Dinner had come and gone quickly and once again Aoi was cleaning up the dishes, though this time her guest was still sitting at the table watching her as she did something as simple as washing dishes and putting everything back where it belonged among her almost empty cupboards. It once again hit home to Izuku the fact that on closer inspection the woman did not have a lot. She couldn't be lazy even if she wanted to because just to cook for them both used up almost all the pots, pans and dishes she had. He had completely assumed she was just the kind of person to clean up after herself. But now it seemed she really had no choice if she wished to use any dishes for the next meal. He shouldn't have been surprised it was already made clear to him that she worked a dead end job and even picked up other odd jobs in order to have more money.
Which now had Izuku thinking about how he could repay his nice neighbor for her kindness. The first thing to come to his mind was a gift. But of course he had to worry if the woman would accept a gift if he offered it. She reminded him a lot of Bakugou both stubborn and pigheaded. So of course his brain had to worry that she would deny any gift he tried to offer. Though that did not stop him from still looking through his phone as what is supposed to be top of the line cookware. Then again as he scrolled through the options online he just found himself comparing brands. What made one worth so much more than another? They all seemed to be made similarly.
His lack of kitchen skill had him second guessing if he should just buy the most expensive option and call it good. But then again he feared she would see something clearly expensive and turn it down. So going with the most expensive one didn't seem like such a good idea any more. But still what made one set different from the other? Was it simply the brand name? The materials? If so, what one material made a better pot or pan than the other? Izuku was just confusing himself at this point as he decided to try and ask for a little help. Though he may have made the wrong decision on who to ask for help this time when he sent a test to Kacchan asking which two sets of dishware was the better one?
It took less than three seconds for the first reply to come in and of course it had nothing to do with his original question from the angry blonde and was instead ripping into the current number one hero who had been missing out on work the last two days. Seemed Bakugou did not approve of Izuku taking the time off. But it seemed once the blonde was allowed to get that off his chest with a few angry typed out texts he finally sent a random last one that told Izuku to get one particular brand of kitchenware that at least the blonde liked personally. Well at least he got his answer along with nearly a dozen other texts in the span of a few minutes.
"What did you do? piss off a fan?" the owner of the home asked, smirking playfully as she teased him while she was drying off her hands after finishing washing the dishes and eyed up the phone that had been vibrating almost consistently in his hand for the last minute.
"Huh? Oh uhm no it's a friend," Izuku answered the woman even as he felt the phone vibrate in his large hand. Which in turn drew his eyes away from her as he glanced at the screen of his phone to read at least the start of the text that was visible in the notification. Now Kacchan was questioning why Izuku needed new supplies for his kitchen when Bakugou knew very well that Izuku did not do a lot of cooking himself.
"They must be pretty worried about you if they are blowing up your phone like that," She said laughing as she could hear the ever so soft buzzing from his cell phone.
"Not really this is just how Kacchan texts. He usually blows up a phone when he does reply to someone's text," Izuku said as he placed his phone down not feeling the need to answer his friend at that exact moment as he turned his attention to the woman who had moved to sit in the other chair at the table.
"So he's just always an asshole, great to know," she said, simply not sounding all that impressed with Izuku's friend. Of course the poor man could tell the woman sitting across from him really did not like the loud blonde hero that they were currently talking about.
"He's really not that bad when you get to know him. Is it just Kacchan you dislike so much? Or is it hero's as a whole?" He asked though he regretted asking it the second the words slipped out as he watched her frown and scrunch up her nose.
"I'd be lying if I didn't admit I don't hate all heroes. But I can not say I like your profession as a whole. Far too many heroes, even small time ones, love to push their weight around. I've had a few different run-ins with some. It's never been fun. Try not to take it personally but I am not a fan of heroes," she answered honestly in a soft tone. Bakugou Katsuki was just one hero who was top of the leader board and was openly loud and obnoxious in her opinion. So she had no issues openly hating the man, but she also shared similar open thoughts about other heroes like good old Endeavor.
Izuku couldn't help but rub the back of his neck and shift his weight around. He was not overly surprised to hear her opinion. It was very quickly becoming clear to him with her living in the neighborhood she did, mixed with the important knowledge that she had been kicked out of her home at a young age. It didn't take a genius to assume she has not had an easy life. And if she was really unlucky she may have even run with the wrong crowd as a kid and could have seen her far share of heroes from the less than great side. After all it's not like anyone he has arrested would be his fan either. Though now he was curious if he was sitting with a criminal in her own home. But that was a question he knew better than to ask out loud.
"That's fair. Not everyone likes hero's. I see that a fair bit when I'm working. Though usually those people hate me because I'm arresting them. But I'm not saying that's why you may hate heroes," Izuku's ears started to burn and he suddenly found himself in a rambling apology as panic struck him after he had tried so hard to remind himself to not say anything that was offensive and he felt like he just shot himself in the foot with what was rambling form his mouth as he sat there embarrassed and struggling to stop the word vomit.
It wasn't till she started to laugh lightly that the man was finally able to force his mouth to stop, though it was more like his body had frozen up unable to keep anything else stupid from escaping his mouth.
"You don't need to apologize or get so nervous. You're perspective and smart. I have had my fair share of run-ins with hero's and it's never been fun. People don't like being arrested even if they have done something wrong. But we tend to dislike it even more when a hero arrests someone just because you piss them off. It is also no fun being man handled by a hero on a power this one time Endeavor arrested me after I got in his face or tried to damn that man was tall or I was just really short. But anyways I let my dumb mouth rip into him. He did not enjoy being ripped into by some teenage girl and I found my ass in handcuffs. It didn't last long since there was really nothing he could have done. But still it was not fun spending a day at a police station waiting to be released," She said laughing lightly at the memory of her younger self giving Endeavor an absolute tongue lashing once in the middle of a busy street. She couldn't remember what had exactly set her off. Probably something about how he treated a fan since she always had hated the way he was so cold to people even those who supported his stupid ass and helped him to be the number two then number one for a short while. She remembers walking up to him and completely poking him in the chest even though she did not even make it to the man's shoulders at her highest point at the time. And in order to even look at his face as she was yelling at him she had to crank her neck back. As much as the endless hours she spent handcuffed it had been so worth it. And she would have done it again to watch the look on that man's face as it went from shock to anger as she embarrassed his ass. And now watching Izuku gawk at her she could hardly keep herself from laughing even more at the memory.
"Please tell me it's a joke?" he asked as he watched a grin tug at the woman's lips.
"Nope. I really did that. And to be honest I would probably do it again if I ever had a chance," She said a little too proudly as she placed an elbow on the table and placed her chin in her palm before she sobered up at least a little.
"Honestly I never could understand how that man had made it to even the number two spot before All Might's retirement. It's just one big popularity contest isn't it?" she asked as she looked across the table who could actually answer her question since he himself was currently number one.
"Well it's not really that simple. Our track records for hero work also come into play. Hero's. Those with more arrests, or big busts often end up with better ratings than those who do less or chase after more lower level crime," Izuku said slowly even though in a large part she was not wrong. Being seen, being in the news, being well liked and popular did allow a hero to climb the ranks faster.
"So you're saying those with bigger agency's, more employees, more news coverage are the ones who rank higher. That still sounds like a popularity test with a little bit of money tossed around to help," She said bluntly as she watched him rub the back of his neck telling her she must be pretty accurate as he became uneasy with how to answer back.
"Well you're not completely wrong. But I think you're assuming it's a little more corrupt than it really is. You do not have to have the biggest agency to be a top rank. I know a number of top fifty hero's who operate smaller agencies and are easily able to hold their ranking. But in a sense you're really not wrong there are some who pay out to help themselves get higher in the ranks. There were always rumors that Endeavor liked to pay for his problems to disappear. But I can not really think of any younger newer hero who does the same. Of course that doesn't mean it doesn't happen but I don't think it's common," once again the young man had started to ramble as he tried to explain how she wasn't wrong but she also was not completely right. Luckily for him she was growing too tired to feel like arguing with him, though she probably wouldn't even if she had the energy to as she watched him seem to struggle to not just ramble off about his profession. It also made her gut twist at the thought of assuming or trying to accuse this sugar cookie of a man; was some sort of a corrupt or greedy hero who held his number one title using money or his power when clearly that was not how this man held his high rank. He was genuinely nice and kind, no wonder people loved him. He had the power to save hundreds and the boyish charm to make people love him.
"Calm down, I'm not trying to accuse you or anyone but Endeavor," She said as she softly waved her other hand at him before she found herself yawning softly. She was tired even though she had done nothing but basic house work. The less than great sleep she had was catching up with her already. Oh well this should be the last night she has to sleep on her floor. Watching the woman across from him yawn had him calm down and recall how he had found her during the early morning hours that morning.
"You didn't get a lot of good sleep last night did you?" He asked frowning softly at her.
"It was not perfect but it could have been worse. It's not like one or two bad nights of sleep will kill me," she said with a soft shrug of her shoulders. She was more mellow when she was slightly tired. She did not have the energy any more to argue with people.
"Still it doesn't sit well that I have stolen your bed from you," he said shuffling slightly in his seat as if he had more to say but seemed unsure.
"It's fine. If it wasn't I'd have kicked you out a long time ago," even though she said that Aoi really didn't mean it. She may be a little rough around the edges but her heart was too big for its own good. She could never turn down a hurt person or animal.
"Still it makes me feel bad for taking up your bedroom," Izuku mumbled softly. She had noticed his large scarred hands bend and flex slowly. Some did not seem to have the best mobility. Which made sense as she looked at his rough hands. A body could only take so much abuse and his hands clearly showed the signs of being abused at some point in his life. Then again she remembered the view of his bare chest that morning when he was in nothing more than a towel. She had tried not to stare but she had noticed the scars that littered his body as well as the large one along his one arm. It was a sobering reminder that this man would risk his own body and life to keep others safe.
"You can feel bad all you want. It's not going to change the fact I will not let you sleep on the couch in your shape. I'd probably need a few of your hero buddy's to come and get you off my couch if you sleep on it now," she said trying to crack a joke though her less than enthusiastic energy did not quite let the joke work as well as it may have if she was a little more energetic. Instead she was greeted with a frowning man as she finally pulled her eyes away from his hands and looked up at his face.
"You know my offer from last night still stands," He said as his entire face started to go beet red and now he could no longer meet her eyes as she looked up at him. He coughed when she did not right away say anything as her brain was processing the fact that he was once again saying they could just share her bed.
"I mean it is your bed. And I feel really bad taking it from you. And it's not like I would do anything," He was rambling again as the words very quickly started to escape him faster than her slow brain could comprehend the words. But she did have to ponder why did she not like the idea of sharing a bed? He was already so embarrassed over simply bringing up the subject. The thought that this rambling shy boy would even dare to touch her was almost enough to make her laugh. So he was not actually the problem. So then what was stopping her from being able to sleep in her own bed? It had simply been her own stubbornness that had sent her to sleep on the floor last night, which her back was also arguing about. Geeze she wasn't even thirty already and her body was unhappy with its unpleasant sleeping arrangement from the night before. She slept like that many times as a teenager and she did not remember her body arguing so much back then.
"Okay okay just stop your rambling. I can not understand you any more," She said, trying not to laugh as she watched the man instantly shut his mouth after a quick apology to her. Yep an innocent and stupid sugar cookie. She wondered if he had ever even slept with a woman? He seemed so shy and innocent she had a feeling the answer to her question was no. Maybe that was the reason she didn't actually fear or have any concerns with the idea of sleeping beside him. Midoriya didn't look like he would touch her in her sleep even if she wanted him too.
"Fine you win, hero. I'll take you up on your offer. But if I hog all the blankets and you freeze your ass off tonight you can not blame me," She said playfully even though she really was not sure if she was a blanket hog. It wasn't that her past partners were dine and dashes themselves, it was more so she herself never stuck around. Maybe that was where her uneasiness came from, she never stuck around with her own lovers yet was now going to share a bed with a man who would not be naked nor would she be. It still had her oddly unease for some reason she couldn't exactly explain at the moment.
"Oh uhm great, or I mean okay," He stumbled around his words as it seemed his entire face was so red she almost couldn't see his freckles any more and the redness was even spreading down his neck.
"Down boy," She said, unable to help but tease him lightly even as she watched him become even more flustered if that was possible as he quickly started apologizing. Which now had her laughing as he apologized for doing nothing wrong.
"Well then you may not be tired but I am," She said as she let out another yawn before slowly punching herself to her feet before offering him a hand to help him up.
"I hope you don't mind heading to bed so early," She said as she helped him up to his feet then offered him a shoulder to lean on as the two of them now started to slowly shuffle their way towards her bedroom.
"Well my hero work does tend to get in the way of my sleep. But I don't mind, I am sure I'll fall asleep," He said, simply giving her a small smile as the two of them slowly made their way through the small apartment and finally into her room. With her help he was able to get himself to the end of the bed where she helped him to sit down. Once he was sitting she stepped back and moved to start sorting through her clothes looking for something clean to wear to bed. Grabbing some shorts and a t-shirt Aoi paused and pouted for a second while her back was turned to the man. She was tired and had little desire to go and walk to her bathroom just to change. But she imagined just stripping down in front of the man may give him a heart attack and she had no desire to kill the idiot after she did so much to see him live.
"I'll be right back. Don't fall off the bed," She called out over her shoulder as she walked out of her bedroom with a light laughter as she heard him call out that he wasn't that incompetent.
It only took a few minutes before she had returned to the bedroom, dumping her dirty clothes into her now empty hamper before she turned her attention to the man who was still sitting on her bed. Of course the look of how red his face was she almost laughed. Was it the tiny shorts she was wearing or was it the fact she had ditched her bra that made the man look so embarrassed. Either way watching him blush and look away from her quickly as she first walked into the bedroom was still entertaining. At least giving him some reprieve she flicked the light off to her bedroom using the screen of her cell phone to light up her path to her bed before she sat down on the other side. She could feel the bed shifting as she listened to Izuku slowly dragging himself into the bed as she plugged her phone in and then proceeded to also do the same.
"Good night Midoriya," She said as she laid down along the edge of her bed as she kept her back to the man. Suddenly her exhaustion seemed to disappear and now she seemed almost hyper aware of the warm body beside her even as he bid her a good night as well. She could feel the warmth from his body under the blanket with her, his breathing seemed a little fast but then again her own breathing was refusing to calm down as well. This was going to be a long night for the, both