I do not own these characters or the world, that belongs to our lovely author of MHA, Kohei Horikoshi. Also, cover art was a commission by me from the artist Krumbs. Follow them on if you'd like! They are extremely talented!

A/N: Can you believe we're almost already at fall? Summer flew by! Crazy! Thanks for any and all reviews/follows/favorites etc, they are really nice to get! Do enjoy and have a great day. I maybe post again tomorrow if I can finish up writing chapter 49 today, so we'll see!

Thirty-five But Mineta Pretends to Be Peeing in Public

Mina had slipped on her shoes and coat and then practically skipped out of the schools' doors. Boy was she relieved that their stupid sex presentations were over! It hadn't been that bad working with Kaminari, though he'd certainly not been great at helping her put the paper together. He'd also been less than helpful in coming up with a medium for them to create their models. Eventually, it'd been her that decided on the bouncy balls since the organs they'd been assigned were basically just that, balls, except they probably didn't bounce.

Kirishima was somewhere behind her which gave her a secret thrill. She wasn't exactly sure how far back he was or if he could even see her, but she knew that if he could, well he'd probably be distracted trying to check her out…or at least that's what she assumed.

Before they'd decided that they weren't just simple friends and it was in fact okay to be romantic or intimate with each other, Kirishima had been guilty of shooting her longing glances, and clearly searching for her in a crowd. She assumed that also meant that if he was behind her and had an unobstructed view of her backside that he'd take that opportunity to check her out. If there positions were switched, she certainly would!

In the short time that had elapsed since their Valentines Day confession, she'd spent quite a few nights with him. It was always done carefully and secretly and as far as she knew, no one was the wiser to their adolescent activities. While she hoped no one had caught onto what they were doing, she was aware that the girls were suspicious of her since she had changed her tune about Kirishima's longing glances at her. Of course, she hadn't confessed anything—she wasn't sure she wanted to yet—she knew that eventually it would come out, better to enjoy the thrill of secrecy while it lasted.

As she continued to walk away from the school and toward the dormitory, she heard a little hiss coming from a small decorative shrub that she'd just passed by. She stopped where she was and looked in the direction of the innocuous plant as a few of her classmates passed by her.

"You coming, Mina?" Tsu asked who'd been behind her and had stopped when she saw Mina abruptly stop.

"Yeah of cou—" she started but heard another little hiss, this one sounding a bit more urgent. What was that? She took a step closer to the shrub and managed to make out a pair of feet hidden in the shadow of the plant. For a split second she was alarmed that it was some sort of pervert but then she realized that the feet were quite small—smaller than her own feet—and even though she couldn't see the rest of the body she felt fairly certain that she knew who those tiny little feet belonged to: Mineta.

"Mina?" Tsu ventured, stepping closer to her.

Mina turned quickly around to ward off Tsu's advancement and gave her a forced smile. She was mildly alarmed to see that Kirishima had also stopped just a few paces behind with a very annoyed looking Bakugo glaring at him by his side. Several of her other classmates were still exiting the school and the closer they got to her the more curious glances were shot in her direction.

"Yeah I just realized that I forgot something back in the school! I'll catch up to you in a few!" She turned quickly away from Tsu and any other watchful eyes and made a show of happily walking back toward the front doors.

As she crossed into the school and the door closed behind her, her fake smile dropped and she sighed. What on earth could Mineta want now? Hadn't they already hashed out what they were going to do earlier today? Did he somehow miraculously have more intel on Uraraka and Midoriya? She doubted it. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened at lunch between their classmates. The presentations went mostly as expected, though she'd been bemused to see Uraraka angrily stamp on Bakugo's foot when he ignored her.

The more she saw those two together the less convinced she was of there being anything going on. Since her initial theory seemed like mostly a bust, she was very slowly starting to pay more attention to Midoriya and Uraraka. Before she'd gotten involved in this ridiculous scheming of Mineta's, she would've easily wagered that at the very least, Uraraka had feelings for Midoriya. She always seemed to blush when around him and when Midoriya's black whip had first manifested she'd been the first to put herself in harms way to protect him. Sure, that could just be her compassionate nature and underlying heroism, but there seemed more to it.

Her suggestion of Bakugo being involved was more impromptu since Mineta had observed him along with Uraraka and Midoriya, and he'd been doing something altruistic, which wasn't all that characteristic of him. Bakugo also just seemed like more of the type to be assertive in his feelings…though if those feelings were romantic in nature then it wasn't like he was expressing them in a good way. More like in an over the top tsundere kind of way and she really didn't think that that would score points with Uraraka.

She moved over toward her school cubby where her shoes were kept during the day and leaned up against it, waiting for her reluctant partner in crime to join her. Mina saw the occasional student walk by but most everyone was already out for the day. How much time did it take him to decide the coast was clear and sneak back into the school to talk to her?

Glancing at her watch she sighed again, growing more annoyed by the second. What was taking him so long? She was certain that it'd been Mineta's feet that she saw hiding in the shadow of that stupid decorative shrub and who else would hiss at her like that? No one but that little rat. The more she thought about Mineta and his spying and her involvement the more irritable she felt. Why was she even humoring him? What did it matter if Uraraka had something going with Midoriya or Bakugo? Would she have appreciated someone nosing into her personal life or her relationship with Kirishima? No, I would not, she thought to herself with a frown. How much longer was she going to play this game with Mineta? I'm not sure I want to keep spying for him…it feels wrong.

"Sorry that took a bit, Ida caught me in the bush and I told him I was peeing and yeah, you can imagine how that went," came Mienta's voice from Mina's side. She was somewhat startled to see him since she hadn't heard the door open or close and had been lost in thought.

"You told Ida that you were peeing?" She asked incredulously.

Mineta huffed a sigh and crossed his arms. "Yeah, so? It was the only thing I could think of on the fly and while it resulted in a stern lecture from the class know-it-all it stopped any and all other questions that might've come up after I got caught."

"I can't believe you sometimes, I really can't," Mina said with an eye roll and fully faced her lecherous little peer. "So what? Why did you hiss at me? Why did I even come in here to humor you? I don't like you you know and I'm getting really tired of playing your games…it all feels dirty."

Snorting Mineta said, "Do you really think that everyone who wants to talk to you has the hots for you? How vain, Ashido. And you seemed perfectly content to continue on with our little games this afternoon."

"No, I was just inferring that the repeated meetings look kind of sus. Like if you are trying to corner me with these little conversations because you think it'll like make me like you, well no, that's not going to happen. I don't like you and playing these stupid little creep spy games with you honestly is making me like you even less. It feels like I'm doing something sneaky and wrong," Mina said and stuck her tongue out at him.

Mineta surprised her by laughing out loud. "Haha, I may be an optimistic pervert but I'm not a stupid pervert. No, contrary to what your ego is telling you, I did not in fact stop you because I wanted to spend more time with you. And as for our spy games that is in fact why I stopped you: I have a plan."

Mina just stared at him, unsure of what she should even say. She was annoyed that he'd chosen to completely gloss over the fact that she'd admitted that what they were doing made her uncomfortable. Didn't he feel some guilt for spying on his friend? Midoriya had only ever been sweet and kind to Mineta, friendly to him from the beginning; how could he not feel some amount of shame by insisting on digging into his friend's business? Midoriya clearly hadn't chosen to share some secret love affair with him so why couldn't Mineta respect that? Why couldn't she?

"Earth to Ashido! Do you wanna hear it or not?" Mineta asked as he waved a hand in front of her.

Her brow creased as she looked at him. He'd waved a hand in front of her but she could see his other hand balled up in a fist, his stance a bit on the bouncy side. Whatever plan he had was clearly something that either excited him or had him on edge. "Fine; tell me your plan," her emphasis on the last word caused Mineta to frown at her.

"Somebody's salty, sheesh. Okay, so we go back to the dorms and we wait until just before Bakugo and Midoriya finish their icky black tentacle training—"

"Wait? How do you even know when that'll be? They go and get it done at random times," Mina pointed out.

"No, they don't. They go at like the same time every day. Haven't you been paying attention? We're supposed to be collecting intel!" Mineta scolded.

"I think attention to that kind of detail is referred to as stalking and I'm not sure I believe you. I've never noticed that." She said doubtfully. Were they really that regular? Had she just missed it? She honestly wasn't sure. It wasn't something that had involved her or any of her friends so she didn't pay that much attention to it and in terms of collecting intel, why would she? Wouldn't it be kind of weird to be aware of the exact comings and goings of people? Yeah. That was most definitely stalking.

"It's what I'd refer to as light stalking and yes, they do leave around the same time and return around the same time every day that they do the hentai tentacle, er, black whip training."

What else does he know or observe? I need to be more careful about some of the things I'm doing. Mineta might be more observant than anyone gives him credit for! She thought to herself in panicky thought. If he knew something was going on between she and Kirishima he'd gloat about it? Wouldn't he?

Mina gave a reluctant sigh, "Okay. So, assuming you are right and Bakugo and Midoriya practice at the same time everyday for the same amount of time every time and we do whatever your plan is— what is your plan?"

"I do know roughly what time they should be joining us in the dorm after Midoriya's black whip training. So maybe ten minutes before they get back, we suggest to everyone who's with us—and it'll be most everyone since it'll be right around dinnertime—that we do the Pocky challenge!" Mineta explained with a wicked little grin on his face.

The dark eyed girl eyed him dubiously. The pocky challenge? Really? How would this play into them gathering intel or proving something? She knew the little social game he was speaking of and had played it herself but had a hard time imagining anyone other than the girls being willing to play it. It'd probably be too awkward or too embarrassing, the implications too real, if the boys played too.

"The boys are not going to be willing to play the Pocky challenge with us. Besides, how would that even work? I'm not seeing what you're getting at. And you know what, no one will play it if they know you're in it," she pointed out her voice heavy with doubt and question.

"To quote what you often say to me, ' rude', but I wasn't planning on participating. Yes, I have the pocky but you'll be the one that initiates the game. I'll play my part and ask to play—"

"You mean beg to play?"

"Your rude commentary is not necessary. As I was saying, ahem, I'll play my part and you play yours by initiating the game. You start the game and you have to win every round until it's Uraraka's turn at which time you lose on purpose. Of course we'll have to make sure Uraraka doesn't go until Midoriya is just about to walk in the door or just after he walks in. Anyway, you lose to Uraraka and then with the amazing influence of peer pressure, we'll pressure Midoriya into playing with Uraraka and uh yeah, I think you can figure out the rest," Mineta explained the devious smile on his face only growing.

"Assuming I can win every round, what makes you even think we can get Uraraka to play? She isn't so shy that she wouldn't do it, but around others like the boys, yeah no, I can't see her willingly participating and even if she does play she might get so nervous that she activates her quirk. You yourself saw her activate her quirk accidentally when she and Midoriya supposedly held hands and Bakugo had to tug her back down to the ground. Even if she agreed to play and I lost to her on purpose, who's to say that she wouldn't get nervous enough with all those eyes on her that the second Midoriya put his lips on the other end of the Pocky stick that she wouldn't panic and start floating away? This whole plan would be for nothing then. I think there are too many variables in your plan." Mina said with narrowed eyes.

"Sure, that's a risk, but it'd be a telling risk. Would she react that way if she didn't like Midoriya? Wouldn't she be more inclined to get closer to winning if she didn't like him and he was in fact just her friend? If she's hot for Bakugo like you think—which I still think is like way far off—wouldn't she be less likely to react to the point of accidentally floating away? Or think of it this way, Bakugo will come back at the same time Midoriya does, so if we push Midoriya in to play against Uraraka and they start playing, won't Bakugo like have a meltdown if there's like something going on between he and Uraraka and she's there about to smooch over a Pocky stick with his frenemy?" Argued Mineta.

Mina sighed, unsure of the plan that Mineta had devised. It wasn't the worst plan in the world but eh, she saw too many variables that couldn't be controlled. It might be worth it simply because the Pocky challenge was fun to do, but she wasn't sold on actually being able win every round herself let alone convincing Midoriya or Uraraka to participate. If she was alone with just the girls then she could probably guarantee Uraraka's participation but with some of the boys potentially playing, well, it became muddier. Not to mention that both Uraraka and Midoriya seemed highly susceptible to bashful shyness. They might get to holding the stick between the two of them and then run away out of embarrassment.

Then again, what would it hurt to try? It's not like she had any other bright ideas aside from covertly spying on them from time to time, and she was becoming more and more uncomfortable with that. She could try to continue to work at Uraraka from the girl talk angle but she wasn't sure how forthcoming she'd be. Uraraka seemed relatively tight lipped albeit with a horrible poker face. Sure, she could make assertions all day about how Uraraka liked someone, someone like Deku or Bakugo even, but that didn't mean that Uraraka would confess. So at the end of the day all she had was empty assertions and a blush response from Uraraka which wasn't all that much to go on.

What did she have to lose?

Would you like it if one of your friends was engineering a game you enjoy playing as a way of proving that you liked Kirishima, an internal voice whispered to her and she resisted the urge to cringe. No, she wouldn't like that, not one bit. She looked back toward Mineta and his eager face and thought to herself, this is the last time I am going to help you, I swear.

"Okay. I'll help you, but this is like the last time I'm going to play a part of your shady little antics. I feel guilty more and more often and I don't like feeling guilty! How can you not feel guilty?!" She paused briefly to sigh heavily. "I'm not actually that great at the Pocky challenge, not that you'd know that, but yeah, I lose most of the time and rarely end up in a draw. Like somebody like Tsu playing, well I'm not sure how you get around her tongue."

"That's hot," Mineta purred his eyes almost glazed over and far away.

"Gross! Knock it off!" Scolded Mina with a slap to Mineta's shoulder.

"Ouch! Okay, okay! Last time whatever but you can't slack off during this game, you gotta actually play like you want to win," Mineta agreed as he rubbed the shoulder that she'd hit.

"Kinda bossy aren't you? When are we doing this?" She asked still mildly annoyed by Mineta demanding she not 'slack off'.

"We do it tonight," he replied easily and procured an unopened box of Pocky from his pocket. "Here, take this."

Mina gingerly took the box from him and held it with two fingers as if it were dripping with slime or visibly soiled. She looked at it carefully with a slightly wrinkled nose.

"Is this…like untouched?" She asked dubiously.

Rolling his eyes Mineta replied, "Yes duh! Why do you think it's still in its packaging? I haven't done anything disgusting to it. Jeez."

She was still skeptical but cautiously slipped the package into her pocket. "Okay...I guess tell me what you want me to do."

Mineta rubbed his puny hands together and snickered deviously. "Oh this is going to be good."

Mineta began detailing the intricacies of his plan and while Mina listened another part of her rebelled furiously within. Who did Mineta think he was telling her what to do? Demanding that she win every round and then intentionally lose when Uraraka went, if Uraraka could be made to even go? Using her to meet his own needs. He had almost completely ignored her reservations about continuing to stalk their peers or the fact that it was making her feel guilty. She watched him eagerly continue to explain things to her, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

Fuck you. I'm not your toy. I'll lose when I want to.