The prospect of training the next day is somehow both nerve-wracking and impossibly exciting. I stretch in the clearing as Sensei sets aside a blanket—our last training session for the summer. The longest summer I can remember, and one that I almost don't want to end.

No more sleepy mornings with Miska or sweaty afternoons training with Shinsou.

I stretch towards my feet, thoughts swirling.

Back to studying and the never-ending struggle of math.

I'm so caught up in my thoughts, I don't notice the pair of simple, gray high-tops until they appear in my view.

I bolt upright instantly in surprise, swinging around and nearly smacking the taller boy with my arms as light flares across my skin. My arms are around his neck in seconds, the thick purple hair filling my vision.

I squeeze.

"Shinsou!"

"Rin."

I pull back at his rather dull reply, nearly choking when an extra glowing appendage appears over his shoulder to pat my cheek. My glow must be making extra limbs.

"O-O-Oh! I- I'm sorry!"

"I feel like I'm being hugged by a spider," he says sourly. "Can't you control your quirk?"

I pout and dim, letting go and feeling the arms disappear. When he moves away immediately, I frown. After a brief pause, I hurry to his side, not sure what else to do.

"Hi!"

"Hi Rin," he responds sullenly, setting down his things and stepping back. I take in his features and furrow my brows. He looks exhausted. Dark eyes with even darker bruises below them, skin tan but sallow, his body slumped forward in an almost defeated position.

"Are… Are you okay?" I ask, reaching for his shirt.

He blinks and scowls.

"I'm fine. I can do anything you can, so leave it alone. Are we training or what?"

"Anything…" I cut off and narrow my eyes. "Excuse you?"

He doesn't meet my eye as he walks off and I nearly race towards him again, fully intent on getting an explanation. What the hell? Except a hand catches my shoulder, holding me back. I glower, but the purple-haired boy doesn't turn around.

"Give him some space," Sensei says flatly. "If you know someone isn't acting normal, don't keep pushing. Especially when they get snappy."

I glare, shrugging off the hand.

"You never do that with me," I growl. My guardian raises an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

"You're emotional every day. Leave him alone, you can work on the obstacle course."

I don't want to do the stupid obstacle course. I want to help Shinsou, but the look Sensei gives me tells me any disagreement will end with a timeout and essays. Part of me doesn't care.

Part of me wants to push anyways.

"Obstacle Course," Sensei repeats more forcefully, clearly reading my hesitation. "Unless you want to return to the dorms?"

I scowl back, reluctantly turning on my heel. I head towards his satchel and Sensei doesn't even blink when I rifle through his things, grabbing the timer and heading towards the woods. Shinsou does though, face wrinkled in a mood I can't define.

I hate it.

I hate walking away.

I spend twenty minutes on the obstacle course instead, running it twice and wishing more than anything Sensei would let me use my shadows. I wish he would let me use my flames.

I want to watch it all burn.

I'm gonna stop him.

Your brother isn't worth that kind of attention.

Pronounced dead February 23

"Stupid Shinsou," I snarl as I race across the platforms, not even thinking as I leap on instinct. My voice takes on a mocking whine as I climb a wall. "If you know someone isn't acting normal, don't keep pushing. Stupid Sensei! I don't need things spelled out for me. I'm not some stupid kid!"

I mount the top and leap, hands reaching out to balance as I slide down the rope. Sensei had gone over the best way to run on it a few times this summer.

He showed Shinsou and me.

I snarl, flip off the end, and roll the way Yamada-sensei taught me, tucking my head and launching back to my feet. My back and hands ache from the move, the dizziness instant but brief. I push the pain away and keep on running.

By the time I do return, I'm half-hoping Sensei put Shinsou in time out.

He doesn't.

Instead, I find them talking. Heads bent close together and a deepening frown on my guardian's face. I scowl, stomach-churning and something bitter coating my tongue. I walk forward, not feeling particularly forgiving.

Is Shinsou better? I want to ask. Or do I need to go back in the woods so he can cry?

I can even imagine Sensei's glower, the sour way he would say my name.

Yeah, well he was rude for no reason, so I don't f-ing care!

"How am I supposed to compete against all these quirks?" Shinsou snaps instead, breaking me from my thoughts and making me pause. "Rin can level forests! All I can do is dodge! Why would anyone want that as a hero? Maybe they were all right, maybe I am only fit to be a villain-"

"Are you stupid?" I snap, unable to contain myself.

Shinsou flinches and spins, clearly caught off guard. Sensei, behind him, makes a face.

Great job. You're definitely gonna be friend of the year at this rate.

Maybe you'll even get a special award.

Nominated for most likely to get everyone around you killed goes to -

"Rin," Sensei snaps.

"Sorry for interrupting," I sneer. Disgusted, I toss the timer still in my hand aside and cross my arms. "You're in a mood because of quirks? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

Shinsou bristles, eyes narrowing and teeth grinding closed.

"You're in the hero program, what would you-"

"Fuck you," I growl. He flinches, but I ignore it, too angry to care. Sensei steps forward, but I dodge to the side. "You saved me, you bastard. You saved everyone in that house-"

"You called," he snarls. "And all I did was get Sensei-"

"You idiot! You stopped his stupid plan! You hid the candles, you broke the window, and you saved all of them! What is wrong with you? I don't even know why you're complaining! You got the spot anyways- mmphh!"

Sensei's binding cloth slaps across my mouth and chest a moment too late.

Shinsou pales, looking like he a strong wind might knock him over.

It makes me want to kick him.

Sensei drags me backward instead, eyes narrowed and nostrils flaring.

"You need to control yourself," he says sharply, eyes red and hair floating above his head like angry snakes.

"I… I what?" Shinsou says quietly.

Lost.

Sensei loosens his capture weapon and I yank it forcefully from my mouth. He retracts it in a simple move, gesturing towards the ground.

"Sit. Both of you are far too emotional," he complains, rubbing his neck. I do and he turns towards the purple-haired boy still staring vacantly ahead. "Shinsou, sit down. Apparently, we need to have a discussion."

I make a strangled noise.

"Since you're so vocal, we can start with you," Sensei says moodily, and I peek out from my knees to see him glowering down at me. "Rin, you're being inconsiderately aggressive. Just because Shinsou's fears are not grounded in reality does not make them inconsequential. You get just as worked up at the thought of being abandoned, which I will remind you is not logical either. Apologize."

I sink down at my fears being expressed so openly.

I love you.

Shinsou, rubbing his arms uncomfortably, glances between us.

"Sorry."

"Hitoshi," Sensei says. And I twitch at the familiar use of his name. Shinsou looks just as caught off guard.

"S-sir?"

"You are being insecure. In the last few months, you have learned a new style of fighting, increased your overall strength, learned to use the capture weapon, and demonstrated your own aptitude as a hero. Rin is correct that it was you, and not I, that saved those children at her old group home. The fact that she called is irrelevant. You took the information and used it to make the best possible choice you could."

"She… I…" Shinsou says quietly.

"Are you listening to what I'm telling you?" Sensei asks sharply.

"Y-Yes, sir," Shinsou says roughly, dragging a hand across his face.

"Summarize it."

"I'm being insecure, and I've learned a lot. I… I saved those people."

"There weren't people," I scowl.

He blinks, eyebrows furrowing. Even Sensei looks confused.

Stupid words.

"They weren't just people," I try again, fingers curling into fists. "They were- they were kids. There were thirteen of us."

Shinsou's shoulders sag.

"I… I'm sorry. I forgot you knew them."

Just because Shinsou's fears are not grounded in reality does not make them inconsequential.

"You're already stronger than my classmates anyway," I continue, not liking the way he slumps or this uncharacteristic gloom. It scratches at my insides. "You're definitely stronger than Toru at least. All she can do is turn invisible and she can't even do a pull-up. And when we spar, you're already stronger and faster than me. So that means you're better than Kirishima, Sero, and Sparkles-"

"Sparkles?" Shinsou asks, face turning pink.

"Yeah, the one that likes shiny things and shoots lasers from his stomach? He's got no stamina. You should have seen him run, he prances. So you could easily dodge faster than he can shoot. As long as you're not being stupid. I dunno about Mina-chan though, she's really flexible. But she also likes to talk a lot, so you'd probably just catch her with your quirk. Actually… All my classmates like to talk a lot, except Todoroki-kun. He'd probably beat you. But I think you'd win against Bakugou. You'd just have to pretend to be Deku or say something mean and he'd shout himself out."

I stop at Sensei's snort, realizing I'm rambling, and blink in surprise at Shinsou's crimson face.

At least he doesn't look ready to cry.

"Are you blushing? Why are you so red?"

"Rin's analysis is not wrong," Sensei intercedes, leaning forward against his fist. "You have improved. Which is why you'll be joining Vlad's class tomorrow in 1B. Welcome to the hero program."

The dazed look is back, and it's probably a good thing we're sitting.

"I… I did it?"

"Yeah," Sensei says, that little smile he never shows in class peeking through. "You did it, kid. Good job."

.

.

.

We don't end up doing much training.

Apparently, Shinsou needs to get home to pack and I'm still not allowed to use my quirk—except my glow which I think gets on Sensei's nerves. We spar for a while, but without Shinsou it isn't the same.

"Why didn't you just call him?" I ask later that evening after dinner as I curl on my favorite spot on the couch. "Shinsou I mean. All of us got our letters in the mail with that hologram disk. You could have sent one of those."

"He's my apprentice," Sensei says simply, stretching across the rug to tug a toy for Miska. The kitten chases it enthusiastically, tail waving as she scampers and dives forward.

I think that's supposed to mean something.

"And?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows.

"And he's done everything I've asked over the last few months. He's worked himself to the point of exhaustion, gone above and beyond, and never complained."

I still have no idea why he couldn't call.

Sensei sighs loudly and rolls over to stare at the ceiling, shaking his head.

"When you have something important to say, you say it in person. This was important to him, so I said it in person."

"But you didn't tell any of us we made it in person," I argue. "Not that I really wanted a hero to show up, but I'm sure it was important to everyone else that they made it."

"If you will recall, I didn't know any of you then," Sensei says dryly. "I don't care about what's important to a stranger. Shinsou has worked with me individually every week since the internships. I care about him."

"What about your students?" I ask, sprawling across the couch to stare down at him. "Do you care about your students too?"

His answering stare tells me just how dumb he thinks that question is.

"What about me?" I ask, smiling.

"Is this going to be a daily thing?" he huffs, relinquishing the toy to cross his arms. It doesn't look nearly as severe on the floor. "Do you need daily affirmations? Yes Rin, I care about you."

"Will you say it again?" I ask rolling off the couch to kneel beside him. Without hesitating, I lean on his chest and pluck a few random hairs off.

"I care?"

"No," I discard the hairs and meet his eye shyly, pulling at my fingers. "Love."

He snorts.

"I love you."

My skin blisters into light, and I hide my face in his chest when wings unfurl from my back and daisies break out across my arms. He chuckles, his chest rocking, and a hand slips through my hair.

I peek over my arms to see his eyes shut, looking as peaceful as he does asleep.

"Sensei?"

"Hmmm?"

"Thank you."