A/N: Living for the fact that brain rot is canon in the MHA universe. I don't even care if it's cringe, it warms my soul lol. Anyway, welcome back, friends! It's another kind of long read ahead, but this chapter really pushed me, and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. We're starting to get into some twists and turns, so buckle up!
Also, because I live in the US and have been following the absolute travesties taking place, I just wanted to say to any readers in Florida or who have loved ones in Florida, please know I am constantly sending positive vibes your way. I truly hope all of you are safe and well in this tumultuous time. I can't do any more than offer uplifting words, so I hope this update entertains you, if only for a little while. Stay strong. Much love~
"Guys, did you hear?!"
Everyone looked up from their breakfast, confused.
"Hear what, Mina?" Hagakure asked after a moment.
"The nominees for the Sidekick Awards just came out!" Mina excitedly extended her phone for everyone to see. "And Hado and Amajiki both got nominated!"
"What?! No way!" Kirishima craned his neck forward to see the screen.
"Which categories?" Yaoyorozu asked excitedly.
Kirishima skimmed the article purposefully, his face lighting up once he pinpointed his friends' names. "Looks like she's up for 'Strongest Female Sidekick' and…whoa, Tamaki's nominated for 'Rising Star!'"
"What, really?" Mina popped her head around to see. "No way, go Amajiki!"
"That's the award where someone like, always goes pro immediately after winning, right?" Kaminari clarified.
"Yeah, it's a huge honor to even be nominated for it." Ojiro replied. "They only ever pick, like, three contenders."
Pride swelled up in Kirishima's chest once he digested Ojiro's words. The Rising Star Award got chosen not only by the Hero's Committee, but with the agreement of all the mentors of the nominees. They only consider sidekicks whom they've labeled as experienced and powerful enough to make it as pros on their own. That's why normally there aren't more than two or three sidekicks up for it, meaning if you won it, you were all but guaranteed to go pro. And Tamaki was one of those three nominees. He'd done it. Within the next few months, he'd no doubt start his agency and enter the full scope of his career. The thought brought a thrill to Kirishima; look at his unrelated brother go!
"When are they broadcasting the awards?" Tsuyu asked.
"I think it's next week, or something?" Mina scrolled through the article. "Yeah, on the fifteenth, so in like, a week and a half."
"Oh my gosh, guys!" Hagakure sat forward in her seat. "You know what we should do?"
"Get it together so we'll be the ones nominated next year?" Kirishima pumped his fist in the air.
"Well…sure, but also!" Hagakure pulled out her phone. "We should invite class B to our lounge and watch the awards together!"
"That's a fabulous idea, Hagakure!" Yaoyorozu immediately whipped out a notebook. "We could make a whole day of it and buy up some snacks, maybe play some games together beforehand, ooh, maybe we could even get Vlad and Aizawa to sign off on making it a sleepover, too!"
"That sounds amazing." Mineta drooled from the other side of the table. "We should even assign sleeping partners. Yaoyorozu–"
"Dude, dial it back." Kaminari sliced his hand back and forth in front of his neck, signaling Mineta to cut it out.
"Yaomomo, do you…always carry empty notebooks with you?" Ojiro, the only one who seemed to notice the new book, eyed her a little confusedly.
"Oh, no, I just made this one!" She replied brightly.
That made more sense, but still left him baffled.
"Hey, isn't our dress shopping day for the gala a couple days later?" Mina put in excitedly. "Girls, we should totally take notes on what we see for some outfit inspo!"
Hagakure snapped her fingers. "Yes! Oh my gosh, yes! Do they do a red carpet walk for these awards?"
"Oh, absolutely." Yaoyorozu jotted something down. "For both the pros and the sidekicks."
"Ooh, that means double the options!" Hagakure wrapped her arms around Jiro's neck. "Maybe even you'll see something you like, Jiro!"
Jiro stuttered. "Uh, yeah, maybe."
"Hey, Tsu, Uraraka!" Kirishima beckoned the two girls over to his side amidst the rest of their class chattering.
"What's up?" Uraraka asked once they'd congregated at his table.
"We should surprise Tamaki and Hado with a video call tonight!" He suggested, rising to meet them at eye level. "You know, let them know how proud we are and stuff!"
Their work studies got put on hold for the first quarter of their third year initially to get all written tests and academics out of the way, but fell even more to the wayside at the addition of the gala. That meant the three of them hadn't gotten to see very much of their sidekick friends, though they kept in touch as best they could via social media.
"Ooh, that sounds like fun!" Uraraka nodded excitedly.
"How do we know they won't be working tonight, though?" Tsuyu lifted a finger to her chin.
"Oh yeah, that's a good point." Uraraka's shoulders slumped a little. "Maybe we could give Ryukyu a call and–"
"Oh, don't worry, I've been messaging Tamaki like, everyday this week." Kirishima explained. "He's definitely free tonight, at least. And if he's free, Hado usually takes the night off, too. She worked the last couple nights, so that shouldn't be too hard."
Uraraka raised an eyebrow. "How do you…know so much about their schedules?"
"Oh." Kirishima's face tinged pink. "I, uh, well like I said, I talk to Tamaki…a lot. Mostly on Discord, you know? Just gaming things."
"Well, as long as we aren't intruding, I'd love to give them a call." Tsuyu nodded.
Uraraka squeezed Tsuyu's arm excitedly. "Wouldn't it be so cute if they both won?"
"Right? And they got to put their awards in a joint display case or something?" Tsuyu swooned. "The first of their many awards, that's adorable!"
"Wait, sorry to interrupt, but did they move in together?" Mina turned to Tsuyu from her spot beside Kirishima.
"Yeah, a few months ago." Tsuyu confirmed. "They haven't been super open about it for privacy reasons, but Ochako and I have been to their place a couple times. It's cozy; you can tell Nejire decorated it."
"She has the cutest kitchen with all this cosmic themed cookware and ugh, it's so pretty!" Uraraka cooed.
"That sounds super like her." Kirishima grinned. "Oh man, Tamaki's really got it made. Cool new house, about to go pro, a gorgeous girlfriend, what else does a man need?"
"Hey, now!" Mina rose from her seat, pinching Kirishima's ear gently. "Don't go calling other women gorgeous when your girlfriend is sitting right here!"
Immediately, he turned to her with panic in his eyes.
"Aw, come on, babe, I don't mean anything by it!" He took both her hands in his. "You're my forever queen, no girl could ever measure up to that! You know that, right?!"
"I'm just teasing you, babes." She stood on her toes and kissed his nose lovingly. "I know Hado's a knockout. Just reminding you of what you have is all."
He snaked an arm around her waist, bringing their faces together.
"Oh, I know what I have. And I'm not gonna be dumb enough to lose it, ever." He pressed a kiss against her lips. Tsuyu and Uraraka exchanged a heartfelt glance, happy to see their friends so in love with each other.
"Boo!" Mineta launched a strawberry at the couple, interrupting the moment. "No coupley stuff at the breakfast table! Some of us are trying to eat here!"
"Yeah!" Kaminari echoed him. "Let us single guys wallow in peace, right, Sero?"
Sero kept his gaze glued to his phone, not even hearing Kaminari.
"Sero?"
"Huh?" Said boy jumped. "Sorry, uh…what happened?"
"Ugh, you guys are so immature!" Mina turned on them, fists resting on her hips. "You know, maybe if you didn't act like this, you'd have actually found girlfriends for yourselves by now!"
"Ooh, get 'em, Mina!" Hagakure exclaimed proudly.
"Oh, please." Mineta rolled his eyes. "Maturity has nothing to do with it. It's all about being smooth, something you guys clearly don't understand."
"Yeah, and neither do you." Jiro sipped her coffee nonchalantly.
Mineta's eye twitched. "What'd you say?"
Jiro cocked an eyebrow. "You heard me."
"Uh, calm down, you guys." Kaminari held up a hand, nervously glancing back and forth between his friends. After the last few Jiro and Mineta interactions, he knew this was likely about to get nasty. Not something he or anyone else wanted to deal with early in the morning.
Mineta paid him no mind, leaning forward and gripping the table angrily. "You've got some crazy nerve, Earphones, especially since–"
"Hey, Jiro, I'm ready to head out if you are." Shoji stood beside her chair, seemingly appearing out of nowhere to cut Mineta off.
"Huh?" She looked up at him, relief flashing through her eyes. "Oh, yeah, actually, let me just clear my dishes–"
"I've got it." Shoji grew a couple hands, seamlessly lifting the empty plate and silverware from in front of her. "Come on."
"Wow, thanks." She followed him to the kitchen, smiling up at him in gratitude.
Kaminari tried to keep his eyes on his plate, fighting the pout threatening to form on his face. He totally had that situation handled before it started; why did Shoji need to intervene?
"Hey, you good, bro?" Sero nudged his foot under the table.
Kaminari did his best to shake himself out of his sulk. "Huh? Oh, yeah, totally."
The narrator states that he was not, in fact, good.
XxXxXxX
"Hm." Yaoyorozu skimmed her texts, raising an eyebrow.
"You good, Yaomomo?" Hagakure asked from her locker.
"Everything's fine. Mother wants me to attend a dress fitting for the gala." Yaoyorozu kept her eyes on her phone. "I suppose I neglected to tell her that I'll be shopping with you girls instead. No matter, I can let her know."
She typed out a quick text while Jiro and Uraraka exchanged puzzled glances.
"Wait, how does she know you're going? I thought we were supposed to keep it a secret!" Mina joined the conversation, echoing her friends' confusion.
"Oh, my parents will already be in attendance." Yaoyorozu nonchalantly pulled her PE clothes from her locker. "They go every year. I think I even attended when I was much younger, maybe in elementary school? Yes, that sounds correct."
"What?!" Uraraka perked up. "Are your parents like, undercover pros or something?"
"No, nothing like that." Yaoyorozu stayed focused on her belongings. "They mostly deal in the business side of things. Their main source of income is through sponsoring agencies with startup money and investments. They like to attend galas and events to network and strike up deals with up and coming heroes. They invited me to the Sidekick Awards, but I've got too much on my plate with the gala presentations and schoolwork."
"Whoa." Jiro raised her eyebrows. "They're rich enough to just…hand out startup money?"
"They're certainly not generous with it." Yaoyorozu pointed out. "They only invest in what they know will deal a payout. And they've got strong noses for it; I haven't seen a single one of their deals fall through yet."
Well, if Yaoyorozu's money habits were any sort of testament, she definitely wasn't lying. That girl always found cash to throw up in the air and then some. She'd drop a casual several hundreds on herself or her friends like it was nothing. Jiro smiled a little at that realization; Yaoyorozu's parents may not be generous with their money, but she'd somehow learned to be. Jiro didn't necessarily care about having a rich friend. Knowing Yaoyorozu valued her friends more than her wealth, though, meant a lot to her.
"Are they scouting anybody in particular?" Tsuyu asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
"They've got a few people in mind." Yaoyorozu admitted. "As far as current up and comers go, they're pretty interested in Amajiki, from what I've gathered. He's the one they've asked me the most about, at least."
"That makes total sense, he's the favorite for the 'Rising Star' award." Uraraka chuckled. "I doubt he'd like it if he found out just how much attention he's getting."
"According to Eijiro, the poor guy's been locking himself in his room as much as possible." Mina shook her head. "He's so introverted, I feel horrible for him."
"On the flipside, Nejire is boosting him nonstop." Uraraka held up her phone, showing an Instagram reel of that morning's street interview with Tamaki and Nejire. Multiple reporters swarmed the couple from all sides, effectively trapping them in a crowd that Fatgum did his best to mitigate in the background.
"-we just know he's gonna do amazing, he's been so ready for this for months, and we just can't wait to see him on that stage holding his trophy!" Nejire met the reporter's gaze excitedly.
Beside her, Tamaki's face turned green, his eyes staying locked on the concrete.
"Nobody says I'm for sure going to win." He mumbled to no one in particular. "Oh, man, this is…a lot of pressure…"
One would think the media had gotten used to Tamaki's avoidance of the spotlight. Since his debut, he'd shied away from every interview he possibly could, sticking mainly to Fatgum's side and letting him do all the talking. Once his relationship with Nejire was made public, he gained another pseudo social bodyguard, essentially never leaving the house without her. That way, if they got recognized, she could handle all the people while he snuck away. Still, the reporters exchanged confused glances, unsure how to quote his jittery response.
"Aw, my little kitten!" Nejire rose to her toes and planted a kiss on his cheek. "He's just so excited to be nominated, he doesn't even know what to say! He's got so much faith in everyone else, it's hard for him to imagine winning, isn't he such a sweetheart?"
Contrastingly, the journalists hung on Nejire's every word, jotting down and recording every second of her spiel.
"How about you, Fatgum?" Someone barked from the crowd. "How's it feel knowing your faithful sidekick's gonna go pro soon?"
"Oh, I couldn't be prouder!" Fatgum, whose years of media training showed, stepped forward and slung an arm around Tamaki's trembling shoulders. "You know, this kid's come a long way since I met him. This award's kind of a symbol of his progress, and I can't wait to–"
While he sang more of his sidekick's praises, the camera zoomed in on Tamaki's face. His lips had curled into an anxious squiggle, eyes wide as saucers, full of absolute terror. Uraraka gave him credit for still standing, though; in his younger years, he totally would have covered his face and bolted the first chance he got.
After a moment of lingering on Tamaki's expression, the video cut away, a different reel replacing it.
"Wow, he really doesn't like attention." Hagakure commented bleakly.
"He's doing his best." Mina sighed. "Eijiro's been trying to coax him out of his shell more, and I thought it was working. But lately he's been more withdrawn than ever."
"That makes sense, though." Jiro put in. "I mean, think about it: he's gearing up to win the award that always goes pro post-victory. He's only up against one other person, and he's apparently being scouted by the Yaoyorozu's, all while still having to actually do his job as Fatgum's sidekick. I'd crack under those circumstances, too."
Tsuyu tilted her head, a slight subject change brewing in her mind. "Wait, Yaomomo, if your parents are scouting him, does that mean that he's not going to bounce off of Fatgum's agency like most sidekicks do?"
"Maybe they'll stay affiliated. He can have more than one investor." Yaoyorozu clarified. "And it actually bodes a lot better for him if he does, in case someone ever pulls out of the deal. That's of course, before he takes off and starts making real money as a pro. He'll no doubt skyrocket after he wins, which it's projected he's going to."
"Not to mention the possibility of him opening up a joint agency with Nejire." Uraraka pointed out. "That'd increase their investors if Ryukyu is on board."
"Is that something they're planning on doing?" Jiro asked.
"Don't know. Just bouncing around ideas." Uraraka shrugged.
"It would be a wise move, if they plan to stay together." Yaoyorozu sounded calculative. "However, in the event of a breakup, that'd be the worst possible situation they could put themselves into, especially if they get married and divorced. The payout for that would be horrendous depending on the circumstances."
"Yeesh." Tsuyu winced. "That's a great endorsement to not marry another pro."
"Don't worry, wasn't planning on it." Jiro shuddered.
"Hey, don't say that!" Hagakure protested, stomping her foot a little. "Some of us happen to be in love with our fellow pro boyfriends!"
Jiro cocked an eyebrow. "Hagakure, you're not pro yet, and neither is Ojiro."
"Yeah, there's still time to switch careers!" Mina grabbed Hagakure's shoulders.
"No way." Hagakure crossed her arms huffily. "I've come way too far for that. Guess Ojiro's gonna be looking into something else if we can't figure it out."
"Or you could become a spy or police officer or something." Uraraka suggested, half jokingly. "You'd be a lot better at that than Ojiro."
"Yeah, and then your future marriage won't get wrecked by conflicting business nonsense!" Mina finalized. "Sounds like a win-win!"
"Oh, you're telling me you'd give up becoming a hero for Kirshima's sake?" Hagakure challenged Mina playfully.
"What?!" Mina gasped, outraged. "Absolutely not! If we can't agree, he'd be banished to the kitchen, doomed to be my house husband forevermore! There would be absolutely no discussion about it."
The one time Kirishima got put on cooking duty nearly resulted in Heights Alliance being burned to the ground, with said boy adamantly blaming the now-demolished rice cooker. Of course, his cooking partners had been Todoroki, who couldn't cut chives, and Tokoyami, someone whose meals primarily consisted of black coffee and energy drinks, so that culinary experience never had a hope of being saveable. All that is to say, casting Kirishima in the role of "house husband" did not sound feasible, and every girl snorted with laughter at the idea.
"From what I've gathered, most hero couples distance their relationships from their professional lives." Yaoyorozu explained once the laughter subsided. "Throughout my life, I've seen enough marriages fall apart due to contract issues to know that that's the smartest move."
"Throughout your life?" Tsuyu shrugged on her PE shirt. "Wow, so your parents really have been doing this since you were a kid."
"Before." Yaoyorozu shook her head, correcting Tsuyu. "In fact, it's something of a family business. It's fairly new since heroes have only been a profession for a few generations, but my grandparents held just as many stocks as my parents do."
"Is that why you want to be a pro, Yaomomo?" Hagakure asked. "Because you grew up around them?"
Yaoyorozu blinked. "Huh. I suppose it could be. I guess I always just thought it was a good fit for my personality but…you raise a good point."
"Yaomomo, have you…never thought about why you're training to be a hero?" Uraraka sounded confused.
"I have, to a practical degree." Yaoyorozu looked down a bit. "Most of my family went into business or diplomacy. The whole goal has always been to generate practical business ventures and keep our stocks up."
"So, do they look down on heroism?" Mina asked carefully.
Immediately, Yaoyorozu shook her head. "Oh, no. They're actually quite encouraging of me. I have a cousin who's working on her internship in Hero Business as well, so I know they don't disapprove. I guess it's just a little unorthodox that I went down this path, and I don't really have an answer as to why. Heroism always felt…right, I suppose. I never questioned that decision. So I never really felt the need to actually think about it."
"Well, it sounds like you're acting on instinct, which I think is reason enough!" Mina put in, squeezing her friend's hand. "After all, you're so kind hearted and strong, you've already got the perfect traits for becoming a pro!"
Yaoyorozu smiled at her. "Thank you, Mina. It's so sweet to hear you say that."
"Holy crap, guys!" Hagakure held up her phone, showing her friends the time. "We'd better get out there or we're gonna be late for training!"
Shit. This always somehow ended up happening; they'd all end up talking, someone would realize the time, and they'd have to scramble before Aizawa made them do push ups for running late. Not that any of the girls minded. At the end of the day, they were friends. Best friends. And talking about their lives sometimes provided a sense of therapy they couldn't get anywhere else.
As Yaoyorozu threw on her PE shirt, though, she couldn't shake the questions from her mind. Why hadn't she thought about why she wanted to become a hero? How did she even start down this path? The part that bothered her the most, though: why couldn't she remember?
XxXxXxX
Finally, his dad stopped. No more annoying double, triple, sometimes quadruple calls. Complete cease of texts. No trace of any communication from Endeavor.
And five missed calls from Fuyumi.
Once the school day ended, Todoroki found some time to step out onto the porch of Heights Alliance and call her back, concern striking him. Was there some sort of emergency he needed to be aware of? Did something happen with Natsuo or his mother?
"Hey, Shoto!" Fuyumi answered exuberantly. "Finally got you, ugh, are you always this difficult to reach?"
"Not usually. I'm just busy lately." Todoroki rested a hand in his pocket. "So, um, is everything okay?"
"Yeah, sorry for all the calls, I didn't mean to scare you!" Fuyumi sounded sheepish. "To be honest, Dad's the one who insisted I try as much as I did."
Oh, for fuck's sake. Now Todoroki should be worried about getting a call from Endeavor through his sister? Absolutely not. He refused to let this man damage his relationship with his siblings like that.
"Well, I'll be speaking to him about that." Todoroki gritted his teeth. "That's incredibly unfair. He should know by now that I don't want to talk to him. Now, is there anything you have to say to me?"
A brief pause. Fuyumi sighed. "Okay, so technically, I am relaying a message from Dad. But it's something you need to know about, I promise!"
Endeavor was easy to hang up on. Fuyumi, not so much. In reality, he couldn't think of a family member he felt closer to than her (which made Endeavor speaking through her that much more knife twisting.) So Todoroki closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded.
"Okay. Let's hear it." He leaned back.
"So, to keep this short, Dad pulled some strings and got certain permissions and…well, he wants to bring the rest of us to the Hero's Gala coming up."
Todoroki frowned. "The rest of you? Like, you and Natsuo are coming?"
"Me, Natsuo, and…Mom."
His heart stopped, freezing his whole body in place.
"Mom? She…she's coming?"
"According to Dad, she already agreed to it." Fuyumi confirmed nervously. "And he, um, wants us all to arrive together. He said he'll send a car to pick you up the night of and, you know, they'll bring you back, he just wants–"
"What, for us to walk in and greet the party like we're some big, happy family?" Fury coursed through Todoroki, jerking him out of his paralysis. "Pretend that none of this ever happened? What does he think this is going to accomplish?"
"Shoto, I know it's a lot." Fuyumi cut in. "Just think about it, okay? He doesn't expect an answer right now, he just–"
"The answer is no, Fuyumi." Todoroki finalized coldly. "I'm sorry, I'll still talk to you and everyone else at the gala, but I'm not separating away from my friends or any date I have just because–"
"Wait, hold on, what?!" In a split second, Fuyumi's voice jumped about three octaves, screaming shrilly in Todoroki's ear. "You're bringing a date? Why is this the first I'm hearing about it?!"
Oh, shit.
Fussing with the idea of asking Yaoyorozu to be his date seemed to have gotten the wires crossed in Todoroki's head. He knew on a conscious level that he hadn't asked her, and she was not his date, and he had no right to make such claims to anybody, even his sister. There appeared to be a subconscious element to his thought process, however, one that operated under the impression that Yaoyorozu should be going with him. That small part of his brain that kept nagging him to ask her out already, the one he'd vehemently silenced all throughout every gala practice and class and study session, had taken the reins and wasn't letting go.
"Because I don't. I can't ask…anyone." Todoroki explained quietly.
"What do you mean? Of course you can, what's stopping you?" Fuyumi argued.
"Dad is." Bitterness colored his tone. "I mean, I'd love for her to be my date, and–"
"Her?!" Fuyumi's voice heightened again. "Oh, so it's someone specific? Tell me everything! Who is she?!"
He didn't know where to start with all this energy, and truthfully, it somewhat overwhelmed him.
"Look, she's…it's a classmate of mine." He took a deep breath. "Someone I'm friends with. We connect well and…we make a great team, and I…I almost did make that move, but every time I want to, I just remember that Dad's gonna be there, breathing down my neck, drawing attention to both of us, and…"
As the words finished tumbling out of his mouth, his shoulders slumped. Explaining it out loud settled the reality of the situation in his mind. He can't take Yaoyorozu out and subject her to such nonsense. That small part of his brain, much as he wanted to listen to it, needed its hope extinguished, once and for all.
"And, what?" Fuyumi prompted him to continue.
"I just…I can't put her through that, Fuyumi. I can't subject her to Dad and his bullshit. She deserves so much better."
"Shoto, it doesn't sound like this girl is just someone you want to ask to a gala." He could hear Fuyumi treading lightly, handling this conversation delicately.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He played along. He had a feeling he knew what she was getting at.
"It means that I think you care about her a little more than you're telling me." She explained hesitantly. "And you don't have to tell me, that's fine. But I'm not fully sure what Dad has to do with that, if I'm being honest. I know he's loud about his opinion, but–"
"It doesn't matter." Todoroki's fist tightened. "I don't care what he thinks."
"...Are you sure about that?"
He paused. Was he? Honestly, he didn't know. He'd spent so much time spiting the bastard for personal reasons, it made it difficult for him to discern his genuine feelings from his previous convictions.
"I…" He faltered, unsure what to say.
"Here, let me say this." Fuyumi saved him from his thoughts. "Don't worry about Dad. Get him out of your head. Focus on you and however you're feeling about this girl, and move forward from there. We can deal with the rest later. Okay?"
Another deep breath. "Okay. I'll try."
"Awesome!" Fuyumi held her breath for a second, then outburst with, "can you please tell me who it is?"
"I have to go, Fuyumi."
"Oh, come on!" Todoroki heard Fuyumi's hand thump against her pillow. "I've met most of the girls in your class, I need to know which one you like! Is it the earphone girl? No, wait, the floating brunette, you hang out with her a lot! Oh, no, wait, isn't she dating your friend Midoriya? Okay, so it's not her…is it?!"
"I'll…I'll tell you later, Fuyumi." Todoroki promised her amusedly. "For now, I really do have to go, okay?"
"Ugh, fine." Fuyumi sighed dramatically. "Take care, little broski. I'll call you soon, okay? Love you!"
"Uh, love you, too. Bye."
Hearing 'I love you' in any capacity still felt jarring for Todoroki. Fuyumi insisted he do his best to work it into his vocabulary when addressing family, and after two years he'd gotten somewhat used to it. Only somewhat, but that's progress, he guessed.
"Todoroki?"
He jumped. "Oh, Yaoyorozu?"
She stepped forward from the shadows, a relaxed smile on her face. "There you are. I was rounding up opinions for what people wanted for dinner tonight and realized I hadn't seen you to ask yours. Anything in particular strike your fancy?"
"Hm? Oh, anything you guys want to make is fine, I'm not picky."
"Really?" She approached the railing, leaning beside him on it. "Thank goodness. I suggested a stewpot and Bakugo nearly blew up the building about it."
Todoroki frowned. "Why?"
"He says it's too simple." She shook her head. "I forgot his culinary skills are superior to many of our classmates'. It doesn't seem reason enough to make something elaborate, but try telling him that."
"Is he helping you tonight?" Todoroki asked.
Yaoyorozu nodded. "Him and Kaminari."
"Oh…that's not gonna go well." Todoroki stated matter of factly.
"I'm aware." Yaoyorozu giggled.
The lull in the conversation created anxiety in Todoroki. He felt like he needed to say something, but any and all sentence starters exited his brain as he watched Yaoyorozu stare into the distance. Come on, what had they just been talking about?
"So, how did you learn how to cook so well?"
"Hm?" She turned back to him. "Oh, I've known since I was a child."
Todoroki raised his eyebrows. "You didn't have any personal chefs or something working for your family?"
His self awareness chastised him for how obnoxiously privileged he sounded asking something like that.
"No, we did." She turned her body to fully face him, her answer making him feel less self conscious. "But when I was about seven until I was ten, I had a nanny who insisted on teaching me basic skills. The importance of independence, she'd always say. She had me in the kitchen every single day, at least once, going over chopping and temperatures and…well, everything necessary, I suppose."
"Really? You were chopping vegetables at seven years old?" Todoroki inherently questioned the safety of such an action. Nobody should have given him a knife at the age of seven, he knew that for a fact.
Yaoyorozu chuckled. "Well, not completely by myself. My nanny had a daughter she'd bring with her who helped supervise me. She was older, probably around…fourteen? Something like that. She played with me a lot since I didn't have any siblings, and helped me with certain tasks here and there."
"You're an only child?" Todoroki slumped on the railing next to her. "What's that like?"
Pausing, Yaoyorozu bowed her head a bit. Her demeanor shifted from friendly to wistful, a slight melancholy to her tone as she spoke.
"Lonely, I guess." She said after a moment. "Quiet, too, from what I can tell. I can't say I'm upset about the experience, but I also don't know that I'm happy about it. Does that make sense?"
He must have struck a nerve, he realized guiltily. Yaoyorozu didn't often share details about her home life. Being rich was just about the only thing most people knew about her family. Todoroki suddenly felt as if she'd let him in on some sort of secret, something she likely hadn't told other people.
"Well, I do know how that feels." He stammered after a moment, hoping relating would make her feel less alone. "Even with my siblings, it always felt like I was…miles away from them at all times. I never got to play or chill or even talk with any of them. It's a rough feeling."
"It is." Finally, she looked up at him again. "You seem to have a better relationship with them now, though. That's good."
"I do." Todoroki relaxed a bit. "It isn't perfect by any means, but…I'm glad they support me."
Yaoyorozu patted his arm. "I am, too. You need each other. I can tell you've been much happier since they came back into your life. It…warms my heart to see."
He allowed the moment to sit, unsure what to do when she didn't pull her hand away. Her gaze darted from his arm back up to his face, locking eyes with him, meeting him with a serene expression. Comfort washed over him; why he needed any comforting at all, he couldn't pinpoint. But Yaoyorozu stood before him, silently giving him reassurance, and all the turmoil from his previous phone call subsided. Grateful, he rested his palm over the back of her hand, their fingers interspersing ever so slightly.
"Thank you." He told her softly.
She blinked. "What for?"
"For…understanding me."
Her face lit up in a warm smile.
"No, because the can opener is in your room, right?!" Kaminari's voice cut through the slightly open door.
"And what if it is?!" Bakugo snapped back.
"Then that doesn't make any sense! What are you doing with a can opener in your bedroom?!" Kaminari sounded unbearably stressed, fighting for his life to decipher Bakugo's logic.
"So I can make dorm meals when it's Icy Hot's turn to cook, you brain fried loser!"
Todoroki stiffened. Well, he always knew he wasn't a stellar cook, but…damn.
"Hey!" Yaoyorozu snapped at the crack in the door. "Both of you, get back to work!"
"You're not the boss of me, Princess!" Bakugo stuck his head out, glaring at the two of them. "Stop holding hands with that hot and cold bastard and get in here! This dish was your idea, you know!"
"Wait, holding hands?!" Kaminari's head poked out from underneath Bakugo's. "Let me see, let me see!"
Immediately, the two jerked apart, Todoroki stuffing his fingers in his pockets while Yaoyorozu crossed her arms.
"There's nothing to see." Yaoyorozu kept her voice level. "Let's go, you two."
Kaminari's face fell. "Aw, come on, Bakugo, why'd you ruin it?"
"Would you two get back inside and do your job?" Todoroki glared at them.
Bakugo's eyes narrowed. "I don't take orders from you, either, Freezer Burn!"
"I'll deal with them." Yaoyorozu gave Todoroki a small smirk.
"Good luck. Let me know if you need my help." Todoroki meant that; he knew how hard wrangling Bakugo and Kaminari could be.
"I will." She giggled again.
Once she disappeared inside, Todoroki instinctively lifted his hand, the one that held Yaoyorozu's, still tingling with the embers of a spark he'd never felt before. A spark that made him realize how right Fuyumi was; Yaoyorozu certainly wasn't just some girl he wanted to ask to the gala.
XxXxXxX
"Megumi Nagase…" All Might stroked his chin. "Why does that sound familiar?"
"We think she's the girl in this photo." Deku showed All Might the Instagram post from the previous night. "She looks like someone I've seen before, too. Anywhere you can place her?"
All Might studied the picture for a second, practically squinting with concentration. Had he attended some sort of school event at Shiketsu in the last few years? No, that didn't sound right. Why did this girl look so damn familiar?
Handing Deku his phone back, All Might resigned himself from figuring anything out. Tsukauchi just needed her name and a full background check could tell them everything they'd need to know. And frankly, this didn't concern All Might in particular. This was about finding out what happened to Ryo Watanabe.
"This is good." All Might pulled out his phone and made some notes. "This is a really solid lead, Midoriya. Good work, truly. I'll send this over to Tsukauchi and we'll see what comes of it."
"It was Todoroki who got us the name." Deku opened up his chat with Todoroki and Bakugo to let them know All Might had been given the intel. "He asked his dad to figure something out and, well, he pulled through."
Curious, All Might looked up from his phone. "How is young Todoroki doing regarding his father?"
"Huh? Oh, I don't really know." Deku looked at his beef stew, somewhat ashamed. "To be honest, we haven't discussed it much lately. He doesn't seem to want to talk to or about Endeavor, so I try to keep away from the subject altogether."
"Understandable." All Might nodded slightly. "I'd honestly prefer to avoid Endeavor these days, too. There's something a tad…unsettling about his energy."
"He's always been a little off putting." Deku agreed. "Of course, the more you learn about what Todoroki's life has been like, the more that makes sense."
"Indeed." All Might settled back on the couch, ready to draw the conversation away from such heavy topics. "In other news, how are you and Uraraka doing?"
"Huh?" Deku perked up at the sound of her name. "Oh, we're doing great! We actually talked a little last night about practicing our dancing for the gala. She's pretty light on her feet, but I have no rhythm at all, so I'm a little worried about embarrassing her."
"Ah, don't let that stop you." All Might dismissed Deku's fear with a wave of his hand. "Truth be told, the younger heroes are probably going to wind up too drunk to pay attention to you guys, and they'll make big enough spectacles of themselves so no one else will, either."
Imagining Hawks and Mirko getting drunk sounded…surprisingly believable.
For some reason, that made it dawn on Deku: this really wasn't some high school dance they were attending. And they weren't going to be treated like high school students. This was an adult gala, with alcohol, awards speeches, and career opportunities around every corner. Consciously, he knew all of that, but hearing about past experiences seemed to wake him up to reality.
"Anyway, how long have the two of you been together, again?" All Might, sensing his trainee had gotten lost in his thoughts, brought him back down to earth.
"Mm. Two months." Deku answered through a gulp of stew. "Not too long, but we've been friends since the entrance exam. It's kind of weird, but it feels like we've sort of been together the entire time, you know?"
All Might smirked. "Oh, I definitely could tell. The way you two looked at each other always gave you away."
Deku hid his blush behind another bite of stew. "Yeah, well…we tried really hard to deny it. Both of us were so focused on becoming heroes, I think the idea of a distraction scared us."
"You'll both make fine heroes, Midoriya." All Might patted his shoulder. "You don't need to worry about distracting each other."
Deku tried not to. Worrying took away from the relationship, which is exactly what he didn't want. Everything about dating Uraraka left him in sheer bliss so far. He never thought he'd be good enough to end up in any kind of relationship, much less with someone as perfect as her.
However, that lover's high came with a new set of fears. Constantly worrying that something catastrophic could happen to either one of them in the numerous dangerous situations their careers put them through everyday. Worse yet, every moment they spent away from training became increasingly more critical; imagining being unable to save someone because either one of them had fallen out of practice or didn't master a specific technique in time. If something like that happened, he knew he would never, ever forgive himself.
Protect. Whether it be his girlfriend or some random citizen on the street, train to protect. That duty came with sacrifices, time with Uraraka being one of them, unfortunately.
"How about the gala itself?" All Might shifted subjects, sensing Deku's internal turmoil. "You excited for that?"
"Oh, yeah." He perked up. "Kind of nervous, I won't lie. It's basically our debut, so everyone's gonna be watching our quirks super closely. I know I'm not supposed to know the guest list, but are you–"
"Of course I'll be there." All Might chuckled a bit. "They can't get rid of me that easily."
Deku laughed. "Great, that means you'll get to see our quirk performance! I'm not sure how that's gonna go yet, though. That part's a little tricky so far. All I know is that we're teaming up with class B."
"Oh?" All Might raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. I haven't seen too much of them this past year. How are they doing?"
"Alright, from what I can tell." Deku took another big bite. "We haven't gotten a chance to mingle too much. Monoma still hates us, but other than that, nothing definitive."
At the mention of Monoma, All Might smirked. "That one should focus more on his own potential. He could be a true powerhouse if he put his mind to it."
"Maybe, but I still haven't seen a lot of what he can do." Deku mused. "I wonder how the rest of the pros are gonna react to him. Or all of us, for that matter."
All Might's gaze shifted to the ceiling, lost in thought. "It's interesting; everyone in attendance has seen a lot of you in action already. It's not really you guys showing what you can do anymore; this is your time to step forward and announce to the world that you're here. The next generation of heroes is rising. Just your mere presence makes a statement."
"Huh." Deku stared down at his food. "I hadn't thought of it that way, I guess."
All Might patted his shoulder. "Hey, you need to loosen up, kid. It's your debut, but it's also your first formal! And in the hero course, you don't get a lot of those. You should enjoy it. Dance with Uraraka, laugh with your friends, and don't take it too seriously. You'll have plenty of serious moments in your career, believe me."
Smirking, Deku nodded. Inside, however, he couldn't shake the need to grab this chance with everything he had.
XxXxXxX
"Okay, you guys ready?" Tsuyu pulled up Nejire's contact on her phone.
"HELL YEAH!" Tetsutetsu cheered. "Let's do this!"
Kirishima propped the phone up on Tsuyu's desk, then backed up to stand behind Tsuyu and Uraraka. Tsuyu reached forward to hit the 'call' button, the four of them huddled together with anticipation.
"Hm?" After a moment, Nejire's face popped up on her screen. "Hello? Tsu! Oh my gosh, hi you guys! It's been so long, I miss you all so much! What's been going on at UA? Ugh, I need all the details right now!"
No one had taken a breath before Nejire expelled at least three sentences shifting through ten different subjects. Tsuyu grinned; their hyper friend always kept them on their toes, at least.
"Nejire! Is Amajiki there with you?" Tsuyu asked before she could continue.
"Oh, my little kitten Tamaki? He sure is! Come on out, babe! We've got some virtual visitors who want to say hi!" Nejire pulled her boyfriend out from what looked like the bathroom, toothbrush in hand, a bewildered expression on his face.
"Nejire, what–"
"CONGRATULATIONS!"
All four of the UA students shot out little confetti toys, which made little celebratory popping sounds. They'd asked Yaoyorozu to whip these party favors up minutes before calling, deciding they wanted some cute little commemoration at the last second. Well, really, Kirishima made that call, which Tetsutetsu echoed, hyping Uraraka up for it until Tsuyu conceded and texted Yaoyorozu, who happily obliged.
"Ahh!" Tamaki jumped, his eyes widening in fear. "What the heck was that for?!"
"Yeah, what's with the confetti?" Nejire blinked.
"We're congratulating you!" Uraraka explained brightly. "Nejire, we saw you got nominated for Strongest Female Sidekick, and Amajiki, you're a shoo-in for the Rising Star Award! Those are both huge honors, and we just wanted to let you know we're proud of you."
"So proud!" Kirishima echoed.
"Like, the PROUDEST!" Tetsutetsu roared, both of his fists pumped into the air.
"Really?" Nejire rested a hand over her heart, a wide smile spreading across her face. "Aww, you guys! That's so sweet of you, thank you! We're honestly so super excited right now, aren't we, Tamaki?"
"W-wow." Tamaki rubbed his head a little in the background. "That's a…lot of praise at once. It's overwhelming, but…I can appreciate it. Thank you, guys."
"We hoped you might!" Tsuyu waved the leftovers of her confetti toy around. "And don't worry, we won't keep you too long on the phone. We just wanted to let you know how much we care is all!"
"How are you guys feeling?" Uraraka asked.
"Uh, amazing!" Nejire gushed.
"Terrified." Tamaki simultaneously muttered in the background.
"Ah, come on, Suneater! You've got nothing to be scared of! You're the baddest sidekick of them all!" Tetsutetsu roared, making Tsuyu briefly worry about her phone's speaker.
"He's actually the goodest sidekick of them all, but thank you!" Nejire pinched Tamaki's cheek. "Fatgum says he's really pushing for Tamaki to win! He thinks it's about time for him to leave the nest, which is kinda funny since he's a kitten, not really a bird, but it still works I guess. Oh, isn't this so exciting, babe?"
"All those people." Tamaki's eyes widened as he stared downward. "So many…and the pressure to become an actual pro is…unbearable…oh, man, I don't think I'm gonna get through this, babe. I should call in sick."
"Call in sick?" Uraraka frowned. "To an awards show?"
Giggling, Nejire pressed a kiss on his cheek. "You're gonna do great, love, don't worry so much!"
"And Nejire, we saw you're the fan favorite to win for Strongest Female, too!" Kirishima put in, recognizing that Tamaki needed a subject change.
"Oof, I hope so!" Nejire followed up, returning her gaze toward them. "I'm up against a lot of amazing gals!"
"What does Ryukyu think?" Tsuyu asked.
Sighing, Nejire brushed a strand of hair from her face. "She's mixed on it. She'd be really excited if I won, but she also wants me to keep training with her for a little while. I think she's right, and a win doesn't mean I automatically get to be a pro, but it'd be a pretty seamless transition if I did. So, it's a little back and forth, but I'll be happy either way, when all is said and done!"
"Yeah, I think that's gonna be a super memorable night for you, alright!" Kirishima grinned at the camera. "You too, Tamaki!"
"Kirishima's right, it's your first big awards show!" Uraraka added. "Everyone can't wait to see both of you up there onstage!"
"Wait, are you guys gonna watch the awards when they're live?!" Nejire perked up.
"Oh, you know it!" Uraraka pumped her fist in the air. "All of class A and B are getting together for a watch party the night it's broadcast!"
"Shut up! That's so much fun!" Nejire gasped, shaking Tamaki's arm a little. "Did you hear that, babe? All the UA hero course third years are gonna be watching us!"
"That's…even more pressure." Tamaki turned towards the wall, resting his head against the frame of the bathroom door. "I don't know if I can deal with that."
"Why not? You're the Rising Star, Tamaki!" Kirishima leaned forward, as if getting closer to the phone would somehow help convince him. "And hey, I know that night's gonna be a lot, but you're gonna do amazing!"
Tamaki turned from the door frame, making eye contact with Kirishima (as best they could over FaceTime, anyway.) Tsuyu made some small talk with Nejire, but Uraraka took note of the pointed looks the boys shared. Between the way Kirishima stuttered when she asked about him knowing their schedules and the brief, nonverbal exchange they'd just had, she got the feeling they were talking about something completely different.
XxXxXxX
"Hey."
"Did you, um…" Tamaki sounded scared, his voice barely above a whisper. "Did you get it?"
"I did." Kirishima confirmed, pressing the phone to his ear to make sure nobody else could hear through his door or something. "Everything's gonna be ready in a few days, and I'll let you know once I've…picked it up."
"You're really saving me, man." Tamaki let out a terrified breath. "And you're sure no one knows? Not even Mina?"
"Of course not, dude." Kirishima looked around, suddenly paranoid that someone might be able to hear him. "No one knows, and no one's gonna know. Ya boy knows how to keep a secret, bro."
"That's why I trusted you with this." Tamaki reminded him. "You're the one I know won't go spilling to anyone."
"Cross my heart." Kirishima promised. "Oh, and I figured out a drop spot. Is it cool if I leave it in your mailbox? I won't do it till the night before, obviously, and I'll text you immediately so you can grab it."
"Yeah, that sounds perfect. Now I gotta go, Nejire's coming back. Text me, okay?"
"You got it."
Kirishima knew to keep it brief once Nejire approached the call. Tamaki often had to hang up at a moment's notice so she wouldn't catch onto anything, resulting in a lot of calls cut short and not quite all the info being gathered. But they'd finally managed to pull this off, at least. The hard part was over with.
Now if Kirishima could just shake that itching feeling that he was being watched, that'd be great.
XxXxXxX
Post training gym time.
No, Deku probably didn't have to work this hard. But what kind of successor to All Might would he be if he didn't push himself to be in top form at all times? Slacking off was simply out of the question. And thankfully, he had Todoroki and Bakugo behind him to push him far beyond his limits.
"You're sure you're up for this, Midoriya?" Todoroki asked.
"Sure nothing, he's gotta be up for it!" Bakugo snapped before Deku answered. "If he's not gonna fight against the limit every single day, then what's the point in even getting out of bed?!"
Deku frowned. "Kacchan, you seem a little on edge. Are you okay?"
"I'M PERFECTLY CALM, YOU BROCCOLI HEADED LOSER!"
Broccoli headed? His insults were usually better than that. In fact, he hadn't said anything that uncharacteristically childish in a while. Yep. Something's definitely going on here.
Normally, Deku would have sensed the disconcerted mood his friend was in and decided against pushing Bakugo to join him and Todoroki in the gym. But Uraraka and Tsuyu scheduled their video call with Nejire and Tamaki for that evening, which obviously took precedence over yet another training session. Besides, Bakugo usually provided solid training obstacles for Deku, given his unrelenting bloodlust and extreme desire to win. On top of that, working out usually helped Bakugo work through personal issues, or distract him at the very least. Hopefully, this turned out to be a positive move for all of them.
The moment they entered the equipment gym, something felt off. Danger Sense tingled at the back of Deku's chest, kicking him into high alert. Todoroki sensed Deku's shift in demeanor and also set his guard up, eyes wandering the room for signs of trouble. Moments after heightening their senses, Todoroki heard it; deafening, untimed punches hammering into the plastic of a sandbag echoing throughout the room. Sniffling and small sobs filled the space between each punch, followed by panting and grunts of pain. Horrified, Deku and Todoroki exchanged glances.
They both knew that voice.
"Iida!" Deku cried out.
Bakugo located him first. To the left, around the corner, behind the dumbbells. All of them corralled around him, Todoroki and Bakugo helping pull him off the withering sandbag.
"Iida, are you okay?" Deku placed himself in front of Iida, between him and the gym equipment.
Now that he saw his friend's face, a small gasp left him. Heavy tears streamed down his cheeks and appeared to have been for a while. Puffy, red eyes widened back at Deku, registering who stood before him, and Iida stumbled back a bit, attempting to break free from Todoroki and Bakugo.
"Let me go!"
"Sit down, man, you're not in any condition to be near heavy equipment." Bakugo ignored his outburst and began ushering him toward the bench.
"I'm fine, this is no way to talk to your…class rep…" More tears brimmed over Iida's lower eyelids. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to hide the fact that he was crying. Not that anyone doubted it at this point, but Deku respected his dignity enough to note not to point it out once they got to talking.
"But you're not our class rep." Todoroki stopped Iida, forcing him to look him in the face. "You're our friend. And if I see my friend in trouble, I'm not leaving them alone. I signed up to be a hero, not a coward."
That finally got Iida to relax, his struggling ceasing completely. Todoroki loosened his grip on him, while Bakugo let go completely, already favoring his phone over whatever issues Iida was having. Deku figured he'd still be listening, but this definitely was territory that he and Todoroki should be handling, which Bakugo understood.
"Iida, I think this has gone far enough." Deku stepped forward cautiously, resting his hands gingerly on either of Iida's shoulders. "You need to tell us what's wrong. Maybe we can help."
"You can't!" Iida dropped to his knees, sobs breaking through his throat. "No one can help me, I'm a…a lost cause."
Todoroki sat down in front of him. "Lost on what? What are you talking about?"
Iida referring to himself as a lost cause felt too jarring for Deku to deal with. Since when did their class rep get this down on himself? He'd had self esteem issues in the past, sure, but not outside the realm of normal teenage awkwardness. Unless he'd truly been hiding these feelings their entire friendship, in which case, a prick of shame wilted Deku's shoulders. Had he been a lousy friend?
"We can help, Iida, I know we can." Deku settled down next to Todoroki, determined to fix whatever the problem turned out to be. "You have to talk to us, though."
"You guys do the talking, I'll be outside." Bakugo stayed glued to his phone, his statement sounding like an afterthought. Deku watched him go, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. This did not feel like the time to be scrolling through IG reels. Bakugo's emotional avoidance needed to be addressed, but Deku figured he'd get to that later.
"He's never been one for heavy conversations." He shook his head, then returned his attention to Iida. "But we can do the talking. What's up, Iida?"
Iida crumpled his hands in his hair, sucking in a few deep breaths. It seemed more that he needed to catch his breath than calm himself down, though the regulation seemed to help steady him a bit.
"It was never supposed to go this far." He said after a moment. "I just…everything piled up so much. Suddenly, I'm to be the next Ingenium, taking over my family's agency, while representing our class and leading them as well as I can. Then the gala, a-and my instatement as captain, between that and homework, I felt like I couldn't focus, and…and then…"
So All Might had been right. The pressure finally got to him. Todoroki and Deku exchanged knowing looks, both of them thinking the same thing.
"And then what happened?" Deku prompted Iida gently.
Iida stared down at his hand, breathing heavily. His eyes widened, a contemplative, terrified expression crossing his face. Deku knew that look. Whatever he wanted to tell them, some part of him insisted that he shouldn't. That held him back. It told him not to be honest with his friends. This thing he was hiding clearly would change the tide of their friendship, at least in Iida's mind.
"Iida, whatever it is, we won't judge you or be mad!" Deku promised before he could stop himself. "You're one of our best friends. Nothing's gonna change that!"
"We promise it won't." Todoroki continued for Deku.
Relief flashed through Iida's eyes for a second. It gave him the strength to lift his head and look his friends in the eye, at least. At the sight of him, Deku's fist tightened. So much pain and guilt riddled Iida's body language, as if he'd committed some sort of criminal offense that rendered him unable to face them. It stirred up worry in Deku; had he really done something so wrong?
"You have to swear this stays between us." Iida insisted breathlessly. "Deku, you can't even tell Uraraka. Not until…not until I figure things out. Promise?"
"Of course." Deku nodded vigorously. "Whatever you need, Iida. We're here for you."
"Seconded." Todoroki leaned forward. "Not a soul needs to know."
Iida's shoulders slumped. He seemed more or less relieved, though anxious about revealing his secret. Fresh tears sprang from his eyes and his hand rested on his chest, desperately trying to stabilize himself.
"I…I kissed Hatsume."
XxXxXxX
BREAKING: Sidekick Maboromicamie Reported Missing Early This Morning
The hero community is reeling today after the sudden and unexplained disappearance of rising sidekick Camie Utsushimi, known by her hero name Maboromicamie, during her routine night patrol. Utsushimi, a 19-year-old hero-in-training underneath pro hero Wisteria, was last seen two nights ago in the Asakusa district, where she had been patrolling local neighborhoods. Authorities are still on the hunt for any and all leads. If you have any information, please report it to police immediately.