into her mouth and chewed. It didn't make her sick, but she still had no desire to eat more of it. Despite that, she dutifully took another bite, then another, chewing each one slowly.
"It's good to see you eating," said Shoto, giving her a pleased smile when she glanced his way. She tried to offer up one in return, but her lips couldn't remember how to form the expression. His smile fell slightly. "It's okay," he whispered, as if he'd read her mind.
"Keep eating, Miss Haru," Mr. Aizawa instructed.
She nodded without looking up and poked at the fish again. She was pretty sure it was salmon, based on its color and shape, but the smell made her insides twist with nausea. She definitely wasn't eating that.
"I'm a vegetarian," she decided right then.
The pro hero made a sort of half-hearted snort that sounded equal parts amused and irritated. "Of course you are," he said flatly. "Eat the vegetables, then."
She chewed her lip as she considered how many she would have to eat before—
The bell chimed, cutting off whatever excuse she'd been looking for. She tried not to look too relieved as Mr. Aizawa narrowed his eyes at her, and Shoto took her tray with a forced smile.
Students started filing back in after that, including the boy whose seat she currently occupied. He gave her a surprised look, then something resembling a smile, then waited patiently while Aisla scooted from his chair and made her way back to her own desk. Katsuki entered the room just as she sat down and almost looked at her, but at the last second he turned his chin away and scowled at something across the room.
She sighed. That boy was going to avoid her forever, it seemed. She wasn't sure if she felt more relieved or depressed by that knowledge.
The rest of class went by in a blur. She never managed to use the notebook in front of her, but she was able to listen a little better to the lecture. She would probably be okay on the homework later—if she remembered to do it. She still felt uneasy and wanted to go back to her room, but class hadn't been as horrible as she'd anticipated. It was another mindless activity for her to do throughout the day. At least it forced her to leave the confines of her room, which if she was being honest with herself, made her feel a little less crappy.
When class finally ended for the day, Aisla sagged in relief. Mr. Aizawa couldn't force her to stay in the classroom now that he was done teaching. She could retreat to her room at last. Or maybe it would be wise for her to stick around and wait for the other classes to disappear first. That way, she wouldn't risk seeing any other students who were still feeding into the rumors about her.
I just need to be alone, she decided after a moment of thought. She stood up and slowly placed her things back into her bag before sealing the zipper and slinging it over one shoulder. She'd just made it to the doorway when Mr. Aizawa called out to her.
She scowled, wondering what torture he was about to inflict her with now.
"Miss Haru, please wait for me in the hallway. I need to discuss something with you before you leave for dinner."
Kill me, she silently begged, wanting nothing less than to have another conversation with her teacher today. She didn't know what he wanted to talk with her about, but she hoped it didn't involve her eating habits. If he wanted to scold her about her meals, she was going to cry again.
She ignored Katsuki's mumbled complaint about not getting dinner himself and stepped outside, letting the door close softly behind her. She didn't want to hear his voice right now, not when she was already stressed enough. It wasn't that Aisla was trying to avoid him, but she'd already had a bad day and didn't need the added heartbreak of hearing the voice that used to invoke so much joy inside of her. Now, his voice was cold and distant when he did speak, and there was the fact that he never actually spoke to her. Even when she'd defended him last night so he wouldn't get in trouble with their teacher, he'd spoken to Mr. Aizawa, not Aisla. It was like she wasn't even there.
"Miss Haru?"
Aisla looked up and found her teacher standing there with a tired expression, hands hidden in black slacks, dark eyes trained on the wall next to her head rather than at her. She waited for him to speak, unsure what she was supposed to say to him. She tugged on the ends of her hair as she anticipated the harsh chastisement she was about to receive.
"Stop pulling your hair, Miss Haru," he snapped.
She released her hold and let her hands drop, gripping her fingers tightly together to keep herself from accidentally tangling her hair again.
"We need to have a discussion," he said, making her bite her lip as anxiety grew even further inside of her. "It's about Shinso."
Aisla looked up at him in surprise. "Sir?"
He sighed. "I know you've only trained with him a couple of times now, but I think you work well together." He paused and ran a hand through his hair, still refusing to look at her. "I spoke with him earlier about taking up training with you on a more regular basis, and he seems eager enough. More so than some," he added in deadpan. Aisla tried not to feel offended by this. "Anyway, I have to stay after class to deal with Bakugo, so I want you and Shinso to go practice alone tonight." He turned a stern look her way. "That does not give you permission to go flaunting that ultimate move of yours," he warned.
She nodded meekly. "If you think that's best, sir." He was right—she and Shinso hadn't really trained together much. Even when she did show up for the extra training sessions, she'd been so wound up with her anxiety that she hadn't been able to do much of anything. They had gone out recently and tried to train, but Shinso gave up after about thirty minutes when Aisla wouldn't engage with him at all.
"I want you two to train," he reiterated. "I don't want to hear from Shinso tomorrow that you bailed on him to go sulk in your room. Do you understand me? You gave me your word that you'd be more serious about your training. I expect you to stand by that promise."
Aisla swallowed hard. "Of course, sir!" she promised, even though she really didn't feel like training today.
"This was your idea," he reminded her. "You wanted me to help train you, and you agreed to work with Shinso, as well. Remember, I don't have to spend my free time training with you. It's a privilege you opted into, and one I can revoke at my will. I need you to start putting in more effort. Don't waste anymore of my time, Miss Haru."
She nodded again, more firmly this time. "I will! I mean, I won't waste your time. I'll go find Shinso after I change."
"Good." He turned around and started back for the classroom.
"Mr. Aizawa?" He glanced back at her. "I'm sorry for all the trouble. I know it's probably been really hard on you."
To her astonishment, his expression softened. "It's my job to look after my students, Aisla," he told her gently. "Just don't make me regret going the extra mile."
And with that, he was gone, leaving Aisla in the crowded hallway alone. Fortunately, no one stopped her as she made her way toward the Class 1-C dorm, head bowed and expression determined. She wanted to make her favorite hero proud, but she also wanted to get out of this slump she'd been in for weeks. She had to do something, and if she could put her focus on training, maybe the pain she'd been feeling would lessen just a little so that she could get back to normal.
"You want who?" asked a red-headed boy with glasses and buck teeth that reminded her of an American hillbilly. She felt a little bad for thinking that, but the obnoxious wheeze he produced when he waited for her reply was just too much to handle.
"Um, Shinso?" she repeated. "Hitoshi?" She was pretty sure that was his given name, but she'd only ever heard it on TV at last year's sports festival, and once when he muttered it under his breath during their introduction. Either way, everyone else should have known him by his surname. Unless they didn't know him at all… "Maybe someone else knows him?" she offered the boy as he continued to wheeze.
Wheezy made a strange gasping sound that she interpreted as a laugh a moment later. "Oh, I know the guy," he said with a sly smile. "I just don't know why a girl like you would be looking for someone like that."
Aisla scowled on his behalf. "Hey, Shinso is a nice person." She left out the part where he totally ignored her and pretended she didn't exist for an entire hour during their first training session together.
Wheezy gasp-laughed again. "Yeah, he's great. Until he brainwashes you." His eyes suddenly lit up with something. "Oh, I get it. That's what happened, isn't it? Shinso brainwashed you into being his friend or…" He trailed off as he stared Aisla down with an intense frown, a little bead of drool forming on the corner of his mouth. "Ooooh," he said slowly, "You're Aisla Haru." Aisla flinched at the sound of her own name and made no attempts to confirm this. Her silence seemed to be enough confirmation, however. Wheezy winked at her. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you're into that freak, if you come into my room later and—AH!"
The boy dropped to his knees, clutching his crotch with both hands as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.
Shinso stood behind him with a bored expression and even had the gall to yawn as if he'd just witnessed an unremarkable event happen. "What do you want?" he asked Aisla, not even bothering to look at the whimpering boy at their feet.
"Uhh…" What did she want? She'd sought him out for some reason, but what was it…? "Oh! Mr. Aizawa sent me. He wants us to get together."
When Wheezy snickered, Shinso popped him on top of his head with a fist, then strode past him with an air of nonchalance.
"Fine, let's go." He started walking before Aisla's brain had even caught up with the situation. After a moment's hesitation, she scurried after him, jogging to match his longer stride until she was right beside him.
"What did you do that for?" she asked him curiously as they headed in the direction of the trees.
Shinso shrugged. "He was shit-talking," he said matter-of-factly.
"Yeah, but he was just saying stuff about me," she pointed out.
"That's why I kicked him in the balls," he explained.
Aisla thought about that. Shinso had kicked someone…because of her? To defend her?
"But…why?" she asked softly. "You don't know me."
Another half-hearted shrug. "Don't have to. You're a human being who was being treated like a piece of meat. And I'm someone who wants to be a hero. Heroes don't stand for that kind of shit."
"Thank you," she whispered, feeling embarrassment flush her cheeks.
"Aizawa wants us to practice tonight?" Shinso changed the subject, ignoring her comment.
"Yeah, but he sent me because he's stuck in the classroom supervising detention," she explained. "He still wants you and I to go and train without him, I guess." Her eyes flicked over to the boy at her side, and it wasn't until that moment that she noticed the extra accessory he was wearing. "You have Mr. Aizawa's capture scarf." It suited him, she thought. He did resemble the man—with the dark circles under his eyes, lanky form, and messy hair—and the addition of a white scarf only made the pair more alike. Aisla kind of wished she'd get a scarf, too, but she didn't see that happening. Maybe if she didn't shower or brush her hair for a week, they'd let her be part of the team.
He tugged on the article self-consciously. "I mean, it's not the one he always wears, but yeah…" He trailed off, the tips of his ears going red. "It's stupid."
"No!" she quickly protested. "It's not stupid at all."
"He told me I should practice with it so that I add an advantage to my Brainwashing," he said defensively. "It's not like I asked for it."
"Well, I think it's great!" she declared. "Now, we have that missing piece we need to make training a real smash!"
"I think you're confusing you and I with All Might and Midoriya," Shinso deadpanned.
Aisla almost laughed at this, but suddenly guilt pierced her like a knife, bringing her back to the harsh reality before her. She realized that she'd been smiling. She hadn't smiled like that in a while, and the feeling she'd gotten while talking with Shinso reminded her of when she and Katsuki used to throw retorts back and forth. It shouldn't have bothered her as much as it did, but suddenly she felt as if she was doing something wrong by forgetting her heartbreak and the boy who'd caused it.
"That was a joke," Shinso added with a flicker of embarrassment in his tone.
"I know," she said, though she couldn't hold back the emotionless response any more than he could.
They stayed silent after that until they reached the clearing he'd chosen for their practice. She took in the familiar crescent shape situated inside rows of towering trees. Flashes of images barraged her mind as memories flooded into her, forcing her to come to a sudden halt. She felt her breath grow heavy as she watched the countless hours she'd spent in this place replay in her mind on a loop.
"Hey." Shinso poked her in the side of the head. "Snap out of it, Haru. Whatever it is that put that deer in the headlights look in your eyes, get rid of it. Push it out of your mind and focus on what's happening right now. We're here to train, remember? Nothing bad is going to happen to you out here. Whatever you're thinking about right now doesn't matter."
Aisla nodded robotically as he spoke, only vaguely aware of what he was saying. She thought it probably made sense, but she was too lost in her memories to be sure.
"Come on, Haru." Shinso gripped her black shirt sleeve between two fingers and tugged her roughly behind him. She stumbled after him, catching the toes of her sneakers on rocks as she did, but somehow managed to keep herself upright. The jarring sensation of feet hitting rocks and struggling not to trip broke through the barrier in her mind, shoving the memories away. Her mind was now forced to focus on not falling over and getting injured rather than its broken state.
"What are you doing?" demanded Aisla as Shinso continued to drag her along.
"Getting your attention," he stated. "And finding a good training spot. Does this look good to you?"
Aisla blinked a few times, shook her head to clear the last of the memory that remained, then peered around the moonlit clearing. They were off to the side, which wasn't a place she normally trained in. There were trees on her left and the clearing opened on her right. A path could barely be seen up ahead, but she knew no one would be out at this hour so they would probably be safe.
"I guess," she replied with a shrug. "I'm not really sure what I can do, though. All I do is reflect stuff." She tried to keep the pout from seeping into her words, but based on the barely discernible flicker of amusement in his purple eyes, she hadn't succeeded.
"All I do is brainwash people into becoming my servants," he retorted. "Want to be my servant, Aisla Haru?"
"Yes," she answered without skipping a beat as she worked to keep a straight face. It was supposed to be a joke, but normal conversation was still awkward for her.
Shinso narrowed his eyes in suspicion, then released the sleeve he'd still been holding onto like an afterthought. "Alright," he said, tone challenging now. "How about you start by telling me all about that little quirk of yours."
Now, Aisla was suspicious. "It's called 'Mirror,'" she started slowly, watching his eyes as she spoke. Currently, they held a smugness that made her feel just a little bit uneasy. "I can reflect back a person's quirk by looking them in the eyes. I can also reflect some physical attacks, but not everything." She thought about that. "It also doesn't work if their eyes are covered, or in small spaces like elevators. Darkness is also somewhat of a challenge since I can't see, but I've been working around that recently. I also sort of, kind of, maybe have a secret move I'm not allowed to show you."
Now, he was frowning and she was pretty sure he was sweating, too. Those violet eyes seemed to be pulsating, like they couldn't seem to focus properly.
"What?" she asked, confused by his reaction. Her quirk wasn't that lame, was it?
"Do you…" Shinso audibly swallowed. "Do you do anything else?"
Aisla shrugged. "Not really; my quirk is pretty useless, honestly. I'm sorry."
"Haru," said Shinso carefully, "I can't brainwash you."
Aisla stared blankly for a long moment, trying to wrap her mind around his words. "What…do you mean can't? Try it! How does it work again? You ask me a question and then you can tell me what to do when I answer?"
"Yes, that's—" He froze mid-sentence as an empty look crossed his features. His eyes were unmoving and lifeless. His lips still formed the words he wanted to speak but were no longer able to mutter them aloud. He stood there, completely at her mercy…
And Aisla had no idea what to do about it.
"H-hey now, you're supposed to be the one doing the brainwashing here!" She nervously exclaimed. "Shinso?" She poked his cheek, hoping to get his attention.
He suddenly gasped as if he'd just remembered to breathe, then coughed for a minute while he stared at her curiously. "Damn. So, that's what my quirk feels like to others?" He shuddered. "Feels cold…and a little bit like being underwater."
"Wait," Aisla interjected, still utterly confused here. "What do you mean that's what your quirk feels like? What just happened?"
Shinso rolled his eyes. "Haru, you reflect quirks. I tried to use mine on you just now. You do the math and tell me when you reach the answer."
Aisla felt kind of sick inside. "I'm so sorry, Shinso…" she whispered through threatening tears. "I never meant to—"
"Hey," he cut her off. "Don't be like that. We're supposed to be training, remember? You're not going to hold back just to spare my little girl feelings, are you? Because that would be insulting."
Aisla hadn't even considered that would be upsetting to him. She just felt bad for using her quirk without realizing it. Shinso was right, though, they were supposed to be working together to improve their quirks. Aisla using hers to her own advantage, whether purposeful or not, was the whole reason they were there. She realized, too, that she and Shinso were a pretty even match when it came to power. Much like when she trained with Mr. Aizawa, it all came down to who could activate their quirk first. Aisla just happened to be the one to do that this time, but if Shinso used his brainwashing quirk again—
"I couldn't even brainwash you," Shinso said in wonder, cutting off her thoughts. "I've been trying since we first came into the clearing. It just…has no effect on you for some reason. I'm not sure what it is…"
"Another broken part of my quirk…" she mumbled, feeling pitiful again.
He chuckled. "Pretty sure that would be a fault of mine, not yours," he disagreed. "Let's try something else." He tugged out a piece of the capture scarf around his neck so that it hung loosely in his fist and gave her a devious look. "Maybe my quirk won't work on you, but I bet this does."
Before Aisla had a chance to process his words, he threw out the scarf. She tensed, anticipating the cloth flying toward her, but it shot right past her as if he'd missed his target. That gave her a brief moment of confusion as to what his end goal was, when a branch smacked her in the back of the head and sent her stumbling to the ground.
"Ow," she complained when her face connected with dirt and stone. "Thanks for the warning."
He made a satisfied sound in the back of his throat, almost like a laugh. "I'm not going to warn you before I attack you, then you'll block it with that quirk of yours. You're just going to have to be more vigilant!" he shouted as another branch landed on her, pinning her to the ground.
Aisla groaned, but wasn't really upset. She didn't like being attacked by flying trees, but she was excited at the prospect of a real fight. Training had fallen to the back burner for a while now, and Aisla was starting to feel kind of rusty and useless.
"Attacking a girl who's already on the ground," she observed, pushing herself up and giving him a challenging look to match his own. "How heroic of you."
Shinso narrowed his eyes at the comment. A small boulder flew her way, but this time she was anticipating the attack and activated her quirk to stop it. It halted mid-air and dropped onto Shinso's surprised head, making him stumble and let out a curse.
"Damn that quirk of yours!" he shouted, but his eyes gleamed with excitement as he utilized the scarf once more. He sent two strips of the fabric out this time in opposite directions, gaze never leaving hers as he captured another tree branch with one side and Aisla with the other.
Now, that was something she hadn't been expecting.
Instantly, the scarf wrapped around her torso and eyes, effectively blocking her gaze from activating her quirk. This was something her teacher had been trying to work with her on as well, but it had been a while since their last training session, and the surprise attack from Shinso made her mind draw a complete blank on how to stop him.
She waited for the blow as anxiety gripped her at the imminent pain she would receive. Pain wasn't a foreign concept for Aisla—it happened every day in training—but that didn't mean she liked the idea of it. And something about knowing she was about to be struck made her panic.
"What are you going to do now, Haru?!" he exclaimed, just as the branch hit her upside the head and forced a scream out of her that was piercing even to her ears. Suddenly, just as she was falling sideways, she was yanked forward and collided with something solid. Shinso let out a grunt of pain as his body connected with her own, and the capture scarf he'd so expertly wielded a moment ago wound around them in a tight hold. They went flying through the air for a moment, then landed painfully on the ground.
The fabric slipped from her eyes but still held them together like a vise. Aisla landed on his chest with an oomph of surprise, the air rushing out in a small gasp at the impact. She lifted her head from his chest, only to realize their proximity. She blushed in embarrassment.
"Oh, sorry, Shinso!" she fretted and tried to untangle herself from the scarf to no avail.
"Don't be," he grunted as he, too, tried to fix the situation. "Hold on, Haru." He flung out another piece so that it wound around a thick branch, then gave a tug so that it lifted them into the air. They landed with a thud on their feet, still wrapped tightly together. "Dammit," he grumbled, fighting to get the thing free. "This always happens to me."
"You always get tangled up with girls?" Aisla retorted with a grin.
He looked down at her, blushing in embarrassment. "No, but sometimes I end up capturing myself instead of whatever I'm aiming for. I'm not very good with this yet, I guess…" His pout was adorable and Aisla couldn't stop the giggle from escaping.
"You're our everyday Spider-Man," she teased. "One day you'll learn to use your webs, Spidey." She winked and Shinso blushed impossibly redder, turning his face away to try and hide the evidence. Aisla laughed. "I'm teasing. You're doing great! You had a fumble, that's totally normal. You still surprised me and captured me before I even saw you coming. That was awesome!"
"Yeah, I guess," he mumbled, lip still forming an amusing pout. They were still woven together, but with a little more movement, she thought they could probably twist out of the capture item fairly easily. She was energized now, excited at the idea of another spar. Maybe, if they practiced enough, it wouldn't feel like awkward fumbling in the dark.
"Want to try again?" she offered.
"I have a better idea," a new voice interjected. They both turned as the scarf around them suddenly dropped to the ground as if some outside force had unraveled it, causing them to stumble away from each other. They watched the intruder step out of the shadows and into the silvery moonlight, eyes gleaming even in darkness. It took a long moment for her to recognize the shadow as her teacher. Eagerness filled her as he stepped forward, one hand tugging his own scarf as his quirk made his eyes glow. "Let's see what you two can do against me."
A/N: Thank you all so much for reading this far into the story! Each and every one of you are appreciated from the bottom of my heart! As I've mentioned, I have MANY chapters backed up for this story, so I don't write a chapter each week as it may appear. That means, I've devoted over a YEAR of my life to writing this story for you guys, and it means the world to me that you all continue to read this and give super awesome feedback!
ALSO! I'm on TWITTER now! So, if you want some super spicy NSFW content, there's a link to my account on my profile page. I have a story already posted on there called "Broadened Horizons." It's a super long EraserMic smutty fic if you want to check it out. It is also up on AO3, but I'm not able to link that account on this site. I DO have a link to the Archive version in my Twitter thread, if you're interested. Otherwise, it's under the same name as this site! Some things will ONLY be up on Twitter, so follow me there for extra content!
Reviews:
MeMyselfAndI82907: Bakugo CAN be a dickhead, that's for sure! But I like to explore the other aspects of that boy. I feel like he's far more complicated than he appears to be on the surface. He's brash and mean, but deep down he's a solid guy. He's a hero, even if he doesn't always act like it. PARQOUR BAKUGOOOO lmaooo. YES, he does use some anime logic for sure! Fly to her, Katsuki! Dooooo iiiiit!
blasttyrant: More SHINRU for your reading pleasure XD Last night, I was told to scrap every chapter I have written so far and make it a ShinRu fic instead lololol.
Beta: yellowchikadee