The meeting lets out soon after.

I stare out the window, body tight, expression cold.

Behind me, the others gather and dither. Heads bowed, hands twisting. I don't look towards them, I can't. Eyes scanning the city line instead, I stare at the contrast. The dark buildings cast stark shadows, their outlines vivid against the too bright morning sky. The sun's warmth hot and seemingly mocking.

Kaito… you fool.

What have you done?

Little girls, yakuza, drug trafficking?

I want to shake him. I want to scream.

Ryu, where were you? Sora, what were you doing?

Mama, you didn't stop him!

"I… I let her go," whispers Midoriya, his voice low and cracking. I don't look back, unwilling to see his tears. I squeeze my fist. "I… She was right there and I- I let go…"

Someone sniffs.

Someone else lets out a low whine.

I don't understand how they can be sad. Anger courses through my blood like fire, smoke churning so desperately beneath my skin it feels like it's tearing at the seams. Like skin so tight, one wrong move, and I'll explode.

"You didn't know-"

I breathe deeply, breath rattling in my chest. It takes all my self-control. Only too certain that if I let go now, I'll never stop.

"Rin-chan?"

It's Tsuyu. Quiet. Hesitant.

She sounds ready to cry.

"Yes?" I manage, somehow keeping my voice level. It's a miracle I'm still together.

I breathe again, emotions so close to the surface I can taste them.

Ash in my mouth. The smell of recently overturned dirt. I can almost remember the flicker of gas station lights above me. The cold drain of some little girl's torture swimming down my veins.

"Are… Are you-"

Are you what? I want to sneer. Sad? Angry?

Okay?

Hell no.

I'm fucking pissed.

Kaito, when I find you, I'm gonna tear you apart.

I turn, a fake smile stretching across my face.

"No more crying," Yui-san repeats, looking me dead in the eye. "Crying gives them power. If you want to be a hero, show them your strength."

"Let's do our best, yeah?"

Tsuyu shivers.

Sensei, several meters away, watches narrow-eyed.

"Ah… yeah, ribbit."

I pass the crying teens numbly.

"Sir- Eraserhead," I manage. I step towards him. He studies me silently, half his face half-hidden away. "Are- Are we done here?"

Pushing off the wall, he crosses his arms.

"I'm not."

I nod, stupid smile cracking.

"Can I go?"

Almost reluctant, he nods.

"I'll call Nemuri."

"Eh, don't worry 'bout it. I can take her."

I look over. It's the short man from before. Old Grand or something.

I scowl.

Sensei doesn't look pleased either.

"I'm not sure-"

"Tch. The kid'll be fine," he huffs, cane tapping out against the floor as he squints. "Gotta head to the station and UA's on the way. We can burn off some of those emotions on the way. Doesn't look to me like she wants to sit around here and wait either."

I snap my mouth shut and frown.

He isn't wrong…

Sensei, at least in that, seems to agree. With a last, narrow-eyed look, he shrugs.

"Fine. Do as you please. Rin, you're to text me the moment your back."

The look he gives promises consequences for forgetting. I shrug.

"Yes, sir."

He turns towards the others with a sigh, looking entirely put upon. I don't blame him. Mopey, sad bunch.

"What is this?" he asks, shuffling their way. He sounds like he's trying for a joke. "A wake?"

I shift on my heels and head towards the door.

It certainly feels like one.

.

.

.

"Hmm, Hoki. Yeah, I think I remember you. Placed third in the festival, didn't yah?"

I grimace at the reminder.

The festival I choked.

"Yes."

"Heh, thought so. The ice boy took you out too, didn't he? Hn, same one that took mine. Though Midoriya certainly gave 'em a lot more fight. You… You've got some sort of shadow quirk, or something don't yah?"

I level the little man a sour look. Was he expecting us to chat?

And about quirks?

"Something," I reply unhelpfully.

He cackles stupidly. I eye him, scowling.

"I like you," he says grinning. Reaching out, he whacks at me with his cane. It doesn't connect. I shift back, catching it with a glower.

I consider not giving it back.

He steals it in a flash.

He takes my jacket too.

In a breath he's above me, expression wicked as he leers from the side of a building.

"Tch! Let's see if you can get this then, huh?"

I glare, annoyed when he shakes it in my direction.

He wanted me to do what? Chase him in the middle of the street?

Why?

"What's wrong girlie, too slow?" the old man jeers. "Or do you still not have any control?"

I narrow my eyes.

Then, uncaring, let the shadows rise across my skin.

They fold, drip, bubble up to the surface. Rising and grasping and clawing their way through the split in my dress shirt. In seconds they stretch out longer, thicker, wider than ever before. Horrifying and ragged, like a thing of nightmares beating in the dark.

I pump them twice—pedestrians spilling around me as I rise.

The old man whistles, eyes going wide.

"Well I'll be damned," he says. "The hell are those?"

There's a face clawing its way through a wing.

A little girl, faceless and reaching. A broken mask by right arm, it shatters visibly.

My braid whips in the wind.

I meet him, flapping outside the building and reach out expectantly.

"My jacket?" I demand.

The old man jerks. Then, as if pulling himself together, he grins.

"Tch! If you want it, come and get it!" he shouts. Obnoxious in that stupid, ridiculous yellow, he bounds forward and up. He's faster than I can see. He kicks himself beside me, blasting past, and then twisting midair to bounce back.

He waves my jacket expectantly, his stupid masked face grinning.

"Well? What are you waiting for?"

I snarl and chase.

Whoever this man is, he's fast.

Extremely fast.

I can see Midoriya in his moves though. I twist and follow, ducking pigeons and speeding past windows. I'm sure we look quite the sight, some little yellow man being chased by a flying girl with ragged wings in a UA uniform. Strangely, no one stops us.

Even stranger… it's… it's kind of fun.

Especially when he makes a mistake and I just barely swipe at his elbow.

"Heh! Look at that!"

He drops, bounding off building walls, and I follow instinctively, pulling close my wings.

"You really think you can keep up, heh?"

He changes direction mid-fall, feet shooting sideways and body projecting forward. He's like a rocket!

I struggle to adjust. Wings flaring open, legs kicking for purchase.

Below us, someone cat calls.

I don't pay attention, banking hard and into a loop.

He leads me for a good twenty minutes, spinning and banking and twisting through the city. It isn't until he takes a particularly sharp turn, nearly stumbling, when I find him perched and grinning on a rooftop.

This time he doesn't run.

I land ungracefully beside him, the impact knocking my knees and ringing in my teeth.

"My jacket?" I demand expectantly.

He laughs, the sound open and raw, and tosses it over.

"Yeah yeah! Good job girlie, I'm impressed you kept up. It really is emotions though, isn't it?" he asks, that stupid walking cane appearing out of nowhere as he leans forward. "Tch, Eraser's gonna have his hands full with you."

Shaking out my windblown braid, I give him a look.

"What does that mean?"

He gestures behind me to my wings.

I wrinkle my nose and turn and-

And I have to stop.

I stare.

The wings…

The wings that before were ragged and nightmarish. They- They aren't. They stretch out the same distance, still full and covered in darkness, but-

But they're beautiful.

Black shadows intermingle with dark, fiery reds, silver sparks exploding from golden sunburst and spinning into oblivion. Tiny droplets splash and turn, dancing or- or like shooting stars, a low gray fog chasing in their wakes with thin silver trails. It's the same anarchy and madness from before—like staring into the galaxy as wings.

I spread them.

It's like watching the world move.

Is… Is that me?

I can't look away.

"Thought as much," the old man says, he stomps around, the cane tapping as he goes. "Had that look about you, like some of them street rats I used to chase back in the day. Got a quirkless parent, don't yah?"

I flinch.

Jerking towards him, I don't-

He nods, as if that's answer enough. And maybe it is. I can't stop staring.

"What? How…"

He shrugs, reaching towards the lip of the building and sitting.

"Lived through those damn Anti-quirkless laws," the man says sourly. "Back then there were a lot more quirkless though. More than today at least, especially on paper. Tch, now you're lucky to step out into the streets and meet one in a thousand younger than thirty. So which one was it? Mom or Dad? Certainly explains the brother. Shit's enough to make anyone go rogue."

I… I gape.

"My… Both. I… Everyone?"

The old man raises both brows.

"Both?" he whistles. He leans back and stares, expression calculating. "Damn. And they made you?"

I don't know what that means.

I peak at my wings, amazed at the swirl of colors still there. Vivid. Moving.

The old man quiets.

Then, with a crack of his neck, he releases a sigh.

"Eraser tells me you were the one to puzzle out Midoriya's secret. I was worried you'd hold it against him, but you don't even care, do you?"

Care?

"About what?" I scowl, crouching down.

The wings shift, lengthening into a cape. It's the weirdest cape ever. Piles of hands. Thick and thin, reaching out and flickering. I can see Mama's mixed in, above her Tsuyu's and beside that Yamada-sensei. A fist near the top reminds me strangely of Bakugou, the one beside that one maybe Kirishima?

"What that could mean," the man says sharply. "A quirk that can be shared. Really, use your brain girl. Where do you think he got that quirk?"

I scowl.

"How would I know?"

Then… Then I pause. Because something about that hits and…

"All Might's apprentice…"

I jerk back towards the old man, eyes wide.

"He… Toshinori-san?"

Was that why he didn't move?

Distantly, I remember a falling rock, the wide blue eyes.

"That idiot was just as clueless at your age too," the old man huffs with a shrug. I stare. He leans forward, looking strangely old. "There are bigger enemies out here then some boy in a bird mask and that kid with the hands, your brother included. I'm… It's only fair someone warn you, he may be in jail but… tch, just be careful. You look… Cut the hair and twist it up and you favor someone I used to know."

I…

I don't know what to say.

Careful?

Of what?

The hands at my shoulders squeeze. A pair of pale glowing silver ones. They reach out, circling comfortingly around my chest.

"Well," the old man says, clearing his throat. He rises slowly. I frown, surprised that he's looking away. That he looks… that he looks sad. "Let's get you back to school, eh?"

I nod, and slowly, follow him back.

.

.

.

The next day, I'm surprised that for once, it's not me struggling.

The others, all of the others seem distracted. Spacing out in classes, overexerting themselves in hero training, and just looking strangely lost.

It's strange to be on the other end, to notice and not be the one noticed.

For the most part, I just ignore it.

Sensei's aware, he'll fix them eventually. So when Kagura texts, I'm far more interested in her results.

Just checking, Hoki Kaito, right?

I send a thumbs up, thankful she got there at lunch and not math, cause there was no way I'd ever be able to text her then. She sends a winking face and I collect my food and sit. Shinsou's already chatting with Daisuke, something about some upcoming hero charts—I don't really know. I manage to swallow some rice balls before Kagura finally replies.

There's no Kaito. But damn girl, you didn't mention the whole family tree! There's like twelve other Hokis in here. You want one of the others?

I frown, brows drawing in, and consider it.

No Kaito?

But how? Why? We already had a file. That didn't make any sense.

Are you sure? I text back, something jittery racing through my veins. It makes me want to stand, to walk and pace or move. Could it maybe have gotten mixed in with the others?

The picture she sends is clear. Three filing drawers open with multiple folders. I zoom in, mouth drying at the names.

Akio, Eita, Goku, Haru, Kyo, Namiko, Ryu…

"Ryu," I whisper, eyes going wide.

Ryu! I type back at once. I switch back and look again. Sora's right after, followed by Takuya, Yamato, and Yokuto.

My throat closes at the last.

Heart thundering loudly in my ears.

Yokuto.

Daddy.

Sora and Yokuto, I text her with shaking fingers. The screen blurs and I can barely breathe. Daddy. A file of my- of my Dad!

"Rin."

I blink, the world awash in blurs. The purple of Shinsou's hair warps strangely with the walls, haloing and blurring in the light.

He looks worried, expression pinching.

"What's wrong?"

My lip quivers. He's up in an instant, around the table in less time than it takes to blink. He's warm and solid, and I lean into his arm as it slides against my shoulder.

Daddy…

"Hey, come on, breathe."

I suck in a rattled breath, feeling it tremble all over. Daddy, Sora, even Ryu… My phone buzzes, and I open it instantly. Pictures, at least fifteen of them downloading at once. I click the first at once, ignoring Shinsou's growl.

It's Ryu.

Aiko Ryu.

I zoom in on the picture, fingers shaking as I move. He… he looks so grown. A thick jaw with dark dark squinting eyes, hair bleached blonde and spiked. I can see the dark stain of a tattoo curling on his neck too blurry to make out.

"Rin," Shinsou says sharply, voice strangely similar to Sensei when he's annoyed. I look up. "What the hell-"

I don't let him finish.

Thrusting the phone under his nose, I give him a begging stare.

"I-I-It's my… my brother!"

Across the table, Daisuke jerks strangely. Mako-chan, a few seats over making a noise.

"Her brother?" the girl whispers.

Shinsou's arm tightens, lips thinning. He stares at the picture only half-aware.

"The one from…"

From the forest goes unsaid.

I jerk away with a headshake, nearly slapping myself with my braid.

"N-No!" I pull back the phone, but Mako-chan's moving, against my back in seconds. Her chin presses on my shoulder, fingers taunt against my arms as she cranes to look over. No boundaries. "He's—He's the oldest. Ryu."

"He's cute!" the girl giggles, blonde hair sliding over my shoulder. "And look at that tattoo! What a bad boy!"

Shinsou scowls.

"Then why are you crying?"

I swipe at my face quickly, skin warming to a pink and silver glow.

"I… I haven't seen him since I was ten," I admit, flustered. Mako-chan, always full of bubbling energy, stills. I zoom out and scroll over twice. Sora stares back. He looks… he looks sick. With sallow, too pale skin, long hair that seems stringy and thin, and eyes that almost seem to sink back into his head. He doesn't look anything like the brother I remember. "Not since we… since they took us away. Sora… He was the youngest, besides me."

Shinsou looks automatically and even Daisuke rises, shuffling around to take a glance.

"Is that a mug shot?" the dark-skinned boy asks curiously.

"Definitely," Shinsou grumbles sourly. "Are all of your brothers criminals?"

He releases me, leaning away annoyed.

"I... yes?"

I zoom out again and sweep the screen. Six, maybe seven pages (Why does he have so many?) pass by until I stop. Hoki Yokuto. My father barely squints out from a picture, almost unrecognizable. Purple swollen skin covering half his jaw, one bloody lip stretching forward. I can see the shape of broken teeth, dark and dispersed and-

Shinsou steals my phone.

"Rin," he growls. "What the hell is all this?"

I don't-

I stop, frowning when I hear Mako-chan gag. She's greening, stumbling up.

"Are you…"

"I'll get her," Daisuke says smoothly, patting Shinsou comfortingly as he pushes by. "You know how she gets with blood."

I frown, watching as he steadies Mako-chan, pulling her out. Was…

"What-"

What happened dies on my lips.

Shinsou looks pale and I realize he's zoomed out, that he's looking at the name, the date...

"Rin," he says, voice low and hard. He sounds like Sensei.

I can't… I can't meet his eye.

So which one was it? Mom or Dad? Certainly explains the brother. Shit's enough to make anyone go rogue.

"It's- It's my… my Dad," I explain, looking towards where the others had gone. Mako-chan looked really bad. I hope she's okay. "I… Hitoshi-kun, I haven't seen them since- not since the hero… It was only a purse. The… A hero caught him, hurt him. They… He broke his jaw. Hitoshi-kun, he cried. My brothers and I watched, watched them put him in the car and- and-"

And the hug catches me by surprise.

The gruff noise even more so.

"Rin," Shinsou scowls, and there's a crack in his voice. "You saw that at ten?"

I sink into him silently.

Grateful for his taller form and reaching arm.

"I… Yeah," I whisper, curling into his side. Unheeding of the loud noise of the cafeteria and too many eyes. My classmates, nosy as always, will probably have questions. Why were you hugging? What happened at lunch? When do they not? "It's… I don't—didn't—don't like heroes."

Shinsou doesn't return my phone.

"That's… fuck," he says instead. Thumb sliding, removing it from the screen. The home screen appears below, it's him and Sensei. Shinsou stops, staring at it. It's only a few weeks old at most. The one I'd snapped when Aizawa-sensei had been showing him a new move, both of them pulling at their capture weapons in sync. He'd been so serious I couldn't help it. He stares at it now, fingers hesitant before glancing over. "That's not the way to remember him."

To remember him.

There's something strange about that. Frustrating.

I barely remember my father. Just sharp alcohol on his breath. The smell of cigarettes and sound of clinking glass against the table. A laugh so loud and booming it filled our house, rattling the walls when they argued and screamed.

I can barely remember his face.

Certainly not the sound of his voice.

Mostly just the ache of cold bellies clawing with hunger. Mama's nails as she dragged me out. My brother's angry stares.

Should have been me.

"Oh."

Shinsou glowers.

"The whole lot of them sound like shit," he says, sliding me back my phone. I don't take it, focusing instead on his face. It only makes him twitch. He frowns as it continues. "Hey? Seriously? Why are you staring?"

I don't know what to say.

Because you care.

Because it hurts that I don't remember.

Because it's not fair, it's not fair that they're out there, that they have each other and they didn't—and they didn't want me.

Because I wish they were you.

"Do… Is Mako-chan going to be okay?"

His ears redden and he scowls, dragging over his plate and taking a bite.

"Yeah, she's… She's probably fine. Just doesn't like blood. Last time someone got a papercut, she nearly passed out. Daisuke's got it, but we can go check on them in a minute. Eat your food and stop being weird. If you start crying again, I'm going to get Sensei."

.

.

.

That afternoon, Sensei holds Midoriya back after class.

After everything today, it just feels… weird.

Part of me wonders if this has something to do with the way Midoriya, more than anyone, had struggled today, especially during the hero training after lunch. Considering Sensei had to fish him out of the river during the USJ, probably. I don't get to ask though. Sticking around to ask that was like asking for a lecture.

Instead, I head to the computer lab and print my new files.

The place is a mess. Again. Ugh.

Unlike last time, I don't take these to the lobby. Instead, I slide them into a folder and intend to read them in my room.

But there's a rabbit outside my door.

I stare at it peculiarly.

It stares back, red eyes bright.

"Where did you come from?" I ask, considering the little white creature with a frown. It doesn't respond. Nose wiggling. I have no idea why it's there. I tilt my head, wondering if I just wait if it'll move.

It doesn't.

Several long seconds later, I sigh, reaching down to move it.

It's… It's really soft.

It also leans into me; paws and body stretch as if it wants me to pick it up.

"I have a kitten," I tell it seriously, petting the fur and trying to ignore the insistent nuzzle of its nose. "You can't… Are you someone's pet?"

Then it hops itself into my arms.

I huff and stand, holding the thing loosely.

"You better not poop on me," I tell it seriously, giving up and unlocking the door. I shuffle through the short hall and frown at Miska. She stretches and stands lazily. I can tell the moment she sees the rabbit though, cause she lets out a yowl that nearly makes the rabbit jump.

I scowl at them both.

"I told you I had a cat," I huff at the rabbit. It nervously thumps a back foot against me. I roll my eyes.

Miska, however, wanders closer, voice trilling as she circles my feet.

She looks like a shark.

Brat.

"Miska stop it," I grumble, dropping my folder on the table and sliding off my book bag. Momentarily I manage to push her away. She's so stubborn. Before I can even stop her, she back curling around me before rising to paw at my shin. I try to shake her away, but it's completely ineffective. The rabbit in my arms shivers, seeming ready to bolt.

I sigh.

"You're a bully," I tell the cat with a look. Running my hand across the rabbit to calm it, I head back towards the door. "It's not staying."

I manage to push Miska away and step out the door, but Miska bolts and I scowl, watching my cat freeze on the lobby floor, tail twitching.

Shifting the rabbit to one side, I scoop up my cat with the other and make a face.

"You're going to go to time out," I tell her shortly. "You'd better stop, this is your warning."

The cat yowls, looking past me to the rabbit, and I have to hold them both, each in opposite arms, to keep them from running.

"Hey Rin-chan, whatcha doin?" shouts a voice.

I brighten instantly.

"Kaminari-kun!" I call, immediately walking over. He's stretched across a couch, what looks like a slice of Satou's most recent cheesecake half-demolished on his chest. "I found a rabbit!"

"Huh? Oh that's Koda-kun's. He was looking for it earlier," the blonde says. He carefully cuts a mouthful of cheesecake before glancing at Miska. "I've never seen the cat before though…"

I give him a look.

Obviously.

"She's mine," I tell him adjusting her as she tries to wiggle away. "Where's Koda?"

"Third floor," he garbles, nearly choking as he tries to eat cake on his back. "His room's right beside mine by the elevator."

I nod, vaguely remembering his. He'd had a room full of random junk, hadn't he?

"Thanks," I shrug, readjusting Miska again as I head to the stairs.

I barely make it a few steps before what sounds like a stampede crashes through the stairwell. Toru laughs as she sees me, giggling loudly and clothes swaying as she races past me. I have to move, nearly flattening against the wall when I hear the others thundering behind her.

"I'm gonna be first!"

"No fair you cheat!"

"Oh- Watchout Rin-chan!"

Thankfully it's just Sero, Mina, and Kirishima. The redhead stopping and nearly tripping over his feet the moment he sees me.

"Rin-chan! Gah-"

If I didn't have a nervous rabbit and irate cat in my hands, I probably would have caught him. As it is, he has hardening—he'll be fine.

"Hi Kirishima-kun," I greet flatly, stepping over him and continuing up the stairs.

I find Koda's room without issue, the rest of the hall quiet with the noisiest bunch downstairs shouting. Knocking, however, becomes an issue. So I kick his door, vaguely amused when I hear the boy inside eep.

The new kid appears seconds later, red-rimmed eyes wide—and suddenly, I'm uncomfortably aware that the weird, new boy's been crying and… I thrust out the rabbit precariously on one hand, looking anywhere but at him.

"Here," I say gruffly. "I… It's yours, right?"

"Yuki!"

I can actually hear the relief in that; large, chunky hands passing gently over mine.

"Where have you been?"

I take a moment to shift Miska more comfortably in my arms. She yowls, making it clear what she thinks, and I scratch under her chin half in apology and half because it's cute. She leans back, positioning her chin exactly where she wants it.

"You know, if you didn't want to be manhandled, you should have stayed inside," I grumble good-naturedly.

The new kid, still looking seriously at his rabbit pauses and glances up. When I stop scratching, he giggles, clearly amused at Miska complaint.

"T-Thank you Hoki-chan," he says, head ducking shyly.

I don't really know how to handle that.

So I pet Miska and nod.

He seems to take some sort of courage in that.

"Miska," the boy says hesitantly. "She… She likes this. Being out here with you."

Something weird about that sentence scratches at my mind.

I frown, brows furrowing.

"I didn't tell you her name," I say slowly, watching the strange rock-shaped head pinken.

"I-It's m-my quirk," he stutters. "I can understand animals."

That… I look weirdly at the kitten. She stares back, body rumbling in a low purr.

"Oh."

Well, that's strange.

It also sounded horribly inconvenient.

Miska could talk all day. She was meowing almost non-stop now and she was actually cute. The idea of understanding birds or grasshoppers or those loud frogs that never seemed to be quiet? What a headache. I intend to say as much, opening my mouth. But the boy's not really looking at me. He's staring at Miska, expression curious.

I glance between them suspiciously, before giving Miska a sour face.

"Are you telling all my secrets?" I grumble half-heartedly.

The way the boy blushes again, it's probably yes.

"S-She- No! She's- She's just expressive!"

Expressive.

"About what?" I huff. She didn't do anything but lay about and play with toys.

"I… I could translate if you'd like," the boy offers, fingers tapping nervously. "She… She loves you a lot. She just wants to talk about you and… uh… Aizawa-sensei."

I pause.

She loves you a lot…

My chest warms.

The skin on my arms flickers and glows. The new kid stares, mouth dropping open.

"Woah," he whispers. He pinks again, ducking his head and looking away bashfully. "That's… I mean… You're really pretty."

I blink.

Did he…

I'm what?

"Ah…"

"Do… Do you want to come in?" he offers hesitantly. He strokes his rabbit lightly and I realize, rather idiotically, we've been standing in his doorway this entire time. "I… I have some cat treats?"

Miska purrs, looking up almost expectant.

I want to say yes. But suddenly the thought… it almost feels like a betrayal.

This should have been Mineta-kun's room.

"Rin-chan, do you… do you have a grudge against Koda-kun?"

I must hesitate too long.

His face falls. Bowing slightly, suddenly he looks ready to cry.

"I-I-It's okay. I… I understand-"

I seriously doubt that.

I consider his downtrodden expression guiltily.

Ugh. Words.

"Only… for a little while," I hedge, looking away. Even in my peripheral, I can all but taste his instant excitement. The boy makes a noise and I catch a glimpse of a smile so wide it nearly splits his face.

"T-That's fine! You- You should come in!"

.

.

.

A little while turns quickly turns into an hour.

It also expands into Ochako, who apparently loves bunnies, and Tsuyu, who thinks Miska is adorable and wants to keep her. We all takes turns with Koda, either petting Yuki the rabbit or teasing Miska with a string. And because it's my classmates, I'm completely unsurprised when someone knocks.

"Come in!"

Kaminari had already been by twice. First looking for Iida and then again about ten minutes ago just because. In, look around, then out like the goofball he was.

I sigh.

If he was back, I was handing him Miska. Maybe she'd help him focus.

"A-Aizawa-sensei!"

I blink.

What?

Aizawa-sensei is indeed in the doorway. Hair pulled back in a bun, uniform replaced with dark slacks and a long shirt. He raises an eyebrow, looking for the most part some mix of bored and amused.

"What exactly is going on here?"

"We- We- We were-" Koda stutters.

I give him a look.

Don't scare him!

"Relax," Sensei drawls, lip quirking. He leans against the door frame, arms crossed. "You're not in trouble. I was just wondering where these two troublemakers had wandered off to."

I flush, skin bathing the room in a light pink and huff. Ochako covers her lips as she giggles, Tsuyu tapping her chin with her tongue poking out.

Really?

Koda, clearly unsure, manages a nervous smile.

"Sensei! Sensei!" Ochako giggles. "Do you want to pet Yuki-chan?"

She beams up at him, rabbit settled in her lap, and Sensei considers them both curiously.

Then, stepping forward, he squats beside her.

Miska, who'd stopped playing the moment she heard Sensei, stands fully at attention at that, eyes narrowing jealously at his hand. When Sensei reaches out, his knuckles passing over the small rabbit's fur, she mewls angrily and charges over. Then, reaching his knee, headbutts him with a whine.

"Aww," Tsuyu says, tongue poking out. "She's so cute, ribbit!"

Sensei just huffs, picking up the kitten, and to everyone's delight, allowing her to stretch out against his chest. She nuzzles his chin purring.

He stands then, Miska's long body encased protectively in his arms.

"You all should head to the lobby, Lunch Rush just delivered dinner," he says glancing at the others before his eyes land on me. There's something in his expression that I can't quite read. He studies me momentarily. "Rin, I want to see your homework before you do anything else."

I groan and rise to my feet.

The others rise around me, Koda's rabbit staring balefully.

"Have a good night, Rin-chan!" the girls giggle.

Koda blushes and mutters the same, his bashful cheeks fully aflame.

I just shake my head.

"Night."

Sensei waits in the hall for me, having stepped out without another word. I fall into step beside him, amused when Miska flicks her tail and continues to purr.

"How come you didn't text me?" I ask Sensei curiously,

He shrugs. Weird.

Maybe he felt restless?

He never visits the others, rarely even spending time in the lobby, unlike Vlad.

I stretch my arms above, groaning slightly at the stretch as we descend the stairs. He gives me a look, I smile, skin fluttering brightly with light. I wonder if he was worried.

I discard the thought almost immediately.

Sensei worried?

About what?

"There was a rabbit outside our door," I tell him instead, pulling my hands back and behind my back. "Miska didn't really like that, and I tried bringing her—the rabbit—in, 'cause she just jumped into my arms. Isn't that crazy? And you know, Yuki-chan is kinda bossy. I wonder if all rabbits are bossy? Have you ever had one? Oh! But Miska didn't like her. So when I left to take Yuki-chan back—I had to ask Kaminari-kun who she belonged to—Miska ran out. I had my arms full."

"Is that so?"

I smile, fireflies breaking out across my cheeks.

They're kinda distracting.

"Yeah. She has really soft fur. Did you know Koda-kun is really shy? He didn't say it, but I think you scare him. It's cause you're sometimes mean, but I told him that's just your tone and that you're not really. You're just not really good at showing it cause you get grumpy. You should sleep more, it makes you happier. Though you could work on your hugs too and maybe your cooking-"

"Rin," Sensei huffs.

He flicks his eyes towards me and raises an eyebrow.

I grin.

"Just kidding," I snicker. "I like your hugs. They're nice. And you're getting better at seasoning! Did you pick up fish? Oh, maybe we could make a dessert?"

"Homework first," he says flatly. He sounds disgruntled, I giggle quietly.

"Okay!"

Rushing ahead, I take the stairs almost two at a time, skipping past my classmates all digging hungrily into the boxes of food.

Slipping into our room, I make straight for my bag when I freeze.

My…

My bag that I left by the kitchen table with the folder and- and-

"Oh shit!"

"Rin," Sensei scowls, door opening behind me. I spin, flushing cherry red as he gives me a sour look. He shuts and locks the door behind him. "Don't cuss."

I grin nervously, scanning his stance and expression.

He wasn't… he wasn't yelling. Maybe he didn't notice?

"Ah… Sorry!" I squeak.

Heading straight for the table, I notice everything looks unmoved. My stomach clenches. If he looked, he'd be fussing at least… right?

I peek apprehensively back.

Sensei drops his keys on the counter and raises an eyebrow.

"You look suspicious."

Shit.

"I- I'm not!" I nearly squawk. Jerking my bag onto my chair, I quickly unload several folders onto the table, being sure to cover the file. I'll just hide it, shove it in my bag when he's not look and-

"Go ahead and empty it all," Sensei says flatly, fixing a glass of water and then meandering over towards his chair. "It looks like a mess. I'll help you reorganize."

I flush, reaching in for the few scraps of crinkled up paper.

"I-Um… It's… It's not that bad! That-That's not necessary!"

He snorts.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" he asks calmly, sinking into his chair. He props his chin on a fist and leans lazily against his arm.

He knows.

He absolutely, 100%, totally knows.

"Fuck."

There's an almost reluctant twist to his lips. It conflicts terribly with the scolding expression he tries to adopt.

"One more curse and you're writing lines," Sensei warns.

He even sounds amused.

I slump.

"Why don't you just say you went through my things?" I scowl, staring down at my bag. Reluctantly, I remove everything to the table. The timeline the others helped me peeks out in the middle and I hate it. I hate this. "I… I hate when you pretend."

The amusement disappears almost instantly.

"Pretend," Sensei repeats, sounding disgusted. He regards me steadily. "What are you talking about?"

"You… this," I snap, gesturing widely to the pile. "You haven't checked my homework all week!"

He reaches out his hand, I scowl, passing him my math.

"I've been busy," he says, collecting a pencil from my mess and ignoring me to look over everything. "Since All Might's defeat, there's been a significant rise in crime. Since you've done better at sleeping through the night, I've increased my patrols."

I relax a little, frowning as he marks through two of the problems.

Polynomials. Ugh.

"Plus, Nemuri suggested you might do well with the increased independence."

The way he cuts his eyes from me to the stack, makes it clear his opinion on that.

I scowl.

"And I did—I'm doing fine!" I growl. "I've done all my homework every day! I studied and ate dinner and slept all eight hours, unlike somebody."

His eye twitches.

"If you're doing so well, why are you acting so guilty? Don't think I don't see whatever you've hidden under that pile."

I'm immediately reminded of Kyoka the other night.

"If it isn't her brother I'll eat a hat," the musician retorts, arms folding across her chest. "You've been obsessed with him since the forest. Where did you even get these? Does Sensei know you have them? Is this legal?"

I glare.

"It's not illegal!"

Those are apparently not the right words. The sheet in his hands drop to the table and his head snaps up.

"Excuse me?"

I squirm, not liking his exasperated stare.

"Rin, what exactly have you done?"

"I- Nothing!"

"Nothing doesn't involve people questioning legalities," Sensei growls, standing fully. "File. Now."

I glower, hesitating. He raises both brows, looking incredulous.

"I… Sensei…"

"Rin, hand it over now or I'm going through this stack myself. What the hell have you done?"

I tug the bottom file loose, hesitating slightly as I pass the second.

Maybe he won't-

"All of it."

"F-Fine!" I snarl, snatching the second file and all but throwing them at his face. My hands curl into fists and I swipe angrily at my eyes. My brothers… my father. All that I have left of them scatters across the table and floor, probably to disappear forever. "Why are you always so mean? I- I take everything back! You're- You're the worst! I hate you!"

"Rin-" he starts.

I ignore him, scrubbing uselessly at my eyes.

"Leave me alone! And you- you can stop pretending! Y-You're not my Dad! You- You don't even care! You're just doing this because. And- And- I hate you! I hate you!"

Unable to stand it, I push past him, rushing to my room.

I knock shut the door and throw myself on the bed.

That was stupid.

I ignore the little voice and sob.

The drowning ache, so huge in my chest it feels like it could swallow me whole, yawns ever wider. Liquid, dark and cold as the ocean, tasting like salt and tears spills out my very skin.

It's your own damn fault.

.

.

.

It's well past dinner time when someone knocks on our door.

I stare, eyes aching and tired, at the wall, one arm hanging limply from my soggy, water-logged bed. The sound of a lock clinking and door opening wide.

"Kayama."

"I hope you're hungry!" laughs an obnoxiously familiar voice.

Aunt Nemuri.

I swallow and bury my face, my throat constricting tightly.

The sound of the takeout bag rattles in the other room and Aunt Nemuri's heels click loudly as she walks. The scratch of dragging chairs, the clink of cabinet doors and subtle hiss of running water.

"Still in her room?"

There's a grunt. I can't even begin to describe it.

"Alright," my aunt says brightly, sharp in the too-quiet house. "Rin-chan!"

Unlike Yamada-sensei and even my guardian, she doesn't knock when she enters. Instead, she twists open the door and peaks her head through.

"You decent in here?" she giggles, amused by her own, private joke.

I don't bother responding.

"Well…" the woman huffs, flicking on a light. I flinch at the brightness and then duck my head at the sound of her breath. "Rin-chan, what in the world is all over you? Is that blue?"

She makes a chuffing noise and in seconds is there, nails tapping against my skin as she starts poking and peeling away wet sheets and-

"Leave me alone," I grumble, glaring half-heartedly. "Just- Just go away."

She huffs, the sound incredibly amused, and I glower, finally bothering to look up.

She's as pretty as usual. Long, dark hair curled and framing her face, a pair of thin glasses perched against her nose, and her incredibly short dress riding up her thigh. She smiles.

"Oh there you are!" she laughs, pinching at my nose.

I swat her hand in aggravation.

"Stop that."

"Mhmmm… no. Go take a shower. Why are you just laying in this? And why is it blue?"

I scowl.

"It's- It's my quirk," I tell her darkly. I look down at my body and sigh, feeling the fight drain out. I hate you. I hate you! "I… I was sad."

She makes a face, something unrecognizable, and for a split second, she looks sad. It's gone in a second.

"Well! Be that as it may, I've brought food! And you're not eating covered in goop! So, up, up, up! You can either go take a shower on your own, or you and I can take a shower-"

I drag my feet under me.

"I'm going," I grumble.

"Excellent," she smiles. It's surprisingly bright considering. "Don't take too long Rin-chan, I might be tempted to change my mind!"

I scowl at her wink.

Trudging to the bathroom, I decisively don't look toward Sensei.

Y-You're not my Dad! You- You don't even care!

Instead, I turn the water scalding hot. It burns as it drags away the remains of my quirk, leaving my skin pink and raw. It feels like penance.

"Rin-chan?"

I shut off the water with a sigh.

Changing into shorts and a shirt I don't remember collecting, I reluctantly leave. The sound of the washer drones in the background, and I frown, noticing my unmade bed.

"Ah, there you—Rin-chan! What in the world did you do? Try to boil yourself?"

I don't know how to answer, so I shrug.

Sensei, already at the table, watches silently, his face a mask of indifference. When I meet his eye, I can't help but look immediately away.

"Are you hurt?" he asks, voice low and rough.

I shake my head, before remembering my words.

"No, sir."

He grunts.

Aunt Nemuri fingers her forehead and sighs.

"You two…" she pulls out a chair, gesturing extravagantly to my normal spot. I hesitate, there's already a plate, but she only smiles encouragingly. "Rin-chan, sit, that's yours. I figure it's best we eat and talk, it seems there's a lot to cover tonight."

Sensei snorts.

I flinch, sinking down.

They meant my brother…

I wait. I wait for the lecture, for the shout, for the anger that doesn't come.

"Eat your food," Sensei says, sounding entirely unimpressed.

I lean forward and do.

It's warm and surprisingly delicious.

I pause, blinking at it.

"You like it don't you?" Aunt Nemuri smiles, leaning over her own food. "It's from the Thai place downtown. They have fantastic Som Tum! I suppose you've never tried that, it's a type of spicy papaya salad. Excellent! I definitely recommend it!"

The woman goes on, filling the silence easily.

Eventually, I manage to relax, taking several bites.

When she opens her mouth to say something more, Sensei clears his throat.

She quiets immediately.

"Rin, where did you get the information in those files?"

At the reminder of the fight, I stiffen instantly.

"My… friend."

"I'm going to need more explanation than that," he says, voice stern. "Rin, you're in possession of confidential documents that I know you don't have access to. Not only that, but the information you and your classmates have managed to compile implies a pattern of-"

Classmates?

I flinch, gaze jerking to his. Sensei scowls, cutting himself off with a growl.

"Rin," he repeats, voice deepening. His hero voice. His eyes narrow, fingers curling into fists. "This is dangerous. I have no idea how you got ahold of this, but the dates and articles you and your classmates have found imply someone is corrupting documents to disrupt your brother's investigation. So I'm going to ask again, where did you get this information?"

I swallow.