Chapter 80 - Perfect
With the main event settled, the class worked tirelessly to clean the hall up from their performance for both other smaller music groups and a few they had planned afterward for fun. Primarily, it was the ice that was the biggest to clean up with Shoto and Katsuki working to break it all down with their quirks.
"Man, that was awesome!" Nana was on cloud nine, hopping on the spot with her tail swaying quickly. "The ambiance, emotions, everything couldn't have been better!"
"It was so much fun~!" Ashido grinned, dancing with Yuki as she giggled, coping the pink girl's movements with Hagakure wrapping her arms over their shoulders to bring them close.
"And the way the special effects refracted off my body was unexpected but really cool!" The invisible girl cooed.
"I intended on that fact using various angles the spotlights refracted off the ice," Behind them moving the sound equipment on stage was the Wolf Splicer, his mask moving slowly. "Given your ability I improvised with a positive effect."
"And who said all Fallen are bad guys, you're the best, Tekres!" The girl squealed as he nodded slowly, returning to his work. "Huh... he really doesn't talk much." Hagakure cocked her head.
"That's Tekres in a nutshell," Rayla replied, helping Kirishima with the heavier chunks. "He may not look it but he's the youngest of his House, and as far as we know, the only one left, so he was singled out as young among the others, hence his introvert nature."
"I prefer my solitude," He clicked to Rayla's sly grin.
"Aww, am I the exception~?" That earned her a wrench to the face. "Ow..." The girls laughed at Rayla's expense while Izuku returned from speaking with the teachers.
"Hey, good work!" Off to their left before either had a chance to speak were Togata and Eri.
"Thanks," Yuki stopped herself, the pair looking down at a sight that melted their hearts. Eri held her fists close with an afterburn of excitement, a bright smile stitched to her lips.
"You know what?" She began. "At first there was a loud noise, and it was scary, but then everyone was hopping with the dance!" She hopped on the spot with Yuki covering her mouth with a gushing squeal, but also... because they did it, that darkness was erased from her body.
As she expressed her feelings Togata mimicked her funnily. "And then there was a flash and Deku and Aksis, then Deku went away," She sighed a bit before continuing with her energetic explanation with her arms wide. "Then it got really cold and there was a spinning light, and a girl's voice said 'Wow!' and I said 'Wow!' too...!"
Izuku couldn't believe it, with everything that's happened today he had to quickly rub his eyes clear of tears, feeling Yuki squeeze his hand comfortingly as she did the same with her thumb. Neither let their smiles fade. "I'm glad you had a good time." "Both of us."
Then Yuki tapped his chest, "We can see the rest of the festival soon, we gotta clean up, right?" At the mention, Izuku panicked and quickly ran around to help the others while Yuki knelt down before Eri. "If you're patient, me, and a few others have one more performance to show you, after that, we'll meet up with you and Togata, sound like fun?" Yuki had two plans today without Izuku's knowledge, she just prayed it paid off as SIVA instructed for her.
"Mmhm!" Eri vibrated with anticipation but didn't falter.
"That's good, you'll love it, trust me!" Yuki patted the girl's head, feeling her quirk as it resonated with her hand. Thankfully, Eri's current emotional state made it abundantly clear she wasn't going to lose control any time soon.
Once the stage was prepped again, a large group of people arrived for both the smaller musical talents and the dancing in between courtesy of Tekres who was encouraged to run it under Rayla and Hatsumei's persistence. He didn't mind, their musical culture wasn't so horrid he'd tear his ears off.
Standing with Togata and Eri in the crowd was Izuku and the rest from their class dotted around since it had a few extras singing this time from their class. "Deku, where's Aksis?" Eri tugged at his sleeve.
"I think it's a surprise, so get ready, okay?" He encouraged as she was lifted onto Togata's arms for a better view again, joining the crowd's clapping blissfully.
A spotlight struck the stage, and all from 1-A were stunned to find the charismatic Host Akio on stage, brushing his faux-brown hair back with a toothy grin as Tekres started the music. "'Cause ah-ah, I'm in the stars tonight! So watch me bring the fire and set the night alight!" He waved his hand to his far-right for another spotlight to reveal a singer.
Yuki held a mic in her hand, sporting a brand new outfit for the occasion. She wore a loose-fitting shirt that looked like a galaxy with the right shoulder completely exposed and a hole revealing her left bicep slightly. The collar was low enough to show off her black and white sports bra and choker necklace.
Her stomach was partially exposed to leading to a red belt supporting her white shorts with a black secondary belt tying a galaxy printed sash to her left hip, coupled with only a pair of black boots to match. Yuki's mask bobbing with the eyes transition between colours. Izuku's face was red again, completely lost in the stunning sight on the stage.
"Shoes on, get up in the morn', cup of milk, let's rock and roll...~" Her half-lidded gaze turned to the far-left where another singer, Nana appeared as spunky as ever.
"King Kong, kick the drum. Rolling on like a rolling stone~" Nana bowed back toward Akio.
"Singsong when I'm walking home. Jump up to the top, LeBron~" Another unexpected sight was the Guardian herself, Rayla between Akio and Yuki, giving a crowd a playful wink.
Lastly, shoulder-to-shoulder with Akio and beside Nana was Kyoka with her energetic vibe. "Ding-Dong, call me on my phone. Ice tea and a game of ping-pong~"
"This is getting heavy, can you feel the bass boom? I'm ready~!" "Woohoo~!" Together with Akio splitting from the song for a second. "Life is sweet as honey! Yeah, this beat cha-ching like money~!"
Then the spotlights cut themselves out to focus on Akio and Yuki, the pair moving around with the others to stand together. "Disco Overload! I'm into that, I'm good to go~!" The spotlights switched to the girls.
"I'm diamond, you know I glow up~!" A brief flash to just Akio as the music reached its climax.
"Hey! So let's go!" He threw his fist high as many in the audience danced and mimicked their actions.
"'Cause, ah ah, I'm in the stars tonight! So watch me bring the fire and set the night alight! Shining through the city with a little funk and soul - I'ma light it up like Dynamite, woah~!" The five of them sang their souls out to the crowd that ate it up.
"Dy-na-na-na, na-na, na-na-na, na-na! Life is Dynamite! Dy-na-na-na, na-na, na-na-na, na-na! Life is Dynamite!" Yuki then brought her hand up as sparks and motes of blue ascended into the dark ceiling, showering the crowd in a snowfall of neon blue stardust. "Shining through the city with a little funk and soul - I'ma light it up like Dynamite, woah~!"
"Like my style? Thought it'd be festive," Yuki did a small twirl on the spot before Izuku after their joint performance as Tekres plotted with Yuki. They had one more thing to do before they arrived for the beauty pageant to cheer their friends on.
"Y-yeah, you look beautiful, a-and exotic," Izuku stumbled to find any other words to describe it, his heart wouldn't stop racing, especially with Yuki posing just for him to ogle at. "Why is it so hot in here...?" He tugged at his collar a bit.
"'Exoitc', yeah, I like that," She cooed, then took his hand before leaning closer. "But we're not done yet, Zuzu."
"Huh?" And with that, the lights dimmed, and a new song began to play. The song began, soft and slowly as Izuku realized that the majority of those present were pairs of two, dancing together or starting to. Even Nana and her guest, Kairi were starting to dance. "Wait... Yuki?"
He paused, seeing her hold out her other empty hand with a bashful smile and warm eyes. "Come on, we never did dance like we said back on I-Island, did we?"
His own stuttering fell away for a blushing, stupid smile. "Yeah..." He took her hand as she pulled him along, his strength dissolving as she held him steady. "I-I don't really know h-how to - y-you know, dance-dance." "I really hope my hands aren't that sweaty, I'm burning up."
Yuki giggled, pulling him close. "Just follow my lead this time," She whispered, pulling him until their chests touched, hands interlocked as she swayed like the crowd, following their own flow to the beat. As she saw Izuku's anxious eyes on their feet she tapped her nose off his forehead to draw his eyes forward to hers. "Keep your eyes on me, only me." She murmured like silk in his ears, and he was fixed.
The two danced as though they merged again, their thoughts swung in tangent with their actions, predicting what the other would do with the occasional stumble from Izuku as Yuki giggled, keeping him from falling in front of everyone. Both were embarrassed and smiling, moving faster when the music picked up its tempo, slowing when needed with a little spin from Izuku that made Yuki laugh under her breath. Feeling his right hand rest on her lower back.
The song began to pick up toward the final chorus, and Izuku had a dumb idea that made his cheeks cherry red. But this was Yuki in his arms, she made him do stupid things. He opened his lips, and began to mouth the words, surprising the bluette who spun them slowly, the two stretched wide with their arms to spin gently. 'Baby, I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms'
Yuki followed suit, Izuku pulling her back. 'Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favourite song'
'I have faith in what I see' Izuku brought her arms up to rest on his shoulders.
'Now I know I have met a "hero" in person' Yuki altered just for him, the pounding against her ribs increasing.
'And she looks perfect' His hands pressed to her hips, pulling her closer that he could feel her breath on his face.
'I don't deserve this' Yuki lost his gaze for a split second, eyes growing heavy.
'You look perfect tonight' Izuku didn't care for the crowd, closing his eyes as his lips met that fruity taste he craved, kissing Yuki gently until the song was silent, her hands gripping his shoulders tightly as they stopped dancing to kiss passionately.
Time later, the class stood before the beauty pageant with a few from 1-B who weren't needed to clean up their event to cheer Kendo on. Eri sat in Izuku's arms while the second to last candidate sped off the stage in... something?
"Nice work on your play, heard it was a riot," Yuki fist bumped with Jura who rubbed his nape, laughing loudly.
"We kinda went overboard but everyone really enjoyed it! Really wish I could've seen your class perform, Nana actually got over her stage fright I heard!" Jura was immediately met with a hand waving toward him.
"I am still terrified, thank you!" Nana wailed next to Kairi who hid her laugh behind her hand. "Oh, come on, you too!?"
"S-s-sorry...!" She snickered.
Then, the final contestant came on stage to dazzle the whole crowd, Nejire. ~Next, we have third year, Nejire Hado!~
The woman floated down in a stunning aqua dress to compliment her hair and eye colour. Standing ahead of Yuki was her other best friend, Amajiki, lowering his drained face while raising a trembling thumb. "Hado... people are just animals... just think of them as mammals, and you'll feel more relaxed..."
"She'll ace this," Yuki perked up as his timid eyes spotted the machinist's supportive smile. "You just focus on giving her all the support you can muster, okay?"
"R-right," He managed to stand straight again next to his classmate. Beside Amajiki, his classmate murmured between him and Yuki.
"Nejire lost last year because she tried to be flashier than Kenranzaki," But the pink-haired girl didn't lose her composure as Nejire gave a bow and floated with a golden helix under her. "Kenrankaki's strength is being flashy, but Nejire has her own strength!"
Her energy ebbed and flowed at her command through the sky, not a peep came out of her as she smiled down at those she recognized in the crowd, staring up in awe at her radiant and majestic performance. Amajiki smiled as Yuki nudged his side, sharing his feeling for their friend who looked to be lost in her performance, golden energy swaying across the stage and through the sky.
"PFFT, HAHAHAHA!" Yuki toppled over on her stomach as Tokoyami took Iida and Shoto's photo in the cardboard cutout illustration of UA with Shoto in place of the principal. Tears sprung from her eyes as she clutched her stomach. "I-I-I CAN'T BREATHE! HAHAHA!"
"I think it looks fine, I don't see any issue with it," Shoto's constant obliviousness made it harder for Yuki to catch her breath, slapping the ground.
Sero scratched behind his ear, trying not to laugh. "Y-Your sense of humour needs w-work still, Todoroki."
"I see..." He did not and continued to be puzzled by Yuki's reaction. Then again, his friend was abnormal in general though he did smile. "You should probably get up now, Yuki."
"I'm gonna, diiiie~!" She squealed, wiping her tears. "I gotta show Yaomomo this, she'll love it!"
"What?" Shoto, for once, felt something colder than his ice run down his back.
"DIE!" Katsuki stormed across the obstacle course, shoving his hands atop Yuki and Akio's faces to push ahead toward the button, butting shoulders with Rayla who gave him a wink and performed a handstand on the blonde's back. "Hey, get the hell off!"
"If you wish, bomb boy," She hopped over him toward the button, grinning as her hand and his became neck and neck for the big red button as everyone cheered for them. "It's mine!"
"No, it's not!" He roared, the two scrambling up the tower until Akio leapt into the middle, squeezing through.
"Kick his butt, Rayla!" Ashido and Hagakure screamed.
"You can do it Katsuki!" Ochaco cheered on her boyfriend.
"Don't give up, Yuki/Aksis!" Izuku and Eri were in on it too, seeing her and Kirishima also neck and neck, crossing the large gaps without their quirks.
"Come on, Bakugo!" Ojiro, Kaminari, and Sato rallied on.
"Give it all you got, Akio!" Viral and Kyoka were also supporting.
"Here's yours," Izuku handed Yuki her crepe, something she stared at curiously with various question marks above her head. "You've never had one before?"
"Uh uh," Shaking her head, she took a bite only to be met with a flurry of sweet and fruity flavors that made her gush. "So sweet...~"
"I thought you'd like yours with fruit so I gambled," Izuku admitted, seeing her eat away with gusto, leaving him smiling as he slowly bit into his.
"And when did you gamble? That's my thing, you stealing my thing?" She asked between bites, chewing with a silly pout.
Izuku closed his eyes with a kind smile. "You rub off on me I guess."
"Hmm..." She continued to eat. "You're lucky you're adorable..."
"Wait, seriously!?" Kirishima stared at Rayla as though she had two heads.
Waving her hands to ease his worry she retained a smile. "I'm fine, got Solaire, remember? But, yeah, I fought what we call a Hive Knight, really dangerous, especially this one," With a flash from Solaire's eye, two damaged, hollow ghost shells sat on her lap. "These... belonged to my fireteam... that Narvoc..."
When Kirishima was asked to speak with Rayla alone, he never imagined it would be about what kept her and Izuku until the last minute to arrive. That last part alone, how her hands held the shells like they would fall apart in her hands, he realized how much Rayla's experienced before the events that led to her stay in this world. If he were honest, it made his head spin a bit.
"I don't really get a lot of stuff you, Tekres, or Yuki say about your world but all of us will listen whenever you need someone to talk to," Kirishima jabbed his heart with a thumb. "It's alright to admit when you're upset about something, I think we'd be more worried if you just bottled it up, so don't sweat it!"
"Heh, you sound like Wash," Rayla sniffed, causing Kirishima to panic a bit when she wiped a tear off her face, smiling strongly while cupping the ghost shells close to her chest. "You guys are something else, but I'll do that, just... not today, we're celebrating," Drying her eyes, she stood up as Solaire took the shells away. "I've got something planned, think you can help, Red Riot?"
Kirishima blinked before offering her his sharp grin. "Sure, count me in!"
"This is really creeping me out..." Nana whispered within the decrepit room where every sound and creak around the dilapidated environment made the girls jump. Both her and Kairi walked hand in hand, neither moving away from one another.
"Why did you say to do this!?" Kairi hissed.
"Hey, you wanted to come in with me!" Nana argued back until something stomped behind them. Freezing the girls in place with nervous smiles, sweat dripping down their foreheads. "Hey, did something just go 'thud' behind us?"
"I think it did," Kairi gulped.
"Okay, we're going to keep walking," Nana tugged the shark-girl along. "If we pretend we didn't hear it, and if we don't see it, then it's not there."
"I can get behind that, yes," She nodded hastily, both inching forward toward a doorway.
With enough time, the trembling girls arrived at the doorway, the exit only down the hall from their point of view. Together, they sighed, briefly taking their eyes off the doorway, the footsteps didn't follow, meaning the person went back into position for the next group.
"We're home free-"
The two raised their heads to come face-to-face with a white hockey mask and black hollow eye sockets. "YAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The pair hugged each other as their entire bodies turned snow-white in complete terror.
Out in a large flat field, those present for the festival were gathered in the afternoon for a special event. Upon the stage alone was Rayla in her Guardian armour, or a back-up suit of silver and blue Devastation Complex armour, giving her quite the intimidating appearance. ~What's up, UA, students and heroes alike!? Sorry for the sudden impromptu event but I've got my own show for ya!~
"You know what she's talking about?" Kyoka nudged Yuki who wore a smile, holding Eri up this time.
"Oh, you'll see, hehehe," Kyoka's aloof gaze merely raised a brow but turned to observe. "See perfectly up there, Eri?"
"Mmhm," She nodded, waiting curiously.
"It's gonna be a little loud but you'll love it, just watch the sky." Doing as instructed, Eri watched with Yuki, Kyoka and Akio doing the same upon hearing the girl's words.
~I'm still new here so I thought I'd share something from my home, a trick with our power we call Light! We'd do this in celebration of various festivals of our own, so here's from an event we call Age of Triumph!~ With her declaration, the crowd clapped in enthusiasm as she did a small spin, releasing a surge of neon blue electricity from her body, flashing bolts across the stage by her sides.
Using her Light, she triggered several fireworks to fly high into the sky, perfect for her to manipulate into exploding with a series of blues that vast the orange sky in an ocean of particles. The crowd was silent as with said particles, Rayla played them like a conductor, gathering the sparks to form shapes in the sky just above the crowd's heads.
The first was two blue lions, roaring overhead toward one another, colliding to twist into a large tornado of electrical sparks that stretched into a pair of large, elegant wings of a vulture, cawing up at the sky as it did several twists and turned between fireworks set off by Kirishima behind the stage, using his hardened arms as a match.
Four fireworks followed the vulture, erupting into shades of blue stars as the bird exploded, expanding the lights in all directions to manifest into two elongated serpents that curled and swept down toward the audience, some reaching out their hands to gloss through the safe, ticklish particles.
"Woah!" Yuki giggled as she held Eri up to feel the Light surge through her fingertips as they flew by, arcing to arrive below the exploding fireworks as they spun together before bursting into roaring hot orange flames. On stage, Rayla was a visage of the sun, tossing one of her molten hammers toward the sky as they struck the final firework.
Squeezing her hands together, Rayla forced the hammer to explode against the firework, the combined aurora of sky blue, tiger orange, and gold dazzled the spectators in a double-ringed insignia of UA, the rainfall of colors trickling down onto the crowd that cheered and clapped for the woman who snuffed out her flame, dragging Kirishima up to take a bow with her, Solaire appearing to do the same with his shell.
~Enjoy the rest of the Cultural Festival!~
Time flies, and it was time for the festival to close for the majority. Outside the gateway, Izuku and Yuki joined Togata in saying goodbye to Eri for the day. "Thanks for today, it was fun!"
"Yeah," Eri looked a little upset, clearly disheartened it was over.
"Izuku?" Yuki prompted as the boy smiled.
"Right," Kneeling down to Eri's height he revealed his surprise. "Eri?" Once she looked up, he held out a glistening candy apple. "Surprise!"
Togata looked taken back, "A candy apple! I thought they weren't selling them? I couldn't find any."
"We figured as much, so Izuku came up with a compromise," Yuki gestured to her partner.
"It was unlikely there would be given the program, so I bought the ingredients when I went out this morning, it was easier to make than expected," Izuku stood up beside Yuki.
"He says that after making a mess in the kitchen," Yuki murmured behind her hand.
"The only thing I couldn't find at the convenience store was food colouring, so I borrowed some from Sato," While explaining this, Eri took a bite out of her surprise, eager to know how sweet it turned the apples she already loved.
Mr Aizawa spoke up, "Well, you should be able to see her again soon, I was going to ask for your assistance about her quirk, Azuru, but we can wait until that day,"
Eri giggled after taking a bite, a blush on her cheeks as she warmed them up with a wide smile, licking her lips. "It's even sweeter!"
"We'll make more next time! Look forward to it!" Izuku returned the kindness.
"I will!"
"So cute...~" She looked to Mr Aizawa, the man nodding slowly as Eri found herself scooped up in Yuki's arm in a flash, nuzzled by the bluette. "You better come visit soon, you're the most innocent thing on this planet! Right, Siva?"
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"Siva thinks so too," Yuki encouraged, hearing him sputter. Though Eri was happy to return the hug.
Not far away, Nana walked with Kairi until they reached the point she'd cross and wait for her taxi to arrive. "How would you rate today then?"
Kairi stopped and looked at Nana with a genuine smile, she had done so much more naturally today than ever before. More than just her new hairstyle, for the first time in her life she felt nothing bother or worry her. All thanks to the demon-girl.
"Definitely a ten," She admitted, Nana hopping once with her fist high.
"I did it, finally a perfect score!" Spinning back down she saw the taxi approaching in the distance, sighing a bit. "Well... it was fun, getting to sing again and... spending time with you,"
"Y-yeah, you were beau - I-I mean, amazingly talented! Haha..." Kairi played with her hair a bit, smiling as Nana stared up at the sky, playing with her shirt again.
"I used to be reluctant even before I embarrassed myself because my quirk doesn't have an off switch, when I sing it takes effect so I worried that it wasn't really my own talent, just my power that made my singing likeable," Nana rubbed her hands together. "But Miss Kyoka, my sister, everyone encouraged me, and when people praised me it felt genuine, I was really happy!"
Without thinking, Kairi leaned closer, "Well, without your singing, you always find a way to sneak into people's hearts," She pecked the bluette on the cheek, leaving her star-struck when their eyes met. It took Kairi a second to realize what she did, her face turning completely red as her tail froze in place when her taxi pulled up. "Ahem, well, I'll see you in school, goodbye forever, haha!"
"Why did I do that? Why did I do that? Why did I do that?" That was all she muttered before entering the car, leaving Nana stunned as she lost the ability to stand, tail flopped to the ground beside her as her hand gingerly touched her cheek.
Her cheeks were dusted pink, "...oh wow..."
Passing under a canopy of trees close to the dorms, Izuku was alone when he found Yuki again. Watching the world go by her passive eyes. She looked lost in her own world, she didn't even see him approach. "I heard from Kirishima that you were heading back to the dorms early-" Izuku startled Yuki from her thousand-yard-stare by the river. "-are you feeling alright?"
"Someone's worried, cute." She teased though with a little less confidence than before. "I guess I'm just exhausted, today's been fun and I think my body's realized that - never thought I'd sing in front of people again considering what happened to me."
"It was... amazing," That made her chest twist again with that warm sensation. "Really, I knew you played the guitar but... wow."
"H-hey, come on now, I'm good but not that good, Zuzu," She rolled her eyes playfully. It was a hobby, sure, but not like she was some amazing member of a band or anything. "Nana and Kyoka are really talented, if they were a band they'd be unstoppable."
"I mean it, you looked like you had fun." His honesty cut through her modesty, it was never a doubt with him, that was just who he was. "So, about being out here, are you really okay?" It worried him since she looked lost before he spoke like she wasn't 'here'.
"Nah, just... thinking about..."
"Everything?" He guessed to which she nodded, clicking her fingers.
"Always sharp, Zuzu - yeah, I guess lately I've been worried about how long... I'll be me," Her eyes loomed down over her hands. "It's inevitable that my mind is merging with Aksis's own and I just kept saying to myself, 'If I just focus, keep fighting, beat Kovik to a pulp, maybe I can still be me'," He could see it, her smile was wavering. "Today I just shoved all that aside, and I felt so free of those thoughts, I-I really believed that to the point I got drunk on the hope I... yeah..."
For once in this melancholy, Izuku smiled, standing next to her to stare up at the colourful ceiling that decorated the treetops. "I kept training," His reply drew her crimson-blue orbs to the left. "I thought that if I kept training, that I met everyone's expectations that I could make OFA my own, and maybe I wouldn't have to discover it was all a dream, it's silly but I've had times when I just feared I'd wake up with nothing again,"
He didn't lose his smile, hand in Yuki's without realizing it. "But then I remembered something... well, it's a little cheesy," Izuku scratched his cheek sheepishly.
"That was?" By now, Yuki was much closer, wanting to listen intently to his story, and his eyes met hers, enrapturing her.
"Even if it were a dream, the people in it were real, you were real, so it didn't matter because I'd find you again; I'd probably sound crazy if I did but I would," The revelation threw Yuki through a loop, her eyes unexpectedly wide, jaw unhinged somewhat. "Heh, when I think of it like that I stop worrying, I know it isn't the same situation as yours but what I can say is don't be afraid of his memories changing you, because I'll be here, all of us will be here to remind you who you are, because we're real and alive,"
How many weeks had Yuki contemplated who she was, what she was turning into without answers? It plagued her, dreams of a life she never had, memories flooding her mind that left her conflicted and scared of herself, of the monster she may turn into. But while faces, names, and experiences of another clouded her mind, she still recalled the ones 'she' knew best, Aksis's memories weren't changing her, they were helping her grow, to know more and understand further.
Yuki wasn't... just a shell. For the longest time, it felt like the opposite for so very long, and now... she felt weightless and impulsive. All from one conversation, it was almost laughable, or maybe Yuki just wasn't hearing Izuku before, "Then... am I still me?" It was a final hurdle, the last of her walls refusing to give.
Nodding slowly, Izuku stood straight, emeralds locked to her ruby-sapphire eyes. "Whether or not you're still you, or I'm dreaming, right now, this is real, today with Eri was real... you're real," Without thinking, his voice continued, neither noticing the lack of a personal bubble between them. "You're still amazing, Yuki." Dumb as it sounded, he smiled with a shrug. "Does that answer your - mmfph?"
Izuku's breath was taken by Yuki's lips smashing against his feverously. The deeper her lips pressed to his, the more she grew hungry. Despite how this risk may fracture their relationship, she gasped as his arms held her biceps, pulling her closer with his arm around her lower back, giving in to the addictive feeling flooding his body.
Yuki's fingers hooked to his shoulders, unable to leave, not that she had any reason to, enjoying every infectious second as something firm pressed to her breast when they continued against a tree, making her moan slightly. That pulled them apart when Izuku realized he had intentionally groped her.
The moment of serenity shattered. Whatever loss of control suddenly felt it was pulled back to reality with Izuku recoiling with a mortified look on his face. "S-s-s-sorry Y-y-yuki I-I don't know why I-" He paused, seeing her head down to cover her eyes, but she didn't move away from the tree, for an instant. he feared he finally went too far, "I..."
"I thought it was just me," When she lifted her head, showing him her warm cheeks with a tearful expression, it held him in place. "I-I've just been so... different since my body changed," She ground her teeth, rubbing the tears from her eyes. "I-I kept from going t-too far because I d-didn't want to scare you o-or make you uncomfortable,"
"All this time?" Izuku found his voice, seeing her nod behind her arm covering her eyes. Yuki herself felt hot and bothered now, and it killed her.
"...I thought I could control it, b-but then we've been practising to master our ability to merge with our quirks and-and that feeling, it kept getting worse, I-I can't take it but I didn't want to h-hurt you again," Yuki sniffed, feeling completely ashamed.
A gentle hand pulled her arm away to dry her teary eyes, Izuku was red in the face too but kept supporting her so she didn't fall to the grass. "...m-me too, I've had dreams where we..." She got the gist of it given the situation. "I've been hiding it because I didn't want to worry you, o-or make you feel I only cared about t-that,"
"You're too good to think of that," Yuki smiled slightly, averting her eyes. "D-do you think we could...?"
Through all of the hurdles a relationship has thrown at Izuku, from crushing on the girl behind the mask to being her partner, their first kiss to saying they loved each other. Facing down threats that had nearly torn them apart. All the little things that appeared so big to them, this was one he hadn't been able to brace himself for. He loved Yuki, and yet, he threw all his feelings of doubt and unworthiness at this massive cliff.
Right now, Yuki was on the verge of falling apart, doubts of her own swelled like a storm she had no say over, sailing blinding against her own feelings and impulses. She feared it'd be the thing that broke one of the best things in her life, it terrified her. But she's merged with Izuku so many times, she knew what he was thinking in those moments if only for an instant, it was as if she understood everything about him and vice versa.
Mustering her courage, she forced her eyes to lock with his under the tree, unable to move away from his arm trembling against her back. "Izuku... will you mate with me?"
To Be Continued...
Time to make good on that Mature tag again, oh boy, here goes all my experimentation I guess. This was an enjoyable chapter, with lots of additions with our cast, including various points of fluff. Only one chapter, plus an extra, left in Season 4, I've got something big planned for the road ahead.
Note; the chapter I'll be posting tomorrow is 100% optional, like 3/4 of it is literal smut, I ain't even gonna gloss over that. So when it uploads, read at your own discretion. It's also the first I've ever written of this kind of subject so if it sucks... well I'm sorry, I'm here to experiment so fingers crossed.
I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; seeya in the season four finale, Heroes!
Next Chapter: Presage of Perfection
"What I desire? Power, not to rule, no-no, I want power to dismantle everything, I want every living creature to see what I see, to feel and live in a world that floods my veins. There is nothing greater, I will stamp out legacies, and leave my own to scar the history of time. After all, memories are all we can leave behind."