With one last free month to train before classes started up, Luz was insistent that they find a way for Izuku to use One for All consistently. With only Yagi as a model she had to work with, she had Izuku pull up every video he had that showed Yagi using it in any way. It had ended up being unproductive, but it still resulted in them cuddling for an entire day as she watched and listened closely to her loves adorable rambles and cute observations. A day well spent in her opinion.

After that Luz had no other choice but to 'bother' the man himself, but that proved even less productive. How a man who spent so much time making heroic speeches could be so incredibly bad with words, she'll never understand. She didn't even get any cuddles out of that one. In the end it simply came down to the fact that it came so easily to Yagi that he couldn't determine what exactly he was doing, whether by instinct or muscle memory he just did it, so he actually had no idea how he did it. He had never thought about it.

And that finally sparked an idea. Maybe the problem wasn't physical, but mental. Using her own power as inspiration, Luz sat down on the beach with Izuku as she tried to explain, "So as I've told you before my Divine Flame can use multiple sources as fuel. At night I use almost exclusively my own stamina and calories. While during the day, I can use the heat and light of the sun as an exterior battery… like my Mami did. You with me so far Zuzu?"

Izuku nodded, "Ya, that part seems like basic chemistry and thermodynamics, but how do you control it?"

Luz smiled, "I can always feel my power inside me. Sometimes it's a flickering candle or a raging inferno that wants to incinerate me from the inside, but it's always there. I had to learn to control my emotions before I could control my flames. Rage makes it burn hotter. Sadness makes it hard to light. Joy makes it brighter. The most important part for me is intent though. My fire only burns people if I want it to. Objects and environments take focus not to burn, but… it's why I've never burned you. Even when I'm scared or panicked, the thought of ever hurting you or Aunt Inko is so unbearable I don't think I could do it if I tried."

Izuku smiled back, "I love you two, my light, but how exactly do you do it? My mind is always so chaotic. A thousand random thoughts and ideas constantly springing to life, colliding, merging, separating… It's too much sometimes. That's when I start to mutter just to get some of them out. I'm a freak… maybe All Might made a mistake when he-"

Luz cut him off with a kiss, and Izuku froze, "You're not a freak. That implies there's something wrong with you. Zuzu, you're a weirdo… like me." Luz took a deep breath and rolled back her sleeve to reveal a small matchbook sized burn causing Izuku to look at her horrified, but Luz smiled, "I think we just found one of your problems. I might have lied when I said I was fireproof. If I get too depressed or start hating myself… this is what happens. It'll heal soon, especially if you're with me, but my power follows my will. If I want to heal, it heals. If I need protection, it protects me… but if I hate myself or think about… hurting myself… ya. It can do that too."

Izuku wrapped her in his arms, "I didn't know. I'm so sorry. How did I not notice? Does this happen often? Nonono, please don't ever think like that. I love you… I need you, Luzura. Tell me what I can do to help. Please, anything-"

Luz silenced him with another kiss, "It's ok, loverboy. How could you know, it's never happened when you, or the others were around, and it rarely happens anymore. I used to spend half of my day healing fresh burns that were a lot bigger than this one, but now it almost never happens at all. Sure, I still get the occasional intrusive thought, but the longer we're together the less they come. You never treat me poorly, and nobody yells or beats me anymore, and I'm not scared. You, Inko, Yagi… you make me feel safe and loved, and that's helped me more than I can ever express." Luz took a breath to focus, "I think you have a similar problem though. You always treat OFA like it's not a part of you… like it's not yours, but it is now. If you had the same OFA as Yagi it would have immediately become like breathing for you, but it's not. You don't have Yagi's OFA, you have Izuku's OFA, and that's important. It's your power and no one else's. The other thing I've noticed is how self deprecating you can get when you mumble-"

Izuku looked shocked, "Y-you listen when I mumble?"

Luz giggled, "Every time. Zuzu, you're so smart and… I'll admit I find your mumbling cute. I love you, and that means all of you. Your little ticks and neurosis, your warm smile and kind heart, and even your willingness to do anything to help others. I hate to see you get hurt, but I would never want to change you in any way, because then you wouldn't be my Zuzu anymore." Luz looked away, "It's one of the reasons I feel sad sometimes. If such an amazing, heroic, sweetheart can still think the things you do… What hope does a broken moron like me have?"

Izuku just held Luz and ran his fingers through her burning brown locks before he smiled and kissed her forehead like he did the first time he kissed her, "You're not broken, and you're not a moron. You caught up on fourteen years of school in nine months. You had the strength to not give up even when most people would have just curled up and lost all hope. You are my light… my beacon in the dark. You give me hope, so never let it fade, and I promise I'll always follow it home… to you."

Luz blushed as they just embraced for a few minutes until Luz started to laugh, "I think we lost track of the point here for a bit there. So, I think that you might be rejecting your power or subconsciously hurting yourself when you try to use OFA, so we're going to try something different. I want you to close your eyes, and just listen to the waves. Let the wind blow through your hair, and your mind calm and empty."

Luz smiled as she slowly saw Izuku's face become serene, and she saw a faint echo of the smile that she loves most. "Now let your power start to rise and fall with the waves. Feel it ebb and flow through you, but don't let it build in any one place." Luz watched as power rose and fell across Izuku's body, "You're doing so well, Zuzu. You feel it now. This is your power, and it is yours to control. It is the tide, but you are the moon. You control its every rise and fall. You are not its master and it is not yours. You are one and the same. Not two separate things, but the halves of a single beautiful whole. Now how do you feel?"

Izuku was slow to answer, "I feel like there's pressure building in my bones, but I can vent it. There is lightning coursing through my nerves, but I can ground it. My blood is on fire, but it doesn't burn. I feel like I could explode at any moment, but I won't because I am… in control." Izuku smiled and opened his eyes, "I feel like the luckiest guy in the world because I have an anchor. No matter how powerful I become… my love for you will always be greater."

Luz blushed deeply, "I-I think that's enough for today, but… before we leave, you should try firing off a few punches to see if it worked."

Izuku took a ready stance, and gave it a try. Luz watched as Izuku slowly started working through his forms, and she smiled when she didn't see the usual small flinches or jerks he would usually exhibit when a small fracture occurred. His movements were smooth and powerful… just the way they should be.

Since it was still early Izuku guided Luz to a small stand, so he could treat her to lunch, and Luz blushed. After everything she'd gone through it still caught her by surprise when Izuku would do the small things that he thought were normal, but to her they were precious gifts.

On the way back home, Izuku saw Luz stop into a bakery she frequently went to and picked up a few assorted muffins… only to later throw them, bag and all, into a box next to a garbage can. For a while, Izuku stayed quiet, but when they got home he had to ask, "I saw the muffin thing… What was that about?"

Luz let out a small squeak and looked away in terror, "Please don't tell Uncle Yagi." Luz let out a whimper, and continued to hide her face, "When I lived on the street, that was a special spot. There used to be a cafe worker who'd leave dried out bread or the little odds and ends they couldn't sell from the cafe around the corner in there for us. Over time it became a neutral spot where people like me who escape the streets can leave food to help out those who haven't. A lot of people are too proud to accept a handout, but trash picking is fine. I'm sorry, please don't tell him I'm throwing away his hard earned money. I-I promise I'll pay him back when I can, but… I just wanted to help."

Izuku gave her a warm hug, "You're so beautiful."

Luz sputtered, "I-Izuku?!"

"You are so unimaginably kind and caring. Not just beautiful on the outside… but inside too. I think if you told him, All Might would say the same thing. Never feel embarrassed about helping someone else. Being a hero is never shameful. I just wish you had told me earlier. I could have bought some too," whispered Izuku. "I have to ask though, whatever happened to the cafe worker?"

Luz sighed, "His boss said he was stealing, so he got fired… ended up having to eat out of that spot himself… got caught up somewhere he shouldn't have been, and died when some drug pushers got in a fight. He was one of the good one's. The dealer's might be forgotten, but Saint Antonio will never be forgotten."

Izuku just gave Luz another hug, "Not all heroes wear capes, but even when we are, we have a duty to be better. That's why Yuuei's school motto is 'Plus Ultra', enough is never enough, we need to go beyond… and you do it without even trying. It's one of the reasons I love you."

"No, that's why we love her." Luz and Izuku turned to see Inko smiling from around the corner before she continued, "I agree with Izuku. I think Toshi would be proud of you for thinking of others like that, and it's not like he needs the money. A few muffins won't break him."

Luz smirked, "Did you hear that, Zuzu? Toshi. Looks like you might be getting a stepdad sooner than expected." The teens laughed until they saw how red and sad Inko looked, and they immediately ran over to hug her, "I'm so sorry Inko. I didn't mean to make you sad."

Inko just sighed, "It's ok, Luz. I'm not mad. It's just… I'm just a normal old lady. I'm not a hero. I'm not pretty. I don't have anything. Toshinori is… well he's Toshinori. What could I possibly offer a man like him? I'm just being silly… he'd never want me when he can literally have any girl in the country if he wanted."

Luz took a step back and gave Inko a reproachful look, "Inko, I can't believe you'd say that. You have an amazing son. You have a kind soul. You have so many things to offer that any man should feel lucky to get to stand next to you. You raised the sweetest most loving son in the whole world on your own, and never complained or buckled under the pressure. Izuku is the hero he's going to be because you taught him how to be a good person first. You're beautiful on the inside, and that's what matters mom-"

Luz froze and Inko gaped before she reached out and pulled Luz into a tight embrace. Izuku just smiled at them as Inko sobbed happy tears, "You called me mom! My precious little angel called me mom! This might be the best day I've had yet. My son and daughter in law are happy and safe, and that's all that matters."

Both teens knew she was deflecting, desperate to change the subject, and they allowed it this time, but they would make sure to do something nice for her soon to show how much they appreciated her.

For the rest of the month the teens trained when they could by doing little odd jobs to help around town, and used the money to leave Inko small gifts. A fresh bouquet of flowers, Luz making breakfast or dinner a few times, and other small things they knew she would appreciate, but eventually the day came.

For the most part, Izuku only felt pride as he looked at himself in his Yuuei uniform, but then he saw Luz and his heart almost stopped. The uniforms were nearly the same. White long sleeve shirts, gray jackets with blue-green stripes, and a red tie, but while Izuku wore dark blue-green pants similar to the stripes on the jacket, Luz had a similarly colored pleated skirt. Luz had kept her purple leggings though, and her emerald ring was present on her right hand. Even now she refused to ever take it off, and to Izuku she looked like the most beautiful girl he ever met.

Inko cried for nearly twenty minutes when she saw them, and hugged them both fiercely. Thankfully they had expected the delay, so they weren't going to be late. They had planned on walking with Yagi to school, but he had gotten tied up with being a hero, so they had just kept going with promises to meet up for lunch.

Hand in hand they made their way to class with only a few people noticing them, but they just smiled and kept moving and the others did the same. For a moment, Izuku froze outside the 1-A classroom, but his light was there to squeeze his hand, and whisper, "Side by side, together we can do anything."

Izuku smiled and nodded, "And hand in hand." Together they entered the classroom and saw a taller boy with short dark blue hair, rectangular glasses, and a rigid demeanor trying to introduce himself to and scold another boy with ashy blond hair, a loose tie, and a perpetually angry glare that Izuku immediately identified as Katsuki Bakugo.

Seeing the couple enter, the tall boy speed walked over to introduce himself, and noticed how the green haired boy stepped forward protectively in front of his companion, "Ida Tenya, formally of Somei Academy. It's very nice to meet you."

Izuku nodded his head, "Midoriya Izuku. It's nice to meet you, Ida."

Luz smiled as she poked her head over Izuku's shoulder like she usually did when he got protective, "Noceda Luzura, you can just call me Luz. I'm sorry about Zuzu, but he gets kind of protective around new people. It's cute." Luz gave Izuku a kiss on his cheek and both boys blushed.

Before Ida could scold her about inappropriate displays of affection on school grounds they heard Bakugo laugh cruelly, "Cute?! You must be insane. That useless Deku is and will always be good for nothing, an extra, or worse since he insists on being here, a future casualty."

The room got visibly hot as white flames started leaking from Luz's mouth and her eyes glowed with similar fire, "DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT MY BOYFRIEND LIKE THAT YOU SCUM."

That only made Bakugo laugh harder, "Calm down, Princess. I'm just telling him the truth. His quirkless ass doesn't belong here." Bakugo turned to Izuku, "She seems much too good for you, Deku. Where'd you find her? Mail order, street corner, maybe an alley. Doesn't matter how much you pay-"

Izuku's fist suddenly made contact with Bakugo's face, and he was blown back. When Bakugo looked up he didn't see the nerd he'd known all his life, this Izuku was strong and the pure rage in his eyes was almost… scary. Bakugo was stunned as he heard Izuku growl, "Katsuki, you can say whatever you want about me… beat me within an inch of my life… I don't care, but if you ever talk about my light like that again… it will be the last thing you do."

Unbeknownst to them the rest of the class saw what just happened, and kept their distance. Luz on the other hand walked up and slapped Izuku upside the head, "Zuzu, I know what he said was out of line, but that is not how heroes act. Leave him alone, and go sit down." Izuku looked at Luz and sighed in embarrassment before he did as he was told. With Izuku out of the way, Luz gave Bakugo a reproachful glare as she whispered, "Where I came from doesn't matter. I know who you are, Katsuki, and you won't hurt my Zuzu again as long as I breathe. Call me a whore if you must, but I'm proud to be that lovable weirdos girlfriend." Luz reached down and a wave of gold fire washed over Bakugo's cheek, healing the bruise. Before she walked over to heal Izuku's broken hand, Luz stopped and spoke over her shoulder, "You're the real Deku… you never deserved him," and she walked away.

Nobody bothered the couple, but everyone noticed Bakugo gave the girl an even more hateful look than he did the guy. Ida and a few others were quick to fix the desks before a greasy long haired man with a long cloth scarf made his presence known, "Well with that excitement over, I'm Aizawa Shota, your homeroom teacher. Since some of you seem to be energetic, everyone will change into their gym clothes for an assessment… Now."

While the boys locker room was silent as a tomb, the girls weren't. As soon as they got inside, Luz found herself inundated with questions until a girl slightly shorter than her with long black hair in a high ponytail took charge, "Ladies, one at a time. If you must badger the poor girl, at least give her a chance to answer." She then introduced herself in a very dignified way, "Yaoyorozu Momo, it is very nice to meet you."

Luz swallowed hard, "N-noceda Luzura, you can just call me Luz. I'm sorry about Izuku, he just… he's really protective."

A pink girl with short yellow horns and black eyes seemed to be almost vibrating with excitement, "Ashido Mina. Does he do that a lot? Cuz wow girl, does he have a brother because I think that was hot."

Luz's face dropped slightly, "No and no. My Izu is one of a kind."

*Kero* "Too bad. Are you ok though? I doubt he'd attack quite that hard without a reason," asked a dark sea green haired girl with a wide mouth and large hands.

Luz looked away embarrassed, "It's not a big deal. Bakugo just insinuated that I must be being paid to be with Izuku. I've heard worse." They saw Luz tremble for a second, "I've survived worse."

A dark purple haired girl with an uneven fringe and earphone jacks for earlobes growled angrily, "What a dick head. To say that to your face and in front of your partner … I'll say it. The creep deserved worse."

Luz felt a pair of arms attempt to wrap around her and she flared up white flames in fear. There was a faint smell of burnt skin and a squeak as Luz ran to put her back against a locker and looked around like a scared animal. When the fear passed, Luz saw a scorched and whimpering set of clothes, and Luz felt a lump form in her stomach as she rushed over. Everyone saw Luz burst into flame again, and a glowing silhouette took form as the girl was outlined in gold flames. During the whole process Luz cried and begged, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. You spooked me and… please be ok. I'm so sorry."

After a moment they heard a bubbly voice, "It's ok. I… I think I'm fine. I'm sorry I spooked you. Kind of my own fault anyway. Sometimes I forget I'm invisible. I'm Hagakure Toru… can I give you a hug?"

Luz snorted and smiled faintly, "I think I own you at least that much after almost giving you third degree burns." Luz spread her arms, "Hugs sound nice now that I'm expecting them."

When they were done hugging everyone finished getting dressed. The gym uniform was a basic track suit with dark blue pants and short sleeved shirts with white lines that formed a 'U' and 'A' with the lines of the 'A' continuing down the legs. They were also unisex, so when everyone met back up it was in the same uniform, but Izuku still looked at Luz like she was the most beautiful girl in the world while all the girls gave Bakugo hateful glares.

When everyone was ready, Aizawa explained, "So up until now you've been forbidden from using your quirks in fitness exams. That ends now. Show me what you've got, and as an extra incentive… last place will be expelled." That caused everyone to get serious, just how Aizawa wanted. They might have been the same nine standardized tests they knew, but with free access to their quirks it changed everything, and what's more everyone felt the rivalry between two teens in particular. When one went first the other had to beat them. Event after event, the pattern continued. That's not to say they scored highest in the events, but neither seemed to care as long as they beat the other. Izuku beat Bakugo in four events as they moved into the final test… the ball toss, and luckily Bakugo got chosen first between them with an impressive 705.2 meters.

As Izuku got ready to throw, Luz saw how much force he intended to use and she stopped him, "Zuzu, he's not worth it. Please, don't do this. If you let him get in your head you're just going to hurt yourself, and I hate seeing you that way. Do this for you, not him. Beat him the right way." Luz gave him a peck on the cheek, "You have nothing to prove."

Izuku sighed, "Thanks, for pulling me back."

Luz smiled, "Anytime, loverboy." Luz walked away, and Izuku prepared to throw again, but the glow in his arm seemed more focused, but less bright. 706 meters, Izuku had beaten Bakugo without breaking his arm, though it was still very sore for a few minutes. The other students saw the couple embrace, and Luz lifted and spun Izuku much to their surprise. As they spun there was a flicker of gold fire and green lightning, but as soon as it appeared it was gone.

As the results from the testing were revealed Toru started to cry, but she felt a warm arm wrap around her in a half hug until Aizawa started to walk away leaving everyone surprised. Without turning around Aizawa smirked as he walked, "By the way… I lied. Nobody is getting expelled… today. Get cleaned up, and changed. We still have a few things to address before we call it a day."

In the girl locker room most of the girls celebrated and chatted happily as they gushed about how well each other did. While the boys locker room was still mostly quiet with only a few quietly talking with each other until a taller boy walked over to Izuku. He had half white half red hair, heterochromatic turquoise and gray eyes, and an old burn scar on the left side of his face that drew Izuku's eye. Not because of the scar, but because the shade of blue was oddly familiar.

Noticing his stare, the boy's face twisted slightly, "It's rude to stare."

Izuku looked away nervously as he seemed to shrink a bit away, "Sorry. It's just… your eye looks really familiar, but I don't know why. I'm Midoriya Izuku. Is there something I can help you with?"

The boy tilted his head slightly, "Todoroki Shoto. That girl with the golden fire… Noceda. What's her story?"

Izuku's demeanor immediately shifted, and his back straightened, "Why? If you're going to bad mouth her too… I wouldn't advise it."

The sudden shift from nervous nerd to fierce defender caught Shoto off guard for a moment before he sighed, "I don't see why I would do that. I don't know you or her. It's just… you said my eye seems familiar. I felt something similar, I think, when I saw her flames. I only wanted to try to understand this feeling."

After a moment Izuku sighed, "Sorry, but her secrets are not mine to tell. If you want to learn about Luz then you'll have to ask her. I can introduce you, but that's it, and only if she's ok with it."

Shoto considered that for a moment before he gave a slight nod, "Yes, please do." After that Shoto just seemed to hover close by while Izuku got dressed. It was a little awkward, but Izuku pushed that thought aside.

When the pair of boys exited the locker room they found Luz waiting with a pair of girls. One was the earphone girl he remembered seeing earlier and the other was a brunette with a round face. When the trio saw him they all smiled and the dark haired girl spoke first in a slightly agitated tone though still a bit flat, "Kyoka Jiro, and I'd just like to say 'Good job' for putting that blond ass in his place. Nobody should say those kinds of things about a pretty girl like Luz. You're lucky to have each other."

Luz blushed as the brunette spoke up next, "Ya, after what happened before we didn't want to leave her to wait alone, so Kyoka and I stuck around to watch her back. I'm Uraraka Ochako by the way." Izuku got a good look at her perpetually pink cheeks and warm smile, "If you ever need an extra hand count us in." Ochako winked, "This princess needs to be protected after all. We get that you're her Knight in Emerald armor, but… just think of us as backup knights just in case you need a little help." The two girls laughed at Luz's growing blush before they started walking away, but before they did they gave Luz a half hug.

As Izuku walked Luz to class he sighed, "Luz this is-"

"Shoto. Just call me Shoto. I hate being grouped in with my dad," grumbled Shoto.

That seemed to remind Izuku and he snapped, "That's why your name sounded familiar, your dads Endeavor."

Luz turned and Shoto saw a sad and conflicted look on her face before she bowed, "I'm so sorry Shoto… For what my Mama Eda did. Please, I hope your dad wasn't hurt too badly."

Shoto tilted his head, "I'm… not following. Whose Eda?" Shoto's expression flattened as he scoffed, "Don't worry about it though. That old bastard is to angry to beat, and the only one who got close was-"

"Harpy… My Mama Eda was Harpy. She took me in and raised me until that fight. I-I don't know why she did it, but I'm so sor-" Luz nearly wept until she was cut off by an oddly comforting hug.

Izuku and Shoto were both surprised when they realized Shoto had hugged Luz, but even more surprising for Shoto… It felt right, like when Fuyumi had hugged him after the accident. Shoto released the taller girl after a minute and smiled, "As I said, don't worry about it. Knowing him… he probably deserved it, and I know the scar she left on his back humbled him slightly, so I should be thanking you."

"So… we're good?" Asked Luz nervously.

Shoto held out his hand with a small smile, "Ya."

Luz ignored the hand and wrapped Shoto in a hug, and spun him. As they spun, red and gold flames came off them in waves much to everyone's surprise, and both teens went to apologize, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that. Are you… burnt?"

Izuku laughed at both of them, "My Luz is fireproof, and you don't even look singed. Lu, should I feel threatened that you might leave me for the spicy snow cone?"

Both teens looked horrified as they shouted, "NO WAY." That caused them both to laugh, and Luz to smile, "I would like to be friends though. I don't know many people with quirks like mine."

Shoto paled and absentmindedly messaged his scared eye, "I don't use my fire… ever."

Luz gave him a sad look, "I'm sorry Shoto. I wish I could help, but that looks like an old scar. I can only heal fresh ones."

Shoto looked apprehensive, but something told him he could trust Luz, "My… my mother did this… with boiling water. It's not her fault though. Endeavor… isn't always heroic and downright abusive from time to time. She saw my eye… and she just snapped. I refuse to use his quirk. I reject any connection between us."

"I get why, but you're only hurting yourself." Shoto rounded on Izuku in anger, but saw the boy smiling as he continued, "Your fire is exactly that, yours. I speak from experience when I say that seeing it as anyone else's is dumb because I made that mistake. Whether you end up using it should be up to you, but it should be because you decided to, and not because of something neither you nor it could do anything about. It's a part of you at the end of the day, and you shouldn't let anybody else's choices define you." Izuku snorted, "If you really want to prove a point… prove you're better than him. Shine brighter, burn hotter, and be a better person while you do it. That way you can prove he really is nothing to you. That's what I'm going to do about my own dead beat."

Shoto seemed to contemplate that for a bit before he started to walk away, "I'll think about it… thanks. We'll talk more another time… friends."

As they watched Shoto walk away, Izuku took Luz's hand, "Guys a weirdo… He'll fit right in."

Luz giggled, "Ya, maybe he'll end up being a groomsman at the wedding." Izuku froze and his eyes widened until he felt Luz kiss his cheek, "I'm kidding Zuzu. It's still way too early to think about stuff like that. You still need to become number one after all. I wouldn't want to distract you from claiming your dream."

Izuku tilted his head and kissed Luz's neck before he whispered, "I can have more than one dream, mi novia radiante." Luz overheated, and Izuku chuckled. A few girls snickered and blushed when they saw Izuku carrying Luz like a princess before he carefully set her down at her desk.

Luz recovered a few minutes later, and just in time for class to start up again. When lunch rolled around the duo disappeared to enjoy their lunch with Yagi, but the majority of the rest of their first day was all introductions from the pro heroes who would be teaching each class, and their expectations for each subject. It felt normal, but Luz seemed oddly enamored with it all, much to a few of her classmates' enjoyment as they noticed… it was like she'd never gone to school before.

When everyone was getting ready to go home, Luz found a familiar face walking over with a mischievous grin, "So… we noticed you both disappeared around lunch." Mina pouted, "That wasn't nice, we wanted to get to know you both better." Mina's grin returned, "So as an apology, some of the others and I want you to come hang out with us. We really want to get to know you both."

The couple shared a nervous look before Izuku sighed, "You said you wanted to make friends. I'm in if you want to go."

Luz's face immediately brightened and she gave Izuku a kiss on the cheek, "Thank you, Zuzu. Thank you. You won't regret this."

Izuku smirked, "Anything for you, mi luz. Just let me know if you get uncomfortable though… we can leave at any time if you do."

That made Mina blink, but she just filed it away for later as she led the couple outside where they met up with Momo, Jiro, Asui, Toru, and a red spiky haired boy they remembered was named Eijio Kirishima. As they approached Mina waved, "Just as I promised, I got the princess and her knight to join us."

That made Izuku and Luz freeze, but Momo saved them with a kind smile, "Ignore her, and let's go have some fun. I called ahead and got us some seats at one of my favorite places." A limousine pulled up in front of Yuuei, and a friendly woman opened the door for them. Momo didn't notice the awed looks from most of the others, or the uncomfortable one on Izuku, Luz, or Asui's. All the same they each entered the car, and they drove off.

On the way to wherever they were going, Luz and Izuku just held hands while the others started asking Momo questions, and it seemed to finally dawn on her that her lifestyle might not be 'normal' for the others. Momo got a little embarrassed, but she happily explained that her family was… well off. She insisted they weren't rich, but nobody was convinced. This continued until they pulled up to a fairly large bistro, and Momo led them to a side room… that she had apparently rented out… about a minute before they left and without prior notice. That proved the final nail in the coffin for Momo as everyone agreed she was definitely rich.

Since they could tell that Luz looked increasingly uncomfortable, and Izuku was starting to get that protective look they noticed every time he shifted into his 'protective boyfriend' mode. Mina and Kirishima decided to start telling everyone more about themselves, but everyone noticed that they seemed to be more interested in talking about each other more than themselves. They had gone to the same middle school, but while Mina was the same social butterfly as she had always been, 'Kiri' had redefined himself before coming to Yuuei. Apparently he had dyed his hair and completely embraced a new perspective because he had seemingly shed his quiet loner disposition completely. Kirishima just shrugged, and said it was the 'manly' thing to do, but both agreed that they couldn't stand a bully which was one of the reasons Kirishima had wanted to get to know Izuku. "The way you stood up to Bakugo and stood up for each other…" Kirishma had tears in his eyes, "It might be the most manly thing I've ever seen."

Toru tried to talk about herself next, but she quickly discovered she didn't have much to say. With the exception of being nearly constantly invisible, she was fairly standard. She liked cute things, and hanging out with friends just like everybody else. Asui took over, and insisted everyone just call her Tsu. Tsu openly admitted that her family was on the lower end of middle class, so all of the 'fansiness' around them was very new to her. She was the oldest of three siblings and her parents worked all the time, so she had to step up a lot for them, but she never let her situation define her. Tsu worked hard at being an honor student, and she was proud of that.

They all paused their conversation while a platter of assorted sandwiches was placed on the table and everyone started to eat, but everyone was surprised by how ravenous Luz seemed. When she noticed the odd looks, Luz blushed in embarrassment until she saw Izuku wink and shove half a sandwich into his mouth without an issue. Luz giggled at him, and Jirou took the opportunity to tell them about herself. Jirou wasn't complicated in her opinion. She liked music, and reveled in how expressive it could be. As a result she could play a handful of different instruments and often played around with this or that instead of talking about her feelings. It was just easier that way in her opinion.

With everyone else already having gone, that left only Izuku and Luz, and Izuku spoke first so that Luz could have a bit more time to mentally prepare. Izuku started with the easy stuff. He loved hero's, and one of his favorite pastimes was analyzing quirks and how they were used. His mom Inko was the kindest person he knew, and Luz nodded at that since she completely agreed.

Then Izuku paused, and Luz took his hand as he admitted he didn't remember his dad. The man had abandoned them when the doctor said he was quirkless, and had never returned. His mom burned all of the pictures with him in them soon after, and never brought him up, but Izuku didn't blame her. What kind of man abandons his three year old son over something like that. Izuku explained that he had known 'Kacchan' since they were toddlers since their moms were friends, and he admitted that Bakugo had been the closest thing to a friend he had. He then showed a scar on his shoulder, and sighed, "Kacchan was a cruel bully, but at least he never abandoned me. Even if it was only as his punching bag… he never left me." Izuku smiled with tears in his eyes, "I was such a doormat, but that was fine until I met my novia, my girlfriend. Luz is my light, and she helps me stay hopeful that tomorrow will be a better day."

Seeing how strong and honest Izuku was being, Luz straightened up and began to tell her story. She told them what Eda had told her about her Mami, and what happened to her much to everyone's horror. She explained how Eda had cared for her and loved her like her own until she cracked and started attacking fire based heroes in her Harpy persona resulting in her turning into a beast and being locked away. Luz had to take Izuku's hand for the next part, but she kept going as she told them how she was basically sold from person to person like a pet for her quirk, and while she didn't name anyone, she didn't hold back in her descriptions of how she had been beaten and abused most of the time.

Luz laughed with tears at the edge of her eyes, "Compared to that, living on the streets was nice." Luz gave Izuku a loving look, "My whole life changed the day I met my Zuzu, and we ran into Mr. Yagi. They took me to the hospital, and Zuzu never left my side, except for when he had to go to school. He held me through my night terrors, he helped me catch up on all the school I missed out on, and he never asked for anything in return. His mom offered to take me in before we got together, and sees me as a daughter now that we are. I love Izuku, because he found a broken dying girl, and he refused to let her go until he knew she'd be safe. I'm the luckiest girl in the world, because I have my Izuku, and he helps me stay determined to fight for a better tomorrow."

After that story everyone looked at Luz differently, but not negatively. None of them could fathom how she had gone through all of that and stayed so sweet… so pure. Momo looked around and felt ashamed at how blessed she was, and never appreciated it. Mina felt inspired, because if Luz could face all that, what was there for her to be afraid of? Kirishima remembered what Bakugo had said earlier, and it made his anger rise higher than ever before. Bakugo had been surprisingly close about where Luz came from, but that only made it worse. The other girls just individually swore to always be there for Luz and her gallant knight, because they deserve to be as happy as they could be, and everyone came together to give Luz a hug. They all talked and laughed for a bit together as they exchanged contact information, and Izuku found himself happy that he had supported Luz in showing up. Her radiant smile surrounded by new friends was everything he could have ever asked for.

That night Luz told Inko all about their day, and while Inko had been horrified to hear about what Katsuki had said since Izuku usually kept his 'besties' antics to himself, she was overjoyed to hear about how many new friends she had made. Since Izuku and Luz had already eaten, Inko wasn't very worried about making dinner, so she had cried when Izuku suddenly emerged from the kitchen with a small dinner just for her, and Inko was moved by just how amazing her kids were. Sadly, Yagi didn't come by again, but that was fine… right?

Breakdown: Another week, another chance for my job to ruin my fun. I'm seriously considering setting up a . The only reason I haven't is… frankly I'm not that great of a writer imo. Could I potentially go back to two updates a week if I did… maybe, but until I get enough people to say "Ya, you should do it" this is the best I can do. Btw to the reviewer who correctly guessed who Luz's dad is, I just wanted to say again, "You're awesome," and I've really enjoyed our conversation so far. Anyway, on to the chapter.

So, in Yagi's defense, him not being able to explain how he does the things he does is pretty normal. A Lot of pro athletes would have the same problem. When you're naturally gifted, and can just do something, you don't tend to ask how. You just do it, and move on without ever taking the time to ask, since there are usually other things on their mind. Also, congratulations, we finally get our first explanation on how exactly this Luz's powers work. In short, looking at how her fire acts can reveal a lot about her mental state.

Speaking of mental states, both Luz and Izuku's are incredibly toxic, but functional. Neither really values themselves, but they adore the other. They would literally take a bullet for each other, but they won't. Not because they value their own health, but because they know seeing them hurt, hurts their partner. In no way is this healthy, but it's a lot better than they were before they met.

The story of the cafe worker is an interesting one… wonder if there's more to it? (Of course, but you'll have to wait and see.) Inko is always such a fun character to explore. She's like a female, even more subdued, version of her son a lot of the time, but there's a strength underneath, an unyieldingly protective soul, and it's always nice to see it.

So I try to have characters say their names in the japanese style of last name, first name, but when I address them it's always first, last. Will it be perfect, I doubt it, but just a heads up.

Oh sweet Titan above, the first time we meet Katsuki in this story was so much fun to write. He's so used to mocking and degrading Izuku, he doesn't even notice when he goes too far, and let's be honest, him making a joke about Izuku needing to pay someone to be with him is exactly Katsuki's style, but this time is different. Izuku's stood up for others before, especially when it comes to Katsuki, but this time the mad bomber tried to insult Luz, and earned that punch. And that statement from Luz, "You're the real Deku." OMT I loved writing it.

Should I have done more with the quirk assessment, probably, but there really wasn't much to say. Sure, Luz scores in the top six every event, but beyond the part I addressed it's not really all that eventful. So, ya, Shoto gets an odd feeling from Luz, before anyone gets too ahead of themselves… This Shoto is gay, so he's definitely not crushing. Also, somebody always ends up with a scar on their back in these MHA stories from the Owlbeast. The situations might change, but that much is always true. Also, Shoto got the 'it's your fire' talk a lot soon, so maybe he'll start training it a bit sooner.

That's not the only change either, Momo gets a wake up call in this chapter too. She's never intentionally rude or anything like that, but she comes from a different world, figuratively speaking, and doesn't realize how rude she can be or how spoiled she is. She's never a brat, but she has no concept of needing money, she's always had more than enough. She's never been faced with the hardships of life, but hearing Luz's story was a bucket of cold water to her mind, and now Luz can help her be better. Momo wants to be a hero, and she doesn't realize she can be one just by opening her purse. A quick stop to pick up a bundle of sports drinks could save so many lives, and it wouldn't even move the needle on her bank account to do.

So the restaurant scene was one of the things I really wanted to do in this chapter. It's not only a great way to start introducing a few classmates, but it allows for this great moment where everyone grows a bit from just meeting Luz and hearing her story. So, I think that's it for now. Going to keep working on this and that, but *ugh* adulting sucks. I'd much rather write all day. Until next time, Shine on beautiful readers. Shine on.