Chapter 29
I had spent the last hour of daylight pacing in the usual route around Takodana prefecture for my evening walk before I somehow found myself standing in front of the Terracotta Pottery studio, scarcely able to remember exactly how I had ended up here. Normally, I did my best thinking while I was walking- it was how I came up with new story ideas or rehashed details that needed to be reworked or cut when I had written myself into a hole. But now I couldn't focus at all! I vaguely recalled my iPod playing "Something Just Like This" on repeat while I was trying to think of how I was going to be able to schedule the rest of my week to accommodate all of my new plans. Next thing I knew, I had forty seven playthroughs and was unable to focus on anything but him and our 'date.' Damn it, Izuku! Why do you have to be so freaking cute? The poor sweet boy had come to me soaked to the bone last Tuesday after working so hard, something that immediately tugged on my heartstrings. Never mind that all of his skin tight soaked clothes gave him a small see-through outline of his heroic physique- like hello there, sexy muscles~ where have you been hiding? -but he looked like someone had just ran over his puppy with a lawnmower and deserved to be cuddled and fed freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. And then he had to go and-! I squealed into my hands as I felt my cheeks grow hot after recalling the same conversation for the ten millionth time that day.
'Please go out with me, Alyssa. I couldn't bear the thought of anyone hurting you and not being with you that I beat up those bad guys that tried to hurt you and sprinted all this way through a rainstorm to see you.' My stomach fluttered pleasantly at the warped memory I had imagined, face stretching into a stupid grin so wide that it almost hurt to smile. It wasn't what he had said exactly, but that had been how I interpreted it, and damn it all if I wasn't going to go to the grave thinking that's what he meant. I could still feel the sensation of his hand wrapped around my wrist. The grip was strong, but not like he was going to break it, and then before when Izuku had crushed me to his chest with such force to save me from being run over by a car, standing in the rain underneath my umbrella, I was pretty sure I almost had a complete mental blackout from it all. The whole scenario was almost straight out of a shoujo manga, which was a huge selling point for me. Disney fairy-tale type stuff didn't really happen to me (no matter how much I wished it did), so I was probably going to ride on the coattails of this memory for the rest of my life. Even if it turned out to not be romantic in nature, it was still nice to be wanted, to feel some sort of semblance of desire.
Ever since that moment, I wanted to talk to someone about it- scratch that, I wanted to tell everyone! This had never happened to me before, romance being a very rare topic of conversation. I had already sent several messages to Gabby but she was asleep and would probably give me the standard pep talk of just taking it slow. Hell, even the thought of having a girl-talk with my mom crossed my mind, but she was somehow less experienced with men than I was, and she was married for fifteen years; even the discussion of a possible relationship with her would only end in tears and her worrying over everything. Most of all, I wanted to talk to Izuku about it. Ever since he told me about his failing business, I made it a personal goal to ask him how he was doing every single day. Even if the answers were short or mostly unspoken, it felt like I was helping with his mental health in some small way.
Today, he had told me he had caught a cold. Apparently being out in the rain for long periods of time can, in fact, give you a cold, so that anime myth was officially debunked. Izuku had texted me back that he was going to be taking it easy at work and only do investigative paperwork, whatever that was. At least it meant that he would be at his desk and not further risking his health. I told him to drink plenty of fluids and to feel better, but that was where I had left the conversation. I felt guilty about having him get sick on my behalf, but then again he probably would have risked his health anyways whether I was there or not. What a great guy. He would have been perfect to talk to about this sort of thing.
Unfortunately, I could not talk with him specifically about this since he was the subject. That was probably why I ended up standing outside of my little sister's pottery studio. Contrary to us having lived here for almost a year, I hadn't actually ever gone to Jo-Elle's studio before- I had to look up the address on the internet. It was a plain looking warehouse that was fairly well-kept for a studio in downtown Takodana. I tugged at the door, but the deadbolt refused to budge. I jiggled the other handle and received the same result. I sighed and then pulled out my phone, pausing the Coldplay cover that was still continuing to play in my ear while I tapped the name Jo-Elle Blake under my Favorites list and paused for Siri to tell me that 'the voicemail-box is full.' While I waited for Jo-Elle to notice that I'd called five times and messaged her once on Snapchat, I decided at as a last resort to PM SmallMight39 and get their opinion.
Muse-Musume: Hey, Smol, you got a minute?
"Mrrrow?" a voice answered, a creamy orange and white wegie with honeycomb eyes greeting me at the entrance. I crouched down and rubbed her affectionately between the ears before scritching the underside of her chin, receiving a tiny 'mrrrr' of satisfaction.
"Hi, Lucy Bunny Penny. Is your Momma around? Is she ignoring her phone calls again?" I cooed. Technically the cat didn't belong to anyone, only coming by for scraps and the occasional belly-rub, but she was the closest thing Jo-Elle and I had as a pet. Eyes half-closed, the stray cat twitched her tail side-to-side, wrapping it around my leg like a feather boa as she did figure eights, expecting more pets like a feline femme fatale. When I reached for her to pick her up for snuggles, she balked and quickly shuffled towards the outer wall of the building. "Aww come on, you let me do it last time," I whined as the cat moved five paces further away with every step I took towards her. The cat was honestly more bipolar than a see-saw. "Just let me love you!" Slowly, I crouched down to her eye level to give her an apology pet, trying to avoid staring directly at her as that was what predators did and that would give most wild animals cause for alarm. Cautious, the wegie sniffed my fingers and accepted the pet... and then abruptly decided I was overstepping my boundaries and swatted the toe of my tennis shoe with a slight hiss. "Hey," I warned, finger pointing and accusing before I decided to give the kitty her space. Then I heard my Patre0n notification chime.
SmallMight39: Yeah, sure. What's up?
Muse-Musume: I was wondering... How do you know if someone has asked you out on a date?
SmallMight39: Honestly... I have no idea. I've never been asked out before.
SmallMight39: Why? Did someone ask you out?
Muse-Musume: A friend of mine asked me to hangout with some of his friends, but I'm not sure if it's just to hangout or if it's a group date type of thing.
SmallMight39: Hmm... that is tough. I know if a girl asked me out, I'd be fine with either.
My brow furrowed at this. Either SmallMight39 played for the other team or this was a guy I was talking to. It still wasn't entirely clear. Gender identity and sexual preference was so fluid nowadays, it was really hard to peg anyone down at face value.
SmallMight39: I would want them to be comfortable. If it was a group date, I'd let them know first, I think, but I would also be okay if it was just us two.
I bit my lower lip, unable to keep the coy smile from my face.
Muse-Musume: Just 'us' two, huh?
SmallMight39: You know what I meant! X/(
Muse-Musume: LOL I know. I'm just teasing.
Muse-Musume: How do you know so much about dating if you've never been on a date before?
SmallMight39: One of my friends is a bit of a Casanova when it comes to the opposite sex.
SmallMight39: Sorry I can't be more helpful. Girls weren't very interested in me growing up...
Muse-Musume: Aww well I'm sure it's not you. From what I can tell, you're a catch!
Small-Might39: 'Catch..?'
Muse-Musume: American saying. It means that you're desirable, like someone would want to catch you in their net..? IDK it probably started out as a fishing metaphor or analogy or something.
Muse-Musume: A girl would have to be crazy not to ask you out.
SmallMight39: Thanks.../././.
Muse-Musume: Okay so this question is long overdue- and try not to take too much offense to this -but... you are a guy, right?
SmallMight39: Of course I'm a guy.
SmallMight39: You didn't know I was a guy?
Muse-Musume: It never came up, honestly, and I didn't want to assume anything!
Muse-Musume: I mean, you asked for a LOT of All Might fanart. I thought you had, like, a crush on him or something. ^w^;
SmallMight39: OMG NO
SmallMight39: I just admire him! He's my idol!
Muse-Musume: Okay okay chill. I didn't mean to make you upset. I'm just telling you my reasoning for all of this.
SmallMight39: I can't believe you thought I was a girl...
Muse-Musume: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your ego or offend your masculinity or anything.
SmallMight39: No, it's not that. I just can't believe you assumed I was a girl for so long. I mean, we've known each other for years.
Muse-Musume: Well, to be fair, I automatically assume most artists on here are female, sooo... that's more on me than you.
SmallMight39: Anyways, in regards to your earlier question, I've never been asked out...
SmallMight39: BUT I did ask a girl if she wanted to hangout this week!
Muse-Musume: Good for you! What'd she say?
Suddenly, I began overhearing words I recognized to be the opening lyrics to "Bluebird" from Naruto Shippuden sung from a cracked open window- at least, that's what I thought they were. It was hard to tell at first, since they were loud and purposefully out of tune, but I recognized my sister's caterwauling anywhere. I followed the sound alongside the wall that Lucy was walking flush against until I was in front of a slight cracked open window pane.
"Jo-Elle!" I shouted and then waited a few seconds. "HEEEEYYY JO-EEEEELLLLLEEE!"
"Alyssa..? Is that you?" Jo-Elle answered from inside her studio. A few seconds later and I could just barely see the outline of her face above the nose. The division made me feel like Tim Allen when talking to his neighbor, Wilson. "What are you doing here?"
"Just appreciating the dandelions," I shrugged. "You didn't answer your phone so I came here. Let me in. We need to talk."
"You couldn't have just texted me?"
"No because I need to talk about this right now, and I can't talk about this at home or at work. I'm not allowed to be on my personal phone there, and I'm not going to risk Mom overhearing my conversation by doing this at home. Besides, I know you. You never answer your phone unless it's for a social media account like Snapchat or Instagram- by the way, your voicemail box is still full. You need to fix that. -Can you let me inside?"
"Hold on." Thirty seconds later and I heard the jingling of keys and turning of locks before I was greeted by a glaze-splattered Jo-Elle in torn black overalls and a top knot. "Come on in, I guess. This must be pretty serious if you're visiting my studio."
"It is," I answered, distracted by the simplicity of the warehouse and the sheer messiness of the work stations. Most things were kept clean for a few projects, but most tables were covered in rows of nearly identical pottery pieces, either at hip height or towering above our heads out of arm's reach on the dozens of shelves and drying racks. Lucy followed right behind me, as if she was let in for dinner, nearly tripping me in the process as she dropped something dark and fuzzy on the floor. I picked up the object that was small and soft like a lost baby mitten. Then I realized it wasn't a lost mitten and let out a horrified shriek that rattled the paper divider doors and dropped the object back onto the floor.
"What!?"
I screwed my eyes shut in an effort to get control of my breathing. "Lucy brought me a present."
Jo-Elle gave me a sharp glare that could cut glass. "Jeez, Alyssa, you almost gave me a heart attack. You nearly made me drop the plate I was making!"
"Sorry." I pulled out the hand sanitizer hanging off of my purse and began thoroughly drenching my hands in it.
"And it's Lucy Bunny Penny," Jo-Elle corrected. "Cats have three names, remember?"
"Right. Lucy Penny Bunny whatever- the point is do you have a trashcan or broom that you can sweep that thing up into?"
"Broom and dustpan are in the corner over there," Jo-Elle pointed, making no motion to get up and do the work herself. I must have been making a face that indicated I was displeased by this action because Jo-Elle's expression changed into a look of disbelief. "I can't do it. I'm in the middle of glazing right now."
"Alright fine. Fair enough," I relented and grabbed the broomstick and dustpan before carefully scooting the fuzzy dark corpse onto the dustpan, but not so hard that I would accidentally flick it onto my hand. Who knew where that thing had been before Lucy Bunny Penny had caught it. Poor thing, I thought, much less terrified of the rodent now that I held it with a dustpan and knew what it was and was no longer surprised by the clump of dead fur near my foot. There are worse ways to go than to be killed by a cat, I suppose, but cats tend to play with their food and Lucy Bunny Penny is notorious for being playful.
I said a few quiet moments of farewell to the mouse before dumping it into the disposables trashcan with the flawed pottery that Jo-Elle was known for breaking as a stress reliever. The bin was nearly full. Either someone screwed up the order or Jo-Elle was in a particularly foul mood. It was hard to tell. She regularly played rap and hip-hop music all the time, so that didn't work, and she was binge-watching Naruto Shippuden on her phone while aggressively singing the opening theme song, which could have been because she was frustrated that she couldn't watch the rest of the series in English dub. Unless she was tired of waiting for another season for her sports anime, she was binge-watching for comfort.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"I'm fine."
I eyed the broken shards that pressed worn holes through the black trash-bags. "You sure? You have a lot of smashed pottery here and I know you like to throw flawed pottery pieces when you're pissed."
"I'm fine. I mean," Jo-Elle amended, "Mom was being difficult earlier about not taking a break from her gardening today, but it's fine. I know she's really excited about getting out and working on her plants. She's really bad about being in the sun for too long."
"Right. The heat always makes her really sick... but that doesn't give her the right to take it out on you for looking out for her."
"She can't help it. She's used to being the parent, the person that's supposed to know better. She gets easily frustrated, being cooped up in that apartment, unable to do what she wants."
"I know..." I said, understanding all too well how complicated our mother's situation was. "If it's any consolation, she was napping the last time I checked. I made sure she drank like a quart of water before I came here."
"Oh good."
We shared a look before Jo-Elle went back to sitting down at her table, finely painting the sides of the plate she was holding with an orange glaze that went into every crevice, save for the carved bits she made out of black. "So how far are you into Naruto now? Did they finally dub out the rest of Shippuden or are you going to hope someone buys you all the seasons on Amaz-?"
"Alyssa, what are you doing here?" Jo-Elle cut me off, and suddenly I remembered why I was I really here.
"Okay, you remember that one guy that I like?"
"The bunny hero that you like?"
"No, the other guy."
"SmallMight39?"
"No, the other other guy."
"Okay, yeah, the guy you met on the subway that went to your lightsaber class, Ezekiel something-"
"Izuku."
"Right, okay. Izuku. What about him?"
"...I think he asked me out on a date."
"Awwww," Jo-Elle gushed, her stern concentration shifting into something soft and borderline teasing. Then her forehead creased into a frown. "Wait, you think?"
"That's the thing. I don't know."
"'You don't know'?"
"It-" I growled and ran my fingers through my hair. "I don't know! It's really unclear to me! He told me that he and his friends were going to be going to karaoke this week so, like, is he just inviting me to hangout with his friends or is it like a date-date?"
"Okay, I'm missing something here. What did he say exactly?"
"Izuku asked me if I wanted to go to karaoke with him this week and mentioned that he and his friends were going to be going to karaoke for his friend's birthday party, but the thing is that it's really unclear to me if the birthday party is supposed to be a date," I explained, feeling the frantic frustration starting to bubble over. "What makes things worse is that Japan does group dates. I think I remember seeing that in an anime once. So like it could still be a date among friends, right?"
"I have no idea."
"I know! Help me!"
"Okay, calm down." I could already feel her easing me onto one of the work stools but I was too worked up to sit down right now. "From what you've told me, it sounds like he's asking you to hangout with his friends, but it could be something more."
"Hence my dilemma."
"Have you asked him about it yet?"
"I can't ask him about it! What if it turns out not to be a date and it just ruins everything? Plus, it's not like I can ask him on the sly. You know I'm not that subtle!"
"Okay, okay, breathe." She placed a hand on my shoulder as I took a deep breathe in for five seconds, held for six, and then released it for seven seconds. I did this three times before hunching over onto my knees.
"I almost don't want to go..."
"What?! You have to go, crazy girl! He invited you on a date."
"I know, but it's on a Friday and I have a chapter I need to post that day-"
"So? Just don't post. You have buffer pages, right?"
"But I can't! Once I break the habit, all of my work goes to shit if I do! I pride myself of my updates."
"Just tell your patrons that you're taking a small break this week. I'm sure they'll understand." Burbles of nervous laughter bubbled up in my chest as I pushed back my hair, feeling delirious from the uncertainty. "It's going to be okay. You can't beat yourself up on this."
"No, I can still do this. I just need to- to get everything together."
"Why don't you draw a to-do list? That way you can plan everything out."
"Yeah... yeah, getting it onto paper might help." What I needed was a list. Normally if I had a story idea or sketch concept, I'd draw it on whatever scrap piece of paper I had and it would either be used or stuffed into a box or purse and be hidden away from the light of day. It was like storage. If my head was too full of things and couldn't accommodate new thoughts, I would scribble them down and make space for a less cluttered mind-space. Then I could go back and reevaluate everything.
I sat down on the stool and scribbled out my feelings for a few moments, sketching out a pros and cons list while Jo-Elle moved some bowls, cups, and plates into the kiln to be fired. By the time she had finished, the kiln was full and I felt drained.
"So I've gone over my options, and every viable scenario has not helped me at all," I tapped the yellow notepad with the end of my pen, sad that it was a boring Bic pen and not my hibiscus flower pen. I missed smelling my perfume spray on it. Maybe I just needed to make a new one...
"Why don't you ask Izuku to reschedule?"
"I can't ask him to reschedule his own friend's birthday party!"
"Oh that's right. Well then, just tell him that you'd feel more comfortable if you could go out with just the two of you."
"But I don't know if it's even a date or not," I whined from between my hands. "Plus what if he thinks I hate his friends or something?"
"I doubt that. You haven't even met any of them, right?"
"Well no-"
"Just be sure to emphasize that you do want to go out with him but that you can't go out- when did he say that the party was? This week or weekend?"
"Umm... Week, I think."
"Okay so just try to hang out with him earlier in the week."
"But he said Friday. At least, I'm sure he said Friday..."
"Why don't you check first before asking?"
"Okay..." I looked down at the old messages on my phone between Izuku and I and quickly scrolled over the half dozen memes I had sent him before typing my response.
Is the party for your friend on Friday?
"I guess now all I have to do is wait... But I still have no idea if it's a date or not! It's not like I can ask him! I'd be so embarrassed if I assumed it was a date. Who would make their best friend's birthday party a first date?"
"Dad."
"...oh yeah. I forgot about that," I mused thoughtfully, wrinkling my nose at the memory of meeting Marissa, my father's second wife, for the first time and having her sitting awkwardly in a Red Lobster booth across from me, looking for something on the menu that wasn't seafood. Needless to say, the marriage did not last long. "Although a friend's birthday party and your daughter's birthday dinner is not necessarily the same thing."
"That doesn't mean that you can't make Izuku wish it was a date. Just dress up really nice and tell yourself it's going to be fun and it's going to be great."
"Okay," I sighed, out of options.
"Say it."
"What?"
"Say 'it's going to be fun and it's going to be great.'"
"It's going to be fun and it's going to be great," I chanted back. Then I thought of multiple scenarios where I would do something embarrassing that would lead to romance and vice versa, like spill food onto his lap and then try to wipe it off, and felt my stomach twist and lose all composure. "God, I can't do it! You need to come with me, Jo-Elle. I can't do this by myself."
"What?! I can't go with you on your date!"
"Why not? Just say you were in the neighborhood and you wanted to finally meet the friend I had been talking so much about or whatever."
"I can't go with you. It's his friend's birthday party. I don't even know these people-"
"Neither do I!" I refuted, feeling more frantic and desperate by the second as dozens of scenarios of me failing or embarrassing myself flooded into my head. "What if his friends don't like me or something bad happens-?"
"-what am I even going to be doing there?"
"Karaoke, apparently. Besides, it still might not be a date."
"What if you're wrong and it does turn out to be a date?"
"Then you can just bow out! Just claim you were in the area and on the way to one of your Tinder dates or something," I pleaded, managing to corner her by the drying racks. "Please, Jo-Jo! I've never asked you for anything like this before in my life!"
Jo-Elle rolled her neck back in a way that showed her Tourette's was flaring up before her face pinched in earnest expression that gave way to no emotion. "One condition."
"What?" I asked, feeling a flicker of hope on a tiny dying candle.
"You have to let me do your hair."
"What-! That's-!" I began before I grumbled, "Ugh, fine. Just don't go crazy with it." I didn't feel grumpy about it for long. The realization that Jo-Elle would be there to support me caused me to be filled with such intense hope and happiness that my discomfort was irrelevant. I launched myself forward with arms wide open, unable to contain my glee. Jo-Elle, knowing my tells for impulsive hugs, moved out of the way but was not fast enough to dodge and was effectively forced into an awkward bear hug.
"Argh don't hug me! I'm covered in glaze and pottery dust!" she screeched, trying to push me off.
"Sorry! I'm just really excited," I beamed, uncaring that my advances had been rebuked. "Seriously, Jo-Jo, thank you so much!"
"You're welcome, but don't thank me yet. Me doing this also means you have to dress up in a nice outfit with no jeans, no sweatpants, no anime shirts, and absolutely no hoodies."
"I mean, duh, I'm not a caveman," I scoffed, trying not to think of my first choice- skinny jeans and a black fitted Calcifer t-shirt that showed off my chest and curves without making me look fat -no longer being a viable option. Damn it. That was comfortable too.
"And that means no wrinkles."
"Aw man, Jo-Jo, you are killing me here! It's just karaoke, not the Four Seasons."
"You know most people make sure their clothes look nice before leaving the house."
"You sound just like Mom."
"Well, Mom does have a point sometimes," Jo-Elle admitted. "You have to dress for success, which means dressing up for the job that you want and the guy that you want."
"But I don't want to go out with a society type that wears designer clothes all the time. Besides, Izuku is not like that at all."
"You want to go out with a jobless hobo instead?"
"...Fine. I'll spray it down with Febreze and hang it up the night before." Final Fantasy VII's victory theme interrupted my griping. I pulled out my phone out of my hand-me-down sweatpants and read the notification bar. "It's him!"
"What did he say?" Jo-Elle asked, suddenly behind me and looking over my right shoulder.
No actually it's on Thursday.
Oh good. Just checking.
You still planning on going to that?
Wouldn't miss it for the world, but I'll probably not do too much singing. It just depends on how I'm feeling.
I felt a complicated twinge of disappointment and relief at the prospect of a cancelled 'date' before I quickly typed my response.
Okay get well soon. Be sure to get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids. Eat lots of chicken soup... or whatever it is that you eat in Japan. I'm told leeks are good for you..? I think I saw it in an anime once.
Miso soup. And thanks! I'll try my best.
"Oh okay, so good news. The party is on Thursday, not Friday, so I don't have to worry about a schedule conflict with my comic. Crisis averted!"
"See? You just did all of that worrying for nothing. See what communicating clearly will do for you?"
"Okay, well, now I still have the problem of figuring out what I'm going to wear."
"As long as you pick something that you don't wear everyday to work or when you're at home, you should be solid."
"Oh come on! That's like half my closet!" I exclaimed, "Isn't that dishonest of me to dress up so over-the-top for a first date? What if he expects it every time and just ends up disappointed?"
"You haven't even gone out with him yet, and you're already worrying about a second date?"
"I know, it's just, it's not very me to go out dressed to the nines like you do-" I checked out the glaze splattered on her arms, hole-ridden pants, and stretched Mulan t-shirt that said 'Living My Best Life' that she had bought from Goodwill. "-well, when you're not here anyways. Seriously, how come I got the job where you have to dress nice, and you're the one that gets to dress like the hobo in the family?"
"Hey, these overalls are very stylish."
"Yes, and I hate you for it. I wish I could get away with wearing comfortable clothes to work."
"If you forget, I also come home with glaze, clay, and paint on everything, so be thankful you can still wear your t-shirts around the house without fear of accidentally sitting down and staining the couch."
"Fair enough," I admitted with a shrug. I looked at the notifications on my phone and saw an old message from SmallMight39, who I had unfairly put on hold for twenty minutes.
SmallMight39: She said yes!
Taking a moment to accept the loss and disappointment that not only was SmallMight39 most likely a man (people could still lie on the internet or identify as male but be biologically female), but that the train for meeting and falling in love with him had definitely left the station, I swallowed my feelings and felt my normal, supportive friend mode kick in and wrote back with cheerful enthusiasm.
Muse-Musume: GOOD FOR YOU! I'm so happy for you!
SmallMight39: Thank you. ^/w/^ I really like her too! I hope it works out. I just hope that I don't screw everything up.
Muse-Musume: Me too. I'm rooting for you!
SmallMight39: By the way, I got your fifth tier package today. Thank you for the All Might prints. I know you're a little behind on commissions, so I really appreciate it.
Muse-Musume: Oh good. I'm glad it got to you in time and that it helped you out in some way. I always love it when my art can make a difference in somebody's day.
I clicked my phone off, letting that sink in. And because that last response felt a little too on the fence of revealing my attachment to him, I wrote back.
Muse-Musume: Good luck with your date.
SmallMight39: Thanks! You too!
It's not like I knew SmallMight39 in real life. I didn't even know their name, even though I had amply time to give them mine. Ah well. I was used to being put in the friend zone. Why should I care about their love life when my own was just starting to take off? It's not like I had prior ownership of them or anything, plus what if they turned out to be a girl or some fifty-year old overweight hikikomori man? Plus, I was happy for them. Truly. It was my own fault for acting like a coward and not pursuing them when I had been in the same country. Hell, I even knew their address because of the Patre0n care packages. I could have theoretically punched in their address into my GPS and visited them anytime I had wanted, but had chosen not to. I mean, it would have been creepy. Besides, what if I was a disappointment to them or if they were a disappointment to me? What if I let them in and they took advantage of knowing me in real life by tracking me down for updates or turned out to be an unstable psycho who now knew where my family and I lived? I couldn't risk that kind of drama. Yeah, not meeting them was a good call. We were just online friends and Izuku was a step forward away from that. At least he was a man that wanted me... right?
"Alright, so about my outfit..."
Author's Note: References today are Cats, Home Improvement, and T.S. Lewis. So happy I could get this out in time for Deku's birthday (and Mirio's as well)! I'm going to be celebrating by going out and eating a bowl of katsudon. Happy Birthday Izuku Midoriya!
In other news, Emerald light 555 mentioned to me in a review that I underestimate Deku's strength without his Quirk because he still had a fair amount of muscle built up before Eri reset his arms. Unfortunately, they don't have PM so I'll try explaining it here as best I can.
First of all, thank you for the review. I always love receiving feedback as well as constructive criticism. Jumping back to your earlier comment, I'd like to point out that Izuku was strong enough to take on Hitachi and Amaya largely without his Quirk, so I do show that he's still strong without OFA. Anytime he's winded, it's because abilities like Blackwhip and Burst wear him out because they don't really tie into strength- they tie into how much Izuku can handle endurance-wise for energy and the general limitations some of those abilities have because they are all basically super-charged Quirks. Stamina and strength are not the same thing.
Also fun fact: "hikikomori" is the Japanese term for a group of people [and the phenomenon of people] that shut themselves away completely from society. It's like having acute agoraphobia almost.
