Apologies for posting a little bit later than I usually do; I blame finals! I also deeply deeply apologize for the amount of absolute cringe in this chapter. Hopefully it entertains you guys as much as it entertained me and pumpkinnutella. I was literally cackling as I wrote this.
"Whaaat?!" Nemuri wailed, twisting her lips into a devastated pout and flopping across the conference table, even though she knew it wouldn't have much effect on her current audience. "Whyyyyy!?"She knew that she was being overly-dramatic-maybe even a little petulant-but she felt she had earned the right to a little pettiness after that upstart Mount Lady took it upon herself to humiliate her on live TV.
And she wasn't referring to when her clothes ripped.
"I already told you," Shouta sighed, massaging his forehead right between his eyes, "I have nineteen students this year, and since Nezu won't let me have anyone fight a teacher on their own, I had to nix someone from the lineup. And the most logical way to do that was to have Sero join Ojirou and Iida, which means you won't be administering the final exam to any of my students."
"Noooooooo!"
"Why is this such a big deal anyway? You'll still be proctoring an exam for Sekijirou's class."
"But your class is the one with all the drama in it!" Nemuri declared, straightening up and pointing dramatically at the scruffy man. "Did you even pay attention to the Sports Festival?! So much passion; so many possibilities!" She shivered, goosebumps covering her arms as she licked her lips.
"Nemuri, please just don't," Shouta groaned, running his hand down his face. "I do not have the energy to indulge you today."
"You never have energy to indulge me!"
"Nemuri. I really don't want your weird fantasies running through my head when I'm trying to teach. And anyway, I have to get to the police station to talk to Tsukauchi about the whole yakuza investigation."
"Spoilsport," Nemuri pouted at her old kohei, flopping back in her conference chair and propping her feet up on the table.
Yeah, she was definitely being petulant, but she couldn't be bothered to care today.
Old lady-Bah! Who does that brat think she is?! Like she has any room to talk!
"If you would like," Nezu suggested mildly, taking a calm sip of his tea, "you may watch the final exams from the observation room with Recovery Girl. It wouldn't hurt to have someone on hand as extra security in case of an emergency like the USJ attack. And besides, your quirk could prove useful in the event that things get out of hand for some unfathomable reason."
Nemuri paused, considering the suggestion. That… might not be so bad, actually. Rather than being forced to focus on a single fight containing only two students, she would have access to observe the dynamics of the entire class, including all of the drama that would inevitably result from Shouta's chosen (heh) 'pairings'.
"Alright then," she crooned, straightening up and playing with the plump of her lip with long, red-painted nails. "I think I could enjoy that."
"Well now that's settled," Sekijirou coughed, avoiding looking at her, "care to remind us what the plan is for your students?"
"I've determined which students will be facing which teachers based off of various criteria, including grades, fighting styles, needed areas of improvement, quirk drawbacks etc. The plan is for each partnership-" Nemuri pouted at the lost opportunity there, but knew she probably shouldn't interrupt again "-to face a teacher that can exploit their weaknesses, forcing them to work together to overcome their limits," Shouta began, briefly consulting with the page lying on the table in front of him. "Todoroki and Yaoyorozu will be paired against me. Both of them have an overreliance on their quirks. Additionally, Todoroki still struggles to communicate with others and Yaoyorozu's been going through a crisis of confidence of late."
"Confidence?" All Might offered a skeletal frown from the other side of the room. "What about? Yaoyorozu-shoujo has always seemed very capable to me."
"She is, incredibly so," Shouta sighed, looking exhausted all over again. "However, as part of her recent internship with the pro hero Fat Gum, Yaoyorozu asked for tips on how to quickly and healthily weight so that she can more effectively use her quirk."
"That sounds like an excellent idea-"
"I wasn't finished. Thing is, those tips have been working. Yaoyorozu's gained nearly four kilograms since her internships, and she's feeling insecure about how she looks, especially considering the nature of her costume."
"So you paired her up with Todoroki?!" Nemuri almost exploded. Surely her sweet little kohei wasn't that dense! "Even if she wasn't obviously totally in love with him, he's recognized as one of the most handsome students in their year! Being paired with him is only going to work against her self-confidence!"
Shouta regarded Nemuri with a cool glance. "I know. Yaoyorozu is going to need to work through this insecurity one way or another, though. If she's going to continue maintaining her fat reserves for hero work, there will be times out in the field when she's going to feel insecure, but will have to push through it anyways. All I'm trying to do is provide her with a starting point. It's up to her how she utilizes it going forwards."
Nemuri grumbled, but didn't protest further as he moved on to the next two students on his list.
"Alright, next I'm partnering Shinsou with Tokoyami. Both of them have powerful quirks when used right, but they're also somewhat behind at hand-to-hand compared to their peers and tend to lose control when they get emotional. Ectoplasm, I want you to exploit those weaknesses; use your clones to get in close and force them into a corner."
"I understand."
"Next up I have Bakugou and-"
.oOo.
"-Asui."
Nemuri watched with interest as Bakugou and the green-haired girl exchanged glances in a form of brief acknowledgment, the latter of the two uttering a quiet kero.
(So adorable! I simply love a heroine with a themed aesthetic! And her confidence in presenting a hero name chosen in her youth~! Such conviction at such a young age!)
Shouta nodded as well, then continued, "You two are going to be up against-"
"I AM HERE-to fight!"
Bakugou practically choked, his red eyes gobsmacked as he twisted towards All Might while the number one hero made his usual dramatic entrance, his smile considerably darker and somewhat more grimace-y than usual.
"We're up against All Might?!" the blonde hissed, while cute little Tsu-chan just ribbited thoughtfully, her large dark eyes slightly narrowed as she placed a finger on her chin and tilted her head to one side.
"You're going to have to work together, students! If you want to win."
Bakugou clicked his tongue, his competitive streak immediately pricked, but Nemuri could still see the mass of conflicting emotions behind the boy's facade. A slight frown twisted her lips.
"Are you certain that's wise? Having two first-year students fight me? You mentioned that you needed someone to sit out of the lineup on the teacher's side; why not have me sit out and let Kayama-san proctor the exam?"
"Because it's not your skill I need for this exam-it's your symbol," Shouta had explained, looking like he'd rather have a tooth pulled than admit it out loud. "Bakugou does a good job of hiding it, but everything that's happened in the last few months has shaken him. He looks up to you though, so inspire him. You're good at that, right?"
"And what about Asui-kun?"
"Asui's an all-arounder without any clear weaknesses. Pairing up against All Might will push her to her limits. More importantly, her greatest strength as a hero lies in her cool head and her ability to provide emotional support. In the last few weeks, I've noticed Bakugou has been increasingly trying to take the burden of everything onto himself in team exercises, but he's not gonna be able to do that against All Might. He'll need that clear head of Asui's to get through this exam."
Smart choice, Shouta, Nemuri mused internally as Nezu began announcing the other partnerships and order. She smirked. And you said you wouldn't be a good teacher.
Yeah. She was never going to let him live that down.
"The goal of the exam is to put these handcuffs on the teacher you're up against or escape through the exit," Nezu explained cheerfully. "Achieving either of these goals before the thirty-minute time limit will result in your victory. And before you start worrying that either option is impossible, all of the teachers will be wearing these hyper-compressed weights, designed by Support Course student Hatsume Mei. They will add the equivalent of half our body-weight to our bodies, draining our stamina and evening the odds just a touch."
"This will be very different from your combat simulations earlier in the semester," Thirteen added. "We are much stronger than your usual opponents. As strange as it is, please try to think of us as real villains."
"And remember, there's no shame in running away and getting help when you're up against an opponent you can't defeat. Todoroki, Iida, Uraraka, I'm sure the three of you can understand," Shouta said quietly, looking at the three students in particular.
A solemn air descended upon the group as they remembered their classmates' encounter with the Hero Killer, and in particular Uraraka's near brush with death. If that vigilante hadn't been there…
Oh, speaking of vigilantes, Kazuho had sent Nemuri something to read the other day. She didn't know what it was yet-the chaos of planning for finals had prevented her from opening the link. Still, her youthful friend had been very excited to send it to her, so it was bound to be something the R-Rated heroine would take pleasure from.
"Anyway, those that are waiting for their turn to take the exam can either watch from the observation room with Recovery Girl and Midnight or try to strategize together as a team. It's your choice," Shouta informed the rest of his students, then he and the other teachers proctoring exams began to make their way to their respective zones to prepare.
"Sero, Ojirou, I believe now would be an excellent time to discuss how we can combine our quirks!" Iida announced immediately.
"Sure, sounds good," Ojirou shrugged.
"You're so intense," Sero chuckled, following them.
"Bakugou, let's go make a plan, kero," Tsu-chan prompted, turning to her partner.
"…Yeah. Okay," Bakugou grumbled with token reluctance, leading the way towards another preparation room. Tokoyami and Shinsou exchanged silent looks, shrugged in unison, and trailed after them. The other students paired off amid similar conversations. For her part, Nemuri began to make her way towards the viewing room where Recovery Girl was already waiting, observing the partnerships and considering the possibilities.
Shinsou and Tokoyami's a pair that I hadn't considered; both strong silent types, although the lack of a foil between the two is somewhat disappointing. Besides, I've always thought that Shinsou might fit better with Kouda or Uraraka. They were some of his first friends here after all, and he and Kouda have such remarkable teamwork. Besides, he invited Uraraka to live with his family for a weekend! A youthful desire to defend one's friend… She sighed wistfully, letting her gaze drift to the next pairing.
Todoroki and Yaoyorozu… She hasn't gained that much weight, but I suppose her hourglass is somewhat less defined than before. Still, for a girl that's been so slender all her life, it's little wonder she's feeling insecure. Only makes it more obvious that the girl is love-struck over her partner-I mean, after offering to share her home to keep him safe following Deku's attack, there can hardly be any doubt-but although his aloofness does have its own charm and mystery, it's difficult to tell how he feels towards her, or even women in general. He does seem to have a soft spot for Uraraka, although whether that's the result of an attraction, or simply a bond born of mutual hardship is difficult to say, especially since he's opened up to Iida more since Hosu as well-which of course has its own implications for all three of them. On the other hand, I still can't rule out the possibility of Deku himself~.
Nemuri allowed herself a shiver of delight, her gaze drifting into the middle-distance. She knew that she really shouldn't, but she had always been a fan of the 'star-crossed lovers' concept. After all, despite the fact that Deku had targeted Todoroki in his own home, he hadn't tried to kidnap him; force him to join the League against his will. Could that be a sign of respect for Todoroki's resolve, or something more? Perhaps he was waiting in anguished misery for the right opportunity to try once again to guide his love to the side of darkness, the object of his affection's stalwart determination equally attractive and devastating…
Okay, she was getting carried away again. Because honestly, if anyone was going to be Deku's star-crossed lover, it was Bakugou.
Childhood friends torn apart by different ideologies! Will Bakugou lead him back to the light with his youthful vigor and passion, or will Deku drag him into darkness, corrupt his soul with the strength of his conviction?! Midnight shivered, running her tongue along her upper lip.
So very passionate~!
Of course, shipping Bakugou with Deku was also hard because there were so many other people the blonde could be shipped with! Nemuri had been among one of two people close enough to the arena during the Sports Festival to overhear what Bakugou had said to the youthful Todoroki after all. Two devastatingly strong, handsome hero students with past quirk-trauma, passionately pushing through their previous anguish in order to become the heroes they'd always wanted to be! Swoon! But there was also that telling conversation between Bakugou and Uraraka when he had helped her to her feet after the final match and all but carried her to safety. The physical contact, the playful banter, the nicknames~. Well, suffice it to say that Nemuri would be lying if she said that she didn't appreciate a good rivals-to-lovers trope. It was an even more compelling ship when she factored in the realization that he had pushed the girl so far past her limits that her quirk had undergone an awakening in the days that followed. If that wasn't the epitome of youthful vigor and passion, she didn't know what was!
And of course Nemuri couldn't count out Jirou either! From their very first combat simulation, the girl had fought by Bakugou's side, rushing into danger to protect him from the dastardly intentions of a most notorious villain! (Her one hesitation with that particular ship was the conversation she had overheard between Jirou and Yaoyorozu at the USJ. She wouldn't have picked Kaminari as Jirou's type, but she couldn't deny that their temperaments kept one another in check pretty well.) Nor could she neglect to consider Kirishima and Ashido, who had stood by Bakugou's side since middle school and, according to Shouta, had been his veritable rock all throughout the traumatic revelations of his childhood friend's betrayal. Oh! There were far too many plausibilities for her to choose from-and she hadn't even factored in the students from 1-B yet!
She could pair the quirkless boy-Tsukino, was it?-with Bakugou, or Uraraka, or Kendou, or potentially even Tetsutetsu, although Tetsutetsu looked like he could do just as well with Kendou… Or maybe the three of them could be a polyamorous grouping? But she also liked Kirishima with Tetesutetsu, which may also open the way for Ashido and Kendou-both pairings' displays of sportsmanship and compassion had been exhilarating-the girls in particular had been increasingly spending time together after class to train-but then there was also Kirishima and Ashido's long-standing friendship to consider and… well…
Nemuri sighed. She would just have to wait and see.
Ugh.
She hated waiting when it came to romance.
"Ah, Midnight. Good to see you here," Recovery Girl hummed absently, her eyes flicking only briefly away from the screens. "Satou and Kirishima are about to enter their arena."
"Already?" Midnight blinked up at the screens. "How much time do they have again?"
"Half an hour."
"Hmm," Nemuri hummed, plopping down in the swivel chair next to Recovery Girl and delicately folding one leg over the other. She highly doubted that she would have any reason to step in for any of these matches-with the possible exception of All Might's; the man didn't know how to hold back-but she also didn't have any grading or other responsibilities right now, so perhaps this was her best opportunity to catch up on a little… light reading.
"Let me know when Todoroki and Yaoyorozu's turn comes up," the R-Rated Hero requested absently, pulling out her phone and quickly opening it to her messages, scrolling idly until she found Kazuho's contact. Most heroes and vigilantes wouldn't be able to maintain the sort of friendship that she and Kazuho shared, but seeing as Midnight's activities outside of teaching were largely in line with an underground hero's, it was considered more professionally acceptable to maintain an information network with the, ah, darker side of society. Shota understood-he even had a few ex-villains in his personal group of informants. Granted, Midnight hadn't had nearly as much contact with Pop Step since she had started at UA, but that didn't mean Kayama Nemuri and Haneyama Kazuho couldn't go out for drinks every now and then.
[Haneyama Kazuho]
[Link Sent]
Nem
You have to read this
I'm a little swamped with finals atm but I'll have a look soon!
What is it?
Ok
Let me know when you read it!
It's a romance fanfic based around the Hosu incident
You'll love it
Alright love
I trust you to know my preferences ;3
Will text when I'm done!
Nemuri hit the week-old link, waiting impatiently as it transferred her over to her browser rather than her messaging app, opening up a page to a popular writing platform she'd frequented over the years.
The Dark Knight of Hosu
By: Alien Queen UwU
一一一一
Alrighty my lovlies just like most other sensible peeps I think the media is looking at all the wrong stuff with the Hosu vid. Vigilante justice, Endeavor being an idiot and Stain getting buddy buddy with the LOV before getting his ass kicked is all well and fantastic but come on OPEN YOUR EYES PEOPEL. Sauve vigilante + sweet impressionable-but-badass hero student = SHIP. Herein lies my attempt to convert my like-minded peer group to this vast ocean of untapped potential! Enjoy~!
Edit: I learned on good authority that the vigilante's name is Wraith! I have gone back and edited the wtory to reflect that! Everyone elses's names will remain fake for privacy reasons!
一一一一
Chapter One: You Had Me At 'Hello'
一一一一
What followed was nothing less than perfection.
The detail was incredible, describing the way three young heroes-Angel, Kurama, and HalfnHalf-had tried and failed to hold out against the Hero Killer, fighting desperately with all of their youthful energy and passion to hold out against the murderer until the heroes could arrive, friendship holding strong even as hope faded before the Vigilante of Hosu burst onto the scene just in time to save Angel's life, taking Stain down in a burst of power that swept her off of her feet. Then, just as she tried to stutter through her gratitude, the Monster appeared, carrying her off and forcing her lover to chase desperately after them, barely managing to free her from its wretched claws.
The entire time, Nemuri didn't even spare a glance for the test being projected over the main screen, not even when the final alarm sounded over the PA announcing that Satou and Kirishima had failed the exam and Recovery Girl arose grumbling to her feet in order to do her job. Even as the battle between Shinsou and Tokoyami and Ectoplasm began, she simply couldn't tear her eyes away.
She was far too enthralled by the romance unfolding before her eyes as, following an epic duel between Wraith and Endeavor involving swords and lots of fire, it was discovered that Angel's wounds from the monster had been poisoned and there was no time to call an ambulance. In an instant, Wraith valiantly declared that he would care for her and quickly whisked her away to his secret base for treatment. Then-
Oohhhoho and then…
When Angel awoke, she was lying on something soft, while something warm and heavy had been draped on top of her. When she opened her eyes, the room she was lying in was dark. There were no windows, but there was a light of some kind on in the corner. Her back and stomach still hurt, but she no longer felt dizzy. Slowly, she pushed herself into a sitting position. She was confused. It loocked like a regular apartment, but there were the swords lining each of the walls. But the most important difference of all… was that he was there.
He sat the corner desk facing away from her, quietly repairing the damage done to his armor. He wasn't wearing a his mask anymore, but the light behindc him still made it hard to see his features.
"U-Um," Angel whispered, afraid to speak any louder.
Wraith turned sharply. "You're awake," he replied, also quiet. He sounded relieved. "Are you… okay?"
"I… Yeah. Yeah I'm okay," Angel nodded, a blush that she could not understand coloring her cheeks. "Thank you for saving me," she said shyly. What is this feeling…?
"You don't have to thank me," Wraith said, looking away from her. He sounded almost sad.
"Are you okay?" Angle asked. She slowly stood up. She still felt a little bit dizzy, but the pain was almost gone. Wriath didn't seem to notice her move.
"I just… I'm sorry. That monster shouldn't have gotten you. I should have stopped it sooner."
Angel laughed faintly, closing the distance between them. "You saved my life, and you're apologizing for it?"
He turned in surprise. "Hey, you shouldn't be moving yet!" he exclaimed. Angel's heart skipped a few beats. The young man was classically handsome, with wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes. He looked like he had stepped right out of a fairy tale book in fact. He went still, eyes wide as he realized how close she had gotten, glancing away with a bright blush on his cheeks.
"Listen to me, mister," Angel said quietly. "You may not think your good enough, but you're my knight in shining armor. Don't forget it."
Impulsively, she leaned down to kiss his cheek. As a thank you, she thought. Nothing strange. Only, Wraith turned his head at the exact same moment, and instead of his cheek, her kiss landed right at the corner of his mouth, just barely brushing his lips.
Angel quickly pulled away, blushing furiously. "I-I'm so s-sorry!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands to her face. "I-I didn't m-mean to do that, I s-swear!"
A light hand on her cheek caused her her head to lift again. Wraith was standing righti n front of her, his hand lightly touching her cheek. Angel's face was still burning, but now her heart was racing, too. She leaned towards him, drawn by a magnetic energy until their foreheads were touching, their noses lightly brushing against each other.
Right before Wraith's lips landed on hers, he paused. "We… We shouldn't do this," he whispered. "I am a vigilante. You're a hero. This may be the last time we even see each other."
"Then," Angel whispered back, "kiss me as though it were the last time."
The last of his hesitation left him then, and in an instant his lips crashed again-
"Midnight?"
Nemuri startled out of her story, eyes snapping up towards the croaky-voiced doctor. "What?"
"You're drooling," Recovery Girl replied, face scrunched up in concern. "Is something wrong?"
"Nope! Nope, absolutely nothing is wrong!" the R-Rated hero giggled airily, still internally squealing.
"Hm," Recovery Girl frowned, returning her gaze to the screen. "Well, it's Todoroki and Yaoyorozu's turn now. You wanted me to tell you, remember?"
"Ah! Right, of course!" Nemuri nodded, glancing wistfully back at her phone. Whoever this 'Alien Queen' was, she was a master of word-
Alien Queen.
Alien. Queen.
Oh. My. God.
"I'm going to submit a proposal for a creative writing class," Nemuri breathed.
Outtake:
Mina lay flopped across the table in her break room after the exam, the dull anguish of failure twisting her insides like… like… Well whatever, something twisty and coily that didn't feel nice! She needed to work on her metaphors before the next installment of her story. Honestly, she hadn't expected it to take off as much as it had, but the last time she looked, there were eight thousand hits, four thousand likes, and half a dozen 'inspired by' works. She smirked, knowing that at least one of them had been by Sachi. The girl was a riot; she was glad Kaminari had introduced them, if only by text.
She sighed wistfully. If only there was that much beautiful drama in the actual class. It was no fun teasing Ocha when she didn't actually know the guy she was being shipped with. Mina could only mine so much from a single video to tease her with before it started losing its effect.
Speaking of teasing Ocha, Mina couldn't help but wonder what on Earth Aoyama had been talking to her about during their test. The two of them had done really well, honestly. She didn't know what that girl had been taught on her internships, but she hadn't expected it to involve basically flying, nor a level of control over her freaking super strength that allowed her to pinpoint toss Aoyama towards the gate. One blast from his belly button laser was enough to send him flying through the gate-about two seconds after Ochaco had managed to pin Thirteen to the ground and snapped the handcuffs around their wrists. She and Kaminari hadn't done nearly so well against Nezu, but that was hardly their fault! What was Aizawa-sensei thinking, pairing the two of them against the smartest bear-mouse-dog-thing in Japan?! And now they wouldn't be allowed to go to the-!
SLAM!
Mina's and Kaminari's heads snapped up in surprise as the door of their room was thrown open, revealing a familiar figure in a pink body suit with bobbed brown hair, head bowed and posture stiff.
"'Chaco! Just when I was wanting company!" Mina grinned. "You did really well on your test you know; I don't think I could've beat Thirteen half as quickly; I'm already so dang sore just from running around Ground-"
"Oh Miiinaaa~!" Ochaco interrupted, slowly raising her head. Mina went stiff, eyes wide as she stared at the other girl's pleasant, unusually fixed smile.
It practically screamed 'murder'.
"Y-Yeah?" the pink-skinned girl squeaked nervously.
"So, Midnight-sensei and I were talking earlier and she said she wants to start a creative writing class. Are you gonna take it?"
"U-Uh, I dunno. Maybe?" Mina tried cautiously.
"Oh really? I would've thought you'd jump at the chance!" 'Chaco replied, sauntering towards her.
"O-Oh? Why would you th-think that?" the other girl replied, trying to casually back away and in the process looking anything but casual. "You know I suck in Japanese class! I-I'm not much of a writer," she added with a nervous laugh. The pink-skinned girl tried to throw a 'help' look at Denki, but the amusement on his face as his eyes flickered between the two of them did not inspire much confidence.
"Oh really?" Ochaco repeated, her brown eyes flinty and her smile looking more and more like bared teeth. "Not much of a writer, huh?"
"N-NOPE! I-"
"Then would you care to explain what the hell this is?!" Ochaco snarled, tossing a mobile smart phone that was obviously not her own down on the table, the browser open to a story boldly titled 'The Dark Knight of Hosu'.
Any attempts at an explanation only came out as a squeak before the thunderous aura her friend managed to produce. Like legit the very air seemed to be crackling with energy. Mina shot Kaminari a look of abject panic, only to find that Captain Oblivious seemed to be utterly unaffected by Ochaco's rage. In fact, the only trembling he was doing was trembling with laughter.
"I told you and Sachi it was a bad idea!" he snorted.
That jerk.
"Start running," Ochaco growled.
Mina bolted.
I'm gonna try something and replace the backslashes with a hyphen and break up the format and hope that makes it so you guys can see the discord link. Fingers crossed.
Discord server:
h
t
t
p
s:-
-discord.
gg-qNTFVhtm6v
Okay that is supremely awkward but the letters are all there now, so hopefully y'all can figure it out. Hope to you see on the Discord!