The Bakugou Estate sat proudly outside the city of Ultra, nestled between two sloping hills where its horses grazed the pastures. Although Lord Masaru and Lady Mitsuki had left for a banquet that morning, the rest of the estate carried on as usual with their work and responsibilities. Enchanted brooms swept the floors and washboards scrubbed the laundry. The stablehands cared for the horses, the gardeners pruned the gardens, and the servants bustled through the halls.
All was normal, and all was routine, right down to the one person sitting alone in front of two memorial stones. Head Maidservant Inko quietly held her cup of tea, watching the way the sunlight caught on the flecks in the polished stone.
Even after a decade, the pain hadn't gone away. It lingered like a wound too deep to ever heal. Ached like the joints when the seasons shift. Burned like her eyes every night when she thought of what she had lost.
Sometimes she talked to them. Sometimes she just listened. Listened to the memories of voices she could no longer hear. Hisashi's gentle lilt as he spoke, patience tempering his words as he explained how to use the farm equipment. Izuku's soft voice, ever curious and always asking questions. She couldn't picture it without picturing his wide, innocent eyes, and it never passed through her memory without being chased by boyish giggles, like the ones he'd give when she kissed his forehead.
She heard someone approach, but didn't immediately turn around, hands still cradling the porcelain cup. They came to a stop behind her, and she waited for the servant to speak.
"Oy, there you are."
She blinked, turning to see Katsuki looking down at her, his face pensive. He was wearing his armor, but strangely had a large wicker basket in one arm, the lid closed so she couldn't see the contents. The moment she laid her eyes on him, a series of emotions that were not her own washed over her, some more dominating than others. Too many to immediately separate all at once, so she pushed them aside to focus on the fact her young master had returned home and apparently needed her.
"Young Master," Inko said in surprise, brows lifting. "I apologize; I didn't expect you to be visiting."
She began to push herself to her feet, her legs shaking a bit. A strong hand cupped under her elbow, gently but firmly guiding her to her feet. "Ah… thank you. My legs are a little less cooperative today."
Katsuki grunted, peering down at her. "Usual pain? Or worse?"
She smiled, shifting her weight to her better leg. "Just the usual. I think I sat too long by the stones. That's all."
He nodded, glancing around. "How about a walk, then? Got something I wanna show you. Already informed the rest of the staff that I need you, so they won't come looking for you."
That… was an odd statement, and Inko tilted her head, peeking up at the young man who still had his hand gently on her elbow. Despite Katsuki's unfavorable personality, he had always given her special treatment after Izuku died, but this was still a little atypical of him. He normally didn't treat her like she was so fragile.
To be fair, she probably was compared to most, but she managed all right. Most of the scars were emotional, and most of the rest were only skin deep.
"I think I can manage a walk, if you don't mind I'll be just a little bit slow," She replied kindly, smiling up at him. "You must have something on your mind. I feel a lot of jumbled emotions coming from you."
It wasn't much of a surprise that he stiffened, his face guarded as he looked away. She watched him work his jaw, eyes narrowing. "Nothing like that," He replied gruffly, and she could feel him trying to close off those very emotions leaking out of him. "Something different. C'mon. Walk with me."
Before she could say anything else, he plucked the teacup out of her hands and placed it down by the memorial stones before holding out his arm for her to take. She blinked several times before wordlessly curling her fingers around his bicep and let him lead the way.
To her surprise, he guided her away from the estate, taking the path that wove between the hills and into the forest that wrapped around the river. She tried to think of what might be up this way. It was where he and Izuku used to fish, but not much else was up there.
Unable to unravel the mystery, and not yet ready to ask, she instead gave a sidelong glance to the young man beside her. Now with her eyes on him again, his emotions came tumbling out in a tangled mess for her to decipher. There was a lot; more than when he had last visited. The surface emotions were stress and nervousness. He was generally stressed, given he was a captain, but the anxiety was new. Something was weighing on him, and she had no idea what, but it was a heavy weight. Underneath that though… there were two deeper emotions. One was excitement. An eagerness for something. The other was satisfaction. And when she focused on all of them, she was able to pick out the subtle details:
The anxiety was from several things outside of his control. The excitement was for something about to take place. The satisfaction was for having his feelings reciprocated, and the stress was from everything all at once.
It was a lot, and she frowned. He wouldn't appreciate her prodding at the deeper things, but there was one she was fairly certain she could at least ask about.
"That is an interesting emotion lingering around you, Young Master. Have you found a lady who suits you?"
He sputtered, nearly tripping over a rock, catching himself before he sent them both to the ground. She leaned back in alarm as he whirled on her, face pink. "There is no woman!"
"Oh…" Inko replied, her brow furrowing. Although her empath skills were certainly not legendary, she was usually pretty good at judging emotions. Still, it wasn't perfect. "That is a shame, then. Maybe someday soon."
She patted his arm, noting that another emotion surged in response, absolute frustration. Ah, well, she at least knew that one was correct. Still, he reigned in his temper, saying nothing and continued to guide her into the woods.
The old fishing spot came into view. It was a bald area in the forest, no trees growing because the ground was a large rock that went deep into the earth, sliding down into the river bank. Lichen and roots sprawled over its weathered surface, and it provided an adequate ledge for casting fishing lines into the slow moving waters below. Large, deciduous trees, primarily of elm and oak, circled around the clearing, providing a shady canopy from the midday sun.
And standing in the middle of the large clearing was what appeared to be a very petite woman with long, wet hair clinging to her naked body.
Both she and Katsuki came to a stop, and she noticed two things as she laid eyes on this girl. The first was the strange absence of emotion coming from her. It was as void as her face was of expression. The second was that a stream of water was rolling down the back of her leg, trickling into the river, almost like a liquid tether between the two.
She was a spirit.
Inko stiffened, but before her worry could mount, Katsuki spoke. "Tsuyu? The fuck are you doing here?"
The spirit tilted her head, putting a finger to her chin. "I am being a friend, ribbit."
The statement was odd, but Inko was more surprised by the way Katsuki seemed to act like he knew the entity. "What the fuck happened? Why aren't they here?"
The spirit turned her head to look off into the trees, eyes on something Inko couldn't see. "They are here. The holder is experiencing a strong human emotion. Like fear, but different. Ochako called it… anxiety."
Katsuki cursed softly under his breath, causing Inko to look between him and Tsuyu. She certainly didn't see anyone else around, although the spirit seemed to be very focused on something further into the woods, eyes intent on a spot between two large oak trees. "Stay here, Katsuki of House Bakugou and companion. I shall assist, ribbit."
And to Inko's fascination, the tiny embodiment of magic walked several steps down between the trees and disappeared with a ripple. The trickle of water continued to trail in her wake, all the way down to the river.
"Young Master…" Inko whispered, refusing to let go of his arm. "What's going on?"
Katsuki didn't look at her, eyes trained on the spot where the spirit disappeared. "Just watch. Take a deep breath, and watch."
The area where Tsuyu disappeared shimmered again as she took a step back out of the veil. She paused, turning to look behind her, her arm disappearing into nothing. Another person followed, and Inko watched as a young woman with honey brown hair stepped through. She wore commoner's clothes in earthy colors, but without the usual constraints, the layers loose and airy. She had a gentle smile on her face, and Inko sucked in a breath at the swirl of emotions rolling off of her form.
Anxiety, not unlike Katsuki's, twisting and churning inside her. She had it in a tight grip, doing her best to keep it from keeping control. And on top of that…
Affection. Adoration. Compassion. So many positive, devoted feelings, and Inko had to wonder just who or what they could be directed at. The woman was not looking at her, or at Katsuki, nor was her attention on the spirit beside her. She stood in a mirror pose from Tsuyu, her hand also holding onto something just behind the invisible curtain.
Inko realized a moment later that both of them were holding onto a person's hands as they stepped further out of the veil. The woman spoke softly, and Inko could barely catch the words, "She's waiting for you."
Slowly, hesitantly, the third person came into view. As they appeared, Inko was hit by an overwhelming number of emotions. Anxiety. Fear. Regret. Hope. Desperation. Longing. Love.
She swayed at the onslaught of so many things all at once, and she felt Katsuki tug her to him, letting her lean against him. "Look."
His voice was a soft hiss, and she obeyed, lifting her eyes to the young man being led by the woman and the spirit, dressed in a forest green tunic and brown trousers. He was looking down at the ground, causing his face to be hidden from view due to the length of his hair. …Thick, curly hair, shaggy, but in a rich shade of green that was nearly identical to her own before the gray began to pepper through it.
It reminded her of a precious boy taken from her far too soon, and her heart began to pound.
She waited through the agonizing moments where no one said anything, and then, with a deep, shaky breath, the man lifted his head, and she found herself staring into a face so hauntingly familiar. A face she could never forget, no matter how many years passed. A face that once belonged to her little boy.
"Oh…"
XX
Kyouka felt some of the tension leave her shoulders when she finally saw the walls that wrapped around Heights Alliance Port. The carriage she had leveraged to transport Melissa Shield was moving at a pace much too slow for her liking, but it wasn't like they could just gallop all the way back. The woman inside was in poor shape. The curse's decay had caused cracks to spread across her arms and legs. Parts of her fingers and toes were missing, fallen off like broken pieces of a sculpture. The former would heal, albeit scar, but there was no recovering the parts that had succumbed to the curse's decay. It was also hard to tell if any internal damage had been done. The local healer said her lungs sounded fine and her heart was steady and strong, but that didn't mean there wasn't something else.
By the time they got back to the Jiro Estate it was about midday, and Kyouka was exhausted, hungry, stressed, and full of a lot of negative emotions that she needed to sort through. Denki greeted her with a worried expression and a tremor in his hands, and she responded by grabbing him and hugging him, pulling him hard into her arms. He stiffened only momentarily before he hugged her back fiercely, and they communicated without words that something had happened. She allowed herself to linger like that for several moments, face pressed into his shoulder, his hand in her hair. When she did speak, her voice was strained with fatigue and emotion.
"I have brought someone back who survived the cursed land. Fu–Fumikage saved her and passed her to me. She is… Dragoirian, and it seems there is a lot of bad happening. But she's in poor condition and needs care. I need you to contact whatever healers you can to come here. Can I entrust that to you?"
Denki pulled back, looking into his wife's face with concern. "Yeah, of course. What about you?"
"For me… I need food, a very strong pour of liquor, and possibly a nap. When I have that, I'll explain to you what happened."
Denki exhaled softly, letting go of his wife. "Go tend to yourself. I'll come find you once the healers are here and the woman is in their care."
"Thank you, my love."
XX
In the small amount of time between returning to Ochako's cottage and arriving at the old fishing spot, Izuku had grown more and more anxious. He found himself fretting as he cleaned up from the lake, nervously fidgeting and completely distracted. He hadn't even realized he was pacing outside of the cottage until Tsuyu appeared, asking him what he was doing.
The deep breaths Ochako made him take before they left helped, but he felt bad for how hard he gripped her fingers as he tried to reign in his nerves.
He barely remembered Ochako inviting Tsuyu along, but really, he was glad to have the extra support. By the time they had arrived in the fishing spot, he had been hit by an overwhelming number of emotions. His magic stuttered as they landed, and he was really glad he didn't accidentally drop the woman he held. Tsuyu had appeared from the river only moments later. Had he not been so distracted by the battlefield of his heart, he might have given more attention to the reach of Tsuyu's magic as a water spirit.
Instead, he found himself battling his emotions as his eyes fell upon a place that looked so familiar and yet was so different. This was where he and Kacchan fished for fun. Where they played with sticks, and where he had jumped into the water to escape the bees. And it was where he was about to meet his mother for the first time in a decade.
He tried to calm down. He almost succeeded, repeating the breathing exercises he had been doing before they left, but when he switched his gaze, he froze when he saw the fiery orange core of Kacchan approaching, and the heartachingly familiar core of his mother, appearing like a soft, pastel ball of smoke. He began to hyperventilate, collapsing against a large oak tree as he held his arms over his head and shook. He couldn't do this. What if she was disappointed? What if she was too sad? What if he wasn't the same in the way she wanted?
Distantly, he heard Ochako ask Tsuyu to greet Katsuki, and he felt a shift of magic around him as she wrapped him in a veil. She crouched in front of him, lightly touching his knees. She said nothing, but he could feel her magic with every inhale and exhale. It washed over him, and after a moment, he began to match her, slowly drawing in a controlled breath, then releasing it in the same manner. Over and over again, until the shakes became tremors, and the tears stopped burning his eyes. He looked up at her, and she smiled with understanding.
He heard her voice brush up against his ears like a warm beam of sunlight. "You can do this."
He honestly wasn't sure if he could, and yet somehow, as he sat there peering up at her through his arms, green locked with brown, he finally found the courage to take the hand offered to him, calloused fingers gripping onto her much smaller ones, treating her like the lifeline she was. He swallowed thickly, tongue feeling like cotton in his mouth as she gently pulled him to his feet.
Tsuyu appeared a moment later, wide, unblinking eyes moving from him then down to his hand locked with Ochako's. Without a word, the spirit stepped forward, taking his other hand. Her fingers were cold to the touch, and yet they were… comforting, somehow. His lips trembled, but he managed to give her the faintest trace of a smile, grateful for her support.
The first step through the veil was the hardest, and he found himself focusing strictly on remembering to breathe. To not lock up as he shakily stepped out into the clearing. Ochako's soft encouragement rang in his ears, but it was almost drowned out by the pounding of his own heart. He kept his eyes transfixed on the ground, not wanting to look up the gentle incline, where his mother stood waiting at the top. He didn't know how to look. He couldn't remember how to lift his head. And surprisingly, the extra push he needed came not from the woman beside him, or the spirit clinging to him, or even his childhood friend standing from afar…
Izuku. Take back what was stolen from you. Look forward, and embrace the woman who gave birth to you. Like the Echo said, she is waiting for you.
Requiem's voice reverberated deep inside of him, filling him with determination he didn't know he had. With a deep, shuddered breath, he forced himself to look up and found himself staring into the eyes of a woman he loved with his entire being but hadn't seen in ten years.
Their eyes locked for what felt like an eternity. Slowly, he allowed himself to take in her appearance. So much was the same, but so much had changed. She had old, faded scars sprawling across her neck and jaw, as well as her hands. They spread out like a splatter of silver paint on pale canvas. Gray had started to overtake her green hair, blending into her temples. She had put on a little bit of weight, favoring one foot over the other in her posture. She was leaning heavily against Katsuki, but he could see the recognition in her face as she stared at him. Her lips parted, trembling.
Her eyes begged him to tell her she wasn't dreaming, and just like himself, he could see her fear and hope interlocked, one trying to overtake the other. Was he real? Was he an illusion? A cleverly crafted spell? He swallowed, trying desperately to find his voice, to make this moment that needed words right.
Ochako squeezed his fingers tightly, and he felt a warm burst of magic roll up his arm, bringing with it a brief image of sunflowers, coupled with the rich scent of soil and rain. Some of his tension left him, and he took in another shuddering breath.
"H-hi, Mom."
The sound of his voice shook her, and she rocked against Katsuki, her knees buckling. The captain reacted swiftly, dropping the basket in his other hand to the forest floor so that he could turn, holding the woman up. She clutched at him, and Izuku could see the water in her eyes.
"I-Izuku? Is it… is it really you?"
Fear slowly started to ebb away, replaced by eagerness. By hope. He nodded vigorously, squeezing the hands he held tightly. "Y-yeah. It's–it's me! I'm alive. I'm… I'm here. I'm really here."
It was like an avalanche, a great wall tumbling down in one fell swoop. Tears rolled down her cheeks, fat and heavy, and she pushed herself from Katsuki's support, stumbling towards him with a limp. "Oh! Oh–how? I–"
He didn't even register how he dashed forward, how his fingers untangled from the ones he held. He stumbled towards her, fumbling and graceless, without a care about how he appeared. She toppled as she got close to him, and he met her half-way, dropping to his knees and catching her as she fell, his arms wrapping around her.
She was… small. So small, because ten years ago, she could wrap her entire body around him, and now he was doing the same to her. It was jarring, and he gasped as he pulled her to his chest, tucking her head under his chin. However, her touch, her smell, her magic… it was all the same. He took in another sharp breath that was broken up by a sob, and his arms all but crushed her to him. He felt his fragile composure shatter as her fingers fisted into the fabric of his tunic as she buried her face into his chest and began to wail.
No more words were spoken. None could be spoken as they both cried, clinging onto each other in the dappled sunlight of the forest canopy.
XX
King Enji of Yuuei sighed as he sat up from his desk, blinking away the strain from his eyes as he looked away from his work. Although he delegated many tasks to his court, some things were better left in his care. Still, there was only so much fine print he could examine before the words bled together and he needed to take a walk to clear his head.
However, before he could actually stand and proceed with such a notion, a series of knocks informed him of a visitor. He lifted a brow, turning his head to the doors. "Enter."
The person who passed through the doors was a slight man. His hair was the color of the sun, looking fluffy and soft, and his facial features made him appear relaxed and friendly. Robes in colors of cream and gold draped over his form, sleeveless to bare his arms, which were covered in deep red markings that scattered down his skin in the shape of long tail feathers. A heavy amulet hung at his neck, with wings carved into its surface.
Enji sighed, giving his advisor his full attention. "What is it, Keigo?"
The smaller man bowed deeply. "My Lord. I have received a message from Dragoir. Her Majesty, Queen Ryuko, has requested an audience. She will arrive in Ultra tomorrow with her escorts."
The king frowned, considering this. "She made plans for travel before confirming my acceptance? That is most unusual and against the usual customs."
Keigo rose up, giving his lord a solemn look that contrasted his normal relaxed countenance. "Her advisor, High Lady Momo, states it is urgent that the queen meets you in person. She has also requested Prince Shouto to be present, as well as Captain Bakugou. She did not state why. However, rumors have circulated from the border that a town in Dragoir was burnt to ashes with no survivors. I… fear the two might be related."
Enji went still at that, eyes locking on his advisor. After several long seconds, he gave a single nod. "Prepare to receive her and her envoy tomorrow. Inform the captain and Shouto that they both need to be here instead of on patrols."
"Yes, your Majesty." With a sweeping bow, Keigo dismissed himself, his feet silent on the lacquered floors.
XX
Ochako felt slender, cold fingers curl around her hand, and she glanced down at Tsuyu. The spirit did not look up, watching the two humans sitting together in the middle of the clearing as they clung to each other crying. Quietly, the spirit asked, "Why do they cry, Ochako? Is it a sad thing?"
Ochako exhaled softly, eyes watching Katsuki as he walked around the two, picking up the basket and joining her and Tsuyu off to the side. Reaching up to wipe tears in her eyes that had been threatening to fall, she finally replied, "It is both sad and joyful. Sad, because for ten years they both believed the other was dead. Ten years lost that they can never get back. But it is joyful because they have both learned that each other is alive. It's a lot of emotions surfacing at once. That is not an easy thing to process for humans."
Tsuyu put a finger to her chin, considering Ochako's explanation. "I see. The tears are sad and they are happy. Is that it?"
Ochako nodded slowly. "That's it."
XX
Inko had absolutely no idea how much time passed before her sobs stopped wracking her body. The man holding her smelled of the forest. She could feel muscle underneath his clothes, and his grip was so tight she could barely breathe. His voice, before he started crying, was so soft. It was no longer boyish giggles and high-pitched questions, but a quiet, nervous tenor that lacked assertion.
She let go of the tunic she held onto and pushed away so that she could look up at him. He pulled back as well, eyes puffy from crying, face wet. His eyes, green like hers, glowed softly in the daylight, and she had no idea why. Her hands came up, shakily cupping his cheeks as her thumbs traced over the patterns of freckles she knew by heart. The prominent ones on each cheek. The constellations in his skin. He had a handful of tiny silver scars along his jaw and cheeks, barely visible, but she could feel them as she ran her fingers over his face. His curls were just as unruly as they had been in his childhood, but slightly damp, like he had bathed before he arrived.
Her eyes moved away from his face, down to the neckline of his tunic. Various splotches of discoloration, lines of silver decorated his neck and collar, and she could only assume they continued under his clothes. She saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed, and her eyes came back up to his. He was watching her nervously, and she could feel the anxiety oozing out of him, thick like molasses.
Gently, her hands came back up to his cheeks, cradling them. Her words followed a moment later. "Where… where have you been all these years, my Izuku?"
He hiccupped, sniffling, and his own hands let go of her back so that he could cup hers. "I…" He swallowed, searching for words. "A lot has happened, M-mom. I… don't know where to begin."
Her brow furrowed, and she pursed her lips. "I… I think I need you to try. I need to know what happened to my baby. I thought you were dead, Izuku."
He nodded within her grasp, swallowing. "Y-yeah, um…" She watched as he furrowed his brow almost painfully, before he tilted his head slightly off to the side, as best he could in her hold. "U-um. Ochako? C-can you help w-with–?"
The woman, Ochako, gently untangled her hand from the spirit's and stepped forward taking a seat off to the side, tucking her skirts around her. Katsuki came to stand behind her, putting down the basket and taking a seat as well. Tsuyu stood behind them, unblinking eyes staring at everything and nothing at once.
As Inko looked between them, she still felt the swirl of emotions from each. Katsuki's excitement was now tempered, replaced with the lingering anxiety she noted earlier. He was staring off into the distance, red eyes narrowed in thought. Ochako was full of empathy and kindness, and as Inko watched her eyes move between her and her son, she noted that another emotion was coiled around those two, that strong adoration from before, directed at Izuku. Inko sucked in a soft breath at that detail, parking it for later.
Ochako smiled softly, folding her hands in her lap. "Izuku has been through a lot. Would you be comfortable with me helping supplement some of those details for you, to give him a chance to process things?"
The mother glanced at her son who stared at her intently before she nodded and let go of his face, instead taking his hands. Her eyes fell to them, noting the knobby knuckles from his childhood, now accompanied by several other scars. "Yes… that's fine. T-thank you for asking."
She felt an ache in her heart when Izuku leaned in and tucked his head into her shoulder, hands gripping hers tightly as Ochako began to speak.
XX
They had agreed to leave out certain details, for Inko's, and probably Izuku's, best interest. They wouldn't discuss the Monster of Yuuei, or the fated battle between Requiem and the Blackened Core. Instead, the story was a bending of the truth, as much as was necessary to not let the woman panic:
A very powerful mage had attacked Izuku that fateful day, interested in his ability to see magic. The All Mighty Mage had saved him, but had to hide him away to keep him safe from the magus who was still trying to hunt him. When the All Mighty Mage died, Izuku inherited his magic, and confused and distraught, he lived isolated in the forest, struggling to control it. Neither he nor the All Mighty Mage had been aware Inko survived the attack, and Izuku was led to believe both of his parents perished.
Ochako then went on to explain the concept of cores, and the lore around that. She spoke of the special kinds of cores, and how she had an Echo, and she spoke of the origin cores, and how one had chosen Izuku as its next holder. She left out Requiem's purpose, and she left out that the Blackened core was targeting both of them.
She finally went into a summary of how Izuku came to live with her, that he was sick and she took him in to nurse him back to health as he was essentially homeless. She talked briefly about helping him learn to control his magic, although he was learning very quickly on his own.
Inko listened to the story, her fingers gently stroking the curly hair of her son who was leaning against her, his head still tucked into her shoulder. The older woman regarded Ochako for several long seconds before she spoke. "Thank you … for caring for my son."
Ochako smiled warmly. "He deserves good things."
Izuku scrunched up his shoulders shyly, although a tiny smile was on his lips. Inko glanced down at him briefly, then her eyes lifted to Katsuki. "How long have you known?"
The captain looked back at her. "Only a few days. I came to visit Ochako and De–... Izuku was there. I was…as shocked as you were."
Inko nodded slowly, thoughtfully. "And… How do you two know each other?"
Ochako spoke before Katsuki could. "We went to the academy together. We kept in touch after I left."
Inko frowned, her eyes falling to Ochako's clothes that were certainly not nobility. The woman was clearly thinking, her fingers still rhythmically carding through her son's curls. "You stated you have this …magical core that lets you manipulate all the magic around you, which implies you are a quite powerful witch. And you said you went to the academy with Katsuki, but you clearly aren't from a noble's house. Should I assume you're the peasant girl who was to be wed to the prince and is now wanted for cursing him at the altar?"
Katsuki stiffened, but Ochako's expression remained pleasant and neutral. "That's me. And I'm sure if you deduced that, you understand there is much more to that story than what the public knows."
Inko hummed, looking down at the pattern of her skirt. "Yes. Knowing that the prince is best friends with the young master, I don't think he would still be friends with you if there wasn't something else there. Nor do I believe a woman who takes in a sick, homeless young man and cares for him would go around cursing others. But… you won't tell me what really happened, will you?"
"I think… not today," Ochako said kindly. "It's certainly unimportant in light of finding out your son is alive. I'd much rather you both reconnect, and perhaps another time I can bore you with the details of my life."
A smile touched Inko's lips, and she glanced down at Izuku who looked up at her with childlike fascination. "I rather think I like you, Miss Ochako."
XX
They stayed for hours. Katsuki had brought a picnic lunch so that they could eat while Izuku and Inko caught up on everything that had happened. Most of Izuku's stories focused on his recent time with Ochako, including befriending spirits, playing tag, and learning how to cook fish with Tsuyu. He talked of the little cottage where he stayed, going into details about the garden, the herbs drying by the hearth, and Ochako's collection of books. He then excitedly demonstrated one of his new magics, growing tiny little wildflowers that crawled across the moss covered rock they sat on.
Inko had the most motherly expression on her face, tender and loving. A touch amused, as she watched her son animatedly speak to his recent life in the enchanted forest. Katsuki and Ochako took back seats to the conversation, quietly talking between themselves or not at all, and Tsuyu had taken to standing on the edge of the rock to watch the river.
When the sun began its trek towards the horizon, Katsuki sighed, getting to his feet. "My parents will be returning soon, and if they see Ochako it would be bad. Plus none of us need to be out after dark with the potential Nomu attacks."
Inko looked crestfallen at that, looking between her son and the other two. "I… when can I see you again?"
Izuku frowned, looking up at Ochako for help, because he clearly didn't know how to answer that question. Katsuki spoke first. "My parents probably won't be leaving the estate for another week or two, as there aren't any upcoming events that they'd both attend. So you'd have to meet somewhere else. The forest would be hard for Inko to get through with her limp, and it'll be days before Eijiro or myself would be free to escort her. Maybe… next week?"
Ochako sighed, standing up and dusting her skirt off. "What about meeting in the city?"
Katsuki turned to her, giving her the most pained look. "Are you fucking stupid?"
"No, I'm 'fucking' serious," Ochako replied flatly, and the language caused Inko to put a hand to her mouth. "I'm well overdue to restock essential supplies I can't get living in the forest. I've been putting it off in light of everything else, but these are things I need, so I had planned on going into the city tomorrow anyway." She paused, glancing between everyone before her eyes met Katsuki's one again. "You don't want me to be out alone, so why don't I take Izuku with me, and Inko can join us? We'll be amongst commoners who won't recognize any of us, and I'll be cloaked. Izuku and Inko can spend time in the markets while I do my errands. He'll be able to see my core at all times, so I won't be truly alone. And it will be daylight, too."
The unspoken 'only one Nomu has ever attacked during the day' lingered between them. Never mind it had destroyed part of the plaza, nearly killed Izuku, and could speak. Katsuki must have been thinking about that, too, because his expression looked like he drank sour milk.
However, green eyes looked up to meet crimson, and the captain began to internally swear at the puppy look his childhood friend was giving him. "Please, Kacchan? Can you help Mom get to the city so I can see her again?"
There was a heavy, pregnant silence as Katsuki warred with himself, knowing this was a terrible, horrible idea. If the enemy had a Hollow core and knew what to look for, they could find Ochako. …But they could do that right now, too. The only safe spot was in her home in the enchanted forest, and who knew how long that would last.
But they also had allies now. They had knowledge, and Izuku was learning to control his magic. So maybe… some risks needed to be taken.
He pursed his lips, knowing what Shouto would say if he were here.
With a long, frustrated sigh that may or may not have been a swear, the captain angrily waved his hand. "So help me, if anything happens to you fucking idiots, I will never fucking shut up about it."
Ochako snorted in a most unlady-like manner. "You don't shut up, anyway."
To Katsuki's credit, he didn't punch her.
XX
Izuku exhaled softly, sitting outside of the cottage, clad in his robe that he now only used for sleeping. The stars twinkled overhead, and he watched them, hands bracing his weight.
He felt Ochako's presence more than he heard it, but he still looked over to see her appear in the doorway, wrapped in her own night robe and sleeping gown. The soft glow of the hearth behind her gave her a warm halo, and he found himself unable to look away.
After a moment, she stepped off of the stone floor, bare feet dipping into the moss. "Not tired?"
He shook his head, hair bouncing. "My mind is everywhere. So much happened today…"
She hummed a noise in response, crossing the distance to stand beside him. "I can imagine. How do you feel?"
"Really good," Izuku breathed, a smile touching his lips. "I feel… like I have all this energy I don't know what to do with. Seeing Mom was… it made me so happy. I can't wait to see her tomorrow. And, and just…" He sighed, eyes falling closed, that little smile still on his lips. "Everything about today was good, like you promised."
He heard her chuckle, and he opened his eyes to see her sit down beside him. "Everything, huh? Even getting dunked in the water a dozen times?"
He gave her a pout, feeling a heat touch his face. "But I won! I caught you!"
"You did," Ochako agreed, smiling. However, something in the way she said that sounded… wistful. Izuku didn't understand, but he didn't know if he wanted to ask what it meant. He asked anyway.
"Are you…still upset a-about the kiss?"
The witch blinked, looking up at him. "I'm not upset at all, Izuku. I'm just… figuring things out. That's all."
He nodded, not entirely convinced. "Promise?"
"Promise," She echoed warmly, and that helped soothe over the worry he had. Standing back up, she held out her hands. "C'mon. It's late, and the sooner you sleep, the sooner tomorrow comes."
Eyes bright, he smiled, taking her hands and letting her lead pull him to his feet. They walked back inside, fingers intertwined.
Despite what he said, he was asleep in minutes, standing in a field of sunflowers.