Their second attempt at dinner went better than the first; they had made it to the restaurant without incident. They had been able to reschedule for the following Friday Night, much to her friend's delight and to his family, so they could tease him that it was a date and not just dinner.

Friday night dinner plans were a date, and Middle week was a friend's thing. He had tried to downplay the situation, but his mother and daughter were ruthless. Then, one of his patrons invited him to the opening of their music bar, which was, of course, on Friday Night.

When he called Ibarra to ask if she wanted to accompany him to the event after dinner, he just happened to do so when she was at lunch with Itsuka, Setsuna, Momo, and Ochaco.

Momo was just this goddess of classic beauty: tall, long black hair, deep black eyes, porcelain skin, the Number 3 hero in the country, and the valedictorian of their graduating class. The heiress, a nickname she was given in school, was one of the few in their class who was married; the scandal was she had married a musician—the lead singer of the Sound of Fury, Caliban. The two were deliriously happy; he adored her, and she him. They had just celebrated their 3rd wedding anniversary.

Ochaco was Momo's classmate, 1-A. To say that the two girls had survived the most patulous class ever in the history of the U.A. would be a lie. Ochaco's brown hair was not long tied back in a braid down her back, her rich brown eyes still shown with a brightness that belied their experience. They had lost classmates in their very first week of school when they were attacked at the USJ, another to the hero killer when the League had attacked their camp. Both of them lost classmates that day. Then Kamino, the war, all of it.

Ibarra liked Ochaco. The girl was pleasant, level-headed, and joyous to be with. They had become terrific friends over the years; all the girls from class had.

Itsuka, the big sister of them all, was Ibarra's oldest friend from school, the orange-haired beauty who always seemed to be others than herself. But that was what made Itsuka, Itsuka. And Setsuna was chaos on her legs; she was a ball of fire, life, and energy. With the trouble of their school days, Setsuna didn't want to let life pass her or anyone around her by, even if she had dragged, tricked, or congeal into experiencing it. Her fellow green-haired sisters were not about to let Ibarra not seize this moment.

So the three girls kept their excitement in until Ibarra had agreed to go with him to the music bar, then they exploded in excitement, declaring it an official date. Thus, a completely new outfit was needed. Ibarra tried to protest the expense, but Momo pulled out her credit card and insisted it was on her, and they dragged Ibarra off. She didn't know it then, but Izuku was dragged out himself by Inko and Eri.

-Lurkers Agency-

Kami Woods was behind his desk, staring at the document before him. The Hero Commission entered the office early this morning, doing a surprise "Wellness Audit." Since that nonsense during the war with Hawks, Nagant, and everything, the Hero Commission and heroes had been uneasy around each other. The new head of the commission was doing everything right, but it still had the old stink of yesteryear. Mainly, when a "Wellness Audit" was performed, the Audit's purpose was to ensure that everything was being handled and appropriately reported and that nothing was going on under the table that could lead to the erosion of the public's faith in heroes again.

The Heroes still fought to reclaim the public's trust after the country almost fell to One for All, Shigaraki, and League of Villains. He knew the audit's lead by reputation and appearance, Hina Hanzo. The woman had a fierce reputation that preceded her by a mile. But she was good at her job and wanted the same as everyone else: heroes to be trusted again. She just came at it from a different perspective. People could have the same goal, but how they would get there would always be different.

Hina was in the process of interviewing Kami Woods directly about Vine and the recent incidents; she was pressing to see if this was part of a larger organized villain offensive or just a random string of bad luck. This meant they poured over all Vine reports for the past year, searched the Young Heroes office, and accessed company emails. Hina liked Kami; the man was a great hero who did most things in the book. His partner and wife, Mt. Lady, on the other hand, HIna, wanted to strangle him, but that wasn't the purpose of the visit.

"Why all this focus on Vine?" Kami said, setting the court paper aside.

"We need to ascertain whether this is a series of unfortunate events for her; I mean, two fire villains in a matter of days?" Hina smiled pleasantly at the pro. "There is also another matter that we at the Commission need to make sure that if she or the civilian were the target."

"Who is the civilian?" Kami leaned forward. "His name is nowhere on the reports."

"Izuku Midoriya." Hina's smile was gone; she watched that voice register in Kami Woods's head as he sat back in silence.

"Is Vine aware?" he said.

"That I do not know, not unless he told her, but those that were there that day are still under a gag order; we have Geas following up with them today as well," Hina sat back. "Fire quirks have had a bad rap since Dabi and Endeavor. Shoto is doing a wonderful job clarifying the stigma, but it will take a while. And you have seen how more villains trying to make a name for themselves are fire-based."

"I understand," Kami said. "Was the girl there during the attacks?"

"No, she was not," Hina said. "Now I would like to talk to you about an email between Vine and Lizardy from May 15th…" HIna's fingers danced across the tablet as Kami pulled up the email.

-Date Night Attempt #2-

Ibarra sat in her apartment with some friends as they finished putting on the last touches on her outfit. The white skirt was just above the knees; she had protested the length. The top was a silk green spaghetti strap blouse with a hint of cleavage showing; she protested this. She was matching green Spartan strap sandals, gold earrings, her cross, and a watch that belonged to her mother. She had lost the battle with the make-up; she stood in the mirror at the smoky eye that had done, and while she wanted to protest, she had to admit it looked terrific.

She had wanted to meet him at the coffee shop, but he insisted on picking her up, saying that as long as she made it into the car without being attacked, they had a much better chance of making it to the restaurant.

She felt self-conscious about the whole thing as she stepped out of her building; she saw him standing by the car with black slacks, a dark green long-sleeve shirt, and a simple but stylish watch. She immediately noticed his haircut; the sides had been cut higher, the top trimmed down, and he looked very handsome. Any doubt about her outfit quickly faded when she saw him say "Wow" before he greeted her, opening the door. She blushed and thanked him, taking his extended hand as he helped her into the car.

"You look stunning, Ibarra," he said as she sat down.

"Thank you, Izuku, you look quite handsome yourself," she blushed slightly at his touch; she even giggled when she saw him in the mirror as he walked around the car, saying wow again and shaking his head.

They didn't escape without an audience or Setsuna video-tapping the whole thing.

"Damn, he is cute!" Set said, "Look at those freckles."

"I agree if Ibarra doesn't like him, I wouldn't mind getting to know him," Ochaco whistled.

The other girls giggled as Set started typing things into her phone once it floated back in the window. "Set, what are you doing?" Itsuka asked.

"Running his plates, we need to know who she is going out with. You know, for her safety and junk?" Set replied, trying to sound innocent.

"And not because you are nosey?" Itsuka put her hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, that as well."

-Hina-

Hina was at her desk eating dinner and finishing her reports when her phone rang. "Yes?"

"Sorry to bother you, Ma'am, it is Dreg. Lizardy just ran the plates of a restricted target, and she is not on duty." The voice came out over the speaker. "They are his plate, ma'am."

Hina sighed, "Send me the file, put a trace on Lizardy, and find out where he is. I want eyes on him and Eri in the next twenty minutes."

"Yes, Ma'am."

-Dinner-

Ibarra was pleased with the small Italian restaurant they walked into; it was a local spot. She had seen it a few times on patrol but never stopped to eat. She laughed when older women greeted them; it was the woman whose smile just exploded.

"Oh, Izuku, it is you, and what this you bring a date?" the woman looked at Izuku and raised an eyebrow. The sudden familiar nature of the woman's greeting and her accent had this warm mix of Italian to it that made Ibarra feel welcomed, though she blushed at the woman calling it a date.

"So, does he bring girls here often?" Ibarra said, raising an eyebrow at the blushing Izuku, who was trying to respond.

"Oh no, senora, you must be very special," the woman smiled and wiggled her eyebrows. "Come, I'll give you the best seat in the house."

They were seated. She smiled when the older woman kissed Izuku's cheek, then squeezed her hand. She whispered. "You be good to him; he a good boy." This made Ibarra blush.

"Well, that was an interesting way to start dinner," he said. "Still better than last time."

"We made it into the restaurant," Ibarra laughed as she looked at the menu. "They seem to know you here?"

"I love this place; I found it high school, the food is delicious, and the Marino's are good people," she loved the warmth in his voice as he spoke about them. "Their Cioppino is amazing, as is their alfredo."

"Is it single servings or?" Ibarra looked up and felt the butterflies in her stomach begin to stir. It may have been the dim lighting, but the glow on his face just moved here. "family style?"

"Family Style, we can order both and share," he looked across the table and caught her glance as she was peaking over the menu, looking at him through her eyelashes. "If…you like?"

Holy hell, this is not good. I cannot be crushing on a pro hero trying to be nice to me to save her! He thought.

"I would like that," she whispered.

They ordered some wine to accompany their meal, and the fresh bread was excellent. When Ibarra took a bite, her eyes and face lit up like a Christmas tree; she said her grace before she started eating and saw him seem to do the same thing.

"You said you are not religious, but you seem to pray before we eat?" she wondered what his response would be. Part of her wondered if he would try and spin some lie to see how far he could get with Holy Hero, as some called her. She also cursed at herself for the thought; he had laid his life on the line for her twice already, and he was here trying to show her a good time on this…maybe a date.

"Just a higher power," he paused. "When I was kidnapped with Eri, I would close my eyes and ask for help, a higher power, god, spirits, ancestors, even heroes. I don't know if that helped us be found or if that was all just luck, but I do it all the time now. But I ask whomever or whatever may have helped me that day to look over Eri and my mother."

"Well, whoever interfered, I am glad they did," she smiled, sipping the wine.

"I am also. I was trying to get through life at that point, but then I had Eri, and I had something more to live for," she saw him squeeze his hand a few times. "That is how they get you. You start living for one thing, and then you want more."

"Very dastardly of them; the first one is always free," she was happy that she got a laugh out of him. "So Izuku Midoriya, what do you want out of life now?"

"It would be nice to find someone, get married, have a kid or two. I want to see Eri graduate, find love, and find her spot in life. I wouldn't mind seeing my mom find someone to take care of her, as long as they are a good person," he shrugged. "What about you?"

"My life has been so interesting and full of such highs and lows that for the longest time, I just wanted to get to the next day or week," her gaze was far away. "There are those that never got this far, that never even made it past the first week of U.A., and then add everything else. I want to be a good hero; it doesn't need to be filled with fame and accolades. I want that when the time comes for the Lord to call me home, people will say just that. She was a good hero, a good friend, and that same Lord willing a good wife and mother."

"Why just good?" he said, leaning forward.

"God created the world, the universe, and all the wonderful things we see. And when he created all that, he didn't sit back and say that it was amazing, wonderful, or any other adjective you can think of. He said it was GOOD. If I can be GOOD, that is fine with me." Her gaze returned to the booth they were sitting in, and the man stared at her with a soft smile.

"That would be good," he whispered. "Has there been anyone you thought about settling down with? Some other hero?"

"No, I have been attracted to some physically, but there wasn't any other sort of connection," her gaze falling to the wine glass. "So I just ignored that part and focused on work. I haven't been out like this in years. I like it; I don't have to be Vine or be a hero; I can be Ibarra. I haven't been able to do that with anyone outside my classmates. So, thank you, Izuku."

"You are very welcome, Ibarra; Vine is cool. She is a good hero. But I think Ibarra is pretty darn good as well," as he said it, he realized that he was looking at nothing else but her eyes and knew he was starting to crush on her; he silently cursed himself and looked away.

"What about you?" she finally asked; when he looked at her, the butterflies were running amuck; she wanted this not to be a maybe date but a date. One that they could do again.

"I was engaged," he responded. "It didn't work out."

"You don't have to talk about it; it must have been hard," she said quickly, although incredibly curious.

"She didn't trust me; she tried to ruin a good friend's life, which was complicated." He responded. "She also didn't treat Eri right; Eri is my daughter; it is a package deal."

"As it should be, family is not defined by blood. The girls in the hero course, those are my sisters." Ibarra boldly reached out and touched his hand. "If she couldn't see that, she wasn't right for you. Her loss is going to be some lucky woman's gain."

They both smiled before blushing and separating as the waitress brought their food. The conversation lightened with the

meal being served, with them trading some amusing stories. They shared their likes and dislikes; it had turned into a date without either recognizing it. Each of them is looking for common ground and finding it with ease.

When they left the restaurant, they didn't notice the nip in the air as they made their way to the Music Bar.

-Hi Notes-

Hefrin greeted Izuku at the door; the man was average height with a slight build, fiery red hair, and eyes, which made him stand out. When Izuku introduced Ibarra, the man greeted her warmly before showing them to their table. There was a stage with a dance floor, tables, and booths surrounding the dance floor. Everything had a rich wood fragrance; as more people came in soon, the lights dimmed, and the music started.

Center stage was an older woman with a four-piece band behind her. The night was off when the spotlight hit her, and she started singing. Ibarra and Izuku ordered some drinks and continued to talk; he noticed her swaying in her seat some, and when he asked her to dance, she blushed and held out her hand. They danced, sat and talked for hours, and enjoyed a few drinks. She noticed he stopped and switched to water not long after they arrived, wanting to be sober to drive her home.

It was on the dance floor when the music changed to a soulful ballad; they swayed gently on the dance floor, their hearts thumping so loud they swore the other must have heard it. At the song's end, she blushed at how he looked at her; his gaze was filled with a longing she thought would never be directed toward her. They noticed how easily her hand fell into his when he led her from the dance floor. The hour was getting late as they said their goodbyes and headed out into the night, his jacket draped over her shoulders. They drove home, talking about the music, the atmosphere, the drinks, everything, and anything but how much they wanted this to be over.

When he pulled up to her building, he got out to come around and open her door; she reluctantly let his jacket fall from her shoulders. She took his hand as he helped her out of the vehicle; she understood at this moment she wanted him to kiss her. She tried to chase the thoughts from her head; it was just an uncomplicated dinner night. Maybe she would see him again at the coffee shop, but it was just a wonderful night, fueled by some loneliness she had forgotten that was there.

It was nice to wrap herself in the night's fantasy; she was sure she imagined the looks in his eyes or his words. She was searching for a connection. That was it. The boys didn't chase her like the other girls; she was too weird, her views too much for them. She wanted to be chased, pursued, and chosen over the others. Finding someone who elevated her made her know the joy of coming home to someone who loved her, of coming home to a coffee shop, where a man who loved her would welcome her home and ask her about her day. But that was all a dream.

"Thank you for the wonderful evening. It was nice to relax and enjoy someone's company," Ibarra was about to take her hand away and let the evening end when she felt him tighten his grip.

"Ibarra?" he said softly.

"Yes, Izuku?" she didn't turn to face him; she didn't want him to see the loneliness in her eyes.

"I had a wonderful time as well, and…I know this was like a thank-you dinner thing, but I was wondering if I could take you out on a date," his words just descended on her like a crashing wave.

"We might get attacked again if we try to tempt fate like that," she whispered, turning her head to meet his gaze.

"It would be worth it to see if there is something here; YOU are worth it," he responded; the butterflies in her stomach erupted in joy.

"So are you. Yes, Izuku, I would love to go on a real date with you," she leaned in and kissed his cheek again, this time though it was extremely close to his lips. "Goodnight."

She walked into her building, though she felt like she was floating. In a daze, he went to his car and headed home, wondering if he had just dreamed all that. Hina's screen broke as it was flung off her desk into a wall.