Hey, everyone. Here we are at Chapter Three, where things will start to pick up a little more. Thank you all for following this story thus far. Over a hundred favorites and followers, way more than I was expecting all things considered. For those of you who've been waiting for some more romantic-tinted action, this is the chapter for you! Hope you all enjoy!
I do not own anything.
A Big Pink Ball of Sunshine
Chapter 3-Touch the Sun
"Izuku Midoriya, you have a package waiting for you at the mail office."
The message had caught him by surprise to say the least. A package for him? Who could have sent it? What was in it? Curiosity continuous swelled within him as it always did. Had his mother sent him something from home? Had she found some room decoration that she thought he would like?
As he walked to the mail office, Izuku began to entertain another thought-what if this package had came from his father? Or another relative? The image of his maternal grandfather and great aunt came to mind, the latter in particular tended to send him various gifts and sorts from her travels. Such was one of the perks of having a relative who was also a travel agent. Upon learning he'd finally made it into UA upon "suddenly" manifesting his Quirk, she'd sent him a model plane that he still treasured to this day. Thinking about it made Izuku's mind drift to another topic-the power of flight. He remembered that it was an ability that All-Might had, likely coming from All For One. That inevitable led him to wondering if he could use that power himself.
Flight was one of the most iconic and well-known Quirks there was. When they first appeared, flight-users became an icon of Quirk-users, and really the new world that was coming. Ordinary human beings couldn't fly, at least not without help, meaning the aid of machinery, then Quirks came along and people gained the ability to fly through various means.
Izuku looked out the window toward the evening skies. With the sun's light gone, it would fall to the moon and stars to illuminate the night sky, that with some help from the city lights. That was something else that had changed in the last, well, near thousand years almost. When reading history books, Izuku was always quietly taken aback to how centuries ago, when the sun set, that was it, no light save for little torches and candle lights. When the sun fell, darkness was absolute. Nowadays, not so much, at least not in at least eighty-percent of the world. Such was the benefit of being born into the modern era, the age of Quirks. It was a blessing that Izuku woke up with every day and was grateful for. Just like how everyday he was grateful that he was finally able to make his dreams a reality instead of just…standing on the sidelines.
Every time Izuku looked at the scars on his right hand, he was reminded that his dream came with a cost, one that he'd prepared himself to pay. Himself…but the people around him, the people who loved and cared about him, was a bit of a different story.
He thought back to Mina and the talk they shared on the bus ride back to the dorms yesterday. She was genuinely concerned about him and how much strain his Quirk put on his body. Oh, if only she knew. Actually, hopefully, she'll never know. It wasn't like Izuku liked keeping secrets, he really didn't, but he recognized that sometimes they had to be kept.
A jolt of fear raced through him as the image of a black-masked megalomaniac clawed its way into his mind. With it came a tight grip of fear that briefly held him in place.
"Young Midoriya, I know that the pressure of secrecy came become suffocating, but please, you must endure it. Not for your sake, but for the sake of those you love." His mentor had once told him when he felt himself near breaking point when his mother questioned him about his sudden Quirk manifestation. She wasn't stupid, and if given enough pieces, she could certainly connect the dots, especially when it came to him. It wasn't out of simple malice or curiosity, but love for him. Izuku often looked to that same kind of caring love to keep the secret.
The fear passed ad Izuku pressed onward. One For All was locked away in the most secure prison on the planet, but the dominos he'd set up were still falling, their decent threatening to crush the world. Not if he or his classmates had anything to say about that, especially him.
"Um, I'm here to pick up a package?" He called finally arriving at the mail office and walking up to the reception desk. "Izuku Midoriya?"
"Midoriya? Ah, you're here at last!" The receptionist, a man possessing bug-like antennas atop his face. "I'll be right with you in just a moment please! Deguchi, I'm heading into the back to pick up one of the packages."
Based on that statement, Izuku guessed it wasn't a letter or something. A part of him felt excited at the prospect of what it was he could be receiving. Was it something from his family? A past associate or eve admirer? He certainly hoped it hadn't come from someplace…dark. Almost as quickly as the thought came to his mind, he banished it as he knew the school checked all the mail without opening it. If they could help it.
"Midoriya? You're getting mail too?" Called a familiar voice.
Looking back to the door, he saw his former adversary from the Sports Festival walk through the door. "Todoroki? Yeah, I am. I don't know who it's from though, probably my mom or maybe eve my dad. What about you?"
"I…ordered a couple of things." He answered in a rather quiet voice. Izuku knew it, whatever he'd ordered, he didn't want to publicize it; so Izuku wouldn't. "Midoriya? Can I…ask you a question?"
"Hm? Sure." The look on his dualistic teen's face was of deep thought. Todoroki wasn't exactly someone who tried to hide his emotions, though that was because he simply didn't let them show too often. In a lot of ways, he was like the ice that he used to primarily manipulate. That said, ice thawed out with time, just like he had.
Todoroki looked away from him and off to the side wall. Whatever this was, it seemed to be something that was pushing him to the edge. "Have you…you're…social, Midoriya, you have good relations with almost all of our classmates."
"Um, I…guess I sort of do."
"You do." The red ad white-haired teenager responded, a hint of a smile on his face. "You're…like I said, you're a lot more socially adapt than me. It seems that you've been getting close to Ashido, lately." Izuku immediately blushed at the statement, which was true. "You've been able to get her to spend time with you, I was wondering…how did you do that?"
If Todoroki could see inside of Izuku's mind, he might have retracted every statement he'd just made. Sure, he was friendly with almost everyone I their class, but he was not a social creature. Not like Mina, whose ability to be forward he admired. He wished that he could be that confident.
"I, um, w-w-well, y-you were there in class when I woke her up using my Quirk. Y-You know how that ended up going."
"Well, partially." He said. "What I mean is…were you…nervous about spending more time with her?"
"Yes." He answered back in a heartbeat. "Truth be told, she…actually proposed we hang out together and I accepted. After spending detention together, we got to know each other a little better. Once we, well, I started getting…" The realization slowly dawned on him leaving the superpowered teen at a bit of a loss for words. "Todoroki, you…is there…someone you're…trying to get close to?"
It was his turn to blink in surprise, and perhaps eve embarrassment. "Of a sort. There's…someone whom I have to make a request to. To say I'm nervous about it."
"I've been there before." The green-haired boy smiled. "It can be…scary, but you should go for it. Ask her to spend some time with you, and I'm sure she'll agree. You're a pretty nice guy, Todoroki."
"Thank you, I…think the same of you, Midoriya." Responded the scar-faced student, his lips curving into another small smile.
"Ahem, um, boys?" Called the receptionist catching their attention. "Your packages are right here." The looked to the counter, and both teens promptly wet wide-eyed. Izuku held up a finger and pointed at the larger rectangular box. The receptionist nodded. "Yep, this is yours. Kind of heavy to be honest. As for you, Todoroki, this one here is yours." His finger jabbed at the square-shaped box that was little more than half the size of Izuku's box.
Todoroki would have been lying if he didn't admit to being curious as to what Izuku could have gotten that was that large. Even more curious was that apparently even he didn't know what it was, yet anyway. Izuku took the book in hand, holding it between his arms in spite of the weight it must have had.
"W-Well, I-I guess I'll have some unwrapping to do tonight, and you will too, huh?"
"It seems we do. Midoriya, thank you for the advice." Todoroki said giving him a slight bow.
"You're welcome." Even though it feels like I really didn't give you much advice, at least not what I think is good advice. "And good luck." Woah, whoever this person is, they've got Todoroki all nervous. The idea wasn't too crazy to believe. Truth be told, Todoroki actually had his share of admirers, though Izuku believed some of that was do to him being Endeavor's son or something superficial like his performance at the Sports Festival. Only a handful of people knew him beyond that, and Izuku felt like he was one of them. That said, there was still much about his classmate that he didn't know, he never felt like priding him. Izuku himself was a private person and he tried to give others the same privacy that he preferred.
Then there were those who poked holes in that privacy, even if they did it unknowingly. He thought Mina was like that. In a way, those people might have been blessings in disguise as they helped people like him come out of their comfort zone. On top of that, maybe it wasn't too much of a stretch to say that they partially became part of his comfort zone. Amazing what changes a day and a half could make in turning two classmates, associates, into friends.
Izuku made sure he didn't complete lose himself to his thoughts. He was carrying a somewhat heavy box and the last thing he wanted was to bump into someone. Call it a hunch, but something told him it was best not to let it fall to the ground. He'd glanced at the UPS label and saw it came from America, which meant it was something his father had sent. Admittedly, that put an extra pep in his step as he returned to his dorm room. Of course, as he did, he got a few looks and questions from his classmates, who naturally took notice of the box he was carrying. The only answer he could give them was a gift from his parents, which was technically true. Knowing his friends though, they'd all no doubt assume he was talking about his mother.
Using his foot, he pushed the door open and stumbled in, placing the box on the floor and sitting on the bed. "Alright, dad, time to see what it is you sent me." Going to his drawer, he pulled out a box cutter and set about cutting the tap that bound the edges of the package. Flipping the top open, the first thing that drew Izuku's attention was a white envelope-a letter. He held it in one hand while pulling away the wrapping that lay underneath it, and by extension, whatever else was in the box. Izuku's eyes widened as he saw what lay underneath. "T-T-Those are…"
Placing the letter atop the bed, he reached down to grasp the first of the two desks that had came in the package. No, they weren't simply disks, they were albums, musically albums. Izuku held the first in his hand like it was a bird's egg, the chick inside seconds away from coming into the world. Actually, he was staring at it like the chick had just emerged into the world allowing him to witness the miracle of life. Light reflected off the polished record that he turned over in his hand. It felt…slightly warm in his hands.
Izuku's eyes moved from the record to the cover it'd came in. Immediately, he recognized the main, the singer, to be American, African-American to be exact. He marveled at it for a minute, the began to dig through the rest of the trio of albums that lay atop the heavy metal object that was the center of most of the weight. The glistening records told him what that object was. Izuku's heart pounded ad his mouth stayed silt open I awe at each record, in perfect condition. Upon closer examination of each, Izuku noticed a line of light blue circuitry running through them. Running his fingers along the first record, he could feel the circuitry idents.
Putting the two albums on the side of his bed, Izuku reached down into the box with both hands. Gently, he lifted the seemingly authentic record player into his lap. His already twinkling eyes glowed even brighter as he looked over the old school machine. Or at least, it looked old school. From the records that lay at his right side, Izuku knew the device I his lap wasn't a vintage piece of musical enjoyment from a bygone era, but it'd been constructed to replicate it. From what he saw, it'd been built to do a good job of that.
Though it looked like plain ole wood, Izuku knew the base was lined with state-of-the-art technology, including up to date speakers and volume control, which could be controlled by the equally authentic-looking numbs on the front. Running his hand across the glass and he could tell it was made out of a special polymer that was no doubt resistant to the lowest levels of superhuman strength. Izuku had a feeling that his father had specifically picked it out with knowledge of his "newly awakened" super strength. Or the possibility that the player would be the unfortunate target of some random object throw or dropped on it. Either way, it was a nice touch. Continuing to look it over, Izuku's suspicions were further confirmed as he saw the various outlets for headphones and iPods; in spite of those things, he knew the needle could still play as well as an ordinary record player could. Izuku was tempted to hook it up and give it a spin.
He didn't do that though, putting the music player back into its box, and setting it back into the larger packaging box. His heart silently pounding in his chest, he reached for the envelope and tore it open, pulling out the letter within. It was typed, of course, but that didn't diminish the warmth Izuku felt in reading it. The words were what counted in his opinion.
Dear Izuku
It's been about a month since I last wrote to you, but I that time it seems quite a lot has happened to you. Given the career path you've chosen and your school, it's not too surprising. For you mother though, it's cause for concern; I won't lie to you, she's not alone. When I…heard exactly what it was you were involved with, I was worried sick. Villains are one thing, but the yakuza? Frankly, I'm surprised they're even still around, though I imagine after this latest debacle they might retreat even further underground and likely stay there.
When you said you wanted to become a hero, I knew there were going to be a lot of dangers that you would face. Some of them…well, Izuku, I know I may not seem like an expert, but the world can be filled with terrifying things. But it can also be filled with some good things, and I'm happy you'd discovered such during your time at UA. I'm happy that you're apparently still thriving there like I hoped you would. To help with that, I sent you this little gift.
You've always liked music, though you never really took it as a hobby. It can be relaxing though, and the life of a student at a superhero student can call for some of that. Office life can be a drag and at the same time quite taxing, but it has its perks, as you've no doubt seen. This record player is based off some of the more popular models from the latter half of the twentieth century. It was a gift from a friend I made while working on the job. She works in the musical division of the RyesWare company, so it's top notch. As for the records...well, that's something of a personal taste.
As you know, I've always had a bit of a side interest in music. It's nothing compared to your interest in heroes, but I like to believe I've found some great musicians to listen to. As it happens, quite a few seemed to have came from the U.S. during the late 20th century. You'll have to forgive your old man for being, well, old-fashioned tastes, but I believe they're good ones. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell are two such ones, at least I believe they are. I listened to this one song that they did together and it made me think of you. Heh, I'm sure you'll figure out which one it is. Listening to that one song led me to more, thus these two albums that I scored the market for. You don't have to listen to them, hang them on the walls if you want, hell, show them off to a girl (for that matter, how are you doing with relations?). If you're ever feeling a little down or need something to relax to, just put the needle on and let the music play. It worked wonders for me, and I'm hoping it'll be the same for you.
If you want to talk more, the please, either give me an email or try to call me up for a video chat. Both of us lead busy lives, but…as your father, I'd like to know that you're doing alright, and I want you to know that I'm doing alright too. By the way, I haven't forgotten about our marriage anniversary. I'm going to try to make it back I time for it, though…well, I'm going to do my best, which hopefully be enough.
Sincerely, your father, Hisashi
Izuku could feel his eyes beginning to water a little. He couldn't help it, he was a sentimental person, just like his mother. His father seemed to be the only one I the family who wasn't a softie, at least most of the time anyway. Izuku remembered him telling him that he always had a soft spot for that sentimentality and it's what drew him to his mother. She'd passed the trait down to him, something he always took in strides.
He was going to write his father back. Send him an email at best. The question was when would be the best time to do it. Izuku knew his father had become quite busy since his work took him overseas. That didn't mean he severed all contact with his family.
Putting the letter aside, he reached back for the first album that he'd pulled out. His English was decent enough that he could read whole paragraphs, and listen to a few songs. Foreign language was another subject that he studied, especially after the battle against All For One. If he was going to be All Might's Successor, he accepted that would likely mean traveling overseas. For times like this, his ability to understand English was going to serve a more…leisure purpose.
In minutes, he had the record player set up on his desk, the record in hand as he prepared to insert it. Sucking in a breath, he inserted it, then put the needle.
The second the song began, Izuku found himself enamored with the beat.
Listen Baby…
Ain't No Mountain High
Ain't No Valley Low
Ain't No River Wide Enough, Baby~
If You Need Me, Call Me
No Matter Where You Are
No Matter How Far
Don't Worry, Baby~
Just Call My Name,
I'll Be There in a Hurry
You Don't Have to Worry
'Cause Baby,
There Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Ain't No Valley Low Enough
Ain't No River Wide Enough
To Keep Me from Getting' To You, Baby~
Remember the Day I Set You Free
I Told You
You Could always Count on Me, Darling
And from That Day On
I Made a Vow
I'll Be There When You Want Me to Someway, Somehow
'Cause Baby There Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Ain't No Valley Low Enough
Ain't No River Wide Enough
To Keep Me From Gettin' to You, Baby~
Oooh, No, Darling
No Wind, No Rain
Ooh, Winter's Cold
As Cold
Can't Stop Me, Baby~
No, No, Baby
'Cause You're My Loooveee!
If You're Ever in Trouble
I'll be There on the Double
Just Send for Me, oh, Baby~
My Love is Alive
Way Down in My Heart
Although We Are Miles Apart
If You Ever Need a Helping Hand
I'll Be There on the Double
Just as Fast as I Can
Don't Know that There's…
Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Ain't No Valley Low Enough
Ain't No River Wide Enough
To Keep Me from Gettin' to You, Baby~
Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Ain't No Valley Low Enough…
In the serene vacuum that the song's ending left, Izuku realized he'd sat down in his chair, his foot having tapped to the rhythm of the song. "That was…pretty good." He whispered with a smile.
I listened to this one song that they did together and it made me think of you. Heh, I'm sure you'll figure out which one it is.
"Dad," he whispered moving his finger to the holographic display panel. Mere seconds before it was about to move onto the next song, the record stopped leaving Izuku alone in the blissfully silence of his room. On the outside, it was silent, on the inside, the song was replying, overlapped with the words in his father's letter. "Ain't no mountain high…ain't no valley low." The green-haired teenager repeated. "Ain't no river wide enough…if you need me, call me."
"There's no need to fear, I am here!" That was his mentor's catchphrase; in inheriting All Might's powers ad mantle, Izuku wondered if one day, he'd be worthy to use it himself. Could he ever inspire that level of hope? That was another potential responsibility that secretly scared Izuku. How could he inspire that kind of hope?
He hit the replay button, starting the R&B song all over again. Izuku closed eyes and lost himself in the beat for the second time. That second time became a third.
It was clear the song was meant to be of one between lovers…but Izuku couldn't help but feel it also could have just meant between any two people or more that shared a close bond. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Ain't No Valley Low Enough, Ain't No River Wide Enough, to keep me from getting' to you." He couldn't place it, but there was something infinitely comforting I those words. Even if the bond wasn't one of love, the yearning to protect was still there, and nothing would impede it. It was resolve like that which Izuku believed fueled heroes to save those in danger.
"Having said that, Midoriya…would you ever go that far to rescue anyone else? Like me?"
Izuku could have sworn Mina was right there with him, repeating the words she'd spoken in response to his statement about their rescue of Bakugo.
"R-Rescue you? Of course, I would, Ashido." That had been his answer, and he'd meant it.
'Cause Baby,
There Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Ain't No Valley Low Enough
Ain't No River Wide Enough
To Keep Me From Getting' To You, Baby~
Those lyrics stuck with him, especially when he thought of Mina's wonderful smiling face. She was…pretty, very pretty. If she was in trouble, he would go through hell and high water to recue her. Just like he would for anyone else, yet…
I've already admitted that I have a crush on her. One half of his conscious mind declared. He'd accepted that, but Izuku was still lost on what came next. Was he supposed to confess to her? Hold it in and wait and see? Wait for what? Another more interesting guy to come and swoop her off her feet? In all fairness, that was the most likely thing to happen…and…maybe for the best. Izuku didn't need to look at himself I the mirror to realize he wasn't boyfriend material, not for someone like Mina Ashido.
But…what if she…maybe if she could…see me in that way. He contemplated. His heart silently thumping in his chest, he leaned forward and laced his hands together. Izuku imagined them holding Mina's. He imagined running his hand along her horns, again. It wasn't like he had a fetish, at least Izuku hoped he didn't. Mina's horns were…pretty cool. They helped her stand out along with her pink skin, her eyes, and her shining personality-they made her one of the prettiest and coolest girls he'd ever met.
Unfortunately, that left him back at the same answerless problem-what was there to do now?
You don't have to listen to them, hang them on the walls if you want, hell, show them off to a girl (for that matter, how are you doing with relations?).
He knew that Mina was a vibrant girl who liked music and dancing. Izuku looked to the record player and the albums that now lay on his desk. Would she go for anything so…old? As in practically two centuries old? Sighing, he pressed the play button and allowed the rest of the songs on the album to continue playing. Perhaps he'd find a tune or two that Mina might like, or one that might give him a solution on how to deal with these feelings.
Plus, he really wanted to hear the rest of the album. Perhaps he'd be joining his father as a fan of the "old school".
It was a slightly chilly but still surprisingly warm day. Everyone hoped that this pleasant weather continued for a few more days into the Culture Festival. Mina certainly hoped so. She hoped this warm weather lasted as long as possible. It's not that she hated fall and winter, spring and summer were simply more her speed. They'd come around again, it wasn't like the world was going to end. At least Mina hoped it didn't end, but if it seemed it was going to, she'd do everything in her power to stop it. So would the rest of her classmates, including Izuku.
Mina could feel her heart quicken at the thought of her green-haired classmate. She'd gone to bed thinking about him ad she'd woken up thinking about him. It was hard not to considering she'd spent almost the entirety of last night reading some of his private journals which contained his deepest thoughts about what he thought of his classmates, including her. Mina planned on giving them back to him…and apologizing.
The second she saw him at breakfast, she felt a mixture of happiness and dread. It was only made worse when Izuku waved back at her.
"Hey, Ashido! Good morning!"
His voice flipped a switch within her. On one hand, she felt nervousness seize her by the throat, yet…Mina truly felt her heart beat a few ticks faster. It was beating in joy. The latter wo out over the former giving her the ability to smile.
"So, hey, I guess you didn't watch anything too traumatizing last night, did you?"
"No, in fact, I…actually got a pretty good night's sleep." He responded with a bright smile that affirmed his words.
That was both reassuring and troubling to Mina. She guessed that Izuku hadn't noticed some of his notebooks were missing. If he had, he likely would have been asking around, including asking her if she knew where they were. That would have made this much easier. "I'm happy to hear that. Matter of fact, you're one guy I think definitely deserves a good night's sleep after all the crap you've bee through over the last couple of days."
"Hey, I told you, I don't hold the detention against you. In fact I'm…actually grateful for it, I got to help out a friend and spend more time with her." Izuku responded with that innocent charm that she was beginning to find appealing.
It's Izuku. Kind, selfless, dorky, Izuku, he'll understand…and maybe…he'll… "Well, I'm happy I got to spend more time with you too, Izuku. So happy that I'd like to do it again today, if you don't mind." As she expected, his freckled cheeks took on a pinkish-red hue. Yet again, Mina felt proud I being able to induce such a colorful reaction. "Um, actually, can I…talk to you at lunch? There's…something I have to tell you."
"S-S-Something you have to tell me? S-S-Sure!" Mina could see that he detected something I the way she was talking. He was perspective in ways that made her think he'd make a good detective. A cute, bubbling investigator.
"Great, we'll meet in the same place we did yesterday, and hopefully we won't have to deal with rampaging golems today." She finished with a laugh.
Izuku laughed back. "It would make for some nice practice for this afternoon."
Admittedly, the thought of spending another afternoon training with him made her heart flutter. In fact, Mina realized she just liked the prospect of spending time with Izuku, period. She wanted more of it. "True. I'm hoping I'll be able to help you do what you did for me. I'd love to have a sharp shooting competition with you at the festival! IN fact, I could help your practice your footwork for the dance off!"
"D-D-Dance off!" Exclaimed the freckle-faced boy. "M-M-Me?"
"Yep. It's a culture festival…soooo, of course there's going to be some dancing. And some singing, and some other fun stuff I'm guessing will you terrified, right?" She pressed with a grin
"Y-Y-Yeah, p-pretty much." He responded with a nervous laugh. To be fair, it didn't take an analyst to figure out he was more of the booky type.
Mina knew that, but she also knew that wouldn't stop him if he had the right motivation. "Say, if I were to say I needed a dance partner…would you be willing?" She knew what she was doing, leaning forward and smiling at her while batting her pink eyelashes.
Izuku's face went redder than Kirishima's hair. "I-I-I-I-I-I….I-I…y-y-yes."
Her heart nearly exploded in joying hearing that. Mina knew what his answer would be, but it just felt so good hearing it! And while he was blushing too! That too cute blush that almost always had her cracking up in joy! "Great! Now that that's settled, let's go get some breakfast!"
It felt good to feel his hand squeeze hers back as she dragged him along, again. Of course, the way Izuku saw it, she was dragging him anywhere, she was leading him, and he was happily following.
To Mina's relief, it stayed warm, at least for the most part. Even better, it seemed that this lunch was going to be peaceful. At least it looked that way, Mina knew anything could change, especially at UA. It was actually something about the school she liked.
The good weather gave her an extra bit of courage to do what needed to be done. Sucking in a breath, she reached down into her school bag. "Midoriya," she called
He looked straight at her, calling her name back in curiosity.
Her heart beating in the confines of her chest, she set down the stack of notebooks and pushed them forward. "I'm…sorry." Mina watched him tentatively pick up and examine the first one on the stack. It was like watching a time bomb ticking down to zero, she definitely feared the seconds away blast. "I didn't steal them! It was a mix up! Honest!" Okay, maybe she was more than a little anxious.
Izuku's eyes were wide as he read the title, written on in black marker that he knew; he could practically still smell the marker ink as if it were still fresh. His fingers trembled as he reached to flip the cover open to the first page, his eyes bulged and his skin paled as he skimmed through the notebook. He closed it shut then reached for the next one, his eyes widening and his skin getting paler as he repeated the process. Then he did it again with the third book. Mina, bubbly excitable Mina, was as quiet as a statue as he repeated the process two more times until he got to the last notebook.
Fear driving her heartbeat, she reached back down into her bag. She'd deliberately withheld from giving back all of his notebooks. Biting her lip, she gripped the last notebook, a navy-blue one that she'd stayed up almost past midnight reading. It was also the book she knew Izuku would have probably exploded in totally understandable anger at her reading.
Mina's hands trembled as he took the notebook from her. Todoroki might as well have had his Half-Cold Quirk active and focused solely on her.
All around them, the lunch period continued, not one of the other students paying a second's thought to the drama unfolding between the two freshmen students.
Izuku had yet to even open the notebook, something that actually frightened the horned girl. Silence was always the worse, it was practically toxic to a hyperactive buddle of talkative energy like Mina.
She saw only one way out of this.
"I'M SORRY!"
Stunned yellow eyes stared into stunned green eyes. Mina's mouth hung open as her ears rung.
"W-W-What?" she asked.
"I-I-I'm sorry, A-Ashido." Izuku repeated, bowing his head obscuring his red-tinted cheeks.
What? I accidentally took his notebook and read it…and Izuku thinks he's the one who should be apologizing?! The pink-skinned girl exclaimed in her head. Mina was in seriously doubt that this was happening. "M-M-M-Midoriya…"
"I-I-I…I'm sorry. T-T-To write those things about you a-a-and the rest of our classmates, it's-"
"Izuku!" His first name rolled off her lips so easily, Mina felt like she was used to saying it. The frost that had once covered her burned away allowing her to move. She reached out and grabbed his left hand with her right hand and placed it atop the notebook labeled with their class number. "You don't have a thing to apologize for! Seriously, if anything, what's in here proves that you're probably the smartest and most perspective guy I the whole class! It's why when the shit hits the fan, we can all look to you to lead us out of it! Hell, all these books prove that! They prove you're really dedicated to being a hero, maybe more so than the rest of us!"
The green-haired boy stared at her in slack-jawed awe at her speech. It was clear that her speech wasn't the response that he'd thought he'd get from her. Something about that troubled Mina.
A cold breeze blew across the dining area, though it didn't bother either Izuku or Mina. For the former, he felt like an arctic wind could have been blowing, freezing everything in its path…and he wouldn't have gotten so much as a shiver. All he felt was…warmth.
"Ashi…Mina." He whispered.
Smiling at him, she said, "You know…if you want to call me by my first name. If you do…I'd like to be able to do the same to you."
"S-S-Sure." Why did being around her make him speak before his brain could catch up to his mouth? Um, maybe that's part of having a crush on someone. And having that someone sitting across from you…and holding your hand. He liked having Mina close, and he liked the prospect of being able to call her by her first name. In giving her that permission though, it meant acknowledging his more…personable relationship with her. Izuku had to look deep inside himself and realize that he wanted that, a lot. "Ashi…Mina…" He finally spoke with a smile.
The pinkette's smile was practically ear-to-ear. "Izuku…I'm flattered to know that you think of me that way."
His smile became frozen onto his face as sweat rapidly began to accumulate on his brow. "T-T-T-That…way?"
She giggled at how he was feigning ignorance. "In terms of looks…that you think I'm the cutest girl in class." Grinning, she began to gently massage his hand. "You know, a girl loves hearing that, especially a girl like me." Her smile went from audacious to more serene. "I'm proud of how I look, but…when someone calls me…cute, compares me to the shining sun, well…it makes my heart beat a little faster, ya' know? It makes me think a lot about the person who made that compliment."
His cheeks were blazing like a furnace, and there was no shower that Izuku could summon to put them out. Not even the curtain of sweat practically falling down his forehead seemed to be enough. How it'd yet to evaporate from the heat surging within him, Izuku would have loved to know.
At the moment though, he had other things to focus on-like the fact that his crush was essentially confessing to him. Yes, confessing to him. This was the last thing he was expecting to happen when he woke up this morning.
"Your entry…it's…incomplete. I-I-I wasn't able to update it before I…misplaced it." That was all he could see, his gaze now focused on the table and his Class 1-A notebook.
"Hm, even so, you're practically written a decent enough portfolio on everyone in class. Actually, it makes me a little scared to spar with you since you pretty much know all of our weaknesses. Heh, but you also wrote down how we could cover our weaknesses. For example, you've analyzed and calculated the temperatures that Todoroki needs to keep an equilibrium using his Quirk. The heat and explosive force of Bakugo's explosions. You've estimated how log Iida can run and how he can stretch out his run time. Heheh, with me…you've already started running the numbers with my Quirk, and we only talked about it, for like, one day."
Rather than down, he simply looked away, his cheeks still aflame. "Yeah, I'm…I guess I'm weird like that."
"And like I said, it's a cute kind of weird." Mina giggled. "You're cute, strong, and smart, now that's what I'd call a winning combination. Tying it up is your kindness, Izuku, you're probably one of the kindest people that I know. Reading your journal just proved it. Normally, I'd expect some snarky comments and insults above everyone, including Mineta, but you had some positives things to say about him. Some of which are actually true." She laughed at the way his blush deepened. "Don't worry though, I won't go blabbing what I read in there. All those things…those were your private thoughts. Including ones about…me."
Izuku was struck by just how weird his life was. At one point, it was completely ordinary being a Quirkless kid a world filled with Quirks. A world where a Quirkless person like him had about as much of a chance of becoming a hero as a cat did of swimming the seven seas, then by pure chance, he met his idol, and in becoming his successor, gained a Quirk. How likely were any of those things to happen?
How likely was it that the evening he misplace one of his notebooks, he realized he'd gained a crush on one of his classmates? Izuku was tempted to say that he'd gotten lucky. If he'd lost his class journal today, he'd have had time to put down his recent feelings about Mina along with the developments they'd made in her Acid Quirk. The latter one wasn't so bad really. The former? He dreaded to think about it, even as his feelings were being deciphered right before him.
"Hey, Izuku?" Called the pink-skinned girl.
"H-Huh?"
"Those things you wrote in this notebook…you…meant them, right?" There was a slight hesitancy in her voice that surprised him. Just as surprising was the faint change in the coloration of her cheeks. Mina's pink cheeks had gotten…pinker, which answered the question of if her skin could get any pinker. They apparently could.
"Mina…I…every word that I wrote down in those books, I meant them. Especially when it came to you and the rest of our class." His heart was beating fast, yet Izuku found himself remaining calm. A familiar clarity had descended over him, it held eve as he raised his head and looked into Mina's yellow and black eyes. Izuku actually felt his focus magnify as he stared back at her. His cheeks were still the color of autumn leaves, but that didn't stop him from speaking his mind, or his heart. "Ashido is…the color pink really suits her. When I look at her, it makes me think of the sun-radiant and life-giving. Her personality completes it, she's such social and friendly, inviting and encouraging. She's like that with everyone, kind of like how the sun doesn't pick and choose where it shines. It just does, like her. Even when she suffers a setback, she picks herself up and keeps on going, the sun always comes out through the clouds."
She stared at the green and black-haired boy like he'd just recited poetry. As far as Mina was concerned, that's practically what Izuku Midoriya just did.
Suddenly, she removed her hand from his, something that caused Izuku to tense up with fear. He'd just scared her off, he knew it. At the very least he could take her rejection with a little bit of-
"M-M-mpmmh!" To say that he was shocked would have been a colossal understatement. Mina was kissing him. Mina Ashido was kissing him. Mina Ashido was kissing! Mina Ashido was kissing him! On the lips!
Then she wasn't, but the lingering taste of her lips remained on Izuku's. Her eyes stared back at his, her lips parted as she giggled. "Heheh, having said all that…would that be like getting kissed by the sun?"
Was it possible for his head to get any hotter? Izuku felt like he was hosting an erupting volcano in his head, the magma flow turning his cheeks bright red. In spite of that, he was able to dumbfoundedly nod in response to her question.
Giggling, Mina reached out and laced her arms around Izuku's neck, causing him to further blush. Was he trying to discover a new shade of red? "And would you be happy if I did that…again?"
"Ye…Ye…Yes." He squeaked.
"And if I did it again?" She grinned.
"Y-Y-Yes." Izuku responded.
"And again?" Mina egged on.
"Yes." It felt like his entire vocabulary had been erased save for that one word.
"If I asked to be your girlfriend, would you say yes?"
Instead of an automatic response, there was hesitation. Izuku blinked, he could feel himself blinking; he finally regained the ability to comprehend exactly what was happening. His face was still as red as a tomato though, maybe even redder. It felt as hot as molten lava, and he could feel it getting even hotter. Hundreds of beads of sweat were sliding down his skin; for him, it felt like it was the heart of summer instead of the beginning of fall.
Behind her smile, Mina felt…nervous. She was making this up as she went along, though she was an optimist, and she was confident that she had a beat on what kind of person Izuku was, and what his response would be.
First of course, there was the awe in which he looked to her with. "M-M-M-Mina…d-d-do you…really mean that? I-I-I'm mean, I-I'm-"
"An incredibly awesome, smart, and kind guy. The kind of guy I think I want to be around. Heh, and kiss, and hug, and cuddle up to." Their faces were close, close enough that the tips of their hair were brushing up against each other. They held one another's stare as their respective hearts thundered in their chests. Both of them knew that this was a pivotal moment I their lives, one that had practically came out of nowhere. "Izuku, you're…you're so much better than you think you are. You may not think so, but I do, and so does everyone else in our class. Maybe…maybe even Bakugo. If I were your girlfriend, I'd be…I'd do my best to make you the happiest guy at UA!"
Izuku was happy when he was accepted into UA, but he found that over time he became happier. Not only was he on the path to achieving his dream of becoming a hero…he had made friends. All a unique and even a little weird in their own ways, but friends none the less. They were all people he'd gladly put his life on the line for, or in the case of some, his academic record. He did that for Mina, and he'd do it for her again and again. Especially if the consequences included being able to spend more time with her. Izuku felt his heart in a constant flutter whenever she was around…which was funny because they'd only gotten to know each other over the last two days.
But all relationships started somewhere, right?
"Mina," he finally spoke catching her attention. "Um, I…I feel like I should be the one making that promise to you."
For a second, she seemed stunned by his words, but her surprise quickly melted away into a warm smile. "And that's another reason why I think you'd be a great guy to have as a boyfriend-you're so darn chivalrous. Practically my dorky green knight who can punch out giant robots and leap across buildings. Speaking of which, would you be willing to…take me up one day?"
"T-Take you up? What do you mean?" He asked getting a funny feeling in his chest.
Giggling again, Mina sat back down directly across from him. Izuku was actually a little saddened as he was enjoying having her arms wrapped around his neck and her face so close to his. He really would have liked another kiss, this one being one he was able to consciously enjoy. Maybe once Mina had explained herself, he could ask her if she would…no, he was going to give her an answer to her question.
"You, um…ya' know, look, you know heroes, right?" Mina did something Izuku never thought he'd see her do. Both her index fingers came together and a thick blush turned her pink cheeks darker, almost to the point they seemed to be turning purple. "You know how in some cases heroes…can…get together? Heroes, heroines, civilians? You know?" He nodded, and he did so with a slight blush showing he had an idea of where she was going. "Well, some people, girls like me, like it when their guys can just…carry them off. Or fly off with them."
Izuku knew what she was talking about. He just didn't seem able to place himself in that position-carrying a girl (beautiful one at) in his arms while flying away. In fact, Izuku outright couldn't fly, but he could leap across great distances. That counted for something, right? "D-D-Doing those sorts of things," he spoke. "Y-You'd…trust me to…not let you fall?"
"Yep!" Her trademark optimistic smile came back in a flash. Izuku was happy to see it back. "Izuku, I could be falling from the highest skyscraper in the world…and I'd trust you to catch me."
Izuku's heart thumped I his chest at those words. "I'd…trust you to do the same." Again, his mouth moved before his brain could, it was his heart that had driven the words out. "I'd trust you to watch my back in a fight, Mina. I'd trust you to…have my…to…"
"You'd trust me not to break your heart?" She suggested with a hopefully light in her yellow eyes.
He nodded. "I'd do my best to be the best boyfriend in the world for you, Mina. I'd like to try to be."
Relief and joy mixed within the acid-throwing girl and exploded through the rest of her body. For the second time, she got up from her seat and walked over to Izuku. This time, she was ready as she threw her arms around him, burying herself in the crux of his next and shoulder. He compared her to the sun, but he was pretty radiant himself. She was going to enjoy treasuring that radiance.
"Then I guess we're boyfriend and girlfriend from now on." She happily expressed.
"I-I guess we are." Izuku responded back with a laugh. "So, um, what now?"
"Now, we enjoy lunch." Mina responded with a giddy smile. "Our first lunch as a couple. Before that though…" Leaning forward, she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek that caused his face to further blush. "Thanks for not being mad about me reading your books. I promise, it'll never happen again."
"Mina," he began moving his arms around her waist. She nearly jumped in feeling his arms around her. "It was a simple misunderstanding; how could I ever be angry with you over that?" His words brought more welcome relief to her, which resulted in another hug. He whole-heartedly welcomed it. "If you want…I'd loan you any of my notebooks, all you'd have to do is ask."
Her heart having gone into overdrive, Mina showered her new boyfriend with kisses, which left him quite flustered. Every kiss melted away whatever remained of the heroic nerd's nervousness, not that there was much of it left by this point. He also felt like he was getting used to the physical affection Mina often handed out, somewhere inside he had been craving it. Given their new relationship status, that craving was going to be sated.
"So, like I said, let's have our first lunch together, as boyfriend and girlfriend." Giving him one last kiss on the cheek, she moved back to the seat directly across from him. Here they were back at the start, only their relationship having undergone a change for the better. The sense of relief was still running through her, and apparently it was also running through Izuku as well. "So, um, you've bee updating these all year, haven't you?"
"Y-Yeah. When it comes to pros, most of what can be said about them has been said and written down. For younger heroes, like us, well…"
"Our stories are still being written." The acidic girl proclaimed. "That includes your story, Izuku."
At first, he smiled at her, but his gaze drifted down to the table. She'd always been quietly observant of everyone around her, including Izuku. He was capable of so much, but his confidence was weighed down by his doubts. For the life of her, Mina wondered what had happened to give him such an inferiority complex. She suspected Bakugo might have had something to do with it, but she decided not to dwell on that; her boyfriend was looking like he could use her help.
"Mina, where do you think…my story will end?"
She'd seen the question coming a mile away. "It'll end with you as one of the greatest heroes that ever lived. Right alongside me, of course." Boldly declared the horned girl. "What about me? Do you think I'll be right there alongside you?"
Izuku pictured himself, standing proud and ready to defend the peace of the world. He always knew getting there wasn't going to be easy, he'd learned that first hand over the last several months of attending UA. In spite of the hardships, he'd endured and kept marching onward. Now, as he sat across from his new girlfriend, he pictured her at his side. A subconscious smile blossomed on his face, in clear view of the pink-skinned girl.
"You will be." While Mina had already gotten an answer in his expression, it was awesome to hear it with her ow ears.
"Awesome, now come on, let's eat!" She exclaimed.
Their talk, though very much needed and appreciated in the long run, had eaten up almost three-quarters of their lunch block, a fact they were made aware of almost ten minutes later when the bell rang. Both young heroes were caught by surprise, but acceptance it. Sure, they'd lost time to eat, but they'd gotten something better I return. Not to mention Mina promised to make it up to Izuku. He tried to wave her off only to get a response that made the volcano in his completely blow its lid.
"It'll be our first date!" Mina proclaimed, having grabbed his hand and giving it a tight squeeze.
D-D-D-Date. Our first date. Our first date! Mentally repeated the inheritor of One For All. I'm going on a date! We're going on a date!
He'd go the rest of the day with an incredibly strange mixture of excitement and anxiety swirling within him, constantly battling for dominance. At times, the former got the edge over the latter. Those were the times Izuku found himself sneaking aside glances at Mina, who shot him those same looks back. They always came with a smile, and Izuku always smiled back.
Admittedly, both of them could feel their stomachs beginning to growl by the time the final bell rang signaling the end of the school day. Given they'd only had about ten minutes to eat, not even fully finishing off their lunch, it wasn't too surprising. Mina had a plan to remedy that though. Izuku had no idea what his girlfriend had planned, but he had fully confidence in her. He was also a little curious as to what sort of places she liked to visit in her free time. She was also going to get a look at the kinds of places he visited in due time as well.
It was of no surprise to him that she was guiding him to Hamamoto Mall. Practically all their classmates frequented it just as much as the rest of the city's occupants, including Izuku. If you were looking for a certain store, it was there, you just had to look for it. I looking, you'd also potentially find something else of interest, that had certainly happened to Izuku, and Mina. When it came to places to eat, Hamamoto had quite a wide selection. Personally, Izuku had tried a few, including a taco restaurant on the second floor. He'd surprisingly came to like them, a lot.
Izuku genuinely wondered what kind of food Mina liked. Crazy as it sounded, he was looking forward to finding out so that he could treat her to that kind of food more often in the future.
"Hey, Izuku?" Called his pink-haired classmate. "Um, are you…nervous?"
Here they were at the door, practically the doors of destiny. "Yeah. I've…never had a girlfriend before."
Hm, that's fine. I've never had a boyfriend before." She responded in a casual tone. His eyes slightly widened, causing her to laugh. "I've never met a guy like you, who I think it's worth it to take a dive with. As for how you see me…"
"You're one of the most incredible girls I've ever met." He really was going to have to work to get this…impulse under control. Then again, it awarded him another kiss on the cheek, which he very much appreciated. Okay, maybe it's not so bad after all. "I seriously don't know what I'm doing, but I'm going to try to make you the happiest girl in the world, Mina."
When it came to declarations like that, Mina could typically tell when someone was being honest or lying. As far as she could tell, when he was making promises, Izuku Midoriya never lied. It was something about him that she admired; Mina had a feeling in the future, it was something about him that she'd come to maybe love.
The freckle-faced boy's cheeks lit up as he received another kiss on the cheek. "You're on your way, Izuku. Now come one, let's go get lunch, for real!"
Hand-in-hand, the couple walked through the doors, off to the first date of their relationship. The first in what would eventually become a long and happy line.
This chapter promised some couples-focused fluff, and I'm hoping that I delivered. Izuku and Mina are together and their relationship is going to take center stage over the next two or three chapters of this little story. Gotta say, it felt great writing the confession between the two of them, those romantic moments are always amongst my favorite to write to be honest.
Regarding the record player and the albums…what can I say? I've been meaning to take another stab at songfics and I decided to include this story in the attempt. Going a little old school didn't seem like too much of a bad idea, nor did choosing a little Marvin Gaye and some Tammi Terrel. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is an oldie but a classic in my opinion and I felt it felt Izuku's character. Whenever someone's in danger, regardless of who they are, he'll move heaven and earth to help them (and sometimes break himself doing) so I figured for a chapter starting with him, it'd be a nice fit. Having the player and the albums be a gift from his father was my way at bringing in Higashi Midoriya, if not in physical presence then in spirit at least. It's a real happy coincidence that it's Father's Day, so I guess you can say it shows he still certainly cares about his son, even if he's on the other side of the world.
In the next chapter or two, Mina will get a song of her own that I feel reflects her character (and her budding relationship with Izuku). Given how much Mina loves dancing, I'm going to sneak in a few dance songs, though if anyone has any suggestions, I'd be more than happy to listen. Now that they're officially together, expect Mina to be more willing to get a little more intimate with Izuku. It's Mina so I'm pretty sure you'll all be looking forward to that, I'm definitely looking forward to writing it. Admittedly, I also threw in some teasing for some...other MHA stories I plan on writing, namely some more couples. Suppose I just couldn't help myself.
That's all for now. I hope you all have a lovely Father's Day! Until next time!