Marie couldn't avoid Gina any longer. She managed to dodge her questions on the way to Recovery Girl and that was only because Marie volunteered Todoroki to help her there.

There was surprise on his face but he was too kind to say no. He was probably just confused because we hardly knew each other.

Marie did it knowing that Gina wouldn't slam her with questions with him around. It also saved her from Shinso taking her. She knew that if she didn't throw Todoroki under the bus that Midoriya or Shinso would have offered.

It didn't really matter which offer she knew that they would have both gone. They seem like a two for one deal sometimes.

Marie ended up being late to Mr. Aizawa's homeroom. Which saved her from the before class chit chat.

At lunch she was able to dodge her again by making sure to have lunch with the Hero Course students.

But now as she hid away in her dorm room and was getting ready to leave for the Aizawa laundry night, she knew.

It was lingering on her shoulders. The avoidance was happening all day and it came to a halt after school. That made Marie on edge the whole time.

Sitting and waiting for the knock on the door or for it to just bust open. But it never came. Now she just had to make sure to leave her room without being noticed.

She opened the door and it was evident that wasn't going to happen as the person in question was standing right there in her door frame.

"Talk." Gina commanded.

Marie sat on the edge of her bed and Gina followed closing the door behind her.

"What do you want to know?" Because maybe if Marie knew what Gina wanted to know she could get away with half truths and vague explanations.

"Well, How about you explain why you're literally tripping and stumbling over your own feet over Hitoshi Shinso? It's not usual for you to stumble. Your feline agility makes it nearly impossible."

Yeah. Marie wasn't going to get out of this. She knew what Gina wanted to hear but Marie hasn't even admitted anything to herself yet.

She cleared her throat, "Uh. I've just taken notice in him."

Gina leaned back on her hands, "Does this have to do with your horny purring and stuff."

"No! Gosh." She spat but then thought, "I mean, it may have started it. But I got that under control. That's old news now." Marie felt like she was fumbling.

Realizing now that if her cat had never emerged she'd probably had never come to realize how, objectively speaking, attractive Shinso was. It led to her little personality quirks that she liked observing. Her curiosity is just growing to know more.

And then there was the kiss and his breath on her face. How her heart was racing when he had her pinned down.

"You're totally blushing. There is more. Just tell me you like him already."

She felt her tail dancing and twitching behind her, "It's just a crush."

Gina's excitement seems to mellow out at her answer, "Do you want it to be more than a crush?" Her tone was soft.

Marie's lips upturned thinking about what that would mean. What would that look like? A relationship?

Dating and relationships were things that she never indulged in, not wanting to accidentally fall into the feline stereotypes. Also not wanting to have to deal with her sisters or mothers words on the matter.

But thinking about Shinso being a possible candidate for a relationship made her forget about all those things.

"Maybe." She answers simply.

Hitoshi had just finished making his room tidy and making his bed. He thought about how both times he had seen Marie's bed it was always made up nicely.

So here he was making sure his room was put together. He momentarily chastised himself while fluffing his pillow, something he had never done before, while thinking about how comfortable Marie would look on it.

Her short hair falling and crowning her head. Her eyes lidded and glazed over as she looked up at him expectantly. Waiting for him to bring his lips down to hers.

Hitoshi groaned at his adolescent thoughts. They were bliss and misery at the same time. The sound of the washer went off telling him that his clothes were done.

He couldn't help the internal half grin as he thought about how he was going to just leave them there to be washed a second time.

Checking his phone for the time he had an unread message from Izuku. He didn't open it because he could already read the notification bar.

Izuku- No 2 sec kiss.

The time in the upper left corner said that she'd be there soon.

Hitoshi didn't know what to expect from her laundry day. Every time was different. He was feeling a bit nervous. Having cleaned his room for 'just in case'.

Just in case they did decide to kiss on his bed. In his room. He even left the door open when he went to the living room.

The open door could be seen from the main living space and made Hitoshi feel like it was an open invitation. But he also didn't want to assume so he had set up the game console, because she seemed to enjoy that last time, and he had his school bag out near the table. Just in case she wanted to do homework together or work on the next project.

Looking around he felt like he had left out different subtle clues and hints on what they could do. He sat in the armchair looking at his phone in anticipation. He was so anxious that he couldn't even pay attention to the mindless scroll.

Then he heard the elevator outside the door and found himself sitting up straight, running his fingers through his hair just to end up shaking it anyways. His hands flattened his band tee as if there were wrinkles. As if that would even matter.

Hitoshi prepared himself to get up and answer the door.

Only he didn't have to because the door started to open on its own.

"Hitoshi!" He heard Eri whine just before he saw her making her way over to the living area.

His eyes found Aizawa who was toeing off his shoes and doing a balance act with Eri's bag and bags of take out.

"You're back early." Hitoshi didn't realize that there was a tone in his voice until his foster dad gave him a pointed look.

The raise in his eyebrow and the way his orbs scanned the surrounding area, Hitoshi stayed still and watched as Aizawa walked further into the room, "Is Marie here?" His voice void of emotion.

Hitoshi knew better though. He heard the skepticism and he saw his mentor's eyes flicker at all the subliminal triggers that Hitoshi had left for Marie.

"No." He made sure his irritation couldn't be heard. He had been looking forward to this alone quality time with her.

Eri came up to his side and started to tug on his arm, "I'm confused. Were you going to play games with Marie or do homework."

"Yes Hitoshi." He watched his foster father's eyes drift over his bedroom's open door, "What were your intentions with Marie?"

With his sister hanging at his side and Aizawa at his front he felt trapped. He would much rather have a face off with villains right now.

The air was interrupted with a knocking in the door.

…

Marie was surprised when Aizawa Sensei opened the door. Which she thought was a silly thought since it was his home. But up till this point the man and Eri had not been in the home the past three laundry days.

"Do you still need me for laundry?" She was certain that the confusion was in her voice. They were all grown enough and capable of doing their own laundry but the uncomfortability the guys had with a young girl's laundry she could understand to only a certain extent.

She watched as the man just stood there in the doorway looking at her with zero indication on what was going on in his head.

Before either Aizawa or Marie could speak up though the door was pushed open even further.

"Marie! Were you going to do homework with Onii-Toshi or could we play some games?"

Marie looked at Aizawa. The guardian that still hadn't answered on if she needed to be there or not. He nodded his head, "We're having curry for dinner. Would you care to join us?"

His words came out monotone but after the interactions that she had seen the man have around Eri she started to pick up on other tells. Like the way his eyes smile and his shoulders laxed as Eri got excited at Marie staying.

"Toshi has the system ready."

And that's when she got dragged into the house barely having time to toe off her shoes at the door.

Marie was vaguely listening to Eri as she was led to the couch. Where she ended up sitting between a lounging Shinso and an energetic Eri.

They played the same racing game that she had played the last time she was their. Only Shinso felt so far from her as he leaned against the armchair almost creating a distance on purpose.

Making her wonder if she had misunderstood everything that was said between them. She also realized that he could just be feeling just as awkward as her. The last time she was there with his family Midoriya was also there making it feel more casual.

Ping

She chose to ignore the text and focus on not beating Eri while also trying to beat Shinso. It was clear that they were both trying to let the young girl win but trying to get around one another.

Ping

One handed she pulls out her phone and glances as the screen. She was really happy that the notification showed part of the texts.

Sakura- Don't answer.

Bianca- I know Sakura messaged you.

"Your falling behind. Hitoshi's beating you." Eri.

Ping

Bianca- Answer when she calls.

Ping

Sakura- Don't answer.

Marie felt a nudge at her leg and looked up at Shinso who now had all his attention on her. He nodded to the TV.

"Can't move on to the next race till you finish."

"Sorry." She puts her phone on her lap and continues the race.

It was quiet around her as Eri and Shinso now have to wait for her to finish the 3rd lap. Clearly coming into last place.

"Was that your training group." Shinso.

"No. It was my sisters."

"You have sisters?!" Eri's excitement was high.

Marie wasn't as amused but didn't want to disappoint the girl so she smiled and kept her eyes at the screen, "Yeah, I'm actually a triplet."

She felt all the heads in the room turn to her.

Eri gasped, "There are two more of you?"

Marie snorts as she makes it through the finish line, "No, we're all Toms."

"Huh?"

"Oh," She realizes what she said and to who and looks around the room.

Shinso's clearly concealing a smirk with his lips tightly lipped.

It was Aizawa that spoke over the book he was reading at the kitchen table.

"It means they're fraternal and they all look different."

"Oooh. And they don't go to school here?" Eri's going down her questions spiral. It would be nice if she did that while she was tutoring.

"No. They took advanced classes and trade schools. My sister Sakura is a type of journalist and my sister Bianca is working toward being a lawyer. They're both still modeling full time too."

"That sounds soo fancy and cool. Did you use to model?"

Aizawa was listening to the conversation completely distracted from his book.

"I did and it's not as cool as it sounds. Just a bunch of people telling you what to do and what to wear and how to eat." He heard the girl laugh it off but there was clearly resentment behind the statement.

Her phone started to ring and watching her look at the screen there was a flash before her eyes that Aizawa noted.

He looks toward Hitoshi to see if perhaps he understood the obvious tension.

The ringing stops without Marie answering it only to start ringing again.

"Play this round without me." As she gets up and relocates to answer the phone.

The apartment wasn't huge and there wasn't anywhere she could go where no one couldn't hear her conversation.

Although Hitoshi was entertaining Eri with the game and couldn't sneak looks at the feline student, he could.

And what he noticed was a complete demeanor shift with the girl. Almost like she was standing at attention.

"Hello"

"I had intentions on staying on campus, Ma'am."

"I have a project that I have to make sure that my assigned hero and myself are properly prepared for. His home of residence is close to campus."

Aizawa's head didn't move but his eyes shifted to look up at Marie's back and then to his son who was now turning to look at the student. Clearly this was news to him.

He noticed how formal she spoke over the phone.

"That's irrelevant information."

"I'll also be utilizing the break and the campus facilities to help train for the Sports Festival."

"I will properly be able to participate and scout out for a hero worthy of your approval."

That's when everyone turned to the girl. The snark and tone in her voice and the way her volume increased. Aizawa even found that he was lowering his book to observe.

"Sorry Mom- Ma'am."

Her teeth were definitely gritted.

"My instructor has recently increased my teacher aid duties due to the third years increase in work studies and hero intern placements. My studies are a priority and I'd appreciate it if I could utilize the time-"

Did she just throw him under the bus as an excuse? He tried to not be annoyed. Clearly there's tension within the household.

"One dinner. Yes Ma'am."

And then the call ended with his student sounding completely defeated.

Hitoshi sat on the couch feeling concerned. There was an unease in the air from the one way conversation that clearly everyone had listened to.

What had bothered Hitoshi the most was the shift into formal speech and use of excuses that kept being shot down.

He still remembers when he would use some of those methods with foster parents.

Maybe if you sounded respectful enough and had the just right excuse, everything would turn out okay.

He found his eyes turning to his adoptive father, he was looking for answers from the man that had helped him, but he only watched as Aizawa took in a slow breath through his nose and softly shook his head.

The action was miniscule but Hitoshi and Eri had learned to read the man during their time there.

"Was that your Mama?" Eri cracked through the fragile layer of unease.

Hitoshi kept facing forward even though Eri's form was turned to look over the couch as the feline classmate.

"Oh. Uhh. Yes. She was just asking if I'd come home for Golden Week. A client of hers wants to meet me."

Marie tries to ignore the awkward tension in the room, "I'm actually going to head back if you don't need me."

Hitoshi's eyes watch as her tail seems to curl in on itself and her shoulders hunch. Like she was trying to make herself smaller. And perhaps she was in a way.

"I can walk you."

"It's okay Shinso. I'll message you later about training and the project." And before anyone else can get a word in she leaves out the front door.

They sit awkwardly and Aizawa simply tries to ignore it and move on with the evening. Making the plates of curry and setting them out in front of his now glum foster children.

They ate their dinner like any other night and just like any other night Eri was the first to speak.

"Does Marie-chan have bad parents like Toshi and I had?"

And just before Aizawa thought that the silence couldn't get any quieter. It did.

He reframed from thinking too deeply on the matter.

"Eri, We can't make assumptions. But I will look into it."

It didn't ease the room but it was all he could say and really, it was all he could do right now.