Her eyes were squinted with irritation at the mammal and the chipper blond that carried him.
"This is low." She says, "This is really low."
"It's not low. We're providing a solution to your current predicament." Mirio Togata smiles knowingly.
Nezu lets out a breath, "We've already spoken to the parents of your full time clients-"
She scoffed, interrupting him, "You took advantage."
Both the mammal and blond were silent again. Kokyu was pleased to see the guilt on their faces.
"Ms. Thorn, I'm sorry that things have come to this. But you must also see how much this is needed now. The cost and time to fix the home will be an inconvenience for yourself, the parents and the children. Please consider what we are offering." Mirio started to plead with the woman in the hospital cot, " Eri started this week and.. I don't want to see that end so soon."
Mirio watched as the woman's face morphed and her eyes watered. The strong hard headed woman that he'd been in contact with was breaking in front of him.
"What did Meiko say?" The woman's head was down and her knees were curling to her chest.
"Majestic's wife?" Mirio realized his mistake when the single tear slid down her cheek.
But she didn't speak and only nodded her head.
"Ms. Kannagi gave her approval. Said that Enma would want it for Yuki." Nezu spoke evenly.
Mirio could tell that there was history beyond what he knew. Established relationships and circumstances that he was blind to.
The woman let out a long breath, "Okay." And then a soft laugh and small smile curve on her face, "I guess I'm going back to UA."
Principal Nezu clapped his hands, "Wonderful. We will have preparations started. Rock Lock has offered to help salvage what he can from your home seeing as you and young Jeremy are both still on bed rest. When you're discharged your apartment in the UA facility building will be available. In the meantime, rest."
Kokyu uncurled herself and layed back in the bed.
"There is a box that was in my room." Her words are soft, "It had memories in it. Let Ken know that that's all I really care about… if it made it at least."
"Will do."
Aizawa stood outside of the blacked home with Rock Lock.
Ken had asked him if he'd accompany him to help retrieve when they could for the Thorn family.
"We'll start at the top. That was where Jeremy and Kokyu's rooms were. Of course Kokyu requested her sentimentals."
Aizawa turns his head to see the man better with his one eye, "Any idea what she considered sentimental?" Memories had been popping up over the last week but he still didn't feel like he knew the woman.
Through sheer observation of her son and Eri's ramblings he could tell that she held physical strength and dexterity to a high level of importance.
And from the brief meeting in Nezu's office he could tell that she cared very deeply about the children she watched. About both their mental and physical safety. An attribute that Aizawa could relate to. His students always came first.
Even the problem ones. He thought of Itsuki and Thorn's development since the training accident. The friendship cliques were forming and developing among his students.
"Probably anything UA related or the kids she's cared for." Ken took the first steps onto the burnt property, "Something about a box upstairs."
They both had a plastic crate in their hand and headed up the stairs to the rooms. They started with his student's room. There wasn't much left in the room that he felt that they could find. The closet seems to be the most untouched.
Aizawa started to scan and look through some boxes that were blackened but otherwise not burnt.
They had old volumes of manga that he didn't deem important or sentimental. Moving on to another box he found a few explicit magazines. He took note of the content and sighed.
"Find something?" Ken inquired behind him.
He could hear the man shifting through the chard desk.
"Just evidence that suggests that I won't have to worry about Thorn sneaking a girl into his dorm." Aizawa lifted the magazine over his shoulder to show the cover to the other hero.
Rock Lock glanced over at the cover which displayed two nude men making out with an article title in bold reading: How to be a generous Top.
"That's information about the boy that I didn't need to know." Ken turned and put the picture from Jeremy's drawer in the crate. The edges were burnt but you could still see the old family photo of the boy standing with a younger Yuki and Matt. Behind them stood Kokyu, both of Yuki's parents and Takashita.
Yuki was blushing in the picture looking up at the young boy. After seeing the magazine that Eraser found it was clearer that Yuki would never have a chance.
Rock Lock wondered if Jeremy's mother was aware or if it was something Jeremy has yet to bring up.
"I've got what I could. Most of his stuff is at the dorms already." He turned to his colleague who had put the magazine in the crate, "Do you really think that's necessary?"
Aizawa's lip slightly twisted up, "Just something to return to him when I remind him that he will still have a curfew even after his mother moves to campus."
'This man is almost cruel with his approach.', Ken thought.
"Let's move on to Kokyu's room. She'll probably have more." Ken led the way with Aizawa following behind.
Her room seemed to be the least tarnished. But still had the blackening from the smoke. Rock Lock started in the dresser and for a moment he wasn't going to bother with any clothing till he remembered that unlike Jeremy she didn't have any other clothes then what she wore during the fire.
When he opened the top drawer he groaned when he saw the display of intimates and a select few of adult toys. He had no interest in knowing these things about the Thorn family.
Aizawa looked over the man's shoulder and he again felt his lips tug, "She is a single mother." He deadpans and moves on to the bedside table that had a box next to it.
"Yeah, but Kokyu is a kind, strong and beautiful woman that could have a man if she wanted." Ken moves to start throwing a few underwear and other clothing in the crate, "From what I hear she's never dated. Jeremy and the kids were always first."
Aizawa listened as he looked through the side table. There was a photo of her as a teen holding a baby, he put that in his crate. He didn't respond to his friend and coworker on his opinions about the woman's personal life. It wasn't any of his business. But as a heavy silence seemed to set he looked over at the man.
It was on the hero's face that he was genuinely concerned for his friend's relationship status.
Letting out a slow breath before speaking, "I haven't dated since becoming a teacher. My students always coming first." He thought of the man's reaction to the woman's sexual devices, "And as for her intimate life, she watches children in her home, it makes sense that she doesn't have many flings if at all."
He moved on to the box and when lifting it the bottom opens with all the contents coming out.
"As an underground hero I'm sure you've had your fair share of those." Rock Lock spoke.
Aizawa arched his brow to himself. Were him and Ken really discussing their intimate lives? He had gotten closer to the man in the past two years. He shared about just as much time alongside him now as he did Hiz. It was just different.
"I did. Not really since becoming a gimp though." He kept his voice monotone. Not wanting to share too much.
He went to pick up the dropped items. That damn book that's been plaguing him recently was there. Spine up and open with pages to the floor. When he picks it up an envelope falls out. Picking it up he turns it over and reads 'Aizawa Senpai'.
He decides to open it and starts to read it.
"You shouldn't be reading her personal mail." He hears his friend speaking and walking closer.
"I don't know what you're talking about. This is mine." He could feel the smile that slipped away from hiding as he showed the man the envelope that had his name and little hearts on it.
"Oh."
"Yeah." He says as he reads over the words again. He wasn't the one that got confessions and things like that in high school. Not that he would have said yes to any of them anyways.
Maybe it was because he was curious about the woman. Maybe it was because they were just talking about her intimate life in comparison to his own. It could have been because he appicatied how she took care of Eri or how she demonstrated her parenting skills with her son in the office. Or the words she spoke when he eavesdropped on her and Rock Lock.
Whatever it was, Shouta Aizawa felt a flutter reading the 15 year old confession.
"Wonder why she never gave it to you?" Rock spoke.
Aizawa looked inside his crate at the picture of her holding a newborn baby, "She got pregnant."
Jeremy had just gotten off of the phone with his mother. She was pissed but it was kinda funny to him. She didn't sound like an angry adult as much as she sounded like a moping child.
It was a dynamic that he recognized now that he had gotten older. His mother was more carefree. Knowing he was at a more mature and responsible age. But since he started living at UA it was nice to feel a bit more free. His mother never expected him to help out with the childcare responsibilities. He always just did and now he was getting to explore being a teenager.
"Hey, How's your mom?" Itsuki approached him. His bully wasn't his bully anymore and he'd probably have to inform his mom that before she comes to campus. Since the accident Itsuki had taken a complete flip and Jeremy was starting to see the layers that made Itsuki who he was.
"She's fine. She's pissed that Principal Nezu sent Aizawa Sensei and Rock Lock to go through our belongings."
"You didn't have anything embarrassing, did you?" Itsuki jokingly laughed. But when Jeremy thought about it he did have one secret that was still in the closet. Figuratively and literally.
Itsuki saw the slight change in Thorn's demeanor and snorted, "Was it somewhere they'd look?"
"I wouldn't think so. But I also wouldn't put it past them either."
They were silent a moment longer. They've been friendly but there was still the unspoken truth about how much of a dick Itsuki had been the weeks prior. It made Itsuki feel guilty and ashamed. Thorn really just accepted his kindness and forgave him without him actually saying sorry or anything.
And as much as that ate at Itsuki it still wasn't enough for him to confront the guy about it.
"You wanna shoot some zombies later?" He asked instead. Because for Itsuki it was easier to skip all of that and just start the friendship building process.
He watched as Jeremy's lips turned into a soft smile, "Yeah. Grab my bag for me." He did as the guy asked and watched him get his crutch and they headed to the elevator.
Jeremy was in step behind the plant quirk user and was momentairy taking in his appearance. He wore denim jeans that were hem'd at the bottom, a striped shirt and a cream cardigan that was rolled up to his elbows. He took in the pigmit of the guys skin.
"So like, is it just your hands and arms that are green? Or are your feet green too?" He asked.
Itsuki looks down at his own arms as if forgetting that he had green hands his whole life; they slowly faded to flesh by his elbows, "Nah. Just my hands." He nods to Jeremy's hair, "What about your hair? Where'd that gene come from?"
They enter the elevator.
"My grandmother's quirk was called Spring Blossom and she could make cherry blossoms. My mom and I got the pink hair from that."
"So plant quirks are genetic for you?"
"Technically. I never knew my grandmother. She disowned my mother when she got pregnant with me."
That created a silence that they both ignored as they entered Jeremy's dorm room. Itsuki held the door open for him.
"You know. Grandparents aren't all that great. Mine have high expectation of my mother and thus myself."
They sit on the bed next to each other and Itsuki gets the system on for them, "Also, I can make cherry blossom stems."
Jeremy watches as his friend's face starts to turn a shade of pink. As if it was embarrassing that he could make flowers. It was cute as it traveled across the bridge of his nose. That's also when he notices that Itsuki had a few freckles.
"Really? It's not just your BDSM vines?" Jeremy makes fun to see if he can make Itsuki's face even more red. And it turns out he could.
"Yeah." In all seriousness now, Itsuki lifts his green hand next to Jeremy's cheek. Jeremy doesn't say anything and only watches as the hero in training conjures up a branch from his wrist. It wrapped around Jeremy's head like a crown.
Itsuki takes out his phone and turns on the camera to show him. In the reflection Jeremy sees the pale white cherry blossoms on the branches. Looking over at Itsuki and his blushing face he can't help but lick his lips.
"Let me take a picture and then you can send it to me." Jeremy carefully takes the phone from Itsuki's hand and takes the casual selfie. A part of him was happy to think about how Itsuki was now going to have a picture of him in his camera roll.
"I don't have your number."
Jeremy was already sending the picture to himself and handing the phone back, "You do now."
Itsuki looks at the contact, 'Jeremy'. "Do you want me to call you 'Jeremy'?"
He shrugs like it's nothing, "Only if you want. Can I call you Haru?" Jeremy continued to watch for subtle hints.
His classmate also strugs the question off like it's no big deal, "Yeah. If you want." But behind his words Jeremy could also see the blush.
Maybe. Just maybe.
There was a knock at the door. "I can get it." Ituki. Haru. His friend says.
"Nope. I got it." He walks to the door with the brace.
Aizawa Sensei stood there with a crate and a deadpan face. "I got your things."
"Great. Thanks Mr.-" He lifted the jacket in the crate to see his magazine.
Jeremy's face was burning with embarrassment. He looked from the crate and back up to his teacher's eyes. His teacher's eyebrow rose in question. Like he was waiting for Jeremy to say something about the mature content.
The article title: How to be a generous Top staring at him.
"Hey, Do you need help?" The door was starting to open and Jeremy tossed the jacket back onto the magazine and grit his teeth.
"Nope." He went to take the crate from his teacher who held on a moment longer.
"I'm also reminding everyone that the dorm curfews are for all students to be in their own rooms. Regardless of gender." Jeremy noticed as Aizawa's eyes flickered curiously and questioningly to both of the boys.
"Understood Mr. Aizawa. I'll be back in my room before curfew."
And then his teacher let go of the box. Which brought a feeling of relief and further so when the teacher started to walk away. It felt like he was walking away with his secret but really, he looked at the crate and could feel Haru Itsuki behind him, it was out of the closet now.