Warning! The end of this chapter deals with sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.

Loathe as he was to admit it, the job he loved so much could feel like it was a bit too much at times. It made the times when he could just go home and relax all the more enjoyable.

And it was a sentiment shared by the others as well.

Izuku found himself entering his agency's lounge area with a sigh of relief. He couldn't even be bothered with replacing his hero costume with more casual clothes at this moment, the call of a comfy chair was overpowering everything else at this moment. Even then, he would never just toss aside his costume. After all, it was made just for him.

With a design inspired by All Might, though many called it a rip-off, save for the different colors, it was something he cherished. Unlike his icon's most iconic look, his costume had shades of green, black, and white. And of course, his red shoes to bring it all together. Those were the most important bits.

Finally relaxing in the chair that called to him like a siren, he let out another sigh of relief. He could probably fall asleep in this chair right now if he wanted, but he knew that he couldn't. He shouldn't.

After all, the others should be arriving just about-

"Hey Deku!"

"Hello Izuku."

-right now.

He moved his head to the side to see both Ochako and Asia approaching, each dressed in their own hero costumes, and both looking as tired as he felt. Asia was dressed in her nun clothes, repurposed as a hero costume, with light changes made to help improve her movements, including it being less billowy than before.

Though he didn't remember it exposing as much cleavage before.

Maybe he had just forgotten.

Ochako meanwhile, wore a pink sleeveless bodysuit, with matching light pink elbow-length gloves and knee-high boots. A small pink cape was draped around her waist, held together by a black belt with a logo made of her initials, while a larger white cape lay buttoned to the top of her bodysuit.

It was a simple costume, but Ochako wore it with pride.

And he couldn't deny that he thought she looked beautiful in it.

The two barely made their way closer to him before two more walked through the doorway. Both Yumi and Koneko looked about as tired as the rest of them, though there was no small amount of pride on their faces as they moved through the room, their deeds as heroes having saved several lives today.

Yumi had decided to take her status as a Knight to a slightly more literal level, her hero costume consisting of a set of knight's armor plating over a durable skin-tight bodysuit. She had just hung up her helmet before walking into the room.

Koneko, on the other hand, preferred a far simpler approach to her hero costume, keeping it more as a white karate gi with small bits of black around it. The only other parts of her attire consisted of light but comfortable shoes that fit the aesthetic of her gi, and some lightly padded gloves that she wore on her hands.

"Good afternoon Izuku."

"Hey."

Tired as he felt, he couldn't stop a smile from blooming on his face at the sight of his friends. It had certainly been a long road, with more than its share of bumps, but they had all graduated from U.A. as full fledged heroes.

He was still surprised that they had all wanted to open up an agency with him though. Not that it took long for them to convince him, given how well they had all worked together for years, plus the fact that most of them were part of the same peerage.

Speaking of which, there were still two more that had yet to return.

"Welcome back Izu."

Speak of the Devil…

Why yes, he was proud of that little pun thank you.

Both Rias and Akeno walked into the lounge with a relaxed manner that belied their own tiredness. Akeno had taken after the R-Rated Hero Midnight for her hero costume, having a very form-fitting suit that left little to the imagination, with many people calling it little more than a skimpy swimsuit with elbow length arm guards patterned after crow wings with matching leggings. It just barely skirted the line of the skin exposure law, but she never seemed to mind all that much.

She also clearly enjoyed strutting about while wearing it in front of him, something he never really found himself objecting to.

Rias was the only one not dressed in any hero costume, her only attire being a professional business suit. She was the one mainly behind all the business behind their little agency, so it made sense that she was in what she described as her other hero suit after all.

Izuku found it somewhat odd that none of them had said so much as a word after their initial greeting to him, but he merely chalked that up to them all simply being as tired as he felt, simply ready to rest for the remainder of the day with each other. It would certainly explain the way they were all slowly approaching him with tired but joyous grind at least.

Strangely though, once the girls began closing in on him, everything around him seemed to shift. What was once a lounge in a hero agency had changed into what seemed like a mixture between his apartment building and the clubroom from U.A., and where once there were multiple girls before, now there were only three.

Rias, Ochako, and Asia now surrounded him on one of the sofas from the club room, each one with their arms wrapped around him, holding him close. It was an odd sensation, but one he felt himself leaning into. It hadn't been the first time the three of them had done something like this after all, and it was just nice to lie back and relax together.

Right?

This was normal, wasn't it?

The more he thought about it, the more he began to realize the truth.

'I'm dreaming again.'

He would certainly never admit it to them, but it had not been the first time he'd had a dream such as this. Dreams where they were all heroes were incredibly common. Sometimes even Kacchan and RinRin were there. But many times, much like this one, he would always end up cuddling close to his friends.

Mainly the three currently around him.

At the very least, he could enjoy it for just a little longer.

Why did he suddenly hear wedding bells?

He knew that dreams could be strange. He had definitely had his share of odd ones throughout his life, but the sudden shift to what appeared to be a chapel. Bells were chiming through the air as a tune he had heard before began to play. Surrounding him now was a small crowd of people, faces passing by in a blur too quick for him to recognize any of them.

Was he at a wedding? Whose was it? Why did his dream go from being with his friends he liked a lot to suddenly being in a chapel?

And why was he suddenly wearing a white tuxedo?

"I still can't believe my baby's getting married!"

The sound of his mom's voice caught his attention. She was currently seated at one of the pews of the chapel, dressed in a blue gown he had remembered seeing her wear once before, though he couldn't recall when. Seated next to her was his father, wearing a yellow suit that many would describe as tacky, comforting her as she sobbed joyfully into his arms.

Wait a minute. Was he getting married!?

"Oh! I hope his first baby is a girl!"

This…this was too much!

He couldn't get married now! There was still so much he wanted to do before then! Besides, who would ever want to marry him?

"Izu, please stop fidgeting."

He recognized that voice in a heartbeat.

Rias was there at his side, bouquet in hand, dressed in a wedding dress of pure white, looking every bit as extravagant as even the most beautiful of models. The smile on her face was enough to get his heart to beat harder as the blood rushed up to his face, and before he even knew it, she had her arm wrapped around his, her smile growing ever wider in pure delight.

"I know you're nervous Izu, I am too. But right now, let's just bask in the moment."

Rias?

He was getting married to Rias!?

Before he could even begin to question it, he found himself being walked down the aisle, the gazes of multiple eyes following them as they moved closer to the altar. He saw many of his fellow students from Aldera at the event, most of them looking as bewildered by this as he felt. Even Yumi, Koneko, and Akeno were in the crowd, each beautiful in their own way in their bridesmaids gowns.

"Do you, Midoriya Izuku, take this woman, * * as your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, to comfort her, and to keep her for better or worse…?"

This dream was just getting weirder. Why was the priest unable to say Rias' name?

"Izuku. I had dreamed of this day for so long now. I can hardly believe it's actually happening!"

That…

That voice did not belong to Rias.

Next to him now was the blushing form of Asia. Her own dress was different from Rias', being of simpler make and design, but he found himself unable to look away regardless. Her own face was just as red as his, but the smile she held put Rias' to shame.

But where did she come from? And where was Rias? Wasn't he getting married to her?

"You may now kiss the bride."

The priest's words grabbed his attention for only a second, but when he looked back to Asia, the veil had appeared over her face, somehow being opaque enough to shield her from view.

This was what he had to do right? Lift the bride's veil and cement it all with a kiss?

Why was he having a dream like this?

As he brought his hands to the veil, he was gifted with another surprise as he lifted it up to see his bride's face.

"Deku…I'm so happy. I get to spend the rest of my life with you"

And it was now Ochako's.

Her own dress had been the simplest of the three, resembling what one might think of as one of the most basic of wedding dresses, but like with the others, he couldn't tear his eyes away from her, her beautiful face sending his heart a flutter. Her own face was every bit as red as his own, but the sheer joy on her face as he felt himself leaning down outside of his own control was enough for him to barely notice.

As his face moved further down to have his lips meet her own, the scene around him shifted again, his face crashing head first into a soft fabric. He was now in what looked like a hotel room, but a single look showed that it was not the usual kind one would spend their time in. A combination of red and pink covered the walls and sheets of the bed, and a clearly soft looking rug lying on the floor.

As he stared around to look at what was clearly a room at a love hotel, he heard noise coming from the bathroom. A distinctly feminine voice was humming to herself, one he recognized as belonging to Rias.

He found himself being more and more confused. What was happening? Where were Asia and Ochako? Didn't they get married? How did they all just replace each other like that?

And was he really about to…?

"Izuku"

His head shot up at the sound of Rias' voice, having stepped out of the bathroom while wearing less than what she had been earlier. A set of lingerie was all but draped around her voluptuous body, hugging each part of her form in ways that made his blood run hot. He could already feel the blood surging downward, the sight of Rias wearing so little, despite him having seen her in nothing at all, excited him greatly.

"Are you ready for this?"

Her question was asked in a sultry tone, one that left his throat feeling dry, only leaving him able to nod dumbly as she began to approach with a grin.

But as she did so, everything shifted again.

And once more, Rias had been replaced by Asia. Lingerie and all.

She was still approaching him, just as Rias was, but there was a clear amount of hesitation in her stride, her face the same shade of crimson as Rias' hair. Nevertheless, she still had that same joyous smile on her face, just as she had at the wedding.

"I'm…I'm nervous Izuku. But…we can both help each other with this. I know we can."

He was unable to reply as she reached him, her hands reaching down to remove his jacket as she stared him directly in the eye. Once his chest had been stripped bare, Asia had gently laid herself down against him, practically straddling his waist as the two now lay in bed facing each other.

As she began leaning her hands down to cup his face, reality shifted once more.

And once more, Ochako now stood in Asia's place.

"I…I still can't believe this is happening," she said as she cupped both hands to his face, making sure to keep her pinkies from touching him to avoid him floating away. He could feel his heart begin to throb more and more at the sensation of her fingers, the little pads at the end of each one having a softness that differed from the rest of her touch. "B-but, we can get through this. All of us. Step by step."

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Did she just say 'all of us'?

Before he could fully register her words, reality began to shift again. Ochako had been replaced by Rias, who would once again be replaced by Asia, and so on. Sometimes their appearance would mix, leading to the sight of Rias with blonde hair, Ochako with Rias' measurements, Asia with Ochako's hairstyle, before finally, everything seemed to settle.

Only now, he had three incredibly beautiful women pinning him to a now much larger bed.

"Izu."

"Izuku."

"Deku."

Each of them whispered his name in such loving tones, somehow staying in sync as they all reached down to cup his face, their faces leaning forward, eyes shut, and lips puckered up to begin their night.

And then he found himself rolling out of bed.

He winced as he rubbed at his now sore head, having landed on it when he fell. That had…certainly been a more interesting dream than what he was used to.

And it certainly didn't help that a certain part of him did not seem to want him to forget it.

"Well. Looks like you were enjoying yourself there."

And Ddraig had known all about it.

At least the blood was rushing to another part of his body now.

Ignoring the dragon's chuckles as he shuffled over to the bathroom, noting that it was still relatively early in the morning, he found himself thinking back to the last several weeks since attaining One For All.

It was more difficult trying to adjust his body to it than he first expected, especially since his first experience with it had nearly killed him. But it was clear that the power was great, too great for him to use safely without breaking himself, even with all the work he had put into making sure that he was ready.

After his near death experience, which he couldn't help but notice was his second one in less than a year, Rias, All Might and Recovery Girl had talked with each other to try and think of a plan to help him get his body used to the power. It had helped when he described what it had felt like as it exploded from his finger, being similar to an egg being cooked for too long in a microwave until it exploded.

For some reason, All Might had found that humorous.

But both he and Rias had told him to hold onto that image in his mind, but to make sure the egg didn't explode. Recovery Girl found the idea to have merit, but pointed out the fact that, unlike with the microwave, the energy was coming from within threatening to break out, not being brought in from the outside and forcing energy inside of him. She advised getting his body more used to the power within, by summoning it forth and keeping it there, letting his body become used to something that hadn't been there before.

Because therein lied another problem.

Due to him being quirkless all his life, his body had never known anything like a quirk. Like with his abilities as a Devil, it was something his body would need to accustom to, like breaking in a new pair of shoes.

He was hoping that he would be able to do more than that, and it was clear that Recovery Girl recognized this, telling him that time was on his side right now, as it was still three months before U.A.'s entrance exams.

Until then, he was stuck at either one hundred percent or zero.

Ddraig had thankfully been able to help a little, having Izuku meditate to try and get his body used to his new quirk faster, hoping to make it feel as natural to him as breathing. It hadn't helped as much as he'd hoped, but they were at least able to make progress.

Enough progress for him to want to give using One For All again.

Once Recovery Girl caught wind of it though, she had put her foot down on what she thought of that.

Or rather, put her cane down. On his head. Repeatedly.

She flat out told him that breaking himself to try and master One For All quicker wouldn't help anyone, asking him what he would do once he would end up breaking his limbs like he had done with his finger.

Apparently, answering that he would go to either her or Asia was the wrong answer.

She admonished him for thinking of the two like that, especially Asia. Recovery Girl's quirk only worked by using the body's own energy to accelerate the healing process. And, despite Asia's protestations, there was no guarantee that Twilight Healing would be able to heal his shattered bones correctly. Bones, once broken or shattered, needed to be set correctly before healing could begin, or they would never heal right at all, which could lead to his limbs no longer functioning as they used to, possibly no longer functioning altogether.

Such news was a shock to them all, especially to Asia, who was close to tears as she realized what she could have potentially done. She would never want her power to hurt any of her friends, but the thought of something like that happening to him nearly shattered her. Recovery Girl was quick to apologize to the younger girl, letting her know that her heart is most definitely in the right place, and that, if she wanted, the heroine could help the young Devil learn more about these things so as to avoid anything like that from happening.

She accepted, but it was made clear to her that her studies at school still came first, so she would have to wait until making it into U.A., something the heroine seemed sure she would make it into.

Everyone was accepting of her decision, even All Might, though Izuku couldn't help but feel disappointed. He had hoped to be able to use One For All as swiftly as possible, but the deck seemed to be stacked against him in this. If he needed to, he would be able to utilize the power of the Boosted Gear, but for now, One For All was simply a last resort. At least until he was able to get used to it.

He hoped that he would be able to regulate the power sooner rather than later though.

Something he couldn't help but notice though, as the weeks passed and December arrived, was that Rias was becoming more and more distant, sometimes not even arriving to their daily training sessions, with just him and Asia there. There was no hiding it from the others either, as each of them had noticed, and even tried talking with Rias about it.

She continued to insist that she was fine though, the smile she would paint on her face looking so forced that it actually hurt to look at. One day, before breaking off to do their summons, Akeno had point blank tried to ask her just what it was that was bothering her. Rias looked close to breaking down at that point, her lips beginning to quiver as their eyes were glued to her, but she remained as tight-lipped as before. In the days following that, he had tried talking with her about it as well, but no matter what he did, she would always try and veer the conversation away, not wanting to speak of it at all.

He had ended up discussing it with each member of the peerage after that, even managing to speak with Sona thanks to Ochako's help, but nothing seemed to get Rias to speak up about what was bothering her.

He was beginning to wonder if anything would get her to open up and talk about whatever it was that had her like this.

And then he remembered.

Dinner at his house.

They had all agreed to this weeks ago, before he had even attained One For All, before Rias had begun to withdraw into herself more and more.

He wondered, even hoped, that something like this would help her to relax, and maybe, just maybe, finally let them all know what had her so down.


It was safe to say, he was extremely nervous about this.

While yes, Rias had been over before, several times as a matter of fact, this would be the first time so many people would be inside the apartment at once since Kacchan and RinRin still lived in the city. Unfortunately, there wasn't much he could do to try and lessen his nerves about it as the day grew closer and closer, until it had finally arrived.

Inko had made certain to have her children help her to get the apartment spotless in preparation before leaving to grab enough groceries. She had also told them that they would also need to be cleaned up for this. After all, they were having guests over. It just wouldn't be right to look unkempt in front of them.

That was at least several hours ago, with Izuku having finally finished cleaning up the kitchen area, leaving it as spick and spam as he could make it. The cleaning had helped to take his mind away from his nervousness over so many of his friends coming over, even if just for a little while at least. All that was really left for him to do was clean himself up.

Making his way over to the bathroom, towel in hand, Izuku began slowly stripping himself down, ready to hop into the shower. He hadn't seen Asia in a little while, but he did hear a door open and close, so he at least figured that she had decided to go and get some things herself. He could be done in a flash, and then she would be able to get herself cleaned up.

As he removed his boxers, leaving him bare to the world in the sanctity of his own home, Izuku opened the bathroom door.

Only to come face to face with a naked Asia.

"I-Izuku?"

His entire body froze at the sight of her, and his face began to light up like the night sky once he heard her utter his name.

"KYAHHHH!"

It was hard to tell who shrieked louder as the two turned away from each other, their hands and arms quick to give themselves as much cover as possible.

"I'm so sorry!" Izuku yelled out, doing everything he could to keep the blood from rushing down to where he knew she would see it. "I should've knocked first!"

"No! I'm sorry!" Asia yelled back, one arm draped in front of her breasts as the other covered her lower regions. 'I saw it again…' she thought of herself with a brush before speaking up again. "This is all my fault!"

"I…I…," he struggled to even think of what to say right now. This was the second time he had caught sight of her like this, and his body and mind refused to let him forget it. "I'll…I'll just g-go and wait for you to finish."

"Wait! No, you don't have to go. I told you, this is my fault. I should have remembered Japanese bathing customs more."

"Huh?" He turned to face her in pure shock, only to turn away when he was reminded of why he had turned away in the first place. "B-b-bathing customs?"

"Yes," she said, a slight tremble in her voice. "I've read that, here in Japan, bathing together can help bring people closer together, and…um," she said, her voice beginning to tremble more as she began to fidget in place. "I…I was wondering if that was something you'd l-like to do? With me?"

Much as he tried to stop himself, he ended up staring back at her in complete surprise. Was she actually asking him to do this? Bathe? With her? Both of them? While naked?

Wasn't all this happening a little too fast?

He wanted to say no.

He knew that he should say no.

As much as he knew his eyes would continuously be drawn to her naked form, he needed to say no.

But as he looked her dead in the eye, he could see that it looked like she wanted him to say yes.

Before he knew what was happening, the two of them had ended up in the shower together, both facing away from each other as the water cascaded down their bodies. Both were thankful that the shower was just large enough for them to both fit in comfortably, despite the current awkward feelings they were experiencing.

Izuku knew that he found Asia attractive, that dream he'd had the night before was proof enough, and it hadn't even been the first one he'd had of her like that. And not only her, but pretty much all of his new friends had appeared in his dreams at some point, sometimes dressed like how she, Ochako and Rias had been near its end, and just as often wearing significantly less. It had become a rather common occurrence after what had happened in the forest with the Slime creature, and they often varied in intensity. He had wondered if it was because of him being a Devil now, or if it was just thanks to puberty.

For all he knew, it could even be both..

Asia herself was going through a similar problem. She knew just what she thought about Izuku. He had been the first real friend she had ever had. Someone who had fought to protect her. Had almost gotten killed to do so. And while Rias may have been the one to suggest it, he had still decided to let her live with him in his home. He had shared a secret that anyone else would have taken to the grave with them, even if it had been with all of his friends instead of just her.

And she knew that she had found him incredibly attractive.

Or…what was the word Aika used again?

Hot?

She supposed that word could fit. Hot meant attractive right?. She certainly found him very attractive, both physically and spiritually. He seemed like such a pure soul, despite being a Devil.

And she couldn't get the image of his…his…

She couldn't stop thinking about what she saw in the forest. Knowing what she knew now about human anatomy, she knew that he had gotten that way after seeing all of them in a similar state.

It was…oddly flattering.

Though she definitely felt conflicted over it. These feelings went against everything she had learned while she lived at the Vatican. Thoughts like those were sinful, and shouldn't be given the time of day, no matter how much she wished to focus on them.

But as much as either teen knew that they enjoyed the sight of the other in the buff, neither felt like they could speak to the other about it, simply showering in silence, hoping that one or the other would say something, anything, to break the awkward silence.

"Izuku," Asia began, being the first to break the silence, taking him by surprise. "Do you think Rias is all right?"

"Huh?"

"It's just…she doesn't even seem like she wants to talk to any of us anymore. We barely see her at the club room anymore, and she's never even at our training sessions now. I just…was it something we did? Is she ashamed of us somehow?"

"Of course not," he rounded about, turning to face her without thinking about her naked body at all. "You and I have known her long enough to know that she wouldn't turn her back on us. She's supported us every step of the way for months now."

"Then why?" She turned to face him, all thoughts of embarrassment at him seeing her naked body tossed to the side as she stared him in the eye, the falling water hiding the tears that had begun to fall. "Why is she pushing herself away from us?"

"I don't know," he admitted with a small sigh. He wanted to know what it was that was bothering just as much as Asia did, but all his attempts had ended up fruitless. "But, no matter what's going on with her, we're going to help her. And not because we're her servants, but because we're her friends. If she needs our help, then we can't just leave her alone with whatever she's going through."

Asia stared at him in awe before a smile took over her face, her tears slowing their fall. "You're right. We'll be there for her no matter what."

He couldn't help but smile back in return, his mood having been lightened from before.

"Thank you Izuku," she told him as she began lathering up shampoo in her hands. "I needed to hear that. Now, should I begin washing your back?"

"Huh?"

Did she really just ask him that?

"Is something wrong?" She began blinking confusedly as she raised her hands up higher, no longer seeming to mind that she was naked in front of him. "I've heard that this is a thing men and women do in this country when they're bathing together."

'WHO'S TEACHING HER THESE THINGS!?'

He turned away from her in complete embarrassment, hoping to hide the evidence of his growing arousal, not just at the sight he knew was there, but also from her proposal. He didn't need her to see that and start tallying about other things men and women would do together like this. Could things even get any worse?

"Izuku? Asia? I'm home."

The voice of his mother was enough to let him know that it could indeed get worse.

There was no way he could let her see them both like this! Who knows what she would say!

"INEEDTOLEAVENOWASIA!"

"Izuku? Wait-EEK!"

In his haste to try and leave, he ended up slipping, Asia having grabbed onto him before he could leave. Crashing onto the floor with a loud thud, Izuku noticed an odd feeling. Two very soft feelings on his chest. And another one near his…

He opened his eyes, having closed them at the point of impact, and saw Asia had landed on top of him, her chest aligned with his, and his very much engorged organ was trapped against her…

Asia had clearly felt it as well, given how much her eyes had widened.

"Did something happen? Are you all…right…?"

He didn't think it could be worse before. Now he knew for a fact that it could, given how his mother had gone wide-eyed and red faced at the sight. Two teenagers, both naked, straddled against each other with the water in the shower still running. Her eyes locked with their own, their faces turning beet red, the steam from the hot water masking the steam escaping from their ears.

After what felt like an eternity, Inko finally turned away from them, moving outside of the room before closing the door ever so slightly. "Um…," she began, filling the two teens with no small amount of dread. "If…if you two are going to get involved with each other like that, just…just be sure to use protection alright?"

"MOM!"

"I'm not ready to be a grandmother yet, okay!"


After that rather mortifying incident, both Izuku and Asia had finished cleaning up, having gotten dressed up in nice clothes then their more casual wear after dinner had been fully prepared, only waiting now for their guests to arrive. Having been told by his mother that a suit wouldn't actually be necessary, Izuiu had dressed himself in a white button-up t-shirt along with black slacks. Asia had dressed up a bit more than that, wearing a yellow sundress that went past her knees.

They fortunately didn't have to wait too long, not wanting to think about Inko finding them the way she did anymore than they already had, before hearing a knock on the door.

Yumi was the first to walk in, followed closely by Koneko. Yumi had worn a knee length light-blue dress with lace sleeves that just barely met her elbows, along with white leggings with matching high-heeled shoes, giving her a bit more to her already impressive height.

Koneko, meanwhile, was dressed a bit more casually, wearing a long-sleeved white blouse with a black vest over it, along with a red skirt and similar leggings to Yumi. Though unlike the taller blonde, the white haired girl was not wearing high-heels, instead wearing more comfortable looking white loafers.

"Hello Mrs Midoriya," Yumi greeted with a slight bow. "My name is Kiba Yumi."

"Toujou Koneko."

"It's lovely to meet you two in person," Inko replied, a small smile on her face. Even with Asia having moved in, along with Rias' occasional visits, it had felt like half a lifetime had passed since she had invited her son's friends over for dinner. Though, this time it would be for a bit more than simply two. "Why don't you two come in? Dinner should be ready shortly."

The two girls obliged, walking into the Midoriya apartment as Inko began setting cups of tea before them, with more ready for their upcoming guests. Both couldn't help but notice that, despite this being their first time visiting, the apartment had a rather comfortable air to it. It almost felt like they had gone home rather than to another place. It didn't take long for the two of them to make themselves comfortable, having a seat in the living room across from both Asia and Izuku.

"Your home is rather nice" Yumi said to them, looking around the room with a soft smile, looking as though all she wanted right now was to take it all in.

"Thank you," Asia said with a similar smile.

"We did everything we could to make it spotless for tonight," Izuku said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"You missed a spot," Koneko said, lazily pointing at the table before them.

"I did!? Where is it? I'll get it cleaned up!" Izuku looked over the table, searching for whatever spot Koneko saw that he had missed, but he couldn't find anything. The table was completely clean.

"Gotcha."

Izuku looked back up to see Koneko with a small mischievous smile on her face, looking proud of herself for getting one over on him. He couldn't help but chuckle, something he heard Asia and Yumi do as well.

She certainly wasn't the first person to get him with that trick. It felt kind of nostalgic.

Before he could think more on it, another knock echoed throughout the apartment.

Ochako was the next one to walk through the door, clearly looking somewhat anxious as she entered, dressed in a light pink blouse, black skirt and white leggings, and a pair of black shoes.

"Hey Uraraka," Izuku greeted, a bright smile on his face. "Good to see you!"

"Um, h-hey Deku," Ochako said with a slight stutter. This was the first time she had ever been over to a boy's house before. Even though she knew the others would be there with her, it still felt a little odd.

'Deku?' Inko thought to herself, a nostalgic smile beginning to bloom. 'I didn't think I'd hear that nickname again. Not in the way she said it.' "You're Uraraka Ochako, aren't you? I'm Midoriya Inko, Izuku's mother. He and Asia have spoken highly of you."

"They-they have?"

"They really have. I'm happy to know that my kids have made such a wonderful friend."

It wasn't long before the two began chatting earnestly, all of Ochako's earlier anxiety having left her as she continued to speak with the older woman. Izuku couldn't stop himself from grinning as he watched the two hit it off so well, absent-mindedly moving his hand towards one of the cups of tea on the table, before he felt it brush against another.

When he looked to see whose hand it was, never saw Asia's equally surprised face staring back at him. The events of earlier flashed in their minds before they turned away from each other, faces red.

Both hoped that no one had noticed.

"Are you two alright?"

Damn.

Yumi looked confused and slightly concerned at the two, studying their faces closely. "I don't see how your faces could be so red after brushing your hands against each other. Did something happen?"

Her innocent question had managed to capture everyone else's attention, with both Koneko and Ochako looking at the two quizzically. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a light smirk begin to snake its way onto his mom's face.

She wouldn't.

Would she?

"Well…" she began, her smirk becoming slightly larger.

She would.

He desperately wished he could disappear into the couch cushions right now.

"It may have something to do with me catching them in the shower earlier," Inko said, her smirk never fading as she began sipping her tea, ignoring the shocked looks on the other girl's faces.

"You…Deku…Asia… shower…huh?" Ochako stammered out, her mind going into overdrive as her face reddened more and more, before it matched both Izuku's and Asia's. Her heart began to hammer faster and faster in her chest, and she did her best to ignore the creeping envy she felt for Asia at that moment. Asia, meanwhile, had covered her own face in pure embarrassment, hoping desperately to shut out everything at that moment.

Yumi had simply gone wide-eyed at the news. She knew that the two were close, but she never imagined that their relationship had progressed that far. To think that their friendship had grown to the point where they could bathe together like that. She wondered if the same could happen to her.

Koneko simply narrowed her eyes at the two. 'Perverts.'

Izuku wondered if it could possibly get any worse.

Then another knock echoed in their ears.

Akeno had walked in, a smile on her face as usual, as she wore a dark purple strapless dress along with matching high-heels. Though once she got a view of Asia's still covered face, along with the still red Izuku and still sputtering Ochako, her smile grew into more of a predatory smirk.

"My my," she began as she made her way over to the couch. "Did I miss anything fun?"

After introductions were made, Inko was quick to inform her of what she had told the others, leading Akeno to adopt a false look of shock, the hand to her mouth doing nothing to hide her amusement.

"My my! I never thought our cute little Asia and our sweet little Deku would be so bold," she exclaimed, an air of theatrics clear in her voice as the two somehow went even more red in the face then before. "Though if you would have asked, I would have scrubbed your back for you Deku ," she finished with a flirtatious wink, surprising Inko as her children began sinking into the sofa even more.

Despite the awkwardness, Akeno was able to strike up a conversation with Inko rather quickly, complimenting her on her lovely home. It seemed that everyone wished to put what had just happened behind them as quickly as possible, Ochako being the most desperate outside of both Asia and Izuku to change the subject when Akeno brought it up again.

Before too long however, one final knock came from the door. Rias had walked through, wearing a more simple ensemble than her Queen, as her attire consisted of a pure white blouse and red skirt, one that extended to just above the knee along with a simple pair of black shoes. Like Akeno, she too bore a smile as she walked further in, greeting everyone as though it were simply another day in the clubroom.

But Izuku noticed that something felt off. She may have been smiling again, but it almost looked like she was forcing it onto herself. It was almost like a twisted mockery of the Rias he had come to know.

He could only hope that she would open up during dinner, even if just a little bit.


As everyone ate, the dinner began to become a more lively affair than expected, with everyone complimenting Inko on the food. She had a light dusting of red on her cheeks as she waved the compliments off, before revealing to them that Asia had actually helped her prepare the meal.

"I had no idea you could cook Asia!" Ochako exclaimed as she took another bite.

"I-um…I guess I never thought it was important?" Asia replied, twirling her chopsticks into her food as her cheeks lit up from the praise. "While I was at the Vatican, I just decided to start cooking for myself one day. It took a bit of time, but before long, I was making each of my meals by myself."

"It seems our Asia is a woman of many talents," Akeno smiled, causing the blonde girl to blush harder.

"She never should have had to learn that on her own," Izuku heard his mother mumble. She sounded upset about it, and also…bitter? "So what about the rest of you?" She had changed her tone before Izuku could think harder about it, her gaze locked onto their visitors. "I know that both my children want to go to U.A., but do you all want to do the same?"

"Actually, I'm already attending U.A.," Akeno replied, wiping some Stray food off her face with a napkin. "Rias and I are in the same year, though I'm a General Studies student instead of being in the Business Course."

"I see," Inko replied as she began moving for another bite of food. "I never would have guessed that you and her were in the same year, Himejima."

"We had both already decided on where we wished to go during our last year of Middle School, and I can't really say that I regret my decision," Akeno replied, taking a sip of water. "I'm aware that many go to U.A. to try and make it as a hero, but it simply didn't feel right for me."

"It's the same with me," Yumi said, her usual smile stamped on her face as she spoke up. "Though I decided to attend General Studies simply because I have no desire to be a hero."

"Ah," Inko said. She inwardly admitted to herself that it felt odd to hear something like that from the two of them. She thought back to the days when Izuku was younger, and all she heard him and his little friends say is just how much they wanted to be heroes. Part of her, even after everything Rias had done to help, didn't want either of her children to be involved in such a dangerous job, knowing that a hero's life could be snuffed out in an instant.

But she knew that she had to let them do it. Everyone had their reasons for choosing what they wanted to do, just like Yumi and Akeno. After everything her son had gone through, she could never truly deny him the chance to pursue his dream.

"I still feel kind of nervous," Asia said, breaking Inko from her musings. She saw her daughter looking slightly uncomfortable as she sat beside her, looking so small even compared to Koneko. "I don't think my quirk is strong enough to help me be a hero."

"Don't be like that Asia," Ochako interrupted.

"Yeah. Your quirk is amazing. You could connect your mind to people who could be trapped under rubble to help find them," Izuku said, wanting to cheer her up. "I told you before, your quirk is a lot like Mandalay's, and she's an awesome hero!"

"Izuku," Asia whispered, a smile blooming on her face.

"He's right, Asia," Inko said, happy to see her son cheer the smaller blonde up. "I'm sure that you could be a great hero. And I'm guessing that you'll be going for the Hero course to Miss Uraraka."

"Yup! Sure am!," Ochako responded with a cheerful smile. "I've been working my butt off to get into the Hero Course! I want to help as many people as I can, just like 13!"

"That sounds wonderful dear," Inko said, happy to know more about her children's friends. They were all clearly good people. "How about you?" She asked as she turned to face Koneko. "Are you thinking about applying to the Hero Course too?"

Koneko paused before dabbing at her food with her utensil. She seemed to be deep in thought before speaking up.

"Actually? I have been giving it some thought."

Her words came off as surprising to everyone, none more so than Yumi and Rias, who stared at her in complete shock. Izuku was just as stumped as they were. In all the time he had known Koneko, he had never once heard her talk about wanting to be a hero.

"Really Koneko?" Yumi was the first to break the silence, trying to regain a bit of composure. "This is the first I've heard you talk about this."

"I've been giving it some thought," the smaller white haired girl said, facing Yumi before turning to lock eyes with Izuku. "With all the times I heard you go on about wanting to be a hero, I didn't think much of it at first. It just didn't seem appealing to me. But… the more I've gotten to know you, and seeing how much you and Uraraka did to help Asia, I've been wondering if I was wrong about it."

Her eyes moved over to both Ochako and Asia as she spoke before moving back to Izuku. "I'm not sure if I'm right for the Hero Course, but I've seen how hard you've been working to make it in. I…I want to give it a try."

Everyone stared at her in surprise once more, but now there were hints of awe in their faces, especially in Izuku's and Yumi's. He never would have thought that he could inspire someone to be a hero. He knew he wanted to be like him, but he wasn't All Might. He was just Midoriya Izuku. He may be a bit more than he used to be, but he still felt like that little nerd who was picked on by just about everyone.

Still, he couldn't help but smile.

"I think that sounds great Koneko," he said to her. He got confused when he saw her blush a little, but he was sure he was just seeing things. "I just wish we could be in the same year."

The blush that may have been on her face vanished in an instance and was quickly replaced by a blank look that somehow managed to promise retribution. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Well," he began, feeling the looks of everyone around him, as well as the not-so-hidden smirks of Akeno and Rias. Did he say something wrong? "Aren't…aren't you a year younger than me?"

Her blank look began morphing into a slight scowl as her eyes began to narrow.

Oh. He had definitely said something wrong, didn't he?

"I turned fifteen last month," she said with as little emotion as she could, though clearly being upset with him.

"You're fifteen!?"

Still scowling, she reached over and began pinching his cheek in anger. "Apologize."

"I'M SOWWY! I'M SOWWY!"

"Good," she said before releasing his cheek, an angry pout on her face as she went back to her food, willfully ignoring the apologizing Yumi.

Ochako sipped at her tea as nonchalantly as she could, hoping no one could see her nervous sweat. She had thought the same thing Izuku had after all.

'She's actually older than me!?'

Her concerns were for naught though, as Inko had begun chuckling as soon as Koneko had released her son's cheek, swiftly being joined by both Akeno and even Asia.

The rest of dinner was a rather lovely affair, with Inko learning about each of the girls, though obviously nothing involving their lives as Devils. She had even begun telling old stories about Izuku, and,much to his embarrassment, all the girls seemed to be enraptured by what she was saying.

Throughout it all though, one thing was constant, one that everyone, even Inko, couldn't help but notice. In spite of everything, the hearty discussions, the laughs shared, and stories told, Rias had hardly spoken a word, barely even reacting when she was told about what had happened between Izuku and Asia before.

The smile she had worn had even started to become more strained as the night went on, though she was always quick to try and hide it whenever someone spoke to her, giving short responses. She barely even seemed to be enjoying the food, digging her utensils into it without emotion or thought.


As soon as it had seemed to begin though, as good things often do, it all came to a close.

"That was so good!" Ochako exclaimed as she leaned back lightly in her seat. "Thank you so much for the meal Mrs Midoriya! You too Asia!"

"I mean…I didn't help that much," Asia responded, lightly fiddling with her fingers.

"Nonsense dear," Inko said as she began gathering dishes. "You put your heart and soul into helping me tonight, and it's pretty clear that it was appreciated."

"She's right, Asia," Akeno said to her, her hand up to her cheek. "In fact, maybe next time Rias and I could help you both? We're both rather skilled in the kitchen."

"You know, I may just take you up on that. After how good tonight was, I wouldn't mind having you girls over again," Inko said as she moved back into the kitchen. "How about you Ochako?"

"Um…I'm not really that good," she responded bashfully. "I don't really try to cook much anyway." Most of her meals consisted of instant Ramen and the occasional movie treat, though she wouldn't say that out loud.

"I'm not much of a cook myself,"Yumi admitted. "Usually either Akeno or Roas will invite Koneko and I over, and we'd eat with them. So I don't really get the opportunity to try my hand."

"Well, if you want, I could offer you some tips," Inko said as she grabbed for the dish soap. Much as she loved her home, she definitely wished it had come with a mechanical dishwasher. "You're free to ask whenever you wish.:

"Thanks Mrs Midoriya," Ochako said, Yumi and Koneko echoing her moments later.

"None of you need to be so formal. You can call me Inko if you want."

"Okay Mrs…I mean, Inko," Ochako said, now standing from her chair. "I should probably leave though, I've got some homework I need to finish up." And a summoning she needed to answer, but that naturally went unsaid.

"Us too. Thank you very much for your time Miss Inko," Yumi said, giving her a slight bow, Koneko following suit.

"No dears, thank you. It really is wonderful to meet my son's friends." She gave the three a heart grin as she began running the water, before turning to face someone else. "Before you leave though Rias, could you help me with the dishes?"

"M-me?" She sounded rather surprised by the request, almost looking like she had caught off guard. "I…well, I suppose I could."

"Thank you dear."

"Then I guess I'll see you later tonight Rias," Akeno said, her smile doing little to hide the teasing grin she tried hard to mask. Her King really did look too cute when she was surprised like that.

The four girls began to leave, but before they could reach the door…

"Hey. Was this door open before?"

Izuku found his head ratcheting up slowly as he heard Ochako speak. There were only two doors near the entrance. One led to Asia's room, and the other…

Oh he hoped it wasn't what he thought it was.

"Wow! Look at all this All Might stuff!

Damn.

"Amazing. I didn't think I'd see so much merchandise outside of a store," Yumi's impressed voice seared its way through his ears as he fought to make himself move.

"Even the sheets! That's so adorable!" Akeno said as Izuku slowly inched his way up.

"Is this your room Izuku?"

Before he knew it, he had already made it to the hall, being face to face with Koneko, who looked at him quizzically. His face began to grow scarlet, surpassing Rias' hair in just how red it was. Again. He could only nod in response, too embarrassed to even speak.

"I should've figured. It's very you, Deku!"

Would it be too much to ask for someone to kill him right now?

"There's more actually," Asia said innocently, unknowingly making him begin squirming in place. "Some of it's stored in my room because he didn't have any more room."

"Is that so?" Akeno asked, her amused face barely covered by her hand.

"Do you think we could see them?" Yumi asked, her curiosity clear on her face.

"Do we have to?" Konkeo asked.

Apparently it was too much to ask for.

How did this even happen? He could have sworn that he had closed his door before anyone had arrived!

Meanwhile, Inko was busy handing dishes to Rias for scrubbing, trying her hardest to keep her smirk hidden as she began speaking to the crimson-haired girl. "Rias, I need to know. Is something bothering you?"

She watches as Rias twitched ever so slightly before resuming her work. "No. There's nothing wrong at all Inko."

"Rias, please don't lie to me. The entire time at dinner, I could see it, and I know the others could see it too. The smile you were wearing was so fake it actually hurt to see," she said, causing Rias to look away, trying her hardest to avoid any eye contact. "And I've heard both Izuku and Asia talk about it when they thought I couldn't hear them. How you haven't been talking to them much recently."

Rias flinched ever so slightly, her hands beginning to dig into the plate.

"It may not be my place to pry, but I'm beginning to worry. For as long as I've known you, you've been a friendly girl. I don't know what's causing you to close yourself up like this, but it must be something awful." Inko then turned to face Rias, the girl hanging her head down to try and avoid the shorter woman as much as she could. "Rias, are you in trouble?"

"I…" She opened her mouth before closing it several times, the words she wanted to say begging to be set free from her lips, but she couldn't seem to find the will to say them. "I can't. I can't burden you Inko."

"You could never be a burden to me Rias, not after all you've done for my kids," she said, moving her hand to cup Rias' face, finally looking her eye to eye. "And even if you feel like you can't talk to me, I know for a fact that Izuku would do everything he could to help you."

Rias just stared back at the shorter woman, her eyes unblinking as fought to keep her face neutral. "He…he really would. Wouldn't he?"

"He'd help you in a heartbeat. That's just the kind of person he is."

Of course he would. She already knew that. She had already seen him rescue Asia from a terrible fate, not once, but twice, and had fought with everything he had to do so. Not just from the Fallen Angels and Exorcists, but even from her. She had seen just how far he had been willing to go to save her, risking his very life to do so.

She knew he would try and help her.

But…she wasn't really sure if he could.

Could he?


Izuku had found himself letting out a sigh of relief as he finally entered his room. It had taken longer than he would have hoped, but everyone had eventually left. He hadn't been that embarrassed since the incident in the forest. Having everyone see his hobby the way they did was incredibly mortifying.

Thankfully, none of them seemed to think less of him for it. Both Ochako and Yumi had even seemed impressed with it all. Though that fact didn't make him any less thankful when Koneko had decided to drag the taller girl out of his room.

He couldn't deny it though, as embarrassing as that was, he had found himself having a great time with everyone.

Still, he ended up collapsing onto his bed with an exhausted sigh. It had been a long day, and it hadn't really ended when everyone had left. He and Asia still had schoolwork to get done, as well as studying for their upcoming exams. That took a larger part of the night than either of them had expected, though Rias had thankfully dismissed them both from summoning duties for the night.

Rias.

He had hoped that she would open up, at least a little bit during dinner, but she had remained as withdrawn as ever. Even when he had tried speaking to her, he had barely gotten more than a single word.

Maybe he needed to take a more direct approach. Maybe tomorrow, he could talk to Akeno and see if they could all…

"Huh?"

Before he could finish his thought, the light in his room began to dim. The air gained a different feel to it at the same time, as though the pressure had begun to shift. As he sat up to try and figure it out, an intense crimson glow began overtaking his room, what little light remaining from before having been snuffed out. His eyes widened as he saw the light take shape.

There was no mistaking the mark of the Gremory clan in the circle.

As quickly as the glow from the circle appeared, it began to fade, leaving a familiar form in its wake.

Rias now stood before him, having telephoned herself into his room.

"Izuku."

The way she spoke made it sound like she was doing everything she could to hold her emotions back, her head down as though in pain, and her bangs shielding her eyes from his view.

"R-rias? What-what are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

She didn't make a sound, slowly inching her way toward him instead. As she finished her approach, she finally lifted her head to stare him directly in the eye.

What he saw almost made his heart ache.

Desperation and pain circled around in her eyes as she looked at him, with him getting up from his bed in a heartbeat to try and comfort her. He had no idea what was wrong, but she looked like she needed help.

"Izuku…I…"

"What is it Rias?"

It didn't matter what it was. If she needed his help, he'd do it.

"...I want you…to take my virginity…please."

He blinked in confusion.

Once.

Twice.

Then a third time.

Had he…had he heard her right?

"Let's just…let's just get this over with," she said, her voice sounding almost dead as she brought her arms up to her shirt.

"Wh-wha-what!? R-r-rias!" He found himself falling back onto his bed in his shock, his words coming out in a stumbling mess as he tried to comprehend what she had asked of him.

As he did so, she had already begun systematically removing her clothes. Her blouse and skirt had been removed in an instant, leaving her only in her underwear. Even as his words came out as a chaotic jumble of sounds, he had found his eyes being glued to the sight before him, nearly enchanted by her beauty. Even seeing her in such a state before, and wearing even less, did nothing to take away from it.

But her face. The look in her eyes. They hadn't changed at all.

"R-rias! W-wait! Shouldn't-shouldn't we talk about this?"

"Is there really anything to talk about?" The look in her eye seemed to become even more distorted as she said that, now looking as though she was at war with herself as she finished undressing, her naked flesh bow locked in his sights. "Do you not find me attractive?"

"No! I…I mean yes? Maybe? Wha-what's happening here?" His face had gone completely scarlet by now, and he was doing everything he could to keep the southward. flowing anywhere other than southward.

"Then there's nothing more to it," she said as she began leaning over him, her breasts hanging downward as she began straddling his waist. "I…I find you attractive as well. I've said so before.," she said, her voice beginning to quiver. "I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and…it's the only way. My only option."

Her only option? What did she mean by that? Was this connected to whatever it was that had been bothering her?

"Once it's done, they will finally have no choice. Izuku, you're my last hope. So please…"

"M-me?"

"There's no one else I could ask. And…I know it's your first time, it's mine as well. I'm nervous too." As she spoke, she grabbed at his hand before placing it near her heart, giving him a feel of her breasts. It was beating fast, just like his own. "You can feel it, can't you?"

He could. He felt every beat of her heart as it moved faster and faster. Not even the sensation of feeling her breasts took away from that.

"We should…we should get started then," Rias said, her head cast downwards once more as her eyes were shielded from view. But her voice, it sounded like it was close to breaking. Even with Izuku losing the war of keeping his blood from flowing downward, he couldn't ignore it.

"R-rias. Are-are you really sure about this?"

"Of…of course I'm sure. Izuku, please…I need this."

"Wh-why? Why now?"

"It needs to happen Izuku! I need it to happen!"

"R-rias! Wait! Stop!"

Theore the two talked, the more he could feel her hand digging into his skin, not just on his hand, but the one that had begun gripping his shoulder.

"I can't stop! I can't! JUST LET ME DO THIS IZUKU! I ORDER YOU!"

His eyes widened in shock as he heard those words, and though he couldn't see it, hers had as well. Her entire body had seemed to freeze in place as soon as the words had escaped her throat. Her grip had loosened, allowing him to take his hand away, his breath now coming out in heaves.

"R-rias," he began, his eyes now closed, his body shaking as he tried to move her off of him. "Is this…is this what you really want?"

"...I don't…I can't…I…"

As he felt his body shaking even more, he felt something land on his face. When he opened his eyes again, he could see it with his own eyes.

They were tears.

Rias was crying.

Her eyes were frozen in place as her tears continued to flow, not even looking like they even saw him anymore, her mouth stuck open in a look of shock.

As he stared at her frozen visage, he couldn't help but wonder. How long had she been doing so? Had she been crying this entire time?

"Rias."

His voice came out in a soft whisper, barely audible to even the most sensitive of ears as he reached his hand to her face, finding itself touching her wet cheek. The contact seemed to break her out of her stupor as he saw her eyes finally move over to his.

"Izuku…I…I…"

She couldn't get another word out, not with what she now could see.

Like her, tears flowed down Izuku's face as well.

She rocketed herself away from him, hands fixed over her mouth in horror.

She and Izuku could only look at each other with wide eyes, neither knowing what to do, or even what to say. Before they could even get a chance though, the room became awash in crimson glow once more. One look was enough to know that it too had the mark of the Gremory clan.

Could it have been Akeno? Koneko? Yumi? No matter who it was who would step out of that circle, he had no idea how he would explain any of this to them. However, instead of anyone he recognized, someone else had stepped out of the circle's glow.

She was an older woman, with silver hair flowing down past her back as her red eyes began scanning the room. Strangely enough, she was dressed entirely in a maid's uniform. Finally, after briefly locking eyes with Izuku, she moved her sights over to Rias.

"Are you truly so desperate to break the agreement my lady?"

Her voice was as stern as it was curt, looking at Rias with a hint of disapproval.

"What other choice do I have?" The moment the woman had shown up, Rias had hurriedly tried to wipe her tears away, standing tall to face the woman with a fire he hadn't seen from her before. "Neither father nor Sirzechs will listen to a word I say!"

"And this is how you intend to get them to do so? Giving your chastity away to someone of lowly birth? Let alone your own servant?"

She gestured at Izuku as she spoke, not seeming to care at all that she had just insulted him.

It certainly hadn't sat right with Rias, given the scowl now on her face. "My chastity is no one's business but my own. And I won't have you speak of him in such a way. Even you won't be spared my wrath, Grayfia."

What was even happening right now? Rias, who had just moments ago stared at him horrifically, was standing up for him against someone he had never seen before. He was still trying to comprehend everything that had happened beforehand, but now this?

The woman, now known as Grayfia, sent another look over to Izuku, taking note of the tears still on his face before moving back to Rias, picking up her clothes in the process.

"Regardless," she began as she fitted the bra back over Rias' chest. "You must remember that you are heiress to the House of Gremory. Showing your skin to any man so recklessly would only bring shame to your family's name." Her piece spoken, she handed the rest of the clothes to Rias before facing Izuku once more. "My apologies for my words before. Good evening servant of Rias. I am Grayfia, head maid of the House of Gremory. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Her words were spoken more gently than they had been before, a formal politeness to them that was at odds with her words from before. Despite the oddity of the situation, he found himself greeting her in kind.

"Grayfia," Rias began, now fully dressed. "I need to know. Who sent you here? Was it my father? My brother? Or did you come of your own accord?" She wore an annoyed frown on her face, doing everything she could to avoid looking at Izuku.

"All of the above," she replied.

"I see." Before she finished speaking, the crimson glow of the magic circle once again made its presence known. "I guess we have much to discuss. We should head back to my base for now."

"As you wish my lady."

Grayfia made her way to the center circle as well, its crimson glow growing brighter as the magic began circling the two. As it did so, Rias' eye caught Izuku's once more, and the moment it did, old words came to the forefront of her mind.

'Please, look after my son. He means the world to me'

'I swear to you, I will treat him as though he's a member of my own family. No power on Earth will be able to stop me from doing so'

As the circle's magic ensnared her more and more, she found herself fighting a losing battle, tears cascading down her face once more as her body began to shake.

'You're also my servant, but you are not my slave. I swear on my family's name that I will never force you to do anything you don't want to'

"Izuku."

Her voice was faint, almost inaudible as she began vanishing from sight, but still, Izuku could hear them clearly.

"I'm sorry."

Then, in a single flash of crimson light, the two had vanished, neither leaving a trace that they had ever been there at all.

Izuki was now alone in his room, the events of everything that had happened in the past several minutes passing through his mind on repeat as he tried to make sense of it all.

But, even in his confusion, he knew one thing for sure.

Whatever there was between him and Rias, it may have been damaged for good.


Here's the preview!

Izuku:I still don't know what to think. Everything happened so fast, and I…

Asia:Izuku? Is something wrong?

Izuku:Asia…I…I think Rias and I need to talk.

Asia:Is…is everything alright? You look concerned.

Izuku:I…I don't know.

Asia:Wait. Who's this person? And why is he looking at Rias like that?

Next time! The Arrogant Phenex.

Izuku:Rias…is this why?

Asia:Rias…

Izuku:Go beyond. Plus Ultra!


So, it's been a while, hasn't it? I do apologize for the wait, I did promise to get this out in October after all, though there is a reason for it.

A few days after posting the previous chapter, I was let go from my job. And I won't lie, it broke me for a while.

And it got worse from there for a bit. There were several health scares in my immediate family that required my attention, and I had to help my grandmother with her cat, who sadly had to be put down after days of not eating. And while I was able to get another job after a few weeks, I needed to adjust to a brand new schedule, which, after being used to my previous job, left little room for writing.

And, after I was finally able to get started, I got hit by Covid, after nearly four years of avoiding it. Though I was at least able to recover quickly(and this is why vaccines work everyone).

So yeah, safe to say that September wasn't a great month for me, and October really wasn't much better. I may not be able to post as often as I used to until I become used to my new schedule, and even then, that's not a guarantee.

But, enough about all that. Let's dig into the chapter, and more specifically, that ending.

I'm going to be honest, the scene of Rias trying to have Issei take her virginity has never sat right with me. I know we're supposed to just roll with it because Issei is a massive pervert, but when you stop and think about it, she essentially demanded him to do so, going against later statements of how the Gremory Family treats their servants.

And of course, things are different from canon here. Rias and Izuku have formed a closer friendship, so she was hesitant in even trying to ask him, agonizing over it for weeks before she finally hit the wall. She's at a point of desperation, and when one reaches that point, they would do things they normally wouldn't. Things that they regret. And it's very clear, she regrets not only what she did, but especially what she said.

That's the last reason this took so long. I really, really want to make sure that she knows that what she did was wrong, because if I messed up, then none of the later plot points would work at all.

So, yep. Introduced a whole bunch of drama there for her and Izuku to try and work out. That should be fun.

In lighter news, Inko got to meet her son's new friends, and we learned that Koneko may be thinking of joining the Hero Course because of both Izuku and Ochako. Also confirming that she will be in the same year, aging her up by a small amount(won't be the only character whose age gets adjusted either). Laying some seeds there for future fun right?

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Yeah, I'm pretty sure most people will be focused on that final scene. Trust me when I say, this arc will deal with both Rias and Izuku rather heavily, and it's going to lead into one of the first things I thought of while brainstorming this story.

It's probably not going to sit right with a lot of you, I wouldn't be surprised. But I've decided to stick with it to try something challenging, and I hope I'm able to succeed.

I'm hoping that the next chapter won't take anywhere as long, and I hope that you'll all stick with me as I stumble my way through it. No matter what happens, always remember to be good and be kind. I love you all. My beautiful people.