Eri proves she knows her Izu and Kacchan and wants them happier. Izu contemplates the date. Katsuki is confused and shy. Mina complicates things. Ochako has an issue. Mei has an issue. Izuku makes some reckless decisions that might work out. And Tsu goes for it.
Warning for discussions about eating disorders in this chapter.
Izuku had a big problem. Eri. Eri was here. Eri was adorable and he loved her more than he could express. Eri also was an abused child. She spent years under the thumb of a monster who she had to track his moods to avoid punishment. She was an expert at reading intent, at reading microexpressions and seeing the tiny little things. And as she was learning at an extremely rapid pace, it was clear she was a naturally bright, gifted child.
All of this added up to one thing…she knew Izuku and Katsuki were in very, very bad moods. She knew Ochako and Himiko were upset. She knew that Tenya was still struggling with his brother and the fact that taking down the Hero Killer clearly hadn't made him feel better. She knew that Shoto was not doing amazing either. It was clear she could sense the tension in the air, the worry, the hurt…and she was not having it.
Izuku marveled at it. A few weeks ago, she'd have been so worried by it she'd have hidden away from them all. Instead, she had practically bullied the class into having another sleepover together in the common room, telling everyone they needed to watch more Disney movies because she never got to see the one with the mermaid yet, and the little blue alien looked cute too.
Somehow, this tiny unicorn child had managed to force twenty hero students into her bidding. Momo was making her her own set of pajamas she didn't want the rest to see yet; she'd bullied Sato, Izuku, and Katsuki into making snacks for the group; Mina and Toru had been sent to gather movies and hair products because she wanted to do hair again; Himiko, Ochako, and Tsu had been sent to find as many comfy blankets and pillows as they could.
She'd told half the boys to set up the gaming consoles as well, and asked Shinso to pretty pretty please convince Sensei to let them order pizza for dinner again, somehow knowing Shinso was the one Aizawa listened to the most. The purple-haired boy was admittedly flustered by her begging and agreed to do it mostly so she'd stop giving him puppy dog eyes that he was pretty sure she'd learned from Denki and Eijiro. It took him twenty minutes and Shoto being very insistent he pay for it before Aizawa agreed, but eventually he did, allowing them to order it so long as one of the teachers was the one to go to the gate and accept the order…which somehow Eri convinced Midnight to agree to.
It was Hurricane Eri, and she was going to make sure they felt better whether they wanted to or not. Izuku wasn't sure if he was more infuriated or proud…yeah, okay, he was proud. And a bit frustrated. He wanted to wallow. But when she begged him to please let her do this, to please let them all cuddle and stay warm and be comfy…especially in the goddamned unicorn onesie she had convinced Momo to make for her, how could he say no?
Which all turned into, somehow, the entire class gathered in the common room with slices of pizza, Disney movies and gaming tournaments throughout the night. Eri tried to stay awake, but found she really couldn't after so much excitement, and eventually she ended up falling asleep in Izuku's lap, curled into the warmth emanating from his body. Slowly, the room quieted down, as student after student passed out one by one, curled into various blankets and pillows, a giant mess of sleeping teens all in one room, sharing solidarity once more.
Izuku woke up to find his arms full of…green? He blinked, confused, only to notice that somehow, Tsu had wormed her way between him and Himiko, the green-haired girl curled into a tiny ball between the two of them. Around his waist, he felt Ochako's arms wrapped around him, and glancing back, he noticed with wide eyes that Momo was latched onto Ochako in a similar position. Eri was flat on his chest, snoring softly. Looking down at her, he noticed that somehow, Mina and Toru appeared to be entangled just beyond his legs, and somewhere to the far side of Momo he glimpsed the dark purple hair of Kyoka behind the heiress.
He noticed Katsuki was…in Eijiro's lap? Yep, his brother was literally asleep on top of Eijiro, the red-haired teen's mouth wide open as he slept, his sharp teeth glinting in the early morning light streaming in from the windows. And…ah. Curled in the corner of the room, Denki's head was in Shinso's lap, the purple-haired boy having fallen asleep upright somehow. He winced, worried about the other teens neck when he woke…but wasn't about to interrupt that, since it confirmed what he'd thought before.
He thought about trying to get up, but he noticed how closely Tsu was huddling to him, how Ochako murmured in her sleep as she cuddled closer as well. He narrowed his eyes, paying attention to the room and noticed it felt cool. With a thought, he pulsed his energy, forcing the temperature around him to rise. Tsu sighed in her sleep, mumbling something he couldn't understand as she slowly uncurled, but kept pressed into his side, and he heard Ochako behind him let out a soft hmm of satisfaction.
He resigned himself to a morning of being a combination pillow and heater, considering how tightly Ochako had her arms around him and how close Tsu was cuddled up against him, not to mention Eri's current position. Internally he shrugged and decided to just…lay there for a while. Not that he overly wanted to be alone with his thoughts, but figured he could manage it. Eri…was a sweetheart, but one nice night wasn't going to remove how he felt.
That said, he was at least in a more stable place, he felt. Both him and Katsuki. The vow they'd taken hadn't been spur of the moment, even though he knew everyone thought it was. But Katsuki wasn't like that, nor was Izuku. He knew what Katsuki wanted the moment he asked Momo for the knife. It wasn't the first time they'd taken a blood oath. It was the third.
The first was as children, when they swore they'd be brothers forever (and got in a lot of trouble with their respective parents when they came home with bloody hands). The second was when they were thirteen, when they swore they'd take down the villain who threw the bolt…Izuku was working on that one still. Last night was the third. He knew Katsuki would not have asked for it if he wasn't prepared for what it meant.
He suspected the class was worried about what they meant by 'make him pay'. In fact, he knew they were worried. He'd already felt the worry from them…not just from Himi and 'Chako, but from Tenya especially. But they didn't get it. Honestly, he wasn't sure if he could explain it. He wasn't going to lose himself in his rage again, not after what happened with Nine. Not only did Nine get away, but he almost lost Ochako because of the Nomu. Because he was too angry to fight smart. He wasn't about to be a hypocrite, not after what he told Shoto at the festival, after what he said to Tenya about how he felt.
They'd find the bastard. They'd take him down. But they'd make sure he made it to the police to be interrogated, to be judged, to be sentenced. He might make it there broken and bleeding, but he would live. The same would happen to Nine, to all of his cronies. They'd be captured and sentenced, and suffer in prison.
That was his vengeance…he knew Nine was after some stupid society based on power, well, he'd be powerless in prison. And whatever the damned doctor was up to, whatever his reasoning, he wouldn't get it in prison, so he'd have to suffer knowing his work would be used to fix what he'd done! At least, Izuku assumed whatever research he'd done could be repurposed somehow. He'd hope for that at least.
Either way, their vow would carry them forward. They'd focus all that hurt, that pain, that rage into it, into their drive and purpose. That's what they'd always done. There were ways he and Katsuki were connected that he didn't think the rest could understand. They got each other on a fundamental level that he doubted he could put into words. Together…they'd crush the League and everything it stood for.
He took a deep, calming breath. He was getting worked up and he needed not to, not while he was with all of the others. He couldn't deny that he felt very cared for right now…the feeling of his loves near him, his daughter (okay he'd admit it in his head but he was not saying it out loud!), his friends and future possible partners he guessed? Either way…he liked it. A lot. Dare he think it, he felt warm and cozy.
So he decided to set aside his thoughts about the events of the internships, for now. Toshinori got back to him last night, saying he'd tell him what the Vestiges were holding back later that evening in Nezu's office. Also told him he should bring Katsuki, Ochako, and Himiko, so he figured it was a big deal (which made sense considering how the vestiges had acted). But that was later.
Noting Tsu's green hair next to him, splayed out all around her, partly obscuring her face, his gaze softened. Seeing her like this he really couldn't deny how cute she looked. Sometimes he'd forget just how small she was compared to him, to most of the class. She was the shortest person in the class, and with how she tended to slouch a little due to her Quirk, she appeared even shorter.
Sometimes he forgot about it, considering the presence she had. She was always so mature, so smart and blunt she really did seem larger than life sometimes when she was saying what she thought. And then at other times…he didn't even realize he'd started gently brushing her hair away from her face until it was completely visible to him. He felt guilty for touching her while she slept, but couldn't really be upset at seeing her laying there, calm and comfortable, her blank features relaxed in slumber.
"She is really cute, huh?" Himiko said quietly. Only his desire not to wake Eri prevented him from jolting at the voice beside him, but it was a near thing. He glared half-heartedly at his girlfriend, the blonde just grinning back at him unrepentantly, before her smile softened as she looked down upon Tsuyu as well.
"How long have you been up?" Izuku asked quietly, making sure no one else was moving in response to the sound.
"Not long. Just a minute or so."
"Hmm. Same."
"I'm kinda glad she asked, you know? Not that I'm unhappy with you or Ochako, but…"
Izuku grinned. "I know. You have a lot of love to give, Himi. I'm okay with this."
"Yeah, but do you want this?" she asked him.
Izuku considered for a moment. He took a second to glance back at the still slumbering form of Ochako, with the dark-haired Momo visible just beyond her. He looked back down at Tsuyu, still sleeping peacefully, a small smile crossing his face. He looked back up at Himiko. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."
Himiko's answered smile was nearly blinding. One hand reached out to him, gently stroking his cheek. "Well then, let's make sure we take them on a really nice date."
"Let's," he agreed.
The awakening was amusing to Izuku in many ways. Due to the temperature having dropped, it seemed most of the students had instinctively sought out more warmth in their sleep…which led to hilarity (at least for him) when Kyoka realized she had latched onto Momo who had latched onto Ochako who had latched onto him. Kyoka sputtered, Momo flushed and babbled apologies, while Ochako just giggled and winked at Izuku when the other two couldn't see her, having apparently accepted the fact they were taking Momo out on a date anyways.
Tsu tried to appear unaffected, but her pale skin showed blushing very well and it didn't help Himiko ended up 'accidently' nuzzling her as they tried to disentangle themselves. Katsuki had said nothing but glared at the room if anyone even looked in his direction, while Shinso just…pretended like nothing happened. Which was really funny to Izuku when he could clearly see the happy smile on Denki's face when he woke up. Shinso really needed to just go for it already, was all Izuku could think. Eri had some morning lessons she was to get to, so Midnight came by to pick her up for a few hours.
By the time everyone was up, Izuku had begun making a nice breakfast for the class, which Katsuki came to assist him with once he'd awoken. Izuku waggled his eyebrows at his brother with a smirk, the blonde snarling at him but not saying anything back, even though his cheeks flushed pink when Eijiro came into the kitchen and softly punched Katsuki in the arm, before leaving once he'd grabbed a bottle of water.
"Don't say a fucking word, Zu," he warned in a low voice.
"Kacchan-" he began.
"Not…a…word…"
"A word."
"Oh you are gonna fucking die if you don't shut up!"
Izuku rolled his eyes, cracking another egg into the bowl. "Kacchan…just go for it already. C'mon, everyone can see it."
"...Kind of did," he muttered with pink cheeks, making Izuku freeze mid-crack. The egg fell out of his hand into the bowl luckily, but a piece of shell went in and made Izuku curse as he hurried to scoop it out.
"You what?!" Izuku hissed.
"Well…Ei did, actually. He um…he asked if I wanted to do something soon, you know, just…just us."
"Oh my gods, finally!" Izuku cheered quietly, ignoring how Katsuki started shushing him.
"Shut up! It's…we're still, you know…ugh. Just, don't fucking tell anyone!" the blonde hissed as he started the griddle up.
"My lips are sealed, Kacchan. I'm just glad, is all," Izuku said with a smile, the first actual bit of happiness he'd truly felt since Hosu.
The air was thick with tension for a moment, as Katsuki was clearly struggling to say something. Izuku waited patiently, knowing his brother would speak when he was ready. "...do…do you think I should? I mean…we just found out about what happened to Tsubasa. I'm not like…dishonoring his memory or some shit?"
Izuku's smile faded somewhat as he took a moment to think before replying carefully. "I won't speak for him…but do you think he'd want us to sit here and angst over it, or to try and move on and be happy? We've done all we can for now, and the moment we have our chance we're taking that bastard down, but until then…we have to live our lives, right?"
"...yeah. Guess you're right," Katsuki replied with a deep sigh. He spread some batter on the surface, staring down at the stove for a moment. "...goddammit. This fucking sucks, Zu."
"Yeah. Yeah, it does," Izuku replied quietly.
"Can't even be fucking happy about getting a goddamned date without this fucking it up in my head," Katsuki replied, almost as if he hadn't heard Izuku speak. Izuku chose not to say anything, wanting to let Katsuki just vent if he needed to. Cooking time was their time, and the class had learned this by now, so they wouldn't get interrupted unless it was a big deal and they knew it. "Internships were supposed to be learning. All I fucking learned was how to deal with sitting on my ass and not being able to help."
"...I want to tell you not to think that, but I'd be a hypocrite since I can't stop thinking about how I couldn't help him," Izuku murmured in response.
Katsuki snorted. "I don't have to tell you what I think about that, do I?"
"No. I know. I get it. Nighteye made me break it down. I know I couldn't do anything to help. Doesn't change the fact I wish I could have."
"Yeah. I get that."
Silence filled the kitchen for a few minutes as Katsuki flipped a few more pancakes, Izuku finishing up a bunch of omelets for the class as he went. Izuku let out a deep sigh. "What do you think Toshi's going to tell us?"
"No clue, hopefully why the ghosts in your head keep giving you shit."
"I told you, they aren't ghosts!"
"Disembodied spirits that are in your head? Sounds like ghosts to me."
Izuku rolled his eyes. "You're exhausting."
Katsuki snickered at him. "Let's just hope it's nothing worse than what we've heard recently."
"Yeah," Izuku said with a deep sigh. Turning the stove off, he began to plate, Katsuki following behind as they started arranging the table. Once Himiko noticed this, she nudged Ochako, the two coming to assist in getting everything situated. Slowly, the class trickled into the kitchen, everyone taking seats and the babble of conversation began to rise up.
Izuku sat next to Ochako, Himiko on her other side, and leaned over to speak quietly. "So…I had an idea for Momo and Tsu?"
"Oh?" Himiko asked, as Ochako looked at him with her cheeks puffed, having just taken a giant bite. He had to avoid snickering at the fact his girlfriend looked like a chipmunk just then.
"Why don't we take them to the beach, since it's clean?" he asked.
"Them, as in together?" Ochako asked, having swallowed her food.
He nodded. "Yeah. I mean…Momo knows about Tsu, and if Tsu's okay with it, we can just…have fun. You know, after all the shit that happened."
"Yeah, that could be fun!" Himiko said, grinning widely. Izuku went to reply, but felt himself shoved to the side slightly as Mina suddenly dropped into the chair next to him, almost knocking the trio over. He glanced at her, confused as she smiled at him with a slightly manic quality to her grin, her cheeks…purple?
"Hey Midori, Himiko, 'Chako! So um…okay, I made a deal with Kiri so I have to do this, but don't get me wrong I want to I just was kinda afraid and it had me really nervous but like, if I don't do this now I'm not gonna do it and I think I'm still asleep so that's where this courage is coming from and-"
"Mina, breathe!" Himiko ordered, cutting the babbling pinkette off.
Mina's cheeks tinted even darker purple, her black eyes glittering as she leapt to her feet and practically shouted "W-would you three let me go on a date with you?!"
The room was silent, everyone staring at the pink-skinned girl and then back at the frozen trio. Himiko was the first to break the silence, shocked giggles bubbling up out of her as she looked at her partners, the 'I told you so' clear in her eyes. Ochako just blinked at Mina in confusion, utterly flabbergasted.
Everyone's eyes turned to Izuku as he sighed deeply, his face a mask of perfect calm. He set his fork down gently, climbing to his feet and gently grasping Mina's shoulders. He pushed her softly back down into her chair, before turning to Tsu and Momo, who were sitting just down the table from them. "One moment, Mina. Tsu, Momo? Would you like to go to the beach with Himiko, Ochako, and myself today?"
"...um…yes?" Momo squeaked, face burning from being put on the spot but not wanting to interrupt anything further.
"You mean, as our date?" Tsuyu asked, tilting her head to the side, the rest of the class not in the know just all staring at her. Izuku nodded. She nodded back. "Okay. Are we taking Mina too, then?"
"Mina, do you want to go to the beach with us today?" Izuku said in lieu of a reply. The pinkette stared up at him for a moment, eyes wide, before a giant smile crossed her face and she nodded rapidly. He turned to look at the rest of the class. "Anyone else want to go on a date with myself, Himiko, or Ochako?"
The room was silent for a half-second, before Toru's sleeve was thrust into the air with a squeal. A few more seconds of silence passed, Izuku scanning over everyone's faces…only to stop when he noticed Momo elbow Kyoka in the side, the purple-haired girl flushed and looking down at her plate. "Kyoka? Would you like to join us as well?" Kyoka didn't reply verbally, but nodded, her hair falling before her face to block anyone's view of her.
"Excellent. Internships sucked. Would anyone else like to come to the beach, just not on a date with us?" he asked, still incredibly calm.
"Could we do it on a date with someone else?" Kaminari asked, an uncharacteristic note of shyness in his voice.
"Sure. I just need to know how many to ask Nezu for permission to leave campus," Izuku replied.
"Hito, want to come with me on a date to the beach today?" Kaminari asked, turning to the purple-haired boy next to him. Shinso blinked at him, once, twice…before looking at Izuku and holding up two fingers, a clear indication to Izuku to add two more to the list going…then grabbing Kaminari by the arm and dragging him off, presumably because he did not want to talk about this in front of the class.
"...fuck it, we'll come," Katsuki said, pointing at himself and Eijiro, the red-head's teeth visible as he grinned.
The rest of the class spoke up slowly, all of them agreeing a day at the beach sounded like fun, although very hesitant considering how oddly Izuku was acting. The green-haired boy nodded once. "So class trip to the beach. Fine. Tenya, please make a list of things to bring, and don't go overboard. Momo, I don't know if we have enough towels, if you feel up to it, please make some. Also a swimming outfit for Eri please. Kacchan, Sato, if you could, please throw together a lunch, something light. I will speak to Nezu and Sensei. We'll leave by eleven, it's only a half hour or so walk away. Himiko, you can tell me you told me so later. I'll be back once I've spoken to Nezu and Sensei."
Without waiting for a reply, he strode out of the dorm, still clad in his sleeping shorts and tank-top. The entire class just stared at each other for a brief moment, before Himiko rolled her eyes. She leapt up, yanking on Mina's arm and pulling her along, reaching out to grab Kyoka who let out a yelp as she was pulled. Ochako sighed, gesturing to Momo, Tsu, and Toru to follow her, the trio following meekly behind her as Himiko led them unerringly into Ochako's room.
As the door shut, Himiko turned to look at Mina while pinching her brow, Ochako crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at her. Mina giggled nervously. "Um…surprise?" The glare on Ochako's face didn't clear, all she did was arch an eyebrow at the pinkette, whose shoulders dropped. "...Did I make Midori angry?"
"Him? Not really. Frustrated, annoyed, but not angry. Me? I'm not very happy with you right now."
Mina flinched. "So…you didn't want to go out with me…oh. That's fine, I'm sorry, I'll-"
Ochako's loud sigh cut her off. "No, that's not what I said. I'm not happy because you did that in front of everyone! That's the only reason Izuku got all…blah! Himiko already told us you had a crush on us. But doing it in front of everyone was uncalled for."
Mina winced. "I'm…I'm sorry. I just…Kiri kept up his end of the deal and I was afraid-"
"What deal?" Himiko cut in.
"...before we left on internships, I was kinda venting to him about you guys being too hot? And he told me to go for it, but like, I was super nervous and stuff, but he, you know, encouraged me. So I encouraged him to ask Bakugo out cause boy does Kiri have a crush on that boy, and we kinda agreed to ask our choices out if the other did it? And Kiri told me this morning he'd asked Bakugo out so…"
"Finally, one of them made a move," Himiko muttered.
Ochako rolled her eyes, sighing deeply. "We'll deal with that later. Okay. What's done is done. Just please think things through first. It's not like I don't like spending time with you, you know. You just didn't need to make it the whole class's business!"
"...I'm sorry," Mina said in a very sheepish voice, looking down at the ground.
"It's fine, it's fine. You'll need to apologize to Izu later too. For now, on to the next I guess?" Ochako said, looking over at Himiko.
Himiko nodded, turning around to Toru and Kyoka, the purple-haired girl in the back, trying to shrink into herself. "Sorry if Izu put you guys on the spot, he's just frustrated that I was right. Well, that and Mina just blurting it out in front of everyone."
"Right about what?" Toru asked.
"The fact you all had crushes on one or more of us."
"...you knew?" Kyoka whispered, still not looking up.
"Kyo, hun…you are not subtle when you stare at my ass," Himiko giggled, the purple-haired girl letting out an 'eep' as her jacks waved wildly. "And the whole song thing with Izu kinda made it obvious about him."
"But are you interested in us, or is this just because we're interested in you?" Kyoka asked quietly, being very steadfast in her study of the carpet.
Himiko walked over to her and placed a hand under her chin, very gently lifting it up to look her in the eyes. After a moment, Himiko smiled softly at her. "Now there's that pretty girl who sings like an angel. Yes, Kyo, I think you're very cute and fun and I'd love to see how much chemistry we might have, okay? Izu wouldn't have asked any of you if one of us wasn't at least curious."
"Even me?" Toru asked.
"Oh come on, we all knew you had a thing for Izu from the moment he carried you out of the lunchroom," Ochako muttered with a smile on her face. "That isn't even counting him making you visible. I'm surprised you didn't kiss him right there and then!"
"I-I wouldn't! I wouldn't have betrayed you guys like that!" Toru protested, her sleeves waving wildly.
"We're teasing you, Toru," Himiko said.
"Look, the whole point of the initial date with Tsu was to see if there was something there, but like…I'm not gonna pretend I don't think Momo is gorgeous, or that Mina when she's not blurting out secrets in the common room is super fun and adventurous. I'm not going to pretend that I don't enjoy the sight of Tsu all cuddled up with Izuku. I've not spent as much time with you, Toru, or you, Kyoka, but Toru, you are beautiful, and I don't just mean that when you're visible, and Kyoka, you're so down to earth but fearless I can't help but appreciate that. So why not have a fun day, after everything that happened at Hosu?" Ochako said, shrugging with a smile.
The five girls in the room beside Ochako just stared at her for a moment, although Tsu seemed to recover first. She smiled at the brunette. "Okay. I'll go get my bathing suit then, ribbit."
"Y-yes. I should do as Izuku asked anyway," Momo said with a nervous smile.
Mina nodded, her nervous smile still evident. "Um…yeah, I'll go too?"
"Oh I can't wait to show you guys my suit, it's super cute!" Toru said cheerily, her nerves apparently having vanished somehow. The other girls all followed her out, just Ochako, Kyoka, and Himiko left. Ochako started rummaging in her closet, ignoring the other two for the moment.
Kyoka grabbed onto Himiko's hand before she stepped away, pulling her closer. "Are…are you really sure this is okay?" she asked quietly.
Himiko clasped Kyoka's hand and squeezed gently. "Kyo…I promise, this is okay. It's just a fun day in the sun! Don't get hung up on the details, we're just testing the waters, you know? It's not a big deal. If this goes well, maybe we try something more serious, but even if it's not all there, we're not gonna stop being your friend, right? It's just fun!"
"...yeah, okay. Guess you're right. Um…I can bring a stereo for some music?" the purple-haired girl offered.
"Awesome! We'll totally have a great day then! Why don't you go get set, okay?" Himiko smiled at Kyoka, the punk girl smiling shyly as she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, nodding, before she left the room.
As Ochako and Himiko stood there, the door closing behind the last, Himiko let out a deep sigh. "Kinda surprised Izu just…went for that."
"I think he's still off because of Hosu. Him and Katsuki are both still on edge. Mina just pushed him too far I think, so he just said 'fuck it'. At least, that's what I figure," Ochako said distractedly.
"...and you're not?" Himiko asked quietly, making Ochako pause in what she was doing.
"What do you mean?" the brunette asked carefully.
"Izuku took our nightmares, 'Chako…meaning he saw them. He hasn't brought it up, but I've seen how he looks at you and me now. He saw something he has an issue with, he's just not talking about it."
Ochako's hands slowly left the closet, the brunette turning around to look at Himiko. "...yeah. I…kinda figured as much too. But he's not saying anything."
"I think he's afraid to. I…I know what I saw. But the thing is…he's looking at me differently than he is you, and I want to know why. He knows my past, and he saw it. He looks at me like he feels bad for me, and I get that. But the way he looks at you is different. What did he see, when he saw your nightmares?"
Ochako turned back away from Himiko, ducking her head back into her closet. "It's…it's not a big deal. It's fine. Let's just get ready."
"Ochako-"
"No!" Ochako cut Himiko off, the blonde blinking rapidly as she took a step back from the brunette's vehemence. Ochako gulped, her hands gripping the closet doors and squeezing tightly. "...I'm sorry. I just…I can't talk about it right now, Himi. I can't. We're supposed to be having a good, fun day. Now's not the time to talk about it."
"Ochako…please. It's bothering you, it's bothering him, and it's bothering me. I won't ask you to get into details, but…can't you tell me what it is that hurt you?" Himiko said softly, stepping closer to the brunette.
Ochako kept her grip on the closet door, her hands clenching so tightly the wood began to crack beneath the pressure. After a moment, she relaxed her hands and sighed deeply, pulling herself out of the closet and walking over to Himiko. Grabbing her girlfriend by the hand, she pulled her down onto the bed with her, laying down next to her. As she stared at the ceiling, trying to think of how to say it, she sighed again.
"I…my parents didn't make a lot, as you know. The thing is, they…sometimes, they didn't really have enough money for a lot of food, you know? But um…they were working super hard, all the time, and you gotta eat to work, right? So…um…sometimes I'd not eat. Or I'd eat less and just say I felt full, or something. A-and I guess, like…eventually I got used to that? So I didn't do it much? Just…cause they needed it more, you know?"
Himiko leaned up on one elbow, looking down at the prone form of her girlfriend with sadness in her eyes. "You…had an eating disorder?"
"...at the time I didn't think so. But, looking back…I guess I did?" Ochako whispered, staring blankly up at the ceiling. "I just…it hurt, but I wanted them to be okay. I needed them to be okay. And like…everything was hard, then. No one at school liked me, and people would make fun of me because…I've always been a bit round, you know? And everyone knew we were poor, it's a small town. It just felt like…like I was being forced down this path I didn't want. I didn't have any control over anything. Money means control of your life, because when you don't have money, you have to do what you need to survive. So I guess…part of me wanted that control, you know?"
"What about now? How do you feel now?" Himiko asked.
Ochako rubbed at her eyes for a moment before responding. "I…gosh. It's funny. I didn't even notice it until we got back from Hosu, but sometimes…sometimes I feel wrong, eating those meals Izu and Katsuki make for us. And sometimes when I'm hungry I won't go back for seconds, even though I know it's all there and there's plenty. And it really bothers me if people don't clean their plate, like if food gets thrown away. I don't say anything but it really upsets me. I…that's probably not healthy, is it?"
"...no, 'Chako, that's not. I think you should talk to someone about that. All that, I mean," Himiko said quietly.
"...I'd say no but I know that'd make me a hypocrite after everything with Izuku," Ochako murmured, still staring blankly up at the ceiling like she wasn't really processing everything.
"You know you have to tell Izu about this. He's gonna ask either way."
"...I know. But not today, okay? Not when we're going out to have a good time."
Himiko nodded. "Will you talk to someone else, too?"
Ochako sighed. "I…I probably should. I will, okay?"
"Okay…then let's go get ready for our big date!" Himiko rolled onto her girlfriend, giving her a quick peck on the lips and smiling at her to try and add some cheer to the current atmosphere.
Ochako gave a small smile and returned the kiss softly, running her fingers through Himiko's hair softly before pushing her up gently and climbing to her feet. "Alright. Let's get ready."
On his way to get permission, Izuku was…annoyed. Somewhat. He understood what was up with Mina…he could feel it the moment she sat down, he just hadn't quite grasped what she was up to until she spoke, but he felt the nerves and fear of rejection flooding through her, which meant that him, bleeding heart he was, couldn't be super mad. He just was a bit frustrated she was just…out in front of everyone. He may have taken it out a bit on the class, and he knew he owed them all an apology for just being so damned cold about it.
He knew he snapped because he wasn't feeling great still. But he could deal with that. The plan was to have a good day today, so he intended on it. He'd calm down by the time he got back, just put it back in the box for now.
As he strode along, heading to the Teacher's Lounge to speak to Aizawa, he was waylaid by a shout from the distance. "Hey Ten Million!" he blinked, turning around to see Mei running towards him, waving her hands wildly. He paused midstride, waiting for her to arrive. Panting, she slowed to a stop next to him. "Hey!"
"Hi Mei?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.
"So, did my babies suit you? When you fought in Hosu? I heard you got into a fight, did they help?" she asked, eyes wide and shimmering.
Izuku paused, thinking back. "Honestly…I didn't get a chance to use them, I'm sorry. But I used them during training and they were really awesome, I can't wait to get use of them outside of training!" He smiled at her to hopefully make her happy…but though her smile didn't drop, he could feel the sudden pain of rejection in her chest.
"Oh, okay. Well, that's all I needed to know!" she said cheerily, turning around on her heel.
Izuku wasn't sure why he did it. On any other day, he'd respect her privacy, especially since he barely knew her. On any other day, he'd probably try to be more gentle and approach her later to find out why she had a sudden surge of fear and loneliness from his response. But he just was not himself today…so she found herself unable to move, as his arm snapped out and grabbed onto hers to stop her from leaving.
"...Izuku?" she asked in an unsure voice, confused as she turned back to look at him.
Izuku decided to speak as bluntly as possible. She seemed to prefer straightforwardness, so he'd just stick to that so as to avoid any misunderstandings. "Look, my Quirk got a new ability recently. I can sense emotions. Normally, I'd be more vague and try to pry nicely, but honestly, I'm just not dealing well with…well, anything, today, so I want to ask…are you okay?"
"I'm fine! Never better! Not a probl-"
"Mei," Izuku cut her off, his voice dropping to a quiet, soft tone. "Every time we talk, all I can feel from you is fear and loneliness. What did I do to make you so afraid of me?"
She shook her head rapidly. "You didn't do anything, I'm not afraid of you!"
"Then why are you so afraid?"
Mei stared up at the taller teen, her yellow eyes seeking something in his emerald gaze. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders slumping. "'Cause you'll get sick of me, like everyone does. No one wants to put up with me. And that's fine, all I need are my babies! I'll be famous and everyone will know my name and buy my equipment and like me and-"
"Why would I get sick of you?" Izuku asked.
"Because! Everyone says I'm 'too much', like there's some invisible line I always cross but no one ever tells me what it is! They tell me I do things wrong but not until after they hate me, and I can't repair or troubleshoot it because they take away the thing to be repaired! So I know you'll do the same, I'm just making sure I'm prepared for it, okay?" She jerked her arm out of his at that, turning away from him and starting to walk away once more.
"Mei, wait," he said, this time not grabbing her but trying to ask her to stop.
She paused, her back still turned. "What?"
"I'm sorry for prying," he began, speaking quietly but sincerely. "But why don't you let me decide if I'm going to decide you're 'too much', as you put it?"
"Because I already know how this goes. I don't want to put up with it, okay? I'm fine. I'm always fine. I have my babies and that's all I need!"
"If that were true, you wouldn't feel the way you do," he replied gently.
"Don't think you know how I feel just cause you can sense my feelings or something! I'm fine!" she snarled, still resolutely keeping turned away from him.
Izuku paused, seeing that she intended on sticking to this belief no matter how much he spoke. It wasn't hard to figure her out…she was scared of being hurt, so she decided not to give herself the chance to be hurt. He figured she was upset that he hadn't used her gear in the fight because that was tactic confirmation that it wasn't good enough for him (even if he thought it was great, she wouldn't believe him right now). Okay…time for a new tactic.
"Mei, have you actually tried to make friends here, at UA?" he asked her quietly.
"Of course I have! I go to class, don't I?"
"That's not what I mean and you know it. When's the last time you spent time with someone outside of your class or the workshop?"
"I don't know, a few years ago?" She muttered, still not looking at him.
"And you don't spend any time with them at your dorm?"
She scoffed. "I don't stay in the dorm much. I prefer the lab. There my babies are and they don't judge me or bother me about feelings."
Izuku ignored the jab, able to sense that she didn't really mean it, she was just embarrassed and lashing out. "Okay. But you haven't tried to make friends here, it sounds like."
"Because there's no point, Izuku! Why don't you get that?!" she shouted, turning back around to glare at him.
"I didn't think Mei Hatsume was the type of person to give up after failure," Izuku shot back.
She narrowed her eyes at him, putting her hands on her hips. "I'm not stupid, Izuku. I know what you're trying to do. I'm fine with doing things over and over to try and get it right. I'm fine with failure because it's the way you innovate. But people? I can't just add a new cooling fan to a person and fix them, or remove an unnecessary bolt to loosen them up. This is different. I'm smart enough to know what I am, and what I am is 'too much'!"
Izuku risked taking a step forward, keeping his hands open and to the side. "I don't think you're too much, and you blew up in my face. Literally and figuratively, as it were. That has to count for something, right?"
She rolled her eyes. "And you're the poster child for well-adjusted behavior, are you? I read the articles, you know. And I've seen you with your class. Half the school talks about you. Just because you're traumatized enough to put up with my crazy doesn't mean anyone else is."
Izuku arched an eyebrow. "Okay, first, ouch-"
She had the grace to look a little bit abashed by that. "Sorry," she muttered.
He waved it off. "It's fine, you have a point. But my point is, my issues aren't the reason I can 'put up' with you, as you put it. Look…I'm a hero student, Mei. We're intentionally choosing a job where we put our lives on the line in flashy battles with bright neon costumes to help people. I think most of us are half-insane. And you can't be the only support student with a penchant for explosions. UA is full of nutcases, let's be real…have you met our teachers?"
Mei giggled at that, the sound warming Izuku's heart to see her actually seem happy for a brief moment. She rubbed the back of her neck as she looked away from him. "I mean…I guess you have a point. But-"
Izuku cut her off. "No. No buts. Look…I'd like to be your friend, if you'll let me. I won't just run off because you can be a bit eccentric. Look at my brother, he screams 'die' when he uses his Quirk half the time! My girlfriend thinks a fun time is breaking my nose during a sparring session and then kissing the injuries better later. My other girlfriend drinks blood like someone would drink wine and comments on its flavor profile. We're all a little weird, Mei. And that's what makes us human."
She looked up at him, staring at him for a good long while as if she was trying to puzzle him out, break him down and figure out how sincere he was being. After a while, she just nodded. "...okay. Yeah, alright, Ten Million. Um…you can be my friend. I-if you really mean it."
He smiled brightly at her. "Of course I do. And I think you'd get along really well with the other members of my class, if you actually spoke to them. Himi and 'Chako already know you, after all." There it was again…that sudden surge of hope, immediately smothered under her own worries. Izuku was starting to realize she might have self-esteem as bad as his, if not worse, at this point.
"Y-yeah, maybe," she said unconvincingly. It didn't look like she believed it any more than it felt like she did.
Izuku narrowed his eyes at her. He paused for a moment as a thought crossed his mind. "Can you hold on a sec, Mei? Just don't leave, I need to make a quick call."
"Uh…okay?" she said, confused.
Izuku stepped a few meters away and pulled up his phone, dialing Ochako's number. After a moment, his girlfriend picked up. "Izuku? Something wrong?" she asked.
"Nope, but I want you to check something with the class. Think they'd have an issue if I invited someone else with us too?"
He could almost see her confusion from here. "Uh…who?"
"Mei. You know, the support girl from the festival?"
"...you're inviting another girl?" Ochako deadpanned.
Izuku flushed for a moment, glad she couldn't see him. "It's not like that! Look, she's really lonely and has no friends and I thought maybe if she met some of the class, she could make some! I know she can be a bit manic, but it's not like we're all not our own brands of weird, right? And-"
"Izuku!" Ochako cut off his babbling as his speech had started to escalate in speed. "I'm teasing you, you dork. I don't mind, she was actually very gracious after I beat her. And she's the one who adjusted my boots for me, I did want to thank her for that. I'll check with the rest, gimme a minute." He heard the phone click as it was set down, and waited patiently for Ochako to go ask the others.
After a few minutes, she returned. "Yeah, most of the class was all for it, said the more the merrier. Katsuki did tell me to tell you you're a nerd, and that you need to stop adopting strays, but it's fine with him."
Izuku chuckled. "Yeah, alright. Okay, I'll ask her if she wants to come now."
"You realize that's going to make the whole 'date' part a bit of a pain, right? You can't just abandon her the moment we get there."
"I know, but there are like…seven of us. I assumed we'd all split off at various points for smaller conversations anyways. So I'll get her comfortable with the class and then let everyone just…do their own thing," Izuku explained.
He was quite certain she was rolling her eyes affectionately at him. "Sure, Izu. Sure. You just have to be a hero 24/7 don't you?"
"That's why you love me," he teased.
She snorted. "Part of it, I guess. Go, get the energizer bunny to join us. We'll be ready by the time you get back. Love you!"
"Love you too," he replied, the call cutting off as he said that. With a smile on his face, he turned back to Mei, noting that somehow in the few minutes he took for that call, she'd pulled out a small device and was tinkering with it, her gaze focused on the contraption in her hand. "Mei?"
She glanced up at him and blinked for a moment, before her eyes focused in on him. "Oh, done with your call?"
"Yeah. I was wondering, my class is going to the beach today for some fun…want to join?"
She blinked at him in confusion. "What?"
"We're going to take a class trip to the beach in a couple hours. Why don't you come along?"
She narrowed her eyes at him. "What, now you pity me for not having any friends so you're gonna let me twenty-first wheel with your class of hero students? Yeah, no thanks Izuku."
"Mei. I trusted you with my notebook. That may not seem like much, but I trusted you with a notebook that held every single weakness I have. Every way you could fuck me over or sell to the highest bidder to get at me. Because I trusted you. We worked well together at the sports festival. I trusted you then as a teammate, and I trust you now. Am I really asking so much for you to trust me?" he asked calmly.
She stared at him for a moment, crossing her arms over her chest. "I…okay. I do, but I still don't want a pity invite."
"It's not. It's me inviting my friend to hang out with my other friends, and maybe make some more. Ochako wanted to thank you for the adjustments to her boots anyways! And hey, it's an opportunity to make connections for more work, isn't it?"
"Oh now you're appealing to my greed," she remarked.
"Is it working?" he replied with a smirk.
"...Annoyingly, yes," she muttered.
"So…is that a yes?" he said, leaning in closer.
"Fine! I'll go! If…if you're sure it's okay."
Izuku nodded. "I had Ochako check, the class is fine with it. The one thing uh…so you don't get surprised, um…so it's also like, a sort of date?"
Mei blinked at him. "Wait. As in your class is on one big date or are you asking me on a date?"
"No!" he hurriedly announced, flushing as he rubbed the back of his neck. "No, so…the whole thing started cause Tsu asked Himi, 'Chako, and me out, and then Momo did. So we were gonna do a beach thing, but then Mina asked us in front of everyone and I may have been a little annoyed so I just kind of forced the issue and had whoever wanted to go on a date with one of us three speak up, which meant Toru and Kyoka said something too. And then I asked the rest of the class if anyone else was coming and then Kaminari asked Shinso out and Kacchan decided to go with Eijiro and then the rest just followed along, so like…some of the people are on dates and some aren't?"
"...but you're on one."
"Well…yes?"
"So why would you invite me? Even I know that's not how this works!" she exclaimed, waving her arms.
Izuku pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Well, yes, but this isn't a normal date as I tried to explain. Like…there's eight of us in total. That's a lot. And the rest of the class is there too. So obviously we'll all split off and do our own things at some point. So it's more like…a class hangout with some added possible romantic entanglements? We're not sure if we're going for it, it's just…spending time together outside the dorms, you know? I figure we can hang a bit, and you can make friends, and then we can all just…hang?"
"Still sounds like a bad idea," she said.
"I already got everyone to agree, so it'll be fine! Like I said…we're a buncha weirdos, so you'll fit right in Mei," he replied, giving her his best sunshine smile he had.
She stared at him for another moment, before shaking her head. "...okay. I'll trust you. Um…what do I need?"
"Oh, just beach stuff. Bathing suit and towel should be all, we're bringing some food for everyone. I'll be checking in with Aizawa and Nezu for permission…I guess you'll need to ask Power Loader too?"
"Yeah, I need to let him know. Okay. Um…"
"Meet us at our dorms fifteen till eleven? We're leaving at eleven, so that should be plenty of time?"
"Okay. I…I guess I'll go get ready. Um…thanks, Izuku," she said quietly, looking away from him.
"No problem! Let's have fun!" he said, smiling. He spun about and continued his walk towards the Teacher's Lounge, hearing Mei walk back towards where he assumed the Support dorms were. He nodded to himself. A little awkward, but hopefully she'd make some friends and see that not everyone was like whoever was shitty to her in the past. Yeah. This day was going to be fine!
It…was not fine. It was most assuredly not fine. Izuku did not think this through. At all. You know, sometimes, he forgot that a) he was bi, b) his girlfriends were absolutely fucking gorgeous, c) swimsuits revealed a lot of skin, and d)...all the ladies in this class were beautiful as all get out. He was absolutely surrounded by a lot of really attractive people in limited quantities of clothing!
He really should have thought this through. It's not like he's the type of person to be ruled by his hormones or whatever. And it's not like he and his girlfriends hadn't…toed a few lines, at times. He's seen them in their underwear after all. But…somehow, out in public, on a beach, with the sun shining brightly and them in very flattering swimsuits that were now covered in water, it was that much more to see.
Perhaps the fact he was still off-balance emotionally wasn't helping either, especially as this was supposed to be a date…but trying to talk to Momo while she was wearing a far too flattering bikini top, or having Mina and Toru pull him into the water for a race, or Kyoka very shyly asking for his help in setting up her stereo while wearing that insanely cute dark blue one-piece…yeah. This was…frustrating. Granted, Eri's adorable little swimsuit Momo had made for her had him having to hold back a coo, especially with how excited and cheerful she was as she ran about with all of the other students showing off the little shells she'd found, but still.
And you know, he knew the fellow boys looked good. There was almost no one in the class who wasn't in good shape, and it wasn't like he hadn't seen them in less clothes than others. But sometimes he forgot how ripped some of his classmates were. Also, he remembered there was a reason half the school thought Shoto was insanely attractive the moment the split-haired boy pulled something straight out of a bad teen romance movie and did the rise out of the water and swipe his hair out of his eyes thing, to the wolf-whistles of half the class and an adorably confused look on his face.
And of course…Mei. He was right, when he thought she'd settle in with the class pretty quickly…Ochako had meant what she'd said about thanking her. And Himiko had quickly gotten into a discussion with her about some ideas she had which had the pink-haired girl going absolutely off the rails with ideas…in a very tight bikini. Izuku had idly known she was rather…developed. What he hadn't known is that, not unlike how fit hero students tended to be, as a support student she was no slouch either and that she was just as fit as any of the others.
So yep. He was reminded of his greatest weakness: Hot people who look like they could break him if they tried. And now it was apparently Tsu's turn, as she'd come up to him in a very cute one-piece swimsuit and asked him to swim with her, which…he wasn't about to refuse. Her long fingers curled around his wrist gently as she pulled him along, taking him to the water's edge. She paused there, her fingers twitching for a moment…before she slid them down to his hand, entwining them together.
He squeezed her hand back gently, giving her a soft grin when she turned to look at him. Her smile was small but genuine, as she nodded, holding his hand as she pulled him into the water. He took a deep breath and followed her below the surface, down under the nearby rocks. He trusted her to know how long he could hold his breath, letting her guide him through the darker water deep beneath the surface, into what looked like a small crack in the stone. She ducked in, his larger form able to just barely fit, feeling her pulling him along with a strength that belied her small frame.
As he started to worry for his air, she pulled him up and up and up, the two of them erupting out of the water into a pocket of air. He took in a few gulps of air, hearing Tsu doing the same near him, but not quite able to see her in the darkness. They tread the water for a moment, before she spoke quietly. "Can you make some light? I want to show you something, ribbit."
He nodded, knowing she had better night vision than he did and could see it. Lifting one hand out of the water, he focused on it, forming a glowing green ball within his hand. As the light shimmered out from his palm, the walls of the small cave they were in began to glisten and sheen, suddenly lighting up as the green refracted of what looked like hundreds of small crystals. Izuku glanced around in surprise, seeing the cave he was in was full of these small, crystalline rocks which the light was reflecting from like a thousand prisms at once.
Tsu giggled. "I saw this and thought you might like it, ribbit. I wanted to bring the others, but there isn't enough room, and only you can make light."
"It's beautiful, Tsu. I'm glad you showed me," Izuku said softly, still looking around at everything.
"So are you, ribbit," Tsu said quietly, almost in a whisper. Her voice echoed through the cavern as she spoke, a single wisp of wind carrying her words passed Izuku a half dozen times.
The starstruck expression on his face faded into a warm, gentle smile. With but a thought, he let Gear Shift take hold of the glowing orb, letting it float on its own. He swam slightly closer to Tsu, the green-haired girl not moving as she watched him approach, just treading the water in place. One of his hands reached up and cupped her cheek gently, the other girl leaning into it just a small amount.
"I don't want to say anything too concrete yet, Tsu, not till I talk to Himi and 'Chako. But…I think you're a lot of fun, and I really do like spending time with you. This…this was really sweet of you, to share this with me. So…" he trailed off, pushing himself slightly closer to Tsu as he went, giving her an out, a chance to stop him…but she didn't. She leaned into his touch, her arms coming up to rest on his shoulders softly, her fingertips playing against his skin like tiny brushes, gently tracing the lines of his scars.
He tilted her head up, leaning in just enough, letting there be only a small space between the two. He wanted her to be absolutely sure, so he left the last gap, the last move, for her to take…which she did. She pressed her lips against his with a featherlight touch, just the barest hint of pressure. After a moment, they disconnected, her eyes shimmering in the light from the orb. A smile was plastered on her face, her cheeks flushed red, an answering blush on Izuku's face that he could feel.
After a moment, she pulled him closer and down, the two of them sinking beneath the water's surface as she pressed her lips to his once more. He allowed it, closing his eyes and letting them be surrounded under the surface, suspended in the gentle caress of the currents, the only light the fractured green above. He felt an inexplicable warmth in his chest, sheer unadulterated joy coming from the petite form in his arms, every ounce of her affection and joy practically filling the water around them like its own embrace.
It felt like it was over too soon, when he felt the urge for air and sent the two of them back to the surface, breaking it once more to gain the sweet air he needed. He was the only one panting, her Quirk meaning she could handle much longer periods beneath the surface, something which she was currently giggling at him for.
"Laugh it up, Tsu, I'll get you yet," he replied in mock outrage.
"Okay, Izuku. You can believe that, ribbit," she shot back.
Izuku glanced about once more, committing the place to his memory before turning to look back at Tsu. "Let's go back with the others, okay?"
She nodded. "Yeah. You still have other girls to kiss today, after all."
He sputtered, almost losing his balance and falling back beneath the waves. "H-h-hey! I, that, I'm not just going out and kissing every girl!"
"Why not, ribbit? They all want you to."
"A…I…mrrgl," he sputtered, absolutely unable to reply to that coherently. She giggled at him once more, one hand reaching out and gently swiping across his lips.
"C'mon Izuku. You've got a lot of dates to go on today. And I want to kiss Ochako too, and see which of you is better, ribbit."
Izuku snorted at that, his composure slightly back. "Oh, she's far better than I, Tsu. Be glad you started with me, this way you won't be disappointed."
"You could never disappoint me, Izuku," she said softly, the green-haired teen feeling a surge of affection not only from her, but within himself, at how genuine she sounded. He couldn't help the smile that was now stuck on his face, even as she gripped his hand and he took a deep breath, allowing the light orb to fade away as she pulled him down beneath the waves once more, heading back to the surface.
Boy this chapter got away from me. I did not expect the beach day to end up stretching across chapters but here we are! Didn't think the Mei section would take so bloody long either. But here we go, some resolutions are starting and some must continue on! Next chapter: A lot more beach day...for a lot of peoples.