Izuku crashed into the table, his back absorbing most of the shock so it felt more like a hard slap. He still had to sell it to the crowd, he lay motionless on the wrestling ring mat as the crowd roared in excitement. The planned finish had gone off without a hitch. Sariki had hit the clothesline and performed the suplex through the table with the professionalism he was known for. The referee came up to him touching his palm to see if he was ok. Izuku squeezed it, notifying them he was ok. He felt Sariki slide over to perform the pin
"You ok" spoke Sariki in hushed tones, the crowds shouting drowned out the wrestler's conversation.
"I'm fine, good match I'll see you in the locker room," Said izuku.
"Agreed good match I got to cut a promo after this to carry on the storyline, see you later." With that, the referee hit the third count and it was over. Sariki stood up celebrating his win. Izuku rolled under the ropes while Sariki cut the promo. No one's eyes were on him as he made his way out to the entrance lane before turning right into the backstage area.
The locker room was quiet on Tuesdays, the match had been a late one and most of the other talent had gone home or to their hotel rooms. Izuku wiped the sweat from his back before throwing the towel in the locker.
"Hey izuku," said Taska, approaching from behind. "Good match, management got your pay, they'll probably put it on your card." Taska Was the top of the card, not the top guy but he was still high up the card. He was also the boss's man; he had been with the promotion for almost 20 years. The boss respected him for his commitment and had made him leader of the locker room. He was the link between management and the guys in the locker.
"Thanks man, I'll check my card later," said izuku.
"Good, good hey management got a push for you coming up. It's in two weeks because of Morias and the Hell Club storyline that's concluding. You're going to do a 3 way match between you, emirs and the chief to see who can win the Mustafar championship. The chief drops it and you win it. You and him will have an angel for a bit but the writers haven't worked out the specifics. Fingered I give you the heads up. You'll job for Darth next week. He got his own storyline to continue until the March Massacre pay to view." Taska paused and patted Izuku on the back. "Boss sees something in you, the quirkless angel has quite a hook."
"Yeah," said Izuku, "only in wrestling is that a positive" he threw on a T-shirt "helps distinguish me from the others." He chuckled at the comment. If only 15 year old him had heard that.
"Good" spoke Taska aimlessly filling the empty noise in the room. "Anyway I'll leave you to it, guy in the locker heading backstage for a beer, you coming?"
"Maybe some other time" responded Izuku "but my partner is coming back early from work, she rarely gets them off so me and her are just going to chill together."
"Understood," said Taska "good luck, see you and your girlfriend are going steady."
"Finance actually" Izuku said hauling his locker bag onto his shoulders
"Nice, nice. congregations are in order," spoke Taska. "Any date on a wedding."
"Not sure" said Izuku "works been busy, plus scheduling our jobs, anyway it can wait for at least a year we're not in a rush" he shut the locker door with a bang.
"Cool, cool. I'll see you around then" said Taska "just come in tomorrow to get the script for next week, I'm sure Darth will want to go through all the spots. He's a safe worker like that."
"I'm grateful for it" Izuku said.
"Anyway I won't keep you away from your girl" said Taska "see you around"
"See you too" izuku said as he hauled his bag onto his shoulder and made his way towards the exit.
Izuku stood at the apartment door, his hands fumbling with the keys. It was about 10:00 pm. The train ride back had been quick. Darkness had fallen on Mustafa; the only light was the hall lights. He finally slid the key into the lock and gave it a twist he entered. Locking the door behind him, he walked straight to the kitchen island by the door and dropped his bag on the stone. He was just about to speak when he saw a blur of pink leap towards him. He caught the female mid leap but not before falling flat onto the wooden surface, his partner sprawled across his chest. He looked as she raised her head from the nape of his neck, her black irises staring back.
"Hey," Mina said, "missed you."
"Missed you too" said Izuku, raising his back off the floor. He looked into the black of her eyes for a second before smiling wide and giving a chased kiss on the cheek. Mina's smile grew.
"Since when were you so smooth?" she said.
"I'm not that same general studies student you met in your third year"
"True" mina got off Izuku'sbody, sitting on her knees "seems like a while ago".
"Well it was nearly what, 9 years ago" said Izuku he gave a slight chuckle as he remembered so of his UA days "I was so negative back then. I'd still be like that if it wasn't for you."
"Don't be so dismissive of yourself. you were already getting better, I just noticed you when you were beginning your way up." Said Mina "remember when you were in second year-."
"Oh God, I had problems" he interrupted.
"And you beat up Aoyama in the sports festival like that was brutal, shame what happened to him" her smile grew melancholy as she recalled the memory of his betrayal soon before the villain incursion and how he had mauled Hagakure with his laser to attempt to keep his secret before being uncovered by Bloodhound. Just another victim of that cursed mha year. Still, she was glad to have survived.
"Yeah, shame what happened, seemed like a good guy, I guess fear will make you do things." Izuku said with a pause. "I wanted to get far so they'd consider me for the hero course, that never came". Eraserhead barred me from competing in the third year. I was so pissed about that but looking back he was probably helping me out. If I even tried doing some of the things you do I'd be dead, plus let me find my true love"
"Oh yeah" said Mina pausing for a second "forgot to ask how'd the match go"
"Good, got put through a table but not injured, the crowd seemed happy." Izuku said "also I love sitting on the floor but I'm starving." He raised off the floor. "Anything leftover," he said, approaching the fridge.
"There is some Kusudo from last night, you can have that if you want" Mina rose from the floor and moved onto the sofa where she had been watching TV, sitting cross legged she went back to channel surfing. Izuku placed the leftover in the microwave and hit the power button
"So, how was work?" asked Izuku, leaning on the counter as he waited.
"Busy, super busy" respond the pink skinned girl "but whenever is it not. First was patrol, nothing major, just some minor teenagers breaking quirk usage laws. Then it was lunch before having to stop a robbery getaway, had to stop several mugging in the district, as well as stopping a drug sale after we got a tip off from the police and finally there was a traffic pile up at an intersection after a super villain, being chased by lord explosion, activated his quirk and short circuit all the traffic lights. We ended up having to cut out people trapped in their cars. Urakra was there too, helping remove vehicles. Bakugo didn't stay to help, he had other villains to chase."
"Doesn't surprise me" said Izuku "how is he now"
"Still the same prick and bully from before UA, I heard from Toru at lunch that pros hate working with him, his agency constantly is struggling to hire sidekicks due to his reputation" Mina paused "why do ask, don't you hate the guy, I certainly would if he did the things he did to you to me." The microwave beeped and izuku removed the bowl, walking to the sofa.
"I don't hate him, I just miss the old katchan. But I have no interest in talking to him again, it sickens me he was able to live as a hero with everything he's done." He sat down on the sofa, placing his bowl on the floor, leaning on the sofa's armrest and putting his feet on Minas crossed legs. She smiled as she leaded back into the cushion having finally decided to look at what was on Netflix. "Anyway, enough about him, how's Toru doing? She handling hero agency work well."
"Yeah she's finished training under rag doll, it's been a struggle since she lost her leg to Ayoma. I thought after that night she would never return to herself. It was pretty horrible when she was told she couldn't be a hero again. Still she seems to have moved on. I'm sure she would rather be on patrol but she's happy at the desk. She was gossiping about Momo's recent retirement from heroism. I knew she wouldn't last. She got stuck into doing advertisements rather than actually doing hero work. Still apparently she's moving out and going into hiding, to stay out of the public eye or that's what Toru got from Jirou. But yeah Toru happy doing something she didn't she'd do"
"Got to deal with the cards life gave you," said Izuku. Mina turned to him
"You wished you were a hero." She asked "if you could, would you, your mum showed me your baby photos. It's a big part of you since you were young" she paused, considering her words "I guess what am I saying are you happy doing wrestling and not being a hero. Or if you could redo it all again would you take that option."
"I always choose this path," said Izuku without hesitation. Mina was about to ask a question but Izuku continued "let me explain. While yes when I was young I always wanted to be a hero I've changed from that kid. I'm still me but I've changed. I chased the dream for years but I guess I realised that doing a certain profession does not define me as a person. I've accepted that I could never be a hero, what am I going to do against some one who could fly or shot lasers, but I've accepted that and I've moved on I can't wallow in what could have been it's part of growing up. Again I've changed, my needs and self have changed. I may not help people by beating up villains or saving people from burning buildings but if I make just one person happy by going through that table, if someone smiles at being entertained then I'm satisfied, you don't need to worry if I'm unhappy." He smiled looking into his partner black iris, he looked happily lost in them, the look of unabashed caring made Mina's cheeks flare up red. "Also if I went down a different path I would have never met you and that's any reason to stay on this path." Mina's cheeks looked almost crimson but she smiled widely and leaned over kissing Izuku straight on the lips. They broke apart and she smiled again.
"Real smooth, mister."
"Only for you" said Izuku
"So i guess that's an answer" she mumbled as she snuggled closer to him. "How you feeling that table must have hurt, I still think your job is more dangerous than mine, at least I'm taught not to take hits."
"The table is cheap, it's like going through cardboard and there were no stiff shots so I'm fine. Also I'm moving up the card" said Izuku
"Really? What they got planned"
"I picking up the championship in two weeks, the boss got an angle to push Taski told me about post-match"
"I wish hero ratings worked like that" said Mina, Izuku chuckled before looking at the Netflix home page on the tv screen.
"You going to put something on" said Izuku leaning over to pick up his bowl
"You want to watch something" responded Mina
"No, nothing really desperate I want to watch, you want to watch anything" said Izuku
"Yes"
"Is it alien"
"Yes, you don't mind, do you, we've probably watched the first and second ones more than ten times."
"If it's with you I could watch alien resurrection for years" she giggled at his comment before giving him another small kiss on the lips.
"Love you" she said
"Why you say that right now"
"Cause I wanted to" she responded
"I love you too," Izuku said, giving her another kiss before breaking apart "now come on put the film or we'll never finish it tonight."