Chapter One Hundred and Thirty
Momo Yaoyorozu was… worried about her friends.
And she was still getting used to having friends, though it was something she'd found she rather enjoyed, which was why, seeing them both like this, was… inciting concern.
She'd been in contact with Mina, being there for the girl after the, the attack, as Mina was there for her, and finding out that Denki had been alive had taken a pressure off of both of their shoulders. Then there was the confrontation with this 'All-for-One', and it hadn't been until she'd heard Mina whispering to herself that Momo had realized that the shape-shifting glowing form had been their friend. That battle had been like something from the history books, the battles between masses of Quirk-using combatants, only instead of the destruction being the cause of hundreds, if not thousands, it had been merely been three.
And most of it had come from a single man.
Yaoyorozu had to admit, she wasn't sure that All Might was going to be able to win that time, but, of course, she was being silly, as it was All Might, and, it seemed, that Denki had been hiding the true extent of his capabilities, to an extent that made the dark-haired girl feel somewhat inferior.
Only, he hadn't been, and pushing himself like that, it'd cost him.
Seeing the young man as he'd been afterwards, a ghost of his former self, a wounded specter barely clinging onto life, it had taken her aback, rendering her silent as the others talked, barely managing to put forward that they should report the obviously corrupt officer of the law, only to be sharply rebuked, the old Denki emerging for a moment, but she could tell that, too, had cost him, she had cost him, instead of helping.
As such, Yaoyorozu had gone to Mother for suggestions, as well as to inquire about what she should do as in a greater sense, only to discover that there was a great deal that she had… not been informed of. On a more personal matter, she had been furnished with psychological texts, which she had studied intently, and which had informed her of the need not to crowd someone who had gone through trauma, to not smother them, and which had been the approach she had followed.
It was only now that Momo realized that she had chosen that path because it had… given her an excuse to not see Denki again, shaken by what she had witnessed, and not knowing how to deal with him being a shadow of himself, while Mina had, rightly, been there for him, and had done what Momo herself had not even attempted to do!
Because the Kaminari that had walked into their class? Compared to what she had seen in that hospital bed, it was night and day. She could tell he was still injured, scarred, not physically, but mentally, and the way he treated Mr. Aizawa alone would, had this been a month ago, been unthinkable, however their teacher had not only accepted being talked across to, and if not entirely kindly at that, then with good grace, but Eraserhead himself affirmed that Kaminari was right to do so.
Which, if Mr. Aizawa understood that to be true, there was clearly something she had been missing!
And then there was lunch, where Kaminari had frozen, a look of fear on his face unlike she'd ever seen. He'd taken off, and Mina had told the rest not to worry, that she'd go check up on him, taking off afterwards at speed on her Quirk, leading to a very awkward luncheon, not helped by the sheer amount of attention that the new Class 1-A was receiving from the others.
Getting the text from Mina in the group chat, a quarter of an hour later, that everything was alright, had helped, had helped, but the additional messages that her friend had sent to Momo had not, Mina suddenly insistent in her texts that Momo talk to their mutual friend, and that "this whole 'let him figure it out' thing has gotta stop, Creati! " had removed what relief she'd felt.
It left her dreading how bad off Kaminari was, or if he'd even be there when they returned, but he was… fine? If anything he seemed slightly improved? Then again, Yaoyorozu was learning how poorly she could determine the state of things. However, their afternoon exercises had driven all other thoughts from her head, yet, after a refreshing shower, with Mina giving her a very insistent look, Momo had still hesitated, only for the other girl to roll her eyes and drag her out, the two of them having a whispered discussion. Momo, pointing out that Denki seemed better, provoked an angry insistence that, "I've been doin' all I can, YaoMomo, but this is more than I can handle!"
Which was a factor that the dark-haired girl hadn't even considered, that by staying away, she had not just been avoiding Kaminari, she'd been leaving the entire load of trying to help him on her only other friend, and was a thought that just made her feel terrible. So, when Mina had all but thrown her at Kaminari, she'd tried to justify herself, only for him to tell her how he felt, which was something the books hadn't even mentioned, and, oh, she was just the worst!
His attempts to make her feel better just made her feel even more poorly, as expecting someone hurting to do all the work seemed to be, now that she thought of it, like looking at a person struggling to stand and merely telling them, 'fix yourself,' while they tried to carry your burdens, and then, though his unexpected public display of affection was unexpected, she had to admit it was not… entirely unwanted.
Mina joining in helped, though Momo wished she could untangle her hand from Kaminari's, for proprieties sake, though the feel of his grasping hers, strong and there, was somewhat enjoyable.
Seeing her driver waiting for her outside the gates, which caused Mina to falter, Yaoyorozu made the decision that she would not stand back, directing them both inside, and asking Mr. Higa to drop them off at the nearby mall instead of taking her home, as she wished to participate in some karaoke with her friends.
Momo couldn't help but notice how the man's eyes lingered on Kaminari, and neither did her two friends, Denki stiffening, but, glancing at her after they were seated, the young man forced himself to relax. And she didn't miss the insistent look from Mina either, that almost shouted "SEE!?" despite being completely silent.
Soon enough, they had a room, along with drinks and snacks, and… Oh, this was so awkward!
Denki was relaxing, but, but what did she say? She already apologized, but she felt that wasn't enough, but he said it was so would she insult him if she said it again, since the way he reacted to things very often didn't follow standard social conventions, and-
"Hey, YaoMomo! Why don't you pick the first song?" Mina chirped, which, what!?
Rolling his eyes, Kaminari pointed out, "You were the one who suggested karaoke, Pinky."
Nodding, she agreed, "Yeah, which is why I don't get to pick the first one! Go ahead, you got this girl!" she urged, looking Momo's way.
I don't have this! The dark-haired girl thought, but, no, she had a task, and, she was going to go for something safe, not something special, just going to whatever was at the top of the list, stepping forward with the microphone, and, oh, wait, it was a love song!
Too late to stop now, the only way out is through! She thought, not having given a thought to such a thing before, but, now, now with everything that had happened, singing about going through dark times, but with love to keep one going, it was… it struck her a bit harder than she expected, not that she loved loved either of them, but they had, in a way, kept her going, seeing Mina there, in the safe zone they'd managed to create in the hell that their camp had become, was like a ray of sunlight in an unending night, and the fact that Kaminari hadn't been there, even when the morning came, it had only seemed a twilight until she was sure he was alright.
And, even now, he wasn't quite, not really.
And she didn't know what to do.
Yet, as she sung, putting her all to it, some of the… tightness in him, across his shoulders, his motions having been gentle, but carefully controlled, loosened a little, his genial, yet still somewhat cold, expression warmed, and something she could put her finger on, something almost like a blaze, ready to rage out of control, that seemed to emanate from him, seemed to bank itself, slowly becoming more like that of their hearth, still large, but comforting instead of worrying.
As it wrapped up, she smiled his way, not sure exactly what she was doing, the texts having been aggravatingly light on the use of karaoke to help treat trauma, but, it, it seemed to be working?
"That's great, YaoMomo!" Mina cheered, springing up from where she'd sat, Denki's arm having been wrapped around her shoulder. "My turn!" the horned girl announced, taking the microphone, and moving up, yet, at the same time unexpectedly pushing her friend towards the couch, leaving Yaoyorozu not to sit where she had been planning, on the other side that the pink-haired girl had vacated, but in her very spot.
Denki tensed, as the heiress landed next to him, his arm now around her shoulders, and he made to shift, only for the dark-eyed girl, microphone in hand, to command, "Don't move a muscle!"
With a snort, and a roll of his eyes, looking to Yaoyorozu, he asked, "Do you mind, Momo?"
"I, uh, no? No," she answered, reminded of him doing so before, as they'd sat around the campfire, as they… went over possible villain scenarios, which weren't just spooky stories! While this setting was a bit more intimate than that, that… wasn't necessarily too bad a thing, now was it?
And, remembering her discussions with Mina about the historical prevalence of… non-monogamous yet still committed relationships, and how they existed into the modern day, she felt herself reddening, wondering if her friend's inquiries may have not merely been idle curiosity as she'd claimed.
The girl in question, meanwhile, shot them a thumbs up, and loaded her own song, another karaoke classic. Something about it made Denki laugh, Mina giving him a significant look, the song about a man who always wanted to say something to the girl he liked, but never working up the courage, telling himself 'there's always tomorrow' every time, and… wait.
Was… was she the girl being sung about here?
But, no, it was a very, very common Karaoke song, not on the top lists anymore, because it was ancient, but if you looked up the greatest, it certainly would be in the top ten!
…No, no she was overthinking it, clearly, finding herself leaning into the firm warmth of her friend, who was just a friend! Though, had he always been this warm? It was comforting, and she almost found herself basking in it, already tired from their afternoon's workout, and Recovery Girl's Quirk, though, as she eyed her soda, with a low crackle, Kaminari extended his electrical arm to grab it, and hand it over to her, which she smiled at, and took a sip from, the energy drink helping to perk her up a little.
Soon enough, Mina wrapped up, and, slowly, Denki pulled away from her, Momo letting out a moue of disappointment at that, catching herself before she made any real noise, though, while the man didn't see her, from her other friend's teasing grin, the girl absolutely had.
Plopping down on the other side from where Denki had sat, putting Momo between the two of them when he returned, Mina asked, "So, not bad, huh?"
"Great as always," Denki, the pink-skinned girl's boyfriend, smiled warmly, going over to look over the display.
"You performed it quite well," Momo added, with a smile of her own, though part of her wondered what the other thing her friend wanted to say was, from the look in her black and gold eyes.
"Yeah, and I liked the message, ya know? About 'going for what ya want'," the horned girl nodded, causing the heiress to frown in confusion.
"But, isn't the song about there 'always being a tomorrow'?" Momo questioned. "That if you do not do it now, you can do so tomorrow?"
Blinking, Mina remarked, "Uh, YaoMomo? Like, from the way my parents talk about it? … No. It really isn't."
Before she could ask, Denki started his song, which, as he usually chose, was an American one, and, well, if the others may have had a secondary meaning, this one absolutely did, given what had happened, not just to him, but to all of Japan.
Also, it was a much more aggressive song than he normally chose. More than that, from the way he sung it, it wasn't the original song, which she remembered hearing before, but another, darker, angrierversion, as his presence seemed to fill the room, bits of himself, shifting to lightning, seemingly outside of his own control, and, though she worried for the sound system, Momo had no fear for herself, Mina, beside her, frowning, but looking on sympathetically.
As it came to a close, looking over what was available on the secondary screen, Yaoyorozu bit her lip, trying to find something that would convey support, and connection, though not necessarily a romantic one, and was in his preferred genre, or at least close, as well as that sense of continuation that Mina seemed to be going for, her song choice clearly chosen to convey a message so, so Momo's would too!
Accepting the microphone from Denki, as he sat down beside her, putting herself between him and Mina, she searched furiously, before… yes!
"I think this one would for all of us!" Yaoyorozu announced, taking another pull from her drink and putting it down, forcing herself to push through the tiredness, still not quite sure what she was doing, but she was going to do her best!
The three of them stood, and, as the song began, the man instantly recognized it, flinching, as if struck, and turning to her, starting to say, "I, Momo, I-"
However, she cut him off, requesting, with as much force as she could muster, "After the Song, Denki!"
"Yeah, we're here for karaoke!" Mina grinned, shooting the other girl a wink, however, Yaoyorozu hadn't been wrong in that the song was starting, and, as one, they started to sing.
"Sometimes in our lives, we all have pain, we all have sorrow. But if we are wise, we know that there's always tomorrow. Lean on me, when you're not strong, and I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on... For it won't be long, till I'm gonna need somebody to lean on."
As her song came to a close, the man beside her was struggling to sing, choking up, and clearly embarrassed, so, smiling, she suggested, "You really should try the shumai, Denki, I've heard it's quite good!"
Nodding, and clearly thankful for the moment to collect himself, he took a seat, grabbing a dumpling, while Momo, proud of herself at having made such an impact, turned back to the selector to try again, but paused, as she saw that Mina had already queued up another song, this one supportive, but very much a love song, though she hadn't started it yet, waiting to see what the dark-haired girl would say. With a somewhat put upon look, the heiress looked back at the horned girl, who grinned unrepentantly, and, nodding, Yaoyorozu leaned over to hit Play.
After a rendition of 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough', Denki took over, and while 'Thank you for being a friend' might be a little on the nose, and he struggled a bit with it in the beginning, it was still appreciated, the feeling of awkwardness, that divide between her and Kaminari that had sprung up, slowly closing, as they continued.
Momo chose supportive songs, as much as she could, even if quite a few of them had… romantic undertones, and Mina's often had a theme of chances, either missed or taken, while Denki's were so all over the place that she sometimes wondered if they had one, at first glance. 'Joker & the Thief' could perhaps have been a reference to his own status being watched by the 'Friends', but it was the refrain in the Chorus 'We are not going home' that, sending a look Mina's way, got a smile out of her that didn't make much sense. Similarly, his choice of the song 'Jump' caused the horned girl to guffaw with laughter, though she wouldn't explain why.
After a group rendition of 'Living on a Prayer', all three of them took a break, Yaoyorozu stretching, then wincing, as healed but still sore muscles pulled, causing the heiress to let out a hiss as her hand went to aching shoulder.
"Oh, hey, lemme get that for ya, YaoMomo!" Mina smiled, creating some of her acid with a wave of her hand, which she pressed to the dark-haired girl's shoulder, whereupon the substance started glowing blue.
And, as if that weren't enough, the lingering traces of pain she had slowly disappeared.
"You… You can heal?" Yaoyorozu questioned, as that, that seemed impossible, like, like it was an entirely new Quirk, and, as Kaminari face-palmed hard enough to make a clapping sound, she made the connection, asking, "Wait, Denki, with what you said of All-for-One, did you copy his ability to grant Quirks?"
Mina froze, the glow under her hands cutting out, as she glanced over to her boyfriend, apologizing, "Sorry, Sparky!"
With a groan, and a slight crackle, he sighed. "No, it's fine, Pinky. So, uh, short answer is no, I can't grant powers like he can, the only time I saw him use his actual Quirk was when he tried to steal mine-"
Yaoyorozu gasped, having not even thought that that might happen.
"But due to a… quirk of my Quirk, my powers can't be stolen, whatever it was having… grown so that, well, I can feel when someone targets me now, assuming there's some kind of 'ping' to it instead of pure passive perception," he continued. "The other powers he used, the ones he stole from others, if I had to guess, all counted as other powers, and, from what I can tell, my ability to copy a Quirk is in direct proportion to someone's skill with it, among other things, which he seems to… lack. That's why I picked up Todoroki's as fast as I did, as well as Mandalay's and Pixi-Bob's."
"You did?" Momo questioned. "Both of those Quirks are quite useful, Denki."
"Ooooh!" Mina grinned. "Do the thing!"
Rolling his eyes, Kaminari leaned in close to her, and, bringing his hand up booped her on the nose, while, at the same time, she clearly heard him say the word "~Boop,~" in her head, despite his lips not moving.
Looking at Momo carefully, Mina pouted, "You didn't do the thing!"
"The thing?" Yaoyorozu echoed.
"With telepathy I can talk dirty in public," he stated flatly, which, oh, oooooooh.
Blushing bright red, the dark-haired girl was studied by her horned, and apparently horny, friend, who asked, "Is Sparky doing it now-"
"No," he replied, before she could. "Order of operations, Pinky. But, yeah, I can't give powers, that's… something different."
Wracking her brain, the answer struck Yaoyorozu like a lightning bolt. Ironic, given the man beside her. "You had a Quirk Awakening!"
Blinking dark eyes, Mina asked, "A what?"
"Oh, it's, well, it's not a well understood phenomenon, but sometimes, when under great stress, a person's Quirk can… evolve," she explained, both of them watching her with interest. "In doing so, a person's Quirk will gain power and depth, removing limitations that previously defined how it worked. In the literature, an example was of a Quirk that allowed a person to lift things, like Yanagi, from 1-B, but not themselves, suddenly able to do both, while having their capacity and control also increasing."
She paused, as her explanation didn't quite make sense, though… "And, it appears, Mina, that not only has your ability to control your Quirk's expression grown, but your control of it as well, allowing you to freeze it, eroding its… heat? And, I suppose, you're 'melting' my injury as well? Like I said, it is not something that is well understood," she apologized. "I'm sorry!"
"No, it's fine," he reassured her, looking past her to Mina. "I'm sure Principle Nezu reached the same conclusion, though he hasn't said anything about it to us. I've heard about it too, just didn't think about it for this, Mina, and that does help explain things."
"Yeah, it really does, but, uh, can you keep this on the DL, YaoMomo?" Mina asked. "'Cause, like, you're right, healing is kinda out there, and, like, we'd rather not anyone know. I, well, I've been using it to help this big lug," she jerked a thumb towards Kaminari, "and with it just bein' the three of us, I didn't think about it!"
Ah, that's why he's improved! the Heiress realized, as, with how worried he was, and, with the uncovering of corrupt police officers, he apparently had a right to be, but that also meant that he wouldn't let an unknown power work on him, even a healing one. However, if it were Mina doing it, he trusted her, and so would let her work, undoing the damage done to him that his own regeneration Quirk seemed unable to touch!
And, having talked to her parents about what had happened, while personally Yaoyorozu had been given psychological texts to try and help Kaminari, texts of… questionable completeness she now had to add, on a larger scale her parents had, quietly, explained that, yes, they knew about All-for-One. Well they hadn't known about him, in particular, or even who he truly was, All Might's revelations filling in the blanks of understanding that even they possessed, however, they were aware of certain… groups that existed, of which the 'Friends' were only one.
When Momo had, shocked, demanded to know why they hadn't reported the existence of Villainous groups to the authorities, Father hadn't met her gaze, while Mother had, quietly, explained that they had tried, tentatively, yet within the halls of government were both those who held allegiances to those groups, as well as those that were corrupt in other ways, willing to bow to whoever gave them the most, regardless of morality.
Such concerns were why Yaoyorozu Industries limited its interactions with companies like Kamitei, Detnerat, and Orlon Leaf Incorporated, as all three, along with dozens of others, either doing things in ways that suggested hidden motives, or were just outright corrupt, and her family had not grown their company out of the Chaotic Century by doing what was easy instead of what was right.
It was also why their parents encouraged her dream to become a Heroine, it turned out, as, once she was part of the Hero system, if she rose high enough, Yaoyorozu could help force through reforms, investigating those business her family avoided, and, if she found the wrongdoing her parents suspected existed, bring it to light.
They had shared with her that, as much as they wanted to help stop these Villians-in-all-but-name, and sometimes led by those in name as well, it would take people like All Might, like Endeavor, and, soon, like Denki, Mina, and Herself, to truly do so.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," Momo reassured the pair. "I would like to tell Mother and Father, but…"
Glancing to Denki, her pink-skinned friend shook her head. "We'd really rather ya didn't."
"Then I won't," the heiress promised, nodding, though, with the ache of muscles, she added, "Though, uh, if you don't mind, could you get my other side as well?"
Laughing, Mina nodded, "Of course, YaoMomo!"
"And I'll provide the soundtrack," Denki mused, getting up and making a selection.
Wiggling her eyebrows, the horny girl asked, "Sexual Healing, Sparky?"
"While you're both 'getting wet', no, Pinky," he shot back, and, oh, was it getting warm in here!?
"Kaminari!" Yaoyorozu chided, embarrassed. "Not…"
"Not in public?" Mina questioned, when Momo couldn't think of a good objection, though she felt there should be one! "'Cause we ain't, and, trust me, we aren't the first to… get wet in this sort of place."
Blushing even brighter, she answered, "Not… yet."
Both her friends stopped, and stared at her, before, with a loud laugh, the other girl cheered, "And YaoMomo comes out swingin'!"
"No swinging, committed relationships only," Denki absently corrected, staring at the dark-haired girl consideringly, which only made her blush harder. Oh god, why did I say that? she questioned internally, but, thankfully, her parents had taught her how to maintain an impassive face when need be. "Key Parties are only for those that can't run risk assessment and/or don't value their partners," he explained, looking through the song selections.
Looking to other girl, who mouthed 'Key Parties', the English term not one either of them knew, he shook his head. "But that's… a discussion for another day. In the meantime, Mina, get to healing, and I'll get to singing."
Putting on the song, Denki belting out, "You got the touch! You got the powahh!" the pink-skinned girl started giggling when she realized what it was, the glow of the very, very weak acid in her hands flickering as she tried to concentrate, having trouble doing so, while Momo rolled her eyes at the pair, very glad that she, too, was part of it. That said it was clear they were keeping secrets, but, as their friend, she wasn't going to pry, just trust that, when they were ready, they'd share them with her.
That or Mina would accidentally reveal them, because she already trusted Momo, and while Kaminari was more closed off, after you got through that outer layer of affability, and then the shell of sharp pointy bits, below that was a level of warmth that felt like a warm blanket on a snowy night, the man so uncompromisingly… straightforward, once you reached that point, that it made one aware of exactly where one stood with him.
And so they continued, her song choices still subtly reflecting her desire to support them both, Mina's about taking chances now, Denki's about overcoming adversity, until, finally, Momo had to call an end to it, as the rush of energy she'd gotten from the other girls healing had started to fade, the full exhaustion from today's events starting to weigh on her.
"One last song!" the pink-skin girl urged. "All together!"
"All right, one more," Yaoyorozu agreed, standing, and joining the other two, not familiar with this one, but, from the fondly exasperated look Denki sent her, he did.
Regardless, they sang, and she got lost in the song, an upbeat one, though Kaminari did put an odd emphasis on the chorus, until it finally came to a close, and she leaned up against him, enjoying the moment.
"… Fuck it."
The last of the tension in his form disappeared, as he turned to face her, and she wondered what he was going to say, only to discover he had a very different use for his lips in mind, and hers!
Caught off guard, she stiffened, but, after a moment, felt like she melted into his embrace, matching his kiss with one of her own, and his strength, almost burning-hot, was both gentle and seemingly overwhelming, but it felt like the jagged bits of him were carefully pointed away from her, leaving only comforting warmth that flowed into her.
Then the moment was over, and he pulled away, as she unintentionally tried to follow him, thoughts still scattered, stopping herself, but, before she could say anything Mina was there, kissing her as well!
While he had been an incandescent pillar, comfortingly firm and present, the other girl was an energetic flood, almost taking Momo off her feet, with the same passion as her boyfriend, but unrestrained, as it swept into her, the horned girls hands far more… active than Denki's gently solid grip, in a way that had the heiress involuntarily moaning before she was let go, and would've fallen to her knees if he hadn't caught her, with a slightly reproachful look at the horny pink skinned girl, who just grinned unrepentantly.
Yaoyorozu tried to say something, but her tongue, feeling tingly from the other girl's kiss, and, her thoughts scattered, as she still tried to processs… that, the words, "I, you, what?" falling from her suddenly sensitive lips, which seemed to still carry the warmth of his own.
"Well, Momo, I like you, Mina likes you, we both like each other," he stated, with just a bit of tension starting to creep back into his form, "so I thought tha-"
"Yes!" the dark-haired girl interrupted, her legs starting to work once more, as she stood up straight. "I, yes, I'd like to be with you. Both of you. It's, it's not the standard setup, but what about our life is?" she tittered, a little drunkenly, still a bit out of it, from, from that.
And that was just kissing! Some part of her thought, excitedly, with dread, longingly, with excited, longing dread! But, if that was just kissing, then what would… other things feel like?
With a charming smile, the old Denki very much present, he nodded. "Fair enough. Now, I think it's time we all head Home. You call your ride? Mina and I'll take the train back, as we should… cool off."
"Y-Yes, that, that sounds good," she agreed, taking out her phone, pausing, "Or, we… could get an extension?"
Mina laughed, "While that sounds fun, YaoMomo, we're all pooped, and if we're gonna be doin' anything more, we should have the energy to really enjoy it, ya dig?" The salacious wiggling of her pink eyebrows wasn't really needed, and took the dark-haired girl's mind into… places.
"You said not yet, let's take our time," Denki agreed. "It's not like we're not all going to be living together soon enough."
That… oh. Oooooh.
Looking down as she turned scarlet, she messaged her driver, who responded moments later, informing her he'd be there in a few minutes.
Cleaning up, they left the karaoke parlor, her car pulling up as they reached the street, the door opening for her.
"Seeya tomorrow, YaoMomo!" Mina grinned, rushing forward to pick the heiress up in a hug, kissing her on the cheek.
As she was put down, Denki stepped in, and for a moment Yaoyorozu worried he might kiss her again, in public, in front of her parents' employee, but, to her relief, and slight disappointment, he merely swept her up in a hug himself, and, in her mind, she could hear him clearly, ~Thanks, Momo. I'm glad you're there for me. I'll be there for you. I promise.~
And, despite him not doing anything like before, as she hugged him back for a moment, it still felt like he did, as he released her, and, a moment later, she did the same back, taking her seat in the rear of the vehicle, and waving to her new boyfriend and girlfriend, telling them, "See you tomorrow!"
Mina waved exuberantly, while Denki merely nodded seriously, and Mr. Higa drove away, leaving her to slump in her seat.
"A good night, Miss?" the man questioned, eyes on the road, Quirk scanning for threats.
"I… yes. A very good night. It was the first time we went out since… the attack," she explained.
"Ah, yes. Good to see things continuing, then, Miss," the veteran nodded seriously. "After something like that, it's good to remind yourself of what life normally is like."
"Indeed," Yaoyorozu nodded, still not quite sure what had happened, but, thinking about Denki, and Mina, she felt her face flush, her heart beat faster, and a pleasant, yet anticipatory, heat grow between her legs.
And she wasn't going to just see them at school.
She wasn't just going to be seeing them after school.
She was going to be living with them both, at all times, where each of their bedrooms were just a few steps away.
… Oh, I'm in danger.
Music:
Love song - 米津玄師 Kenshi Yonezu – Lemon
Another karaoke classic - Ashita Ga Arusa
His song - Disturbed - Land of Confusion - HQ – Lyrics
As the song began - Lean on Me
They sang - Avicii - The Nights (Lyrics) | he said one day you'll leave this world behind
AN: And thus we start to make good on the title! That 'slow building' tag was there for a reason. As usual, the next four chapters are up on Pat-reon and Subscribe-star, where we've (now actually) wrapped up this Arc!