Her Friendly Neighborhood Hero Academia

by GohanSon32

Momo Yaoyorozu is Class 1A's top student, vice representative, and one of the brightest up and coming heroes. Always one to be highly focused on her goals and grades, she has never been one to be bitten by the love bug. But with the addition of a new student, Peter Parker, to class 1A, how will a budding relationship between Momo and the new student change the events of MHA?

21. Ch 21: New Beginnings

Note: Hey everyone! I'm back with my biggest chapter to date, surpassing Peter's backstory by thousands of words. I'll just dive into the few things I have to say instead of whining about how long it took to write. So this is a fluff chapter, or at least a large portion of it is. After multiple chapters filled with fight scenes, just indulge me a bit yeah? haha. The other part is filled with my favorite dialogue between all the characters that I've written to date, all with the revelation of Peter's internship at the end! I also wrote a good sized Epilogue to close the book on this arc for good. This is a really big chapter and I hope its not too long to be honest, but there's a reason I gave you guys so much this time...

My wife is about to give birth to our second child. And with that, means that I'm not gonna get to write every night like I do for a couple of months. I usually stay up until like two to four in the morning working on this story, but for the next few months to support my family and pull my weight, that time will be filled with changing diapers at ungodly hours, consoling crying babies, and maybe if I'm lucky, sleeping. So I'm not gonna be posting anything for a little while... Sorry about that...

But again, I really don't want people to think this story is going to die unfinished. Its literally my personal therapy to write it. With how many complications this pregnancy has had already, I'm honestly nervous to step away from it for a little bit. It really has helped me through a lot... and I know it will continue to be a good outlet going forward.

I know there's nothing that sucks more than finding a story, investing time and interest in it, and then for the author to leave it unfinished.

I swear to you guys on everything I care about that that is not the case with this story.

I truly will be thinking about different things to add to the story the entire time I'm gone. I've already got the next chapter planned out and I even have a title picked out for it. I left this chapter on a note that I'm excited to write about when I come back. And after this little break I'm gonna come back with a bang I promise.

Thank you guys for your understanding. I'll do my best to keep you guys updated in the meantime.

@Backpack Bandit: Heyyo!!! What's going on dude!! First off, I just wanna say that when I come back from my little break, I have figured out how I'm going to introduce Pony into the story and fix the mistake I made there. Thanks again for catching it! And yes, Peter creates his own form of martial arts known as The Way of the Spider. Since I dont plan on using Shang Chi in the story, I'm not sure if I'll directly reference that, but my plan is to nod to it in a way that gives me room to make alterations to it if necessary for the story.

Yeah, I totally understand why people don't like Bakugo, but there's a lot about his character that I've always actually kind of liked. So even though I throw a lot of shade his way at this point in the story, there is respect for the character in there as well.

Also, the cube law comment... I liked it so much that the moment I read it, I knew I wanted a nod to your comment in the actual story, so I did that in this chapter.

Hope you enjoy the chapter. I'm excited to hear your take on it.

@CrosSan19: Thanks!!! That one was a hard one to write and in the end I had to rewrite it five different times.

@xGhostSpiderx: Aye!!! Glad you enjoyed it! If you like that, just wait until you see what I have planned for Stain and the League... when Peter gets serious...

Thanks for the well wishes... On top of everything going on with my daughter about to be born, my wife has had a complicated pregnancy, and our insurance no longer covers my antidepressant that works for me. But everything will work itself out. I really appreciate your words.

@Hina714: Glad to have you following the story!! I'm really glad you enjoy it!! Thanks for all the encouragement! If you like the character interactions and the Peter x Momo stuff, then you're gonna love this one! Let me know what you think!!

@abijayks: What's up my friend! Here's the chapter where I had you in mind. I hope you enjoy Fuyumi's introduction and the approach to her character I decided to take! Be sure to let me know what you think!!

@The Storm Master 567: I'm glad you found it!! And I'm even happier that you enjoy it!! Peter's gonna have plenty more interactions between a lot of characters and pull Character development out of them while building onto the relationships of those around him. As for Gwen, she's gonna come back for I-Island and I'm talking to other authors about how to approach it. I'm getting excited for the internships. I reveal Peter's at the end. Be sure to let me know what you think!!!

@Incarnate47: All I can say is... be sure to read to the end... I'm curious to read your reaction.

@DrCoogans: Got a big one for ya this time! Im excited to hear your opinion on a few of the interactions this time around! Also, I'm excited to hear what you think about the internship for Peter. Hope you're doing well!

@Hairypen: Hey again!!! Im glad you liked the chapter! And don't worry about the nit-picks, I found them to be more than valid, and you weren't harsh about it at all which I can always respect and be grateful for. It's feedback like your's that helps me make the story better. So I adressed the Aizawa one in the actual story. I hope you don't mind, but I actually liked your reasoning behind it so much that I put paraphrased part of your review into Present Mic's dialogue with Aizawa and tried to fix the bad teacher vibes.

As for Peter not just breaking Bakugo's arm, I wanted to show how far ahead of Katsuki Peter is. Also it was the last fight so I wanted it to have some sort of challenge for Peter and I didn't think I could pull it off if Katsuki was handicapped with a broken bone. The biggest reason though is that I want the way Peter fights his peers to differ drastically from the way he fights villains. He broke Shoto's out of desperation and completely by accident, and Monoma's nose because he could only hold back so much... it was meant to be more of a warning shot than a display of power.

And yes actually, I have had a caipirinha... but I didn't have one due to my friends from Brazil, when I dropped out of college, I started bartending at the nicest restaurant in my hometown. i did it for a long time and started to get extremely good at it. Eventually I became the main mixologist when I turned 22. I was in charge of rotating new drinks on and off the cocktail menu and showing the other bartenders how to make them. That's how I came to try one... I've never had a proper one though... Just my probably bastardized version of one lol.

Hugs from Kentucky... yes... the fried chicken place... Unfortunately lol

@CRUDEN: Hey bud! I'm excited to see what your favorite part of this one will be. And I just wanted to say thanks again for all the support you've shown. It gave me some confidence in writing the character interactions in this chapter!

@El-lector327: Hey again!!! I'm stoked that you enjoyed the last chapter!!! Got a big one for ya this time.

Gwen Stacy is going to make her final appearance on I-Island. Her story is kinda sad in this. I actually have had a solid conversation about her character in the comments on my Wattpad with another author, and they gave me a solid direction in which to take her character in her final appearance.

Peter and Momo are definitely about to take off! And the internship for Peter is revealed at the end. I'm excited to hear what you think.

And thanks for the well wishes. I'm in a rough spot in life at the moment... But it'll pass. It always has before. I truly do appreciate your words though.

@AtomicGod666: Here ya go!!! Hopefully it was worth the wait!

@DoubleA135: Oh my god I love it!!! "ya basic" If i get the chance to put that in, I'm taking it!

@daniel.santiago.4545: Back in business! Got a big one for ya this time! Hopefully it'll be an acceptable repayment for my sudden little break. Like I said though... this story isn't finished yet... and Im not ever going to abandon it. Keep an eye out for updates about my daughter and in a few months I'll be right back to work on this story.

@SulliMike23: He got that ass beat like a drum, huh? lol

@Jobro89: Thanks for the Wattpad follow! I almost gave up on posting there, but its finally getting some comments and reads!

@Captain Sprinkle: Thanks a bunch!!! Hopefully this chapter follows the tournament up well! Hope you enjoy!

@Greyfox2: Thanks! Hopefully this chapter is a good follow up and ties up everything nicely. And I'm happy with how I lead into the internship arc at the end. Be sure to let me know what you think!

Alright everyone... That's all I had to say... I promise I'll be back in a couple of months as soon as my growing family adapts to a new life entering our own. Its been a very complicated and difficult pregnancy for my wife... So please keep us in your thoughts...

Thank you guys so much for all the support and for reading this far... I hope this holds you guys over for a little bit.

I do not own any of the characters depicted in this story...

---

"KATSUKI BAKUGO IS OUT OF BOUNDS!!!!!!! PETER PARKER IS YOUR CHAMPION!!!!!"

The breeze blew through his hair and carried away the last bit of weight he felt on his shoulders. The crowd instantly erupted with cheers after the R rated heroine's announcement.

The sun beat down on his shoulder that was left exposed by his heavily torn uniform... Almost as if those he had lost along the way, used it as their way of smiling down upon him... Letting him know they were with him... And that they were proud...

His body trembled as he finally felt the eyes of every single person in the arena watching him... His past as an invisible outcast was now even further behind him... The world now knew that Peter Parker... Had arrived.

He remained frozen on his knees with his eyes wide... Afraid that if he moved... He would wake up and it would all have just been a dream... But the reappearance of an intense pain in his ribs quickly dispelled that theory...

Cameras began to flash all around the stadium, immortalizing his moment of triumph forever.

He looked up in awe to see the screens around the arena showing his picture with the word "champion" underneath it.

He did it...

He actually did it...

It was finally over... He had won. He placed his hands on his head in a state of disbelief as he felt his heart pound harder and harder in his chest. For the first time ever, as words from his aunt's voicemail played in his mind, he felt... proud of himself.

"I'm so, so very proud of the man you are becoming. No matter where you find yourself in this world, I know that you will accomplish great things..."

He suddenly felt overwhelmed with so many emotions... And finally, with no more fighting left in front of him for the day, he allowed himself to have a human response to them. His arms fell down by his side as he clenched his fist, and he let out a scream of victory loud enough to cut through the cheers that rang out from the stands.

Job... Finished.

He fell back to his hands as the exhaustion finally began to hit him... Each breath he took was filled with physical pain, yet he had never felt such a sensation of much needed release in his entire life. He was finally on his way... He had taken his first official step towards fulfilling his dreams...

A statement had been made... And an emphatic one at that...

He wiped the sweat from his brow and pushed himself back up off the ground. His body was trying it's best to lock up, but he forced himself to stand and raise his fist above his head. All of the injuries and fatigue aside, he felt lighter than air...

It was almost completely unbelievable that in just a couple of months... After his future had seemed so bleak... He was standing at the top of the mountain, with a chance to finally reach out and rewrite his own story in his image.

Then, as his eyes drifted through the crowd in front of him... Their gazes finally met.

Time seemed to stop around him and the pain from his fractured ribcage momentarily disappeared again. His fist slowly lowered back down to his side.

Momo Yaoyorozu was staring at him with prideful tears rolling down her cheeks and a smile that could only be described as the most wonderful expression a human being could possibly make. His heartbeat raced in his chest. She was looking at him like he had just walked on water...

Peter Parker had a long list of reasons to win this tournament...

To keep the promises he made to his aunt and uncle...

To fulfill a dream he had chased since he was a little boy...

To give hope to those who faced similar challenges as him growing up...

To give his new home country faith in a brighter tomorrow...

But at the forefront of it all... Was her...

He wanted to see her smile... He wanted her to be impressed by him... For her to see him as someone who was strong enough to overcome any challenge... He wanted the approval of her parents, who she revealed before they had even reached the school grounds, would be watching him with great interest...

A protective instinct had awoken inside of him after watching her last match... And he carried that fire with him into the final fight... As fate would have it, it was eventually what gave him the strength to make his final push in order to win...

Somewhere along the line his strength... His resolve... His drive... Had all become tethered to her.

As he looked into her beautiful onyx eyes, he felt himself once again being pulled to her warmth... And now... He could finally let himself submit to it. After the award ceremony, nothing else stood in their way...

The shared understanding that they had for one another began to work it's magic as he watched her set out to meet him in the inner workings of the stadium one last time.

He followed the pull in his heart and started for the tunnel after flashing one last peace sign to those who watched him around the world.

The sun shined brighter than usual as he disappeared out of view.

---

Present Mic leaned over the table in the commentator booth as his heart pounded relentlessly. He let out a shaky exhale as his shoulders fell. That... Was far too close for comfort. That fight nearly ended in a complete disaster... His bombastic and outgoing nature was entirely gone for the day... It was a good thing he wasn't commentating the second and third years after the award ceremonies wrapped up...

'What the hell happened to thinking rationally Shouta?!' he thought to himself as he tried to make sense of his colleague's decision to allow the fight to continue.

He knew that his friend had an unorthodox way of teaching his students important lessons... And sometimes his methods were a bit eyebrow raising to say the least... But that was pushing the envelope too far for his taste.

He sunk back into his chair and looked over at his counterpart with an expression of tired disapproval.

"aaaaAAAAAAHHH!!!" His groan turned into a stress-filled yell as he covered his face with his hands. "You are beyond lucky that all worked out!! I know you're always trying to find the "teachable moment" in every fight, but what good are those lessons if your students are too broken to use them?!"

The long haired man breathed a sigh of relief as well as his body finally relaxed. "There wasn't anything I could have done Mic..." He admitted calmly and quietly. "I only had a split second to think... And after quick consideration, it was clear to me that the best course of action was no action at all. Parker was down... And Bakugo was at an altitude high enough to die from the fall if I took away his quirk... We had no other option but to place our faith in Parker's ability to stand up and fight."

Mic shook his head, refusing to let him off the hook that easily. "You could have stepped in when the kid was being pummeled against that rock down there!"

Aizawa continued to look down at the field below. "You know my power only erases quirk use... I couldn't stop Bakugo's fist. If anyone was going to step in at that time, it should have been Midnight... But I would also remind you that we've all seen students work their way out of that particular position before... There's nothing anyone could have done..."

Hizashi didn't like it... but eventually accepted the response. Still, one question remained in his thoughts...

"You said there was a lesson those two boys could learn from that fight... What was it?"

The man shifted his eyes to the human boom box... "One of the most important parts of being a homeroom teacher here at UA is understanding how your students think... Those two came into this fight holding a grudge towards one another that neither of them were willing to let go of... And in the end, it created a dangerous situation that nobody else could help them out of."

The insomniatic man furrowed his brow. "Having motivation... Things that drive you... Goals to shoot towards... It's an imperative part of being a hero. Learning how to compartmentalize those thoughts and emotions is something kids their age have a difficult time learning through words alone... They need to be able to have an experience to be able to tie to the lecture for it to truly sink in." He said as they watched Peter exit into the tunnel. "You seem pretty shaken by what just transpired... If you really want to do something about it, then you should come with me later to make a rule change proposal to Nezu later."

"And what might that be?" The golden haired man asked.

"There needs to be guidelines in place that prevent the destruction of the ring in the future... After all, minimizing collateral damage is an important part of our job... And it tends to be a tree I get tired of barking up all by myself."

Before the man could say anything further on the matter, his phone began to ring loudly, causing Hizashi to fall out of his chair.

Aizawa shook his head at his friend's ridiculous overreaction as he took his phone from his pocket and then glanced down at the name on the screen...

'Oh no, not again...' he thought to himself as he reluctantly answered the call.

"What?"

"Charming... Tournament's over. Time to talk."

"I thought you said you wanted me to call you."

"We both know that wasn't gonna happen. Enough stalling. Tell me about the kid."

Aizawa sighed, "What exactly do you want to know?"

"Everything you can tell me... Give me your honest assessment as his teacher."

Aizawa left Mic to pick himself up off the floor as he exited the booth he had spent hours in. He took a seat on the steps outside.

"My honest thoughts, huh?" He said in his usual monotoned voice, "He's actually pretty similar to you in a lot of ways."

"How's that?"

"Sharp tongue... Incredibly strong... Gained a plethora of experience through illegal activity..."

"Illegal activity? What, like underground fight clubs?"

"No. Vigilante work."

"I like him already. Go on..."

Shouta sighed as he rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger... This was gonna be a long phone call...

---

The moment Midnight proclaimed Peter's victory, the cheers from his classmates were among the loudest in the building...

What could they say? He was easy to follow... Someone they could already call a hero... Especially considering the fact that he had now saved the lives of two of them since his arrival.

He had just officially rearranged the hierarchy of Class 1A... Not just by placing himself firmly at the top... But by lifting everyone else up with him.

The way he was constantly pushing his abilities to surpass his own self each day was infectious... And on top of that, he was a walking morale booster. He might not hold a representative position... But in the few months he had been at UA, he hadn't just become a member of Class 1A... He had become its heartbeat.

Everyone seemed to benefit from his presence, and was thoroughly inspired to try and reach his level... But no one had more of a desire to try and catch up to him than the vice representative...

Momo Yaoyorozu's life had changed so much ever since that moment on his first day... When he turned around and their eyes met for the very first time.

She often looked back on that day with such fondness, even finding her curiosity of him back then to be kind of amusing. In hindsight, it was so obvious why she couldn't quit staring at him... But it took a free fall and a heart pounding rescue to really make her pause and figure it out for herself...

The moment she tapped his shoulder to introduce herself set things in motion that would alter her path forward forever. She now understood what all of those mysterious butterflies in her stomach meant... And why they never seemed to go away whenever he was around.

She was into him from the start... And every single thing he said to her... Every single thing he did for her... Only pulled her closer to him.

Her life was heading in a much different direction before he showed up. She had fallen so far down into her own doubts... Her self confidence was utterly shattered... And her future as a hero was all but slipping away...

He pulled her out of that doubt... And began to put the pieces of her self worth back together by hand, reaching her when even those closest to her at the time could not.

She was so grateful to him... Not just for saving her life... But for saving her smile...

For being so kind to her...

For looking beyond her physical appearance, as well as her family's wealth, and seeing her for who she truly was...

For all the mornings they met at their regular cafe, and all the nights they spent on the phone... Connecting with each other on a deep emotional level and talking for hours about anything and everything imaginable... While he didn't just listen, but hung onto her every word...

For all the times he walked her home, even though it was so far out of his way...

For introducing her to a whole new world of euphoric emotions that she never knew a human being was capable of experiencing...

He did everything any young lady could ever hope for in a potential partner, all while making her laugh and smile every possible opportunity he got.

Even though they hadn't officially become a couple yet, she devoted herself to him... And found herself wanting to be there by his side to see all the incredible things he would certainly accomplish in this life... And as the screens around the stadium flashed his picture and the crowd continued to roar... She couldn't, nor would she, hide her happiness for him.

She watched him let out his cry of victory, and noticed something beautiful unfold... A massive difference in the way he carried himself appeared. Her eyes spilled a stream of joyful tears as she witnessed him allowing himself to fully appreciate the moment he had worked so tirelessly to achieve... And once he stood up and proudly raised his fist, she felt something change in the air around her... In that moment, Momo caught a glimpse of what the boy's aunt and their homeroom teacher had prophesied.

Even though she had never heard their predictions firsthand, a feeling in her heart told her that Peter Parker was going to have a profound impact on their super-human society... And he just might, one day, change the world...

She watched him hold his fist in the air as the crowd grew louder at the sight before them... He looked like he could fit the part of the number one hero someday...

Then... As their eyes met... Her heart went into overdrive...

In all her years of being the girl nearly every guy chased after or gawked at... Nobody had ever looked at her like he did in that moment.

She watched as his arm slowly fell back to his side and noticed how he lost himself in her gaze... It moved her in a way nothing else ever could... It grabbed ahold of her heart and filled it with such an intense desire to be as close to him as humanly possible. In his moment in the sun... His attention was completely on her... Truly undivided... Unwilling to be shared or pried away by anyone or anything else... And she could clearly read the boy's true feelings for her like a page of her new favorite book.

It was like she was staring at the missing part of her soul she was finally lucky enough to find...

She let go of the railing. Her feet began to move without the instruction of her brain, and they quickly began to carry her up the stairs.

Everything else after that was just a blur...

She still hadn't eaten nearly enough food to replace the lipids she needed in order to move at full speed... But she clumsily ran as fast as she possibly could given her condition... She ignored any feelings of exhaustion as her teary eyed smile never wavered.

Finally, after a few long seconds... She turned a corner... And they caught sight of each other.

Peter only had enough time to remove his arm he had wrapped across his body and straighten his posture before she crashed into him...

"Hey M-Ohmygod!" He barely managed to say as the wind left his lungs.

Momo let her emotions out through an excited squeal as she wrapped her arms around his body tightly.

The pain he felt was indescribable... But it paled in comparison to the joy in his heart that ignited at the sensation of her touch. Choosing once again to ignore the condition he found his body in, he slipped his arms around her, and allowed himself to appreciate a different kind of special moment...

One he wished lasted a little bit longer than it actually did...

"I'm so happy for you Pe-"

She stopped as she noticed his trembling body. She looked up at him to find his mouth slightly twitching.

"Uhhh are you okay?... Wait... You're not hurt are you?" She said as her eyes filled with worry. She suddenly noticed a slight wheeze coming from him.

He looked down at her and smiled nervously. "Yeah... about that... There might be a slight possibility that my ribs are maybe... Probably... Definitely shattered."

Momo's eyes widened as she became aware of the immense pain she had likely just caused him. "PETER!!! OH MY GOD!! I'M SO SORRY!!!" She yelled as she covered her mouth with her hands.

"Don't worry Mo... I'll be just fine. I promise." He said in a soft tone that complimented his reassuring expression.

Upon seeing the gentle look on his face, she managed to relax a bit, but naturally, her worries wouldn't completely disappear until he received medical attention. She offered him a sympathetic smile.

"Come on... Let's get you to Mrs. Suzenji..." She said softly. "So... How many bones did you manage to break this time?" She teased.

He couldn't help but chuckle, "Honestly, at this point, I think it'd be easier to count the number of ribs that aren't broken..."

—"Oh my God! Do you guys hear that?! That's the sound of someone getting a taste of their own medicine!!"— The sarcastic voice of Shoto Todoroki called out to them from down the hall.

The two smitten teens turned around to find their three friends walking up behind them with grins plastered on their faces. Peter and Momo stopped and waited for the trio to catch up. As they approached, Shoto stepped forward and looked Peter up and down with a smirk.

"Wow... You look terrible." He jabbed, failing to keep a straight face.

Peter couldn't help but snicker before shrugging, "Ehhh. I've been worse."

"Uhhh... Worse than almost falling to your death onto a chunk of solid concrete??" Jiro said as she cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah... How the hell are you even walking around right now?!" Mina piled on.

He saw a golden opportunity to throw a jab in Shoto's direction, and he was quick to capitalize on it. He smirked at his best friend, "Huh, I dunno... Maybe it's because I'm not made of glass, like some people I know..."

Before Shoto could offer a response, Momo lightly poked Peter's side with her index finger, causing his eyes to widen and his face to turn a ghostly shade of white. He leaned forward slightly as a small gasp escaped his lungs.

"Ya sure about that?" She snickered. "Ya know... You should be nicer to your friend who's kind enough to buy our dinner later tonight. The restaurant his sister chose is the best one in town..."

Shoto began to laugh uncontrollably at his best friend's expense.

Peter finally managed to gather himself, "He's not even using his own mone-" he stopped and sighed at the sight of Momo raising her index finger again. He narrowed his eyes at his best friend, "Thanks man." He grumbled.

"Smart boy. Now come on. Let's get you to Recovery Girl's office. You've kept me waiting long enough..." She winked, causing the color to flush back into his face and a blush to appear on his cheeks. The two turned back around and started towards the infirmary, leaving the other three in a stunned state behind them.

"Well, she's certainly got Parker right where she wants him, huh?" Shoto chuckled. "I could definitely get used to that."

"Yeah... But whaddya think she meant about keeping her waiting?..." Mina asked the two beside her before her eyes bulged and a huge smile spread across her face. "Ohmygod!!! It's happening!!! They're finally gonna get together!!" She bounced up and down excitedly.

"Geez, took 'em long enough." Jiro sighed as a sorrowful thought suddenly crossed her mind.

"I guess that means Team YaoyoRomance has officially completed its mission... Too bad... I actually liked getting to hang out with you guys so much." She admitted. "But if you tell anyone I said that, I'll deny it..."

The experience had brought the two girls much closer together, and having Shoto around was pure entertainment that they had grown rather fond of...

Mina's smile began to falter a bit... But Shoto's grin remained strong. "I don't think you'll have to worry about us hanging out any less... If anything, I've got a feeling that we'll all be spending even more time together than before. Besides... If they're gonna start something that lasts... They might need us down the line."

His words lifted the spirits of the two ladies beside him... Then, out of nowhere, Kyoka had another realization. Her eyes narrowed and her head snapped in Shoto's direction...

Up ahead, the two who had brought all five of them closer together continued to walk towards the infirmary. Momo turned her head to notice the comically pitiful look on Peter's face. She giggled at him. "Why the long face, handsome?" She teased.

"Nothing..." He said, but he couldn't stop his expression from turning into a grin. "Just realized how much trouble I'm in if you and Sho decide to gang up on me..."

"Awww... Is someone upset that I didn't take his side in your little back and forth?" She smirked.

"Maybe just a bit..." He said playfully as they approached the door to the infirmary.

"Wait for it..." She held up a finger.

"Huh?" He cocked his head to the side. Then, right on her cue, they heard the unmistakable voice of Kyoka Jiro yell from down the hall.

—"WAIT A SECOND!!! YOU'RE PLANNING ON GOING OUT TO SOME FANCY RESTAURANT WITH THEM AND LEAVING US OUT?!?!?!"—

—"HEY YEAH! WHAT THE HELL TODOROKI?!?!"—

The screaming continued as Peter's smirk widened. "Oh. My. God... You really just threw him to the wolves there didn't you? That was so brilliantly calculated that it's honestly kinda scary." He laughed.

"You two play checkers... But I prefer chess." She bounced an eyebrow at him. "Don't forget... You aren't the only genius in our class." She said as she pushed the door open for him.

He took one more look at his best friend being hounded by the two girls down the hall.

"Noted." He said as he stepped into the room.

---

"So that's really all I'm gonna get outta you huh?"

Aizawa let out an exasperated sigh. "I told you... I still have a lot of work to do ahead of me. I don't have time to give you the kid's whole life story."

"Well... I guess I can live with that. Kinda surprising to hear you speak so highly of one of your students... And here I thought you were against favoritism."

"You asked for my honest assessment. I gave it to you. I wouldn't exactly call that favoritism."

"Whatever you say... So, you're actually gonna make this happen right? Cause if not, just let me know now so I can move some things around to allow for a trip to Musutafu."

The man paused for a brief moment and as he weighed the options before him, he made his final decision. "I need you to understand something first."

"What's that?"

"The only reason I'm going through with this... Is because the danger that the League of Villains presents is very real. These kids have already been targeted once... They have to be prepared for the possibility of another attack. If you're going to take on the role of his mentor, then you had better take it seriously."

"I already told you, by the time I'm done with the kid, you won't even recognize him... You said he needed to work on increasing his physical strength and broaden his horizons in martial arts, right?"

"Correct. I know you're well versed in hand to hand combat, and that you don't typically work with others... But it might be beneficial for you to enlist some extra help with that... Got anyone in mind?"

"I can handle it myself."

"And I can toss your offer in the trash."

"... Fine. Edge owes me a favor. I'm sure I can get him to make some time to show Parker a thing or two."

"Alright. Expect a phone call from him sometime tonight. And in the future, just know that this isn't how the internship process works."

"Unless you find another kid like that, I won't be wasting my time. Go take a nap or whatever the hell it is you're so busy doing. Just make sure the kid calls me tonight."

"Alright then... Good luck."

*Beep *Beep *Beep

'Well that was excruciating...' the man thought to himself as he stared to make his way through the hallways.

---

*WHACK *WHACK *WHACK

"...Ow..."

Peter rubbed the spot on his head that was just assaulted by the elderly school nurse's clipboard. He looked over to his right to see Momo offering him another sympathetic smile, but the irritation of Recovery Girl quickly regained his attention.

"Ow?! That's all you have to say for yourself?!?!" Mrs. Suzenji shouted at him.

"...The answer you're looking for is... No, right?"

*WHACK

"Oh my-Why are you so mad?!" Peter asked as he shielded his head from another smack. The last thing he needed before his talk with Momo was a concussion.

"I'll tell you why!!! Do you have any idea how much strain I've put on my body to fix the people you fought today?! Not to mention that this is the second time I've had to put you back together on top of it!!! I'm no spring chicken ya know... Using my quirk this frequently is exhausting!!!" She said with frustration filling her voice. "And as if all that weren't enough, right after I get done with you, I have to go tend to Young Mr. Bakugo!!!"

"Oh yeah, that reminds me, where is he anyway? I thought we'd run into him here." Peter asked nonchalantly.

"If you must know, he's in one of the beds outside the room here... Apparently once he watched you walk into the tunnel, he became so hysterical that Miss Nemuri had to use her quirk to sedate him..."

"Yeah sounds about right..." He rolled his eyes.

"So if you don't mind, I'd like to get him healed before he wakes up... So let's get a look at your ribs." She huffed in annoyance as she dug out some scissors to cut his uniform and undershirt off of him.

Peter winced as he slowly laid back on the table and stared up at the ceiling.

Chiyo sat her supplies down on the table in front of her and began to prepare the X-ray machine. Once she finished, she turned to the young lady standing beside the boy on the table, and her entire demeanor changed instantly.

"I'm terribly sorry dear, I'm going to have to ask you to wait outside for a moment while I get what's left of his shirt off him." She said in a sweet voice.

Momo smiled at the old woman, "No need to apologize, I totally understand..." She bowed. As she raised up she shot a mischievous grin towards Peter. "And if he gives you any trouble, just give him a good poke. It's a lot more effective than that clipboard... Trust me."

Peter shot her an exaggerated look of betrayal causing the raven haired girls smirk to grow a tiny bit wider.

"I believe the phrase you're looking for is... Gulp." She quipped as the boy rolled his eyes.

The old lady chuckled. "I'll be sure to remember that... And don't worry, I'll have him back on his feet in no time."

Momo thanked the school nurse before starting for the door. On her way out she stuck her tongue out and winked at the boy laying on the table...

She closed the door behind her and sat down in one of the chairs outside... She sighed as she began to daydream of a moment her heart had been craving for the past couple of months now... Everything in the world just felt so... right...

Back inside the examination room, Peter shifted uncomfortably on the table as Recovery Girl began to cut off his uniform.

"To be fair, I did say I was just gonna put one more person on your table today... I just didn't realize that I'd be on it too." He snickered, as he did what he could to lighten the old lady's mood.

Suddenly his smug look was immediately erased from his face as a massive wave of pain crashed through his body. Once again, he lost the ability to breathe and he glanced down to see the woman smirking with her finger pressed into his ribcage.

"Well, well, well... Looks like I've finally found your mute button." She said as her spirits began to lift. "That young lady is as sharp as a tack. I'll have to thank her later..." She chuckled as she picked up her scissors and began to remove his tank top.

"Glad to see that this is so much fun for everybody." He groaned through gritted teeth as the last layer of his clothing was finally peeled away... Revealing a sickeningly blackish purple bruise running up the entire side of his body.

The old lady shook her head as she turned towards the X-ray machine. "I honestly expected it to be much worse... Let me guess, during your little stint as a vigilante, you learned how to fall in ways that would minimize damage to your body..." She said as the machine took a few pictures.

"Actually... That came before all the crime fighting stuff. I thought it would be wise to get a handle on my power and mobility first..."

"Oh yes, it sure is a good thing you decided to be so smart about it..." She said with sarcasm practically dripping from her words. "I honestly think you might have been hit in the head one too many times... I'm not sure if we should find you a replacement uniform or just go ahead and have you fitted for a straight jacket."

Peter furrowed his brow, "Hey now, I may be a tad reckless... But I'm not that bad..." He argued, but the look given to him by the school nurse immediately caused him to walk back his previous statement. "Okay, yes. Maybe I do get a little bit carried away when it comes to all the hero work related stuff..."

"Well they say admitting that you have a problem is the first step towards recovery..." Mrs. Suzenji interrupted as her smirk widened while she continued to look at the screen in front of her.

"But," Peter continued as he ignored the barb she had tossed his way. "I stand by every single action I took out there... My whole life people like Bakugo have looked down on me... I just had to prove them wrong..."

Chiyo gathered the images of his ribs and placed them up against the light board. "Ahhh yes, I meant to ask earlier, what exactly did you do to him anyway?"

Peter's eyes lit up. He'd been dying for anyone to ask him that ever since the fight ended. "Oh yeah! It's actually something really cool I figured out how to do back in New York. I basically just hit him in the center of his spine with enough momentum and precision to send a vibration strong enough to travel to his C1 and L5 vertebrae... Causing him to temporarily lose the ability to move his arms and legs."

"That... Shouldn't be possible..." She looked back at him skeptically.

"Maybe... Buuuut I did it." Peter smirked as the old lady shook her head again.

"Well whatever you did seemed to do the trick... Congratulations on your big win... But you won't fool me that easily Mr. Parker." She said as she made her way back to the table with the images in hand. "I know the real reason you fought so hard out there. How long are you gonna keep that poor girl waiting?"

"Funny you should mention it... We're going to a cafe after the award ceremony, and I plan on telling her everything while we're there." It was the first time he had said his intentions out loud to another person... And there was a slight shake in his voice.

"Well I hope that by everything, you really do mean everything." She said as her eyes glanced up from the papers.

Peter nodded as he sighed, amongst his determination to finally tell Momo how he felt... There was still one tiny sliver of anxiety that was dug deep into his mind. He had managed to push it to the side for as long as he could, but the moment for him to face it was coming...

"Yeah... I do... Honestly I'm more nervous about telling her about my past than I am about telling her how I feel... I just- it's hard... Ya know?" He said as the old lady activated her power and pressed her lips to his temple.

As he began to feel the effects of Chiyo's quirk, he started to get lost down the very rabbit hole he had been dancing around for a while now... The boy began to share his unfiltered worries with the school nurse.

"What if it changes how she sees me? She might think I have too much baggage- and honestly, I couldn't exactly blame her if she did... I mean seriously..." He held up a hand and began to list things off with his fingers.

"Every single person I've ever called family is dead... I was bullied mercilessly... I've got an extensive history of illegal crime fighting... I've been exposed to the darker side of humanity for a long time now... And my entire body has been used as a pin cushion for bullets and knives... Who in their right mind wouldn't think I'm a mess?"

Chiyo glanced at his scar riddled body and felt pity for the young man... He had been through so much at such a young age. It wasn't fair. If anyone deserved to have a break from all the hardship the world had to offer, it was him. She looked back up and decided to offer him some, apparently much needed reassurance.

"Mr. Parker..." She said, causing his sudden dive into his own anxiety to momentarily come to a halt. "I don't claim to know everything there is to know about your relationship with that girl... But what I do know is that whenever you're around her, she perks up in a way she never did before you came to this school. It's as if she's seeing the world through an entirely new perspective... She has blossomed into a rather joyful and confident young woman. You've brought so much more happiness into her life than you could ever realize. Miss Yaoyorozu thinks the world of you... I can see it every time she looks at you... It's a look you don't see on someone's face who would just walk away... "

The old lady smiled at him as she placed a hand on top of his own, "Have faith in her ability to accept you for who you were and who you are... It's true that being honest about parts of our pasts that we aren't fond of can be scary... But it could also bring you closer together than ever before... And I believe she just might surprise you by the end of your conversation..."

*Knock *Knock

The two who were in the room turned to see the handle of the door drop, and Shouta Aizawa entered holding a uniform.

The man glanced at Peter, "I figured I'd find you here..."

His attention turned to the elderly woman. "Sorry to barge in... I need to have a word with Parker in private."

Recovery Girl waived her hand at his apology. "That'll be just fine. I need to tend to Mr. Bakugo anyway... And make sure his spine is still in one piece." She said as she narrowed her eyes at Peter.

"Wait... So does that mean I don't need surgery?" He asked as his expression slightly lifted.

Chiyo began to make her way towards the door, "Not this time... But judging by the way you like to push your luck, I'm sure I'll have to sew you up sooner rather than later..." She said as she turned the handle. "And Mr. Parker... Don't forget about what I just told you..."

Peter suddenly began to feel a bit more confident in what awaited him in the near future and managed to smile. "I won't... Thank you."

"Again, congratulations on your victory young man... Do try to enjoy the rest of your day." The door shut behind her and the boy returned his focus to his teacher.

"What was she talking to you about just now?" The man raised an eyebrow at his student.

"Uhhh... Nothing... Just a little bit of friendly advice." He answered in a nervous tone.

"What kind of advice?..." The long haired man pressed.

Peter immediately began to feel awkward as he found himself between a rock and a hard place... The rock being the fact that lying to his homeroom teacher was, at the very least, inadvisable... And the hard place being the strict nature of the man that stood before him...

'Well Peter... If you're smart... you'll say anything but what you were actually talking about just now...' he thought to himself.

Mr. Aizawa was the last person he wanted to discuss this particular topic with... But as he felt the man's red eyes looking into his own... He completely folded.

"Uhhh.. r-relationship a-advice..." He stammered... 'God, why do I say things?...' he mentally slapped himself. He began to feel the lump of anxiety in his throat return. All he could do now was hope that this revelation wouldn't lead to the separation of him and the girl waiting outside.

Aizawa's expression remained unchanged, but that wasn't anything out of the ordinary for him. Peter braced himself to receive a lecture about priorities... But instead, the man threw him a curve ball that he had absolutely no hope of anticipating...

"I see... I figured that this was a conversation I'd be having with you eventually..." He began as he rolled his eyes. "So I'm going to say this once... And don't make me repeat myself in the future... There is no rule that prohibits romantic relationships between students here at UA... But by now, I'm sure you're well aware that I tend to do things a bit differently from the other teachers at this school... I don't typically allow such things in my classroom... It usually leads to a decline in performance, both as fledgling heroes, and as students. I don't have time to deal with unnecessary distractions..." Aizawa said as the young man felt his heart beginning to sink and his eyes drifted towards the ground.

"However..."

Peter's gaze suddenly shot back up.

"I've been watching you both extremely closely... And it's clear that you not only work well together, but you raise each other to a different level, professionally speaking. You both seem to provide one another with a brand of motivation that can't be instilled in you by teaching alone... So I'm willing to look the other way on it as long as you can behave yourselves, and handle your own personal business in a mature fashion that doesn't disrupt your studies, training, and your other classmates... The second it does, I won't hesitate to step between you. Are we clear?"

Peter nodded his head while he tried to make sense of what just happened... "Yes sir."

"Fantastic..." He said dryly. "Now, despite all of that, I'm not here to talk about your love life."

"Y-yeah... I kinda gathered that..." Peter rubbed the back of his neck. "What are you here for?"

The man glanced down at the scars covering Peter's body and tossed him the uniform he'd been holding. "For starters, you can put that on. You're about to have a lot of eyes on you during the award ceremony... I'm sure you'd like for the media to focus on your performance... and not the fact that you've been shot four times."

"God, I wish just four..." He said as he threw on the shirt. "There's three on my back too... And last time I checked, the stab count is up to ten... Just in case you were wondering..." The boy said lowly. "What else?"

Shouta could tell the marks were a touchy subject for the young man, so he decided to steer the conversation towards the other two topics he wanted to cover. "I'd like to check in on that favor I asked of you..."

The original plan was for Peter to stay on the fringes of the search for the UA traitor... But as time passed and the young man continued to prove himself in the classroom and on the battlefield, both Nezu and Aizawa decided that the boy's intelligence could be better utilized if he were more involved...

"Have you heard anything suspicious?"

"Not yet... Everyone I've managed to talk to so far is genuinely shaken by the events that occurred at the USJ... It's extremely difficult to fake the kind of trauma an event like that would cause... And those who were warped away have solid alibis with at least one person who can confirm that they were where they say they went... But like I said, I haven't managed to bring it up in natural conversation with everyone yet... There is one person who I think we're in a position to make a clear judgement on though..."

"And who might that be?"

"The kid whose place I took... Mineta I think was his name, right? If the League doesn't make another attempt on our lives before too long, it might be safe to assume that he was the one feeding them information... It might be wise to keep tabs on him. Especially should he suddenly go missing... If he is working with them, then he may no longer be of any use to them... They might try to get rid of him to cover their tracks."

Aizawa looked at the boy... His expression remained stoic, but deep down, he was actually impressed. The mind of Peter Parker was sharp and calculated. He already had a natural grasp on certain elements pertaining to detective work that some pros still had yet to fully understand...

"Seems like we're of the same mind... I've been keeping an eye on him ever since he was expelled, but nothing suspicious has revealed itself yet... Like you said, it's just a matter of waiting at this point when it comes to him. Keep your ear to the ground... And be careful when you get the chance to bring it up in natural conversation. If you talk about it too often or with too much enthusiasm, people will start to suspect that we're using you to help search for the leak."

"Yes sir." He said as he hopped off the table and began to perform a series of movements so that he could properly gauge the condition of his ribs.

"One more thing..." Aizawa said as he dug into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "Here." He handed it to the boy.

Peter opened the small piece of paper to find a name and phone number written on it. Before he could ask who it was, his teacher began to explain.

"I'm sure you can guess that you're about to receive a ton of offers for your internship... With the way you performed today, coupled with the fact that this was the most watched first year event in school history... I predict the amount you'll receive will be record breaking... I don't normally do this, but since you're still relatively new to Japan, I've taken the liberty of pointing you in the direction I believe would be most beneficial to you. That's the phone number of the current number seven pro hero... Who's been on the phone with me twice now, demanding that I put you two in contact with each other..."

The boy's eyes widened as he glanced back down at the piece of paper in his hand.

"All that being said, this is still your call. Whether you decide to pursue this option is entirely up to you... You'll still receive your full list of offers on Monday... Though I do strongly urge you to, at the very least, explore this path. If you want to know more, call that number tonight... I'm sure you two will hit it off rather quickly..." He said with a hint of exasperation.

"Sounds good to me... If you think it's a good fit, then I'll definitely look into it."

The man pulled himself away from the wall and sighed. "Well, that's all... I've already formally dismissed your classmates, so after the ceremony wraps up, you'll all be free to go on about your day... Use the rest of the weekend to rest and recover. When we meet back on Monday, prepare for a special class on hero informatics where we'll hand out your lists of offers and look over the draft board together as a class. You'll also be picking out code names, so be sure to give it some thought during your time off." He said as he started for the door.

"Midnight is waiting for you, Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, and Bakugo down past the tunnels to begin the ceremony. We're pressed for time due to all the ring repairs, so don't waste even more by wandering around aimlessly..." Aizawa said as he turned the handle.

"And Parker..."

Peter folded up the piece of paper and slipped it into his pocket. "Yeah?"

The man looked back over his shoulder at him, "Be sure to keep the public displays of affection out of my classroom and off school grounds."

Before Peter could respond the man left the room and the door shut behind him.

"Love our little talks..." Peter muttered as he walked over to the door.

The moment he stepped out of the examination room, his eyes instinctively found Momo... Who lit up at the sight of him... She eagerly hopped over to him and smiled. "No surgery?" She asked as she poked at his ribs.

He chuckled at her antics, "Not this time... And I'm all patched up now, so your little trick doesn't exactly work as well anymore." He said as he returned her smile, "Sorry it took so long..."

"Well I'm pretty familiar with how you like to go back and forth with Mrs. Suzenji... And then when Mr. Aizawa showed up, I figured that I should probably get comfortable..." She chuckled. "Lucky for you, I happen to be a girl with a lot of patience... But, I have to admit, it's starting to run a bit thin... So let's get these medals, get cleaned up, and then have a nice long talk about this elephant in the room." She bounced an eyebrow at him.

"Sounds like a plan." He nodded and the two made their way out of the infirmary.

---

For the first time ever in the history of the UA Sports Festival, the award ceremony for the first year students... Was a full house.

The students of both Classes A and B along with the two standouts from the support course and general studies, somehow found the grit and strength necessary to live up to all the hype that surrounded the event.

It was a tournament that people would talk about for years to come. This competition had it all...

Contestants from well known hero families with big shoes to fill...

Newcomers that had a lot to prove...

Underdogs that managed to climb farther than anyone ever thought they could...

Close fights...

Not so close fights...

Broken bones... A lot of broken bones...

Moments where those who walked away in defeat, were celebrated just as much as those who walked away victorious...

And many moments of personal growth which took place behind the scenes that the vast majority of spectators would never know about...

Needless to say, the stadium remained packed shoulder to shoulder, with not a single person willing to give up their spot in the stands to beat the traffic...

People in the crowd and many across the entire world, watched with enthusiasm as the students gathered around the arena field and waited for the podium to rise from beneath the stage... As the anticipation grew along with the sound of cheers, explosions from fireworks filled the sky with color... Midnight lifted her microphone and officially began the ending to an unforgettable event...

"THE FIRST YEAR STUDENTS HAVE COMPLETED ALL THREE ROUNDS OF THIS YEAR'S COMPETITION!!! NOW PLEASE RELAX AND ENJOY THE AWARD CEREMONY AS WE CONGRATULATE THESE FOUR COMPETITORS FOR THEIR STAND OUT PERFORMANCES!!!!"

A large burst of smoke and confetti filled the air behind her, and out of it rose the students who were set to receive their medals... But as the smoke cleared and the podium stopped its ascension... A rather comical, yet completely ridiculous sight was revealed to the world...

"Oh my God..." Jiro said as she facepalmed.

"I swear I've seen this somewhere before..." Mina muttered as she racked her brain.

"Is that really necessary?..." Tokoyami sighed in a tired tone as he took in the sight in front of him.

"Well... Apparently he's been going nuts ever since he woke up in the infirmary..." Kirishima ran his hand through his hair in embarrassment for his friend.

The pink girl snapped her fingers, "Hannibal Lector!!! God that was killing me..." She breathed a sigh of relief.

The sight they were referring to was the excessive amount of restraints and metal gag that held Katsuki Bakugo somewhat quietly in place on the second place pedestal...

*Muffled screaming*

Peter watched him angrily writhe in a futile attempt to escape his bonds with a shit eating grin on his face and his hands in his pockets. He removed one of them and pointed a thumb at the blonde as he turned to Momo and Shoto.

"Isn't this, like, exactly what therapy is for?..."

Shoto glanced up at his best friend, "Parker, do you honestly think there's a shrink in this entire country equipped to deal with that..."

"MMMMMFFFFF!!!!!! MMMMMFFFFF!!!!! MMMMMMMPPPPHHHHH!!!!!!"

"Good point..."

"NOW ITS TIME TO BREAK OUT THE HARDWARE!!! AND THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON I CAN THINK OF THAT'S WORTHY ENOUGH TO DO THE HONORS!!!! PLEASE GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE NUMBER ONE HERO!!!!"

The sound of a very familiar cackle was heard on top of the stadium... And the entire crowd went wild.

"ALL MIGHT'S UP THERE!!!!"

The symbol of peace took a swan dive off of the roof, only to flip over gracefully and land in a picture perfect super hero pose.

"No wonder these kids are so amazing... They've got the world's greatest hero teaching them!!!!"

"Whatever they're learning at UA must be intense... Those kids don't look the least bit star struck."

The titan of righteousness held up the four medallions in his hand as he stepped up to the podium.

"I AM HERE!!!! TO PRESENT YOU WITH AWARDS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK!!!!" He proudly declared.

"FIRST UP... OUR SEMI FINAL RUNNER UP'S WILL SHARE THIRD PLACE... SHOTO TODOROKI AND MOMO YAOYOROZU!!!!!"

Momo looked up to see Peter smiling proudly at her as the breeze blew through his hair. It almost seemed like a dream... This very moment that she found herself in... Everything she hoped for and worked so hard to achieve... Was finally a reality. She had proven to herself that she was worthy of all the time he had spent training with her. All of the help he had given her was not in vain...

She had stumbled...

She had fallen...

She had lost herself in a mountain of insecurity...

She had almost completely lost faith in her own abilities...

Today was a day she had secretly dreaded for so long... But after he offered to help her prepare, she not only took his hand he had extended out towards her, she took control of her own fate... And through plenty of hard work, unwavering persistence, and sheer determination... She made today into a moment that would define her future... One she would look back on, and remember when her life was set back on the right path to become who she wanted to be...

Toshinori stepped up to the third place pedestal. Momo and Shoto looked at the man that stood before them with gracious expressions of admiration. Something about receiving an award from someone of his caliber... only inspired them to chase those in front of them even more... to push themselves harder... to shatter their limits and become the standard one day that all others would try to meet.

Even though they stood an extra couple of feet from the ground... They still had to slightly crane their necks to look up at the giant hulk of a human.

"Young Todoroki... Young Yaoyorozu... I have to say... I'm quite impressed with your performances today. You two did an exemplary job at showing every single person here why you were admitted to this hero course through recommendation... And what it means to go Plus Ultra. As one of your teachers, I'm extremely proud of how far you both have come. Please accept these medals and use them to motivate you in your long journeys that lie ahead of you."

The two recommendation students lowered their heads and allowed the man to slip a bronze medal onto their necks. As they looked up, they received a huge ovation from those around the stadium including their classmates below.

"AND IN SECOND PLACE... KATSUKI BAKUGO!!!!!"

All Might turned and cautiously made his way over to the blonde, who was still jerking his body in all directions, trying with every last ounce of strength to free himself.

"Well now... This seems like a bit much... But something tells me it would be wise to leave this on..." He said in reference to his gag... The boy became even more hysterical as he saw All Might hold up the silver second place medallion.

His muffled screams intensified...

"*Ahem...Young Bakugo... I can see it in your eyes... You're not satisfied. To someone like you, the very thought of being in the shadow of another is a fate far worse than your own demise... That is why..." He began as he struggled to place the medallion around the boy's neck. "You should accept this award even if you have to look at it as a scar of your own failure... The obsessive drive you possess to be the very best is a trait that people can't just learn... You have to be born with it. The fire in your heart will carry you to heights that even you will be surprised by someday... But you must never forget one thing... A true hero... Seeks not only to lift themselves... But the others around them as well."

The champion of justice turned away from the boy that continued to shake with undeniable rage and turned his attention to the young man standing alone at the top of the podium...

The crowd immediately raised its volume before Midnight could even utter a single word. The cheers continued to ring out into the air... Even with the help of her microphone, her words would have just barely been audible. She paused and allowed the spectators to give him a much deserved round of applause.

The feelings he experienced after the championship had ended came flooding back to him. He let the breath out of his lungs as his eyes drifted around the arena. His mind drifted into autopilot as he wandered to himself...

What would his aunt and uncle be thinking right now... If they could see him in this very moment...

If they could just come back for one minute to see what he had done with his gifts...

How he applied their teachings into his everyday life...

How he had finally found his place in this world...

The friends he had made...

How his smile somehow remained strong...

Almost as if to answer, a ray of light from the sun washed over him.

"AND NOW... THE FIRST YEAR WINNER OF THE UA SPORTS FESTIVAL... PETER PARKER FROM CLASS 1A!!!!!!!!"

A golden glare flashed in the corner of his eye as he turned his attention to All Might holding the first place award.

"Young Parker... It has been quite a long time since I've seen a crowd so energized by the performance of one student... You should be very proud of yourself. What you've managed to accomplish today will not soon be forgotten by anyone. The paths you've walked in this world didn't bring you here by accident... During the pledge earlier, you claimed that you wanted to become a hero this country could be proud of... I think it's safe to say that you've taken a great first step towards doing just that..." He said firmly as Peter dipped his head down and felt the weight of the gold medal pull against his neck. He looked back up to see All Might's trademark smile... And suddenly the pillar of power said something that caused a single tear to drop from his eyes...

"I can see it in your eyes... You're going to be a wonderful hero... I can't wait to see what you do with the gifts you've been given..."

May and Ben Parker... Two people who played the most crucial roles in molding young Peter into the person he was... Somehow found a way to speak to him one last time... Through the voice of the world's greatest hero...

The citizens of Musutafu gave a massively loud cheer as they all bore witness to the rise of Peter Parker... One of the greatest heroes this world would ever see...

---

Showers were amazing at times like this... Nothing on earth could quite compare to the sensation of hot water pelting against an exhausted body while clouds of steam warmed the air around it...

Peter allowed himself to linger under the falling water a bit longer than usual this time... He kinda reeked. But then again, after spending as much time fighting today as he did, who wouldn't? He ran his hands through his sopping wet hair and took a deep breath in... Though his aching muscles were finally beginning to relax, his mind was far from reaching a point of ease.

The boy's brain continued to focus on what he would say to Momo during their talk...

"... I just don't see any reason to over-complicate things."

The fact that his best friend was so right about his situation with Momo still utterly baffled him...

He knew he was most likely overthinking the entire situation... But he refused to take it lightly. Not only was he about to tell her about his past... He was about to share his feelings with her. He didn't want to stutter or fumble over his words... He wanted to be as clear and open as he possibly could.

He suddenly noticed his shaking hands and he sighed... Maybe that was asking a little too much of himself.

He shut off the water and grabbed his towel. After drying himself off, he wrapped it around his waist and stepped out towards the lockers to retrieve his bag and street clothes.

He was the last one in the locker room. Everyone else had already left while he was mentally preparing himself to face one more challenge the day had to offer him. Shoto had offered to stay behind and give him some moral support while he finished getting cleaned up, but Peter graciously declined. He wanted this to be something he had the nerve to do on his own... If he was lucky enough to start a relationship with Momo, then he needed to start working on being direct and open... And less apprehensive.

Instead, he tossed him his keys and told his best friend to meet him at the apartment so Fuyumi could wait inside comfortably, rather than in her car if the talk went on a little longer than expected.

He threw on a pair of old worn jeans, a black belt, a black V-neck t-shirt... And of course, his favorite baggy grey beanie. He grabbed his contacts and a stick of deodorant from his bag and made his way over to a sink. After meticulously checking his appearance in the mirror and swiping at the tufts of hair that poked out from his hat, he applied the deodorant and began to put his contacts back in... But much to his dismay, one of them slipped off his fingertip and fell onto the floor somewhere.

'Well that's gone forever...' he told himself as he sighed and walked back to his backpack. Even if he were to find it, there was no way in hell he was going to put that thing back in his eye after it had touched the same floor as the sweaty feet of his classmates. After digging around for a few seconds, he pulled out a black case.

'Man, I haven't worn these in forever...'

He opened the case and put on his glasses that he had abandoned a long time ago. He remembered how many snarky comments were thrown his way because of them during his Midtown days. He sighed again as he walked back over to the mirror and took one last look at himself. He honestly didn't think they looked half bad, they complemented the shape of his face pretty well... But back then, he was just so desperate to spare himself as much torment as possible that he did whatever he could to erase anything about himself that drew any attention.

He was never really one to focus on his physical appearance before, but then again, he had never exactly had a reason to before he met Momo... Ever since his first day of school at UA, he had found himself spending more time than usual making sure he looked sharp. He eventually found himself wanting her attention. He liked it when he secretly caught her staring at him. It made him feel good about himself in a way that nothing else did...

'Maybe she'll like them...' he mentally encouraged himself as he stepped away from the mirror again and grabbed his backpack before heading out the door.

He stepped out into the hallway while continuing to try to piece together the perfect combination of words to describe what he truly thought about Momo Yaoyorozu...

But the very second he looked up and saw her waiting for him outside the door, all the things he had planned on saying to her went out the window.

Everything in his mind went completely blank as he looked at her in complete awe... Beauty incarnated... Perfection manifested... Elegance personified...

The Vice representative of class 1A had also spent a good chunk of time trying to make herself look as visually appealing as possible for the occasion that awaited the two of them... She wore a red and black plaid skirt, a tight white long sleeve shirt, knee high white socks, and a pair of black shoes that looked extremely pricey. Her obsidian hair fell perfectly down the side of her face as she gently pulled her hands down over the strands that ran over her shoulder...

She had confirmed the suspicions of her two best friends in the changing rooms, and admitted that she was going to tell Peter how she felt. After what could only be described as a "squealing fit" from Mina, they eagerly volunteered to help her get ready. Jiro once again straightened her hair while Ashido broke into her small stash of perfume and lip stick she carried with her. By the time she left the locker room... She looked, and felt, like a total bombshell.

Though she had gotten rather comfortable with being more confident as of late... Deep down there was still a hint of nervousness that lingered within her... But it was a good kind of nervousness... A nice change of pace...

As Peter emerged from the changing room, she couldn't help but to completely lose herself in the sight of him. A blush spread across her face as her ruby red painted lips slightly parted from each other... His shirt hugged his chest, core, and arms perfectly showing off their impressive muscular definition... She loved how cute he looked in his favorite hat... And as it turned out, the boy was in luck... The minute she noticed his glasses, she had to make a conscious effort to refrain from drooling.

The two stood there motionless as they said a million words to each other without making a sound... Until finally, Momo just couldn't stand to wait another second, and she broke their silent trance...

"Hi Peter..." She said after managing to breathe again.

Deja vu...

Two words he would never get tired of hearing in her angelic voice sent him back in time to a moment that began, what he considered to be, the greatest night of his life so far...

It was like she was standing outside of his apartment all over again... Waiting for his cue to create another soon-to-be memory that would stick with him forever.

"Hey Mo... Ready to go?"

She took a step closer to him, "Do you really need to ask?"

The two smiled at each other and started their walk towards their regular spot.

At first, there was a lot of silence and quick nervous smiles traded back and forth between one another... But by the time they reached the school's main entrance, they managed to steel their nerves.

"So... You wear glasses, huh?"

"Yeah... I sorta had a 'Peter moment' with my contacts in the locker room...

"A Peter moment?"

"Times when I stumble ass backwards into victory..." He said with a smirk. "I saw the look on your face when you noticed them."

"Peter Parker... Are you flirting with me?!" She faked a gasp with a hand across her chest.

"That depends... Did I do it right? Because whether or not I did will greatly affect my answer to that..." He chuckled.

"I liked it..." She admitted as the doors of UA high school closed behind them.

---

At long last, the pair finally approached the cafe they had started the day at. Peter naturally saw to it that their walk towards the small building was full of laughter and pure entertainment, allowing the young lady by his side to slip into a blissful state of peace. As they drew closer, they found a very welcome sight. The small coffee shop was completely empty of any customers due to the start of the second year portion of the sports festival...

"Looks like we've got it all to ourselves this time..." Momo beamed.

"Yeah, I guess this isn't exactly the type of place you come to if you wanna watch a major sporting event..." Peter added as he opened the door for her.

The young man went to order their drinks as Momo sat and waited for him at their regular table. She rested her face against her hand as she stared at the boy who had brought so much happiness into her every day life. She couldn't help but chuckle as the grown woman behind the counter completely freaked out when she noticed who he was, even though she had seen him almost every morning for the past couple of months now.

After hearing what Shoto had told her and the others about his past... Seeing someone else acknowledge how amazing he was brought a warm feeling to her heart. As she watched his reaction, her expression softened further. He was so humble and kind... He never expected any sort of praise or recognition for anything he did, yet when he received it, he looked so grateful... And at the same time confused, like he didn't know what to do with himself when he was shown the slightest bit of attention from someone outside of his circle.

After the lady handed him their drinks, he turned and made his way back over to the table.

He sat down and handed Momo her usual tea.

He took his cup in his hand and brought it up to his mouth while he watched her smile at him. He noticed a change in her as they had made their way to their spot...

She seemed so different... Yet still herself at the same time. Her smile had taken on a certain quality of authenticity. A sense of cheerfulness almost seemed to radiate from her entire body. As he watched her take a sip of her favorite drink and relax as she experienced the taste... Something became clear to him...

She was seeing the world through a different colored lense... Just like Mrs. Suzenji had said...

He wasn't the only one who had a massive weight lift from his shoulders after their performances in the festival...

She was finally free of her doubts and insecurities...

In this moment... She was at peace... Truly happy to be here with him after a mentally and physically strenuous morning...

He watched her sit her cup to the side and interlock her fingers as she rested her hands delicately on the table in front of her. She let out a giggle as she leaned her head to the side... All with that sweet smile on her face.

"I can't get over how cute you look in your glasses." She stated boldly, catching him slightly off guard.

"Maybe I should wear them more often then..." He said as he tried to keep his mind on track... But the sight of her wasn't exactly making it easy...

He felt her foot brush up against his own under the table as her aforementioned sweet smile transformed into a more directed one. "So about the elephant I had mentioned earlier..."

"I guess we're jumping right on into this then, aren't we?" He chuckled.

"Like I said before... I'm a very patient girl... But I don't wanna wait anymore..."

It was refreshing to see her exude the kind of confidence he always felt like she should have in herself. He took another sip of his drink.

"Peter, I'm completely head over heels for you."

...

The boy nearly spat out his coffee as he looked at her with an expression of pure astonishment. He continued to stare at her as he slowly sat his drink back down on the small table in front of him... All she did was cock an eyebrow at him as she chuckled.

"Why do you look so surprised? I told you, I'm done waiting..."

He blinked himself out of his racing thoughts, "I'm sorry... For a second I thought maybe Bakugo hit me so hard that I went into a delusional coma..." He quipped, causing her to playfully roll her eyes as she brushed her hair behind her ear with a smitten smile.

"No but in all seriousness, even though I was nearly certain that this was what you meant by 'elephant'... I guess there's just a part of me that didn't think it was an actual possibility... The fact that someone like you could feel that way about me... It almost seems unbelievable." He admitted as he slowly became mesmerized by her ever softening eyes that lazily batted at him...

As she watched him lose himself in her gaze once again, she felt her heart race faster and faster. That look... That one look that drove her absolutely wild was back... Saying so many things without any sound... At that very moment, she wanted nothing more than to be able to coax the words his eyes were telling her out into the open, so that she could hear them with her own ears...

She removed her filter completely as she spoke her mind further...

"Peter... You're the most amazing, sweet, incredible, kind-hearted, thoughtful, physically attractive guy I've ever had the pleasure to spend time around... My mind used to never wander before I met you... But now, no matter what I'm doing, where I'm at, or who I'm with... You manage to slip into my every thought from the moment I wake up, until the moment I fall asleep- and sometimes even after that... I've never felt such a strong connection to another human being in my entire life as I do with you..." She said as she looked him directly in the eye.

Each word she spoke to him brought with it a sense of relief that eased her soul to finally let out. It felt so freeing to not dance around these emotions anymore... To be open and honest with him. To speak her mind without fear. To let herself give in to what her heart had been begging her to say all along...

"I know I'm being more direct than I usually tend to be right now, but I've been holding these feelings in for what seems like ages, and I just can't keep them bottled up anymore. I want to explore these emotions with you... Emotions that only get stronger every time I'm around you. I want more than the friendship we have... I want to be with you. So please, if there's any part of you that has been holding back the same feelings for fear of how I would respond to them... Don't let it stop you anymore..." She calmly pleaded as she reached across the table and carefully rested her hand on top of his.

He allowed her words to sink in. Her true feelings for him were now out in the open and written all over her face as well... She had removed all the mystery and doubt from their situation... Now it was his turn to be as brave as she had just been...

Momo sat quietly in suspense as she tried desperately to read any signs of what he was thinking in his expression... But his answer came not through words or a look...

But through touch...

Peter gently shifted his hand to intertwine their fingers together as their palms rested on the surface of the table. She felt a blush cover her porcelain skin in a shade of pink as her heart continued to pound in her chest. A spark of excitement spread through her body, and sent a shiver down her spine as goosebumps raised up on her arms... And as he opened his mouth to speak, the world around her faded away.

"Of course I feel the same way..."

Her heart melted as the words behind his gaze finally revealed themselves.

"Mo... I don't know if you know this, but you are the first friend I've ever had... The first person to really take the time to get to know me, and show me a kindness that I've never really experienced before from someone who didn't share my last name... My life was so challenging in so many different ways. I faced so many struggles every single day I left my house. I hid from a world that showed me no mercy for so long." He said as he felt her fingers press into the back of his hand and her thumb gently rubbed across his own.

"When I first came to this country, I was scared to death... I had nothing. I had nobody... The only thing that pushed me forward was my dream to become a hero someday... But then I met you, and as we became closer... Mo, you made me feel like I had everything." He said as the breath left her lungs and her heart figuratively stopped before speeding up again at a pace it never had before.

"You and the kindness you showed me... the conversation we had in Chiyo's office back then... it gave me the confidence to try and make friends here... The fact that me and Sho even became as close as we are is partially due to that confidence you gave to me... You've told me before that I helped you in so many different ways... But Mo... You changed my entire life... You're the most important person in the world to me."

She couldn't move... Her whole being just... froze. The seconds of silence that passed felt like hours, as the words they spoke to each other hung in the air... Suspended in a moment that had been built up by so many conversations shared in the early hours of each morning since his arrival... Conversations that took place in the very spots they sat in...

It wasn't until he spoke again that the girl was able to escape the spell his words had put on her.

"We want the same things... And you're right... I was terrified to tell you all of this because I didn't want to risk pushing you away..." He admitted... Then, all of the sudden, one of the most important lessons May shared with him echoed in his brain...

"...Relationships are built on trust and honesty Peter, don't ever forget that when you meet the right person... You'll thank me someday..."

He stalled... Everything he wanted was right there in front of him... All he had to do was formally ask her to be his girlfriend and she would have figuratively... and maybe literally, jumped into his arms right then and there... His heart was screaming at him to do it... But his conscience told him that there was still more he had to say first. He struggled to figure out how to even begin the conversation necessary to remove the final obstacle in his way...

As Momo waited eagerly to hear the words she had longed for, she noticed his demeanor change... She watched him fall deep into his own thoughts as an uncomfortable expression suddenly appeared on his face.

Why did he stop himself? He just said he wanted to be with her, didn't he? Well then, what the hell was he waiting for?! Was there something wrong? She was so transparent about her feelings... What was holding him back?

A feeling of dread began to creep its way into her mind, but before she could dwell on the subject any further... He finally spoke again.

"Hey... Is everything okay?"

She quickly gathered herself. "I uhhh... Just got a little bit anxious... I thought you were gonna ask me to be your girlfriend... But you stopped... Peter, isn't this what you said you wanted?" Her eyes pleaded for him to explain his abrupt pause.

He suddenly became aware that it was his hesitation that caused her smile to disappear... He knew he had to fix it... Up to this point, everything had gone so well. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was getting cold feet. So he took a deep breath, collected his thoughts, and began to rip off the band-aid...

"Y-yes it is... A-and I promise, I still have every intention in the world of asking you to be my girlfriend... It's just- Mo, there are parts of my past that I'm not particularly proud of... And I don't want to hide them from you. I want you to know the person you're agreeing to be with." He explained as he watched the anxiety fade away from her expression. "The problem is, I've never given anyone the full story before... I don't really know how to talk about it. There are a few people like Shoto and Mr. Aizawa who know bits and pieces... But you'd be the first to know everything..."

Seeing how uncomfortable the subject made him caused her to feel a sting of pity... But if this was truly the only thing left standing in their way, then she was determined to climb over the last obstacle together. "Well... If you're having trouble telling me about your past... Then maybe you'd find it easier knowing that I might be one of those people who already know a few pieces of it..."

She watched eyes widen slightly as he waited for her to continue.

"Before your match against Tetsutetsu, Todoroki told me and the girls a little bit about your history. I hope you can find it in your heart to not be too upset with him, I assure you that his reason for telling us was a good one." She explained.

"...If you're going to start this with him, I hope you plan on sticking it out through thick and thin. You are more than capable of making him happier than he's ever been... But on the other side of that same coin, you could seriously tear him down as well if you aren't careful..."

It's not as if he minded the fact that his best friend had told her about his past... in a strange way, it kind of gave him a bit more confidence to move the conversation forward, though he was curious about how much she actually knew...

Her eyes drifted downward, "He told us that you didn't have any friends back in America... That you were quiet and kept to yourself... Pretty much the opposite of the person we've all come to know. He said that you were actually a victim of some pretty serious bullying... That you were made fun of for enjoying all the things you like... And that they all thought you were quirkless for some reason... I don't know much else beyond that... But from our talks and the voicemail we accidentally heard earlier, I've managed to piece together that you've lost your family... That you've gone through so much more than you should have ever had to... So many things I could never relate to or understand..." She said as she watched his eyes fall.

"But there's something you need to know Peter..." She said, giving his hand another squeeze, regaining his gaze. "When I told you that you were stuck with me... I meant it with every bit of my heart. There's nothing you could ever say that would ever make me reject you."

Words could never describe how much he appreciated her reassurance in that moment. With her support behind him, he decided it was time to tell her...

"It seems like you know a pretty good deal already... So I guess that just leaves a few things..." He said as she gave a comforting smile and watched him grab the collar of his shirt.

"Starting with the story of how I got these..."

He pulled down the fabric just enough to reveal a handful of his scars...

She stared at the marks on his skin as she tried to speak... But couldn't bring herself to make a sound. Earlier today, when she made him a replacement uniform, she had noticed a few of them poking out from his undershirt but her mind was... Elsewhere, so to speak... Causing her too much distraction to really pay them any mind. Besides, it wasn't all that unusual for UA students to pick up a few badges of honor here and there...

He stared at the expression of shock on her face and began to explain.

"When we started training together... You asked me why I wore a mask... But I only gave you part of my reason. The truth is, there are many... I wear one to protect those around me... To preserve my privacy... Personal beliefs and ideals... But the very first time I pulled one over my face was to hide my identity while acting as a vigilante..."

---

"Hello?"

"Hey sis. What's up?"

"Oh, hey Shoto. I'm heading over to meet you at Peter's apartment. That's the plan right?"

"Yeah... That's actually what I was calling you about... There might be a slight change in said plans..."

"Oh no... Did she turn him down?!"

"Doubt it, but I don't know, they're still at the cafe... He gave me the key so you didn't have to wait outside, so when you get here just come on up..." He said as he began to help himself to the drinks in his best friend's fridge.

"Such a sweetheart..."

"His idea. If it were up to me, you'd wait in the hot car." He smirked.

"Oh trust me... I'm fucking well aware of that... You little asshole. You know, you could learn a thing or two from Peter... Maybe if you at least pretended that you had some basic manners, you'd have a girl or two trying to get your attention..."

"Oh God, not this again... I told you to give that a rest..."

"Well we both know that's not happening... But anyway, what's this change of plans you were talking about? Because if it's about the restaurant choice I'm going to murder you. I already made the calls to reserve a table."

He began to sweat as he turned around and glanced at Kyoka and Mina staring daggers into him from the other side of the bar that separated the kitchen from the dining space.

"How many seats did you get?" He asked nervously.

"Why?..." Fuyumi asked as the boy could hear her eyes narrow from over the phone.

"Because there's gonna be two more joining us."

"Shoto how many people do you think I can fit in my car?!"

"Relax. It's only like three blocks away from the apartment, we can just walk."

Fuyumi gritted her teeth as she spoke, "I'm in heels you little gremlin!"

"Well I don't feel like being castrated!" Shoto quietly hissed into his phone. "Come on, I promise it won't be so bad."

"Correction... It won't be so bad for you. Have fun walking while I drive your friends... As for your grisly castration... First of all, Ew... Second, you're in an unbelievable amount of luck because all they had available was an eight top table. And third, I hope you don't expect me to pay for this... My teaching salary doesn't exactly leave me rolling in cash." She said as she muttered the last part.

Shoto breathed a sigh of relief, "Don't worry, I've got it covered."

"You stole the card again didn't you?"

"I admit to nothing."

"You realize that he's gonna kill you when he sees that charge right?"

"No he won't... Internships are coming up, so he's gonna be up my ass for a little while in hopes that I choose his agency."

"Impressive... So are you sure Peter and his girlfriend won't mind having two unexpected guests crashing their date?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it a date considering me and you were planning on going too... And they're her best friends so I'm not really worried about it."

"Wait a minute... You're alone... In your friend's apartment... with two girls right now?"

He didn't like where this was going. "It's not what you think..."

"Don't go turning your best friend's home into a disgusting little frat house, you demon child."

"Fuyumi... Please God... Stop." He groaned.

"Which one do you have a crush on?" She jabbed as he rolled his eyes.

"Bye sis." He said as he ended the call.

Unfortunately for Shoto... He didn't outright deny anything, dooming him to at least a year's worth of his older sister trying to pry into his private life even more than before...

---

Peter breathed a long sigh as he finished his tale. He had told her everything... How he trained himself to use his powers... All the times he was injured... All the people he had saved... Dennis Carradine... Ben... May... And everything in between, leaving no stone unturned and no truths left unspoken.

Throughout the entire conversation, Momo silently supported him through both physical touch, and a few words of reassurance when he would pause during the parts that were more difficult to talk about. She remained surprisingly unshaken by everything he shared, only shedding a few tears when he reached the parts about his uncle's murder, his confrontation with Carradine, and his final conversation with his aunt before her passing.

And with everything finally out in the open, she remained true to her word... There she sat... Unwilling to move from her spot. Not a single thought of running away... Not a single change in her feelings for him...

Peter felt an indescribable amount of relief as he looked up and saw her soft expression.

"Feel better now?" She asked as a small smile appeared on her face. "I told you I'd still be here."

He let his worries completely wash away, "And you said that I'm the one full of surprises... Sorry about the trauma dump." He chuckled, "I know that was a lot of information to process all at once... Any questions?... Comments?... Concerns?"

"Well first of all, I wouldn't exactly call that a trauma dump... To be completely honest, I've always been curious about your life before UA... I'm honored that you'd share it with me, and I really appreciate you not hiding anything from me either. I consider that to be a pretty massive green flag." Her smile widened. "I do have a few comments though..."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Do you remember what you wrote in the note you left me when I was unconscious?"

"Yeah?"

"I think this is a good opportunity for us to work on being too hard on ourselves..." She said as he cocked his head to the side. "Peter, I know you said that you weren't proud of the things you did back in New York... Yes it may have been illegal, dangerous, and really... really insane... But a lot of good came from it. You helped take nearly eighty criminals off the streets... You made that place a little bit safer for people to live their lives... You made a difference to those you managed to save- I should know because I'm one of them... Without the experience you gained, I wouldn't be here."

He shuddered at the truth behind her words as she continued, "I just don't think that part of your life is one you should ignore or feel ashamed of... And as long as you do as Mr. Aizawa says, and leave it behind you, I think it will keep you grounded on your way to becoming the hero I know you're going to be someday..."

He managed to crack a smile as she once again directed their conversation back to where they left off...

"Now... I believe there was something you were about to ask me..." She flashed him an affectionate grin.

"You're really persistent when it comes to something you want, huh?..." He chuckled.

"Oh my sweet summer child, you have no idea..." She smirked.

"Well then in that case... Momo... Will you be m-"

"Of course I will."

"You didn't even let me finish!" He laughed.

"Didn't need to... My answer will never change... No matter how you ask it."

They sat and smiled at each other until they were interrupted by a loud rumbling sound... Causing Momo to blush profusely while Peter raised his eyebrows...

"I-I seem to be getting a bit hungry..." She said bashfully.

"Yeah I'd say you are, did you even eat anything after your fight?"

"About a rabbit's helping compared to how much I probably should've in order to replace my lipids..." She shyly admitted.

He stood up, webbed their bags to his hand, and slung them over his shoulder. He held out his other to her, "Come on, let's get you some food." He said as she happily bounced up and grabbed onto his hand.

They made their way towards the door as Momo couldn't hide her smile from the world. She pressed her body against him and wrapped her free arm around his.

He opened the door and suddenly his eyes widened.

"Everything alright?" She asked as the door shut behind him.

"Remains to be seen... I just realized I left Shoto alone with all the food in my fridge... And I'm pretty sure he hasn't eaten all day..."

They quickened their pace as they made their way down the sidewalk.

---

"Uuuuuugggggghhhhh... What is taking them so damn long..." Shoto complained as he sunk into his spot on the couch.

"It's not their fault you overslept and skipped breakfast... And why the hell didn't you eat lunch at the stadium anyway?" The sole daughter of the Todoroki family asked the grumbling boy on the couch beside her.

"That's classified." Was the response she received.

Fuyumi rolled her eyes at her younger brother as she turned her attention to the two other ladies in the room, "Sorry about him... He's kind of whiny when he gets hangry."

The two girls snickered as Shoto side eyed his older sister...

"So what are two super cute, dignified ladies like you guys doing getting mixed up with this neanderthal?" She nodded her head toward him.

"Keep pushing it... See how much air is left in your tires when you get up for work on Monday..." He said under his breath as he stood up and walked over towards the kitchen.

Fuyumi reached up and grabbed his wrist and made him sit back down. "I said stay out of the fridge..."

Jiro couldn't help but admire the young woman sitting on the couch. "Well other than music, hero stuff, and whatever the hell pinky over here is into, we love food more than literally anything else in the entire world."

"We've also been helping push YaoMomo and Parker closer together for a while now... And we've formally adopted your brother into our little group. He's super fun to be around." Mina chirped.

"See, I told you I wasn't lame."

"Shoto, you had the social skills of an actual cow before you started hanging out with Peter..."

"That's... Surprisingly accurate." He conceded causing a laugh from Kyoka.

"So, which one of you threatened to castrate him?" Fuyumi laughed as both girls raised their hands at the exact same time. Shoto just shook his head as he checked the time on his phone.

"Oh, we're all gonna get along just fine..." The young woman said with a smirk.

The three of them carried on their conversation while poor Shoto continued to starve.

All of the sudden, the door to the apartment opened and the newly formed couple stepped inside. The pair were immediately surprised by the unexpected number of people scattered throughout his living room.

"Nice place ya got here Parker." Jiro smirked.

"Yeah, I think I could get used to this." Ashido said as she kicked up her feet.

"Mina... Kyoka... Really?!" Momo sighed as she immediately put together the chain of events that most likely occurred to allow them to be sitting in her boyfriend's apartment.

"Oh my God... Finally!" Shoto said as he removed his feet from the coffee table.

"Oh yeah, that's a great way to greet someone in their own home..." Peter jabbed. "If I open that fridge right now how much food is gonna be left in it?"

"All of it... Fuyumi wouldn't let me open the damned thing!!" Shoto said as he glared at his sister who got up from the couch.

"Oh my God you're a saint..." Peter said to the white and crimson haired lady as he sat their bags down beside the door and went to grab a box of protein bars from his kitchen.

"So you must be Peter's girlfriend! I'm Fuyumi, Shoto's big sister... You are so cute! No wonder the poor kid never stops talking about you!" She smiled.

Momo glanced over at Peter who was tossing a protein bar to his best friend on the couch. "I'm a lucky girl... Momo Yaoyorozu... I'm so sorry my friends inserted themselves into this whole thing without you knowing." She said apologetically as she bowed.

"Oh my God, are you kidding? I love them! Honestly, I'm surprised Shoto has made such cool friends... He's not exactly what I'd call..." They looked over to see the boy opening the power bar wrapper with his teeth... "Socially refined..." She sighed as the boy devoured the snack like a wild animal. Peter returned and held the box out to Momo, who happily took one and began to open it.

*Ahem

They turned to see the other two girls with their hands out waiting for their "cut".

He rolled his eyes and just handed the entire box over, only for Momo to snatch it away. "I think you two have conned your way into enough free food." She said as she tossed Shoto another bar. The boy looked at her like she had just hung the moon.

"Hey! Why does he get one?!" Mina complained as Momo handed the box back over to Peter.

"One, because he hasn't eaten all day... And two, because I'm not even sure I wanna know what you threatened him with in order to be here."

"They said they were gonna castrate me!!!" He said as he finished his second snack.

"Nark." Jiro muttered in his direction.

Peter visibly winced as Momo glared at her best friends. "You know, I never thought I'd have to clarify that genital mutilation is something that most people find to be unacceptable behavior among friends..." She hissed.

"You're the only person in this room I respect." Shoto said to her as he walked up to the group.

"Ummm... Cough?" Peter quipped as he raised an eyebrow.

Shoto shrugged at him, "I know where my bread is buttered..." He said earning a pat on the head from Momo.

"I've cooked for you like thirty times!!!"

They all heard the sound of Kyoka's stomach growling...

Momo looked at her boyfriend, "Stay strong Peter..."

Jiro turned to Peter and narrowed her eyes, "Parker, I'm gonna need you to ignore every instinct in your little love stricken mind and give me something to eat... I haven't forgotten about the whole hotdog incident earlier." She shot him a glare.

"Hotdog incident?" Fuyumi raised an eyebrow.

"Oh my God, that reminds me! We were all wrong, they're actually tacos!" He said with a smirk, only for it to disappear as her jacks started to approach him while her glare intensified.

"Fridge is this way." He said flatly as he turned and the two ladies followed him into the kitchen.

"Peter, if you feed them they'll just keep coming back like strays..." His girlfriend warned.

—"Better than being castrated!"—

All of the sudden Fuyumi's Phone buzzed.

"Oh good, our table is ready... Hope you guys are ready for the best sushi you'll ever eat in your lives."

Momo walked over and snagged her friends by their ears and drug them away from the fridge before they could get their hands on anything inside.

They all made their way down to the parking lot and gathered around Fuyumi's car. Mina and Jiro piled into the back as Peter opened the passenger door for Momo. She blushed as she got into the vehicle. "Thanks..."

He smiled at her as the woman in the driver's seat gawked at the gesture. "Looks like chivalry isn't dead after all... I've been on literally dozens of dates, and not once has a guy done that for me..."

"It's kinda sad that society has failed women so miserably that something that simple is a rarity..." He said as he bent down and leaned through the window. "I'll do my best to be an exception to that..." he said to his girlfriend as she immediately melted while Mina squealed in the back seat.

"I'm gonna walk with Sho... Meet you guys there!" He said before turning away and walking over to his best friend.

Fuyumi pulled out of her parking spot and noticed Momo staring dreamily at the boy talking to her brother.

"Kid's a fucking treasure, isn't he?"

Momo smiled, "Definitely..." She said as the two left behind to walk watched the car drive away.

"So, I assume that it went well at the cafe?" Shoto said as they started to walk down the street.

"Yeah... Thanks to you, strangely enough."

Shoto looked at him in confusion as Peter explained, "I heard you told them about New York..."

"Please don't break my ribs again..."

Peter chuckled, "Relax, it's fine... I don't see any harm in them knowing. I planned on telling Mo anyway, but I sorta froze up... I don't know if I would have been able to tell her everything if you hadn't already shared what you knew with her beforehand... So thanks... I... Guess?"

"Don't mention it... As payment I'm gonna keep eating your food."

"Sounds good... So, how was it being stuck with the girls while we were gone?"

"I actually kinda liked it... Aside from the whole-"

"Whole castration thing, right..." Peter finished for him as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "This whole thing seems to be working out pretty well for everyone, huh? It's nice... I always wanted this..."

"A girlfriend?"

"Nah, I never really cared about that until I met Mo."

"Then what?"

"Friends... People to surround yourself with to make life a little more enjoyable, ya know?"

Shoto put his hands in his pockets as well as they reached a crosswalk. "Yeah... I get it..."

---

Upon their arrival to Fuyumi's personal favorite restaurant, the ladies waited outside for the boys to arrive. Once they finally did, they entered the building... Only to be absolutely mobbed by a hoard of people inside wanting pictures with the three finalists of the sports festival. Even the wait and kitchen staff members stepped out to get a look for themselves.

It wasn't until the general manager of the restaurant finally pushed her way through the crowd and had the wait staff show them to a private booth in a room designated for larger event bookings, that they were finally able to get any peace.

When they brought the menus and beverages to the table, Shoto just held up his hand and ordered three of every single thing they seeved, causing his sister to rub her temples to relieve the stress headache he was threatening to give her.

After a while, an army of servers brought all the food he ordered, along with refills for their drinks.

The group stared at the insanely large mountain of food that covered every inch of the table in front of them.

"Oh my God it's beautiful..." Peter muttered as he stared at the piles of raw fish.

Mina and Kyoka sat with their jaws dropped as they both nearly shed tears of pure, unadulterated joy.

"You think it'll be enough?" He asked his best friend as he debated on ordering more.

"Dude... What the hell are you talking about?! There's no way we can finish all of this!!!" Fuyumi said.

"How much tuna can a human even eat before they get mercury poisoning?" Mina raised an eyebrow and looked towards Momo for a response.

"Six to nine ounces depending on your age, body weight, and type of tuna." She responded.

"What a way to go out..." Peter said as Momo tapped him on the arm with the back of her hand.

"No but seriously, is this gonna be enough?" Shoto said as he started counting the rolls.

"Shoto." Fuyumi said exasperatedly as he started making silent calculations to himself.

"This is way more math than I've ever seen you do..." Peter snickered.

"No wait... I kinda see where he's coming from." Kyoka said as the rest of them looked at her questioningly. "Think about it, there's six of us here. Me and Pinky are probably good for about three to four rolls each..."

"Five if I'm feeling froggy." Ashido said with a wide grin.

"This is Fuyumi's favorite restaurant, so she's likely to eat a little more than she usually would, and you three are basically garbage disposals when it comes to food." Jiro finished.

"Bingo." Shoto snapped and pointed at her. "I guess we can just order more if we need it..."

"Everyone take one last look at Shoto before our father sticks a "Flashfire Fist" up his ass for putting thousands of yen on his stolen credit card." Fuyumi said as she rolled her eyes. "And when he does, you should know that I will deny knowing anything about it."

"To Dad." The youngest member of the Todoroki family said with a smirk as he raised his glass. "And to YaoMomo for punching Bakugo right in his smug face on international television."

"Poetry." Peter said as he grabbed his girlfriend's hand under the table and gave it a squeeze. "So I guess the question now is, who can put away the most sushi? Shoto on an empty stomach, Mo when needing to replace her lipids, or me on a regular Saturday..."

Everyone chuckled as they raised their glasses and began to dig in. The banter continued around the table as the sushi mountain got smaller and smaller and the stack of empty plates climbed higher and higher. Everyone took turns telling stories, recounting their perspectives from the festival, and playfully making jokes at everyone's expense... All while a certain brown haired boy just smiled as he finally enjoyed a moment he always wanted... Surrounded by those who were happy to spend time with him.

As they finished up about three quarters of the food on the table, Shoto got up to go to the bathroom. The second he was out of earshot, Fuyumi turned to Peter.

"Alright Peter, whaddya got up your sleeve for me this time?" She smirked.

"Oh I found a good one last week I've been dying to show you."

Momo cocked an eyebrow at the two of them while she flashed a curious smile. "Oh no... That's his devious face... What are you two up to?"

Fuyumi's smirk widened as she glanced around the table at the three other ladies. "Can you guys keep a secret?"

"Sure! / Totally! / Spill that tea girl!"

"Okay! So get this... Ever since I met Peter, he's been teaching me new ways to get under Shoto's skin... That way I can mess with him at home when he gets too big for his britches and forgets who's in charge around the house."

"That's hilarious!" Mina whispered excitedly.

"That's so beautifully conniving... Plus you get other people to do the dirty work..." Jiro said with sparkles in her eyes.

"Oh, my child... I have so much I can teach you... Lesson one, work smarter, not harder." She winked at her new purple haired protege.

"I have to admit... I'm interested to see this in action..." Momo said with a chuckle before glancing at her boyfriend, "What's your angle?"

"Anyone got a straw they don't plan on using?" He asked them. Momo handed her's over curiously. "Alright, so, I have no idea why this pisses him off so badly, but I've made sure to keep it in my back pocket for this very occasion... Watch and learn... And act natural..." He said as his eyes darted around the table.

As Shoto returned, he took a seat and began eating again, completely unaware that the entire table was stealing glanced at him.

"Geez... I'm parched. Sho can you pass that water pitcher down this way?" Peter asked casually.

"Sure." He said as he handed it to his sister, who handed it to Peter. He filled up his cup and waited until he saw Shoto look up to start peeling the wrapper off the straw off by hand.

As he continued to fiddle with the paper, the ladies noticed Shoto's eye beginning to twitch... Until finally, he couldn't stay quiet.

"What are you doing with your straw?" He asked with a slight hint of annoyance in his voice.

Peter looked up casually. "I'm opening it." He said innocently as his eyes went back down to his hands.

"You're peeling the paper?"

Peter looked up again with a completely straight face, "It doesn't work as good if you leave the paper on it..."

"You tap it on the table Peter..." He said slightly raising his voice.

"... Whaddya mean 'tap it'?"

"You tap it..." He grabbed a straw and tapped the end of it against the table. "Like that. And then you pull the straw out, like someone who isn't in kindergarten." He said as he removed the straw from the paper.

Peter paused for a moment before continuing to peel the paper. "Nah... Makes too much noise... I don't want my enemies to know what I'm up to..."

The group had to really struggle to stifle their laughter, but somehow managed to keep their composure.

Shoto looked around the table in disbelief... "What enemies?..."

"When your this handsome, you tend to accumulate hatred from those less fortunate..." He shrugged as he finally removed his straw from the paper. "I don't blame them... I'd be mad too..."

Momo nearly lost it as she watched Shoto's brain short circuit.

"You've come to be real humble since you won your big match, huh?" He shook his head.

Peter glanced around the table before taking a drink. "No thanks, I'm getting pretty full..."

Fuyumi turned her face away from her brother as she shut her eyes tightly trying to control herself.

Shoto blinked, "You're an idiot..."

Peter raised his eyebrows, "Thank you." He said as genuinely as possible, causing his best friend to finally snap.

"Okay, what the actual fuck is going on right now?!"

Everyone bursted out into laughter as the poor boy tried desperately to understand what just happened to him.

"And that's how you gaslight somebody." Peter smirked as his best friend finally began to calm down.

As the laughter died down, so did everyone's appetite... Except for Peter who continued to eat at the same pace he had started at... And before long, he popped the very last piece of sushi into his mouth.

"Whaddya know... I guess we didn't get enough." He said as they all looked at him like he had sprouted a third arm.

"Don't take this the wrong way Peter, but how the hell do you stay so thin?!" Fuyumi asked. "I wish I could eat that much and stay in the same dress size..."

"I burn like a trillion calories every day between hero training and regular exercise." He said as he took a sip of water.

"Oh yeah that reminds me! Shoto said you guys have internships coming up! Are you all excited?"

"Well... I didn't make it to the finals... So I probably won't be getting any offers." Jiro said as she rubbed her neck.

"Yeah and I got bounced in the first round in less than ten seconds..." Mina said, "But at least I'm not gonna be spending all day after class going through a massive list like these three."

"Two." Peter corrected, "I've already got mine figured out."

They all snapped there heads towards him.

"Oh that's right! I think I remember Dad saying that he was gonna extend his offer to you personally!"

"It's not your dad..."

"Wait, we don't get our lists until Monday. How do you have your's figured out already?" Momo asked him.

"Remember when Aizawa came to visit me in the infirmary?"

She nodded.

"He gave me this..." He pulled the piece of paper out of his pocket, "I have no idea who this is, but according to him, they're a top ten pro, and he said he thinks that they'd be the best option for me... So I think I'm gonna take it."

"Can I see that?" Momo asked as Peter handed over the paper. She opened it up and nearly dropped it as she read the name. "Oh my God!!! Peter! You don't know who this is?!"

"Uh... No?"

"Who is it?!" Mina shouted excitedly while the others awaited her revelation. She passed the paper around the table, starting with Kyoka.

"Holy shit..."

"No friggin way!!!!"

"Parker, how the hell do you not know who that is? You've been here long enough that you should have at least heard that name before..."

"Probably because his mind has been a little preoccupied..." She winked at Momo.

"So whaddya think? Should I take it?" Peter asked Momo.

"Without hesitation..."

---

Momo and Peter walked down the sidewalk hand in hand. The bill had been paid, their stomachs were full (Well... Mostly... In Peter's case.), they had said their goodbyes to the others, and were now content to spend a little bit of time to themselves back at the apartment before it was time to walk Momo back home.

"So... What'd ya think about Fuyumi?" Peter asked as the girl beside him smiled.

"Love her. I have a feeling that we're gonna get along pretty famously..." She said happily. "Besides... She spoke extremely highly of you during the entire ride to the restaurant. I can respect anyone who sees you in that light."

He blushed, "She's something else that's for sure... I'm really grateful to her. She treats me like I'm a part of her family... She's actually registered as my emergency contact for school."

"She's a good person... And an even better big sister... I could tell how much she cares for Shoto, even through all the jabs she tagged him with." She breathed out a laugh.

"Yeah... She's had it rough, her and Sho both have... I mean, you saw the kind of train wreck their dad is... From what I gathered, she found herself in a caretaking role for Shoto and Natsuo at an extremely young age. She never really got the chance to be a normal kid... That's how I know things like that dinner mean everything to her... And despite everything their family has been through, I know that all she wants is for them to be a normal family again one day..." He said as he kicked a pebble on the sidewalk as the apartment building came into view.

"People can change... My Aunt May always believed that... I hope one day she gets what she wants... But I think that deep down, even she knows how unlikely it is... Shoto definitely does... That's why we try so hard to make her laugh and smile... Kinda like a repayment for everything she does for us..."

Momo wrapped her arm around his own and rested her head on his shoulder, "You're a good man Peter Parker... I feel very lucky to be a part of your life..."

"Yeah well, I'm still human. I make mistakes. I mess up just like everyone else... But I'll always try as hard as I can to be the best version of myself for you Mo... I feel like I'm the lucky one... Man, that feels so strange to say out loud for once..." He said as a smile appeared on his face.

She pushed her body into him further as they entered the doors of the building. The elevator was out of order, so they began to climb the stairs. They didn't really mind though... As far as they were concerned, they had all the time in the world ahead of them.

"So, how do you feel about meeting my parents tomorrow now hotshot?" She teased as she tightened her hold around his arm.

"Not gonna lie to ya... Something about officially being boyfriend and girlfriend makes it a certain type of terrifying."

"That's more like it." She chuckled, "You know you have nothing to worry about, right? They already love you."

"Oh yeah? How can you be so sure?"

"Well, my mom perforated my eardrum when I called to tell her we had made it official... And she said that my dad hasn't stopped talking about you since they got home."

"When did you call your mom?"

"While we were waiting for you guys to get to the restaurant... I assure you, there's a party in her heart right about now."

"What should I wear?"

"Dress casual. We may live in a mansion, but my parents are some of the most laid back people you'll meet. Dad's probably just gonna be hanging around in his old ratty T-shirt and sweats."

"Oh thank God... I have like seven outfits to my name. I really should go clothes shopping." He muttered under his breath.

"Ooooooh!!!! I'd love to see you try on some things!" She giggled.

"We should go shopping together sometime then." He offered innocently.

Her eyes lit up like never before, "Where have you been all my life?" She said with a wide grin as they reached his floor of the building. "I haven't had anyone else to go shopping with ever since Kyoka started refusing to go with me."

"Yeah, doesn't really seem like her thing... So what's the plan now?" He asked while he dug around in his pockets for his keys as they stopped at his door. He unlocked it and they stepped inside.

"I've still got a few hours before I have to call it a night... Wanna watch another movie?" She asked excitedly.

"Sounds good to me, whaddya wanna watch?" He asked with a smile.

"Doesn't really matter... I just kinda wanna be on that couch with you again..." She said as she grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer to her.

*Ahem "This should probably wait until after I'm gone..." A voice called out from said couch.

"HOLY SH-" Peter yelled as he jumped backwards against the door but was cut off by Momo's shrieking.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!"

"Relax! You'll disturb the neighbors..." Aizawa said slightly annoyed by the sudden screaming.

After a few seconds of heavy breathing, the pair finally calmed back down... Well, Peter did. Momo remained shaken.

"What is Mr. Aizawa doing in your living room?!" She whispered sharply.

"I dunno... He just kinda does this sometimes."

"How do you live like this?!" She looked at him in disbelief.

"Like what?"

"This is the second time today you've had unexpected people just waiting for you in your home! Doesn't that bother you at all?!"

"I've just kinda accepted it as my own personal hell." He shrugged.

"You two... Have a seat. We've got some serious matters to discuss. And hand over your phone." He said to Momo.

She walked over to him and handed over her device without question. The man gestured for them to sit down as he took the phone and put it in a drawer after wrapping it in his scarf.

"Sorry for scaring you Yaoyorozu... You aren't in any trouble..."

"It's fine sir... But with all due respect, what are you doing here? I thought you and some of the other teachers were busy getting the draft list and internship offers together..." She said as she began to relax. Her eyes drifted over to Peter and she noticed that he was already cool and collected beside her... Almost as if he had an idea as to why their homeroom teacher was waiting for them in his living room.

"I needed a break from it, I'm going to be at it all night as it is..." he sighed, "I'll make this quick so you two can get back to your... evening together..." He said uncomfortably causing her to turn red with embarrassment.

"Is this about the thing?" Peter asked nonchalantly.

"Partially..."

"What thing?"

The man sighed again, "Principal Nezu, along with the rest of the staff at UA believe that the League of Villains obtained the information necessary to plan the USJ attack through a leak... And you students, other than Parker and Midoriya are the main suspects... We've already managed to rule out some of you as potential traitors. Thanks to Parker and myself... You're one of those who have been taken off the board..."

She looked over at Peter with wide eyes... He had saved her again without her even knowing. He winked at her as the man continued.

"After careful consideration, Nezu has decided that it would be beneficial to add you to the search, given your astoundingly high intelligence. Besides, we assumed Parker would just end up telling you about it eventually anyway..." He sighed as he narrowed his eyes at his student.

"That's... Fair actually." He said as the man rolled his eyes.

He turned his attention back to the vice representative of his class. "We need you to step up... And keep an ear out for anything suspicious. Follow Parker's lead on this... He's actually doing quite well. He'll fill you in on the rest of the details. Any questions?"

"Uh, just one. Why'd you take my phone?"

"Because you never know who's listening." He answered.

"Then why didn't you take Peter's?"

"Because his is impossible to crack into for some reason... I tested it myself."

She looked at him questioningly.

"I made a few modifications to it... voided the shit outta the warranty though." He said plainly.

"I think it's hot that you know how to do that..." She let slip from her mouth as his eyebrows bounced.

"Focus." The man said unwilling to let them get off topic. He looked at Peter. "Why haven't you called that number yet?"

"I've been... Kinda busy..." He said vaguely as he nervously rubbed his neck.

"Well step outside and go do it. Because if I get one more phone call asking about it, neither of us are going to be very happy."

"Yes sir." He bounced up and headed outside with his phone in hand.

The long haired man turned back to the girl on the couch. "Now... For the other reason I came here... I'm sure you noticed the absence of the class rep after his fight..." He grabbed the remote from the coffee table, turned on the TV, and muted the volume. A news broadcast appeared on the screen and as she read the banner, she covered her mouth as her eyes widened.

HERO KILLER STAIN AT LARGE. INGENIUM CRITICALLY WOUNDED WHILE THREE OTHERS ARE FOUND DEAD IN A HOSU ALLEYWAY.

"The internships are designed to give students a small taste of what they can expect out in the real world... And to learn from actual pros in order to grow their respective skill sets... Your class has already been exposed to the darker side of this country... But most of those who attacked you were comparatively small fish in a much deeper ocean than you realize. Most students won't have to worry about anything too serious during their time out in the field... But you've already received multiple offers from top rated pros, and they tend to face a lot more danger than the others do..." He said as her eyes drifted back to the crime scene shown on the screen.

"Don't be intimidated... This is nothing you can't handle. Just take your training seriously and be on your toes during patrols... I'm sure Parker can tell you what happens to those who get sloppy when you're staring a capable villain in the face..."

Her brow furrowed as a fire was lit inside her to do her very best... Not just to protect those around her... But to get even stronger to protect herself as well... To make sure that she would always come home to him, so to speak...

Peter leaned against the wall outside of his apartment as the phone rang a few times. He had no idea what to expect from this conversation... All he knew was that his friends all seemed extremely excited for him, and that Mr. Aizawa said he thought it was the perfect option for him. His mind continued to race as the phone continued to ring...

He started to pace back and forth outside his door as his mind threw him another fact to focus on... Whoever this was, they've gotta be one hell of a force if they were able to twist the usually rigid arm of his homeroom teacher.

He felt himself getting excited at the thought of learning from someone like that, then all of the sudden... The ringing stopped.

"Who's this?"

He was caught off guard by the immediate question in place of a greeting... "Uh... Peter Parker? I was given this number by Shouta Aizawa to ask about an internship with-" He said before being cut off...

"Geez kid, what took ya so long?!"

"Sorry... I was just..." He started as he tried to think of a professional way to say 'stuffing his face'...

"Doesn't matter. I hope you're ready to get to work. I'm sending you a list of workouts to do four to five times a day between now and the minute you get to Hiroshima..."

"Oh? Thanks... A-and I'm really grateful for th-" He responded before the voice interrupted him again...

"Drop the whole mild-mannered bullshit at the door when you get here... I know you've got a wild side in ya. Get ready for it to be put to the test like never before... Think you got what it takes to try and keep up?"

He found himself smirking at the thought of finally being able to cut loose like he used to... "Oh hell yeah..."

"That's more like it... And kid..."

"Yeah?

"Try not to pick a lame hero name... I've got a reputation to keep."

"Don't worry... I've got a pretty good one in mind... But just out of curiosity, what's yours? Aizawa only gave me your actual name..."

The voice over the phone chuckled, "You can call me Mirko..."

---

Epilogue:

Earlier that same day, just before the championship match...

Across the world... In a rather dimly lit office... A man sat in his padded desk chair as he stared intently at the two computer monitors in front of him. On the right, a series of personal documents pulled up about the mysterious "Spider Vigilante" who had completely disappeared from the alleyways of New York City...

On the left, a live stream of the most watched sporting event on Earth... With a certain brown headed boy's highlight reel on full display for all to see.

The man leaned forward as the side of his hand rested against his top lip, completely covering his mouth. He continued to pause, play, and rewind the feed on the left hand monitor as his eyes darted back and forth between the two screens. After several hours, he let out a long exhale as he sat back against his chair.

There wasn't a shadow of a doubt in his mind anymore...

Peter Parker... Was the masked man they had been chasing for so many long, dark, and restless nights.

Captain George Stacy of the NYPD smirked at his findings.

"Looks like I've still got it." He said to himself with a hint of quiet satisfaction in his voice.

Back in his heyday, the man was the best detective on the force. He managed to solve every case that was tossed onto his desk... Never letting a single one go cold. Some of his commanding officers often said that his talents far exceeded the realm of simple police work. They always told him that he'd make an excellent addition to the FBI or the Central Intelligence Agency. George certainly gave consideration to each of those paths... But chose the life of a family man instead after meeting Helen.

He would never forget the day he was seated at his regular table at his favorite restaurant, and she came to take his order. Their idle chat turned into small talk. Their small talk turned into Helen taking an early lunch break after accepting his invitation to join him.

The wonderful conversation they shared that day would spark a lasting relationship between them... And said relationship would give George a reason to hold onto his humanity in a job that left so many broken or completely twisted by power...

He gave up on working for the "big boys" and happily remained in New York. His diligence and hard work earned him the rank of Captain, leaving him in active command of the 19th precinct of the NYPD. Though sometimes, he found being chained to a desk to be rather unsatisfying... His mind often yearned for the challenge of a difficult case... And once the appearance of an uncatchable vigilante emerged, he decided to involve himself in the hunt.

A knock on his office door pried his attention away from the screens. He rubbed his eyes... He had lost track of time again.

"Come in." He called out and a young man carrying the files he had asked for entered the room.

"Here's those case notes you requested Captain." The young officer said as he handed George the hefty pale yellow folder.

He took the documents in his calloused hand. "Is this all of it?" He asked as his eyes shifted from the stack of papers to his subordinate.

"Yes sir... Everything we've got on the guy is in that folder." He said nervously.

George Stacy continued to stare at him until suddenly his gaze turned back to his desk.

"Have there been any copies made?" He asked in a tired tone as he flipped through the pages with his thumb.

"No sir..."

"Any trace of this in our computer systems?"

"We were never authorized to electronically document anything..."

George paused for a brief moment before tapping the folder against the dark red wooden surface of his desk. Many precincts in the NYPD had issues with crooked cops forging documents to hide their unethical actions. So in order to prevent evidence from being tampered with, all electronic documentation of official records from his officers were overseen by him personally.

"Knock off for the night detective. I'm sure your family would like to see you at the dinner table."

The young man was caught slightly off guard. "A-are you sure sir? I don't mind sticking around and getting a little extra work done..."

George waved his hand as he returned his focus to the computer screens in front of him. "It'll still be here in the morning... You have plenty of time to work your cases... But the time you get with your kids is limited. Don't miss out on more than you have to."

"O-oh... Well... Th-thanks Captain..." The man said with a shocked sense of gratitude. "I'll... see you tomorrow then."

George was too engrossed in his work to offer a response... Or at least he appeared to be. As soon as the door shut, Captain Stacy shifted his eyes away from his work. After waiting a few seconds, he stood up and closed the blinds that surrounded his office, separating himself from the eyes of those in the building gearing up for the night watch. After returning to his desk, he stared down at the files containing the only proof of Peter's vigilante activity.

He sighed as he was faced with an extremely tough decision... The boy's fate was now in his hands.

In all his years of active duty, he had never seen anything quite like this... One of the country's most decorated police forces... Completely and utterly bested... By a teenager...

He opened the files and began to skim through them. Eye witness reports, suspects, criminal testimonies, transcriptions of calls Peter made to the police department, a long list of his "arrest" records... Anything and everything "New York's Finest" had gathered on the boy was there in his hands...

George finally flipped to the arrest report of Dennis Carradine, and as he looked at the mugshot of the man... His smirk returned. He remembered how hard the higher ups were pushing for the elusive man's arrest... And how much heat he personally took each time Carradine managed to escape the clutches of his officers. Seeing the man's face finally amongst those in custody, lifted a very heavy burden from his shoulders, and made his life a hell of a lot easier.

The longer he spent thinking about the choices laid before him, the less difficult the decision was becoming...

Sure the young man broke the law... But making a report to Interpol just felt... Wrong. He sighed as he glanced back up to the screen displaying the UA Sports Festival... And a realization hit him. Peter Parker was no longer in America... He was enrolled in UA High's highly regarded hero course.

His days of breaking the law as a vigilante... Were over...

At the end of the day... He was just a young man standing up for what was right. The only mistake he was guilty of making, was acting without a license... But now... He was finally on the path to do it all the right way...

In his years of success as an officer, George had learned to trust his gut above all else... And right now, his gut told him that the real crime would be to take any course of action that would lead to the young man's arrest.

He couldn't allow himself to put an end to such a promising career before it had truly begun. Someone like him... Must be allowed to share their talents with the world to help create a greater society...

A safer world for his children to grow up in...

"Well Mr. Parker... Since you scratched my back... I suppose I could scratch yours just this once... Enjoy your new start..." He whispered to himself.

He switched on the paper shredder beside his desk...

After taking one last look at the evidence, he began to feed it through the slot...

It took some time to go through all of the papers, but once he was finished, he moved his cursor over the "delete" icon on the right hand monitor... And with the click of a button... New York's mysterious vigilante officially became the only case Captain George Stacy was "unable" to solve.

He turned off the two screens...