Between breakfast, training, and lunch, the morning slips away quickly—almost too quickly if I'm being honest. Showered and curled comfortably on the couch beside Sensei, I can't help but wish the lazy afternoon haze could last forever.
"Sensei," I mumble, stretching indolently so that my fist grazes his chest and my feet rub against Miska's fur.
Sensei hums, another packet in hand and highlighter tucked behind his ear. He doesn't bother glancing my way, eyes scanning the fourth or fifth document in preparation for whatever meeting they're having later.
"You're the best."
"The best what?" he asks blandly, and it takes me a moment too long to realize he's joking.
I pout, blowing out my cheeks.
"Really?"
"I'm inclined to believe it's the best pillow with the way you've made yourself comfortable kid."
I giggle, my skin brightening with the small smile that twitches at his lips.
"The best guardian," I huff, crossing my arms and feeling my skin brighten further when he pauses and blinks.
"Besides," I continue, wrinkling my nose. "You can't be the best pillow, you always move. But I bet Todoroki-kun is awesome at it! Especially since he can turn hot and cold. Do you think he'd let me use him-"
"Unless there has been a significant change in your relationship with Todoroki, no. And do not continue that thought," Sensei interrupts, immediately scowling.
I giggle and he reaches over, flicking my nose.
Then, catching the hand as he does, I pull it forcefully down, kissing it lightly.
"Stop that."
I grin, utterly satisfied when he shakes me off and steals it back. He returns to the packet scowling, flipping the page immediately.
"But I want kisses," I whine, not really caring but wondering what he'll let me do all the same. I smile even broader when he glowers moodily at his paperwork, surprised he hasn't left. "Sensei!"
Deciding to be daring, I clamber onto my knees. He sighs irritably, eyes cutting towards me when I reach out to wrap my arms around his neck.
"What are you up to?" he grunts, setting aside the papers to give me his attention. "Is this you telling me you need affection?"
"No!"
When he raises his eyebrow, I wrinkle my nose in protest.
"It isn't!" I declare, pursing my lips. And then, with a mischievous grin, I lean in close, so close my nose scrapes against the sharp prickles of his cheeks. "I wanna give you affection. Yamada-sensei said I ought to! Like this!"
Sensei actually growls when I lean forward and peck his cheek, his facial hair scratching into my lips. He squirms sideways and I tighten my hold, well aware that he could easily break out if he really wanted to. Sensei was by far the strongest person ever.
"Rin-"
I get two more loud squelching kisses before he has enough and removes me back to my spot.
He'd probably stick me at the end if Miska wasn't there…
I grin cheekily at his half-hearted scowl and laugh when he reluctantly takes back his spot. Flopping sideways, I give up on the kisses, not wanting to lose my leg-pillow, and instead sprawl out across him. He sighs sullenly. Whether from relief or annoyance, I don't know. I don't really care, especially when his fingers begin running through my hair.
"Sensei," I tease. "You're being touchy."
"You're sprawled across my lap," he complains, fingers still moving. "I think you're mistaken on who is doing the actual touching."
"Only 'cause you let me," I giggle, flushing as my glow flickers on and off. It's harder to keep it dim around him. "I wonder if my parents would be mad at me."
The fingers pause and I twitch at the loss, before realizing what I said.
I shouldn't have said that.
Especially when his smile disappears.
"Do you think they would?" he asks, voice low and even.
The fingers resume their strokes and I turn my head, eyes shutting as I breathe deeply the comforting scent.
"Oh, um, well I... I dunno," I ramble, not at all eager to explore this topic. Then why did you ask? "Probably? They all... I mean... Never mind."
I crack open my eyes and blink up at the dark-haired man that never left.
"Sensei, I…"
I love you.
"Thank you."
He opens his mouth, likely to pry the conversation back into the open, when a knock resounds on the door. Sharp, bright, and far too many times to be appropriate.
I jump in surprise, a strange wiggly, sensation in my chest.
"Yamada-sensei?"
"Horrendous timing as usual," Sensei scowls rolling his eyes. "Rin-"
With the moment lost, I avoid his gaze entirely, already rolling off his lap and climbing to my feet. He lets me, expression more frustrated than annoyed.
"We have guests!" I laugh forcefully, rubbing my head. "I- uh, I'll just… the door."
I dart out of his reach and all but run to the entryway, I snap open the lock and nearly slam the door wide. Yamada-sensei is on the other side, decked in his hero costume and with his hair spiked immaculately above his head. But so is Midnight, dark hair spilling behind her and bright blue eyes winking out from her oversized glasses.
"Rin-chan!"
"A-A-Aunt Nemuri!"
I barely have time to suck in a breath before the clingy woman is upon me, arms capturing me in a vice-like grip and lips stamping across my skin.
"H-H-Hey!"
She squeals, almost as if coming up for breath, and then descends on me again, her high-pitched laugh ridiculous and girly as she showers me in kisses.
"Aunt- Aunt- Sensei! Sensei help!"
"Hmm, no."
I manage to wiggle halfway out of her grasp and glare at my guardian, instantly demoting him to worst. He grins stupidly back from the couch. I growl.
The absolute worst.
"Oi! Woman-"
"Oh don't even! You get to see her all the time," Aunt Nemuri manages to say, somehow manipulating her arms so my face is forced into her chest. I squawk indignantly, but she only laughs, her grip like cushioned steel. "Rin-chan, I've missed you! And I haven't seen you since the hospital! I've been worried, but oh you look so lively!"
"She's lively because you're smothering her," Yamada-sensei snorts before calloused hands pull me away. I splutter as warm leather replaces Midnight's stretchy, knit fabric, and expensive cologne replaces too sweet vanilla. "Hey there Glow Worm."
I flush and wrap my arms around him, sinking bonelessly into his chest. The glow that had been flickering in and out of my control all afternoon, exploding across my skin. Wings sprout from my back in a shower of sparkling feathers, one smacking Yamada-sensei in the face.
"Sensei! What are you doing here?"
He squawks, his face full of glowing appendages.
"Sorry!"
"Rin."
I laugh and pull myself free, backing away to flutter freely in the hall, dancing on my toes and tugging at my fingers.
"What are you guys doing here?" I repeat, moving out of the way as they remove their shoes and step inside. "Are… Are you our guests?"
"Oh no, sweetheart. We have a meeting this afternoon," Aunt Nemuri says even as she shoves Yamada-sensei forward, sashaying with a rather exaggerated sway of her hips. "We figured we'd stop by a little early, especially since you guys are now so close. How are you dear?"
"Um… fine?" I mumble, giving her a strange look.
That's how you're supposed to answer that one, right?
"Oh? That's good, but it's okay to be honest if you're not. I'm not asking to be sociable. You were in a pretty rough spot not that long ago, and it's alright if you're not."
I give the woman a weird look and she just grins, not at all bothered as she pauses in the living room to glance around the apartment.
"Shouta, seriously? Are you ever gonna hang up pictures or anything?"
"No."
"Tch, don't hold your breath," laughs Yamada-sensei glancing towards the kitchen. "I'm just impressed he's eating and sleeping regularly."
"Shut up."
I giggle in quiet amazement as they tease Sensei. Aunt Nemuri I expect it from, but Yamada-sensei?
"We should play a game!" Aunt Nemuri "Shouta, you have cards right? We could-"
"Absolutely not," Aizawa-sensei says, leaning over to scoop up Miska with dangerously narrowed eyes.
"That does sound like trouble," Yamada-sensei snorts, sprawling across Miska's now-vacated spot. He gestures me over and I give them all strange look, especially when Aunt Nemuri drops between them, shoving herself as physically close as she can to Aizawa-sensei so her large chest is practically resting on his arm. He doesn't even blink at it.
I do though. I blink at the strangeness of all of it, three heroes all sprawled on our worn, black couch.
I don't like heroes.
Go be one if you want, its not like you ever did shit for us anyways.
"What card game?" I ask instead, trying to shake the strange thoughts already crowding my head. I don't want them, especially not now.
Aunt Nemuri grins.
"Strip Pok-"
"I said no," my guardian interrupts sharply, his capture weapon wrapping near-instantly around my aunt's mouth. She groans, unnecessarily loudly, and Yamada-sensei pinks.
"Woman!"
I giggle at their silliness and pounce on the cushion between my godparents. Yamada-sensei huffs, reaches out, and pulls me sideways, burying my head in his chest.
"Hey! Let me go!"
"How about a game of Uno?" Aunt Nemuri cackles, finally freeing herself.
I wrinkle my nose and Sensei sends us all a not-amused look.
"No. If there's a winner there will be a tantrum. I am not about to be late because of Uno."
I struggle to wrestle myself free of Sensei's arms, and my aunt's expression turns thoughtful.
"Well, how about a lesson first then," she mumbles, tapping her lip. She bends forward and captures my hand caught on Sensei's shoulder. "Sweetheart, you're gonna exhaust yourself with all that. Hizashi may not look like much, but he's all muscle underneath that leather. You're never gonna win on brute strength."
"Excuse you?" the blonde says in English, making a face. "May not look like much? I LOOK AMAZING-"
"Stop shouting," Aizawa-sensei snaps, eyes glowing red and hair rising dangerously in the air. "You are all too noisy."
"Use your knuckles," Aunt Nemuri continues, completely ignoring the other two with what seems a practiced effort. I blink at the chaos and she curls my fingers for me, pulling the third knuckle out so it extends a little further than the others. "The thing to remember is, you want hard on soft. Hard on hard is going to hurt you, but you put that knuckle in any soft spot and they'll be yelping in pain in seconds. Hizashi's gonna be a little harder, 'cause he's ripped and he's wearing a lot of layers, but that just means you gotta dig it in harder. Push down right here."
She doesn't even hesitate to reach out and push her own knuckle into Sensei's chest right above his armpit. He squawks and let's go immediately; teeth snapping shut with a click.
I jump in surprise and do it too.
"Ow," he grunts, pushing away my hand and releasing me completely. "Yo, I ain't no train dummy, go on with that. That sh- that hurts."
I smile and lean forward, brushing my lips across his smooth cheek.
"Sorry Sensei."
"Oh, speaking of Sensei!" Aunt Nemuri interjects, stealing back my attention and taking on another one of her poses. "Rin-chan, how do you feel about Uncle."
Aizawa-sensei huffs petulantly and stands.
"If you start something," he says warningly, "I will leave you here to clean up your mess."
"I'm not starting something," Midnight huffs, expression taking on mock hurt.
"You're always starting something," Yamada-sensei sneers with a smirk. "That's why you get excluded."
I frown.
"Start what?" I ask, curious in spite of myself. Aizawa-sensei spares me a sour look before disappearing into his room and Aunt Nemuri pats my head.
"Nothing dear. So what's the conclusion? Are we gonna play a game or what? You pick and we can play a few rounds before we head out."
.
.
.
We do play Uno. But what should have been a few rounds, ends up as one awfully long game where I learn Yamada-sensei is even better at cards than Aizawa-sensei and that Aunt Nemuri is an absolute cheat. Except, instead of cheating to win, she just does it to make everyone else lose.
She's so weird.
Especially when she starts pulling cards out of literally nowhere.
But it's Aizawa-sensei, actually, that ends the game. He paces the entire visit, crossing from one side of the apartment to the other, still reading those strange packets and grumbling at the papers, until exactly a quarter until three, when he just stops.
"Rin put the cards away. We need to go over rules before I leave."
It's so abrupt I can only blink stupidly in surprise.
"I… Huh?"
Aunt Nemuri, slouching lazily on the floor, doesn't even hesitate.
"Oh? That time already?" She reaches forward and plucks away my cards, pulls about three from her chest, and passes them to a rather sour-looking Present Mic.
He takes them reluctantly.
"They're warm," he grumbles, making a crazy face. "That's gross."
"Rin, couch."
I try to ignore the interplay between my arguing godparents and clamber onto the cushions. I glance down at my own chest curiously. Compared to the heroine, my chest is as flat as a boy's.
Is that normal?
"Sensei, I don't think they'd fit in my bra."
Aunt Nemuri giggles and Aizawa-sensei looks physically pained.
"This is exactly why you don't visit," Yamada-sensei whispers snidely.
Flicking her hair over her shoulder, Midnight laughs.
"Psh! This is exactly why I need to visit. Imagine her saying that to one of her classmates instead of us!"
Sensei sighs in exasperation.
"Rin, we will discuss it later. Do you remember the expectations for staying home?"
I grin and nod.
"Yes! Don't leave the building, don't let Miska out of the apartment, answer the phone if you call or text, don't leave anything on the stove—not that I ever have. I mean really, that would smell awful and it'd be a pain to clean! Oh, and I'm to text you if I get upset or scared or frustrated or sad or feel the icky muddy one."
"If there's an emergency, you're to call me immediately. Do not sit around and brood. You can entertain yourself with a book or your phone. If not, you have a notebook of math you can practice learning."
I wrinkle my nose and he raises an eyebrow.
"I got it," I sigh noisily, crossing my arms. "You know I'm not a little kid. I've stayed alone before."
Sensei snorts and I scowl at him.
"Sensei!"
"I'll be back in three hours. Try to stay out of trouble."
"Sensei!"
"Yes sir would be a better answer," he glowers, leaning forward to pull my head into his chest. His fingers run through my hair and I slump against him, closing my eyes.
"Yes sir," I mumble into his hero outfit.
Sensei doesn't move for a moment and I breathe deeply, comforted by his steady presence. And then, as abruptly as he stopped us, he pulls away and pats my head.
"Be good."
He steps away towards the door and my godmother swoops in for her goodbyes. And by swoop, I mean Aunt Nemuri literally swoops, gathering me up and peppering me with kisses. I flounder again and she laughs, amused when I try to dig a knuckle in the soft space above her armpit.
"Good try love, but you'll need to be way stronger and faster than that!"
Yamada-sensei gets the last goodbye, his expression softening as the other two strike up a conversation at the door.
"You good kid?"
I blush at the sincerity, before quickly nodding and ducking my head shyly with a smile. He laughs, voice boisterous again, and draws me in for a hug.
"Good. Seriously, call if you need us. One of us will always come. No matter what."
There's something warming in that.
I squeeze a little harder, breathing in the strong scent of his cologne.
"Yes, sir."
He leans forward, lips brushing my hair, and pulls away.
"Alright, later Glow Worm!"
I let go and watch as Aizawa-sensei casts me one last look before closing the door behind him.
He locks the door with a jingle and a click.