A/N: Woof I am SO sorry for that abrupt hiatus, guys. Truth be told, I needed some time to focus on my health and make sure my baby's doing well (which they are!) Unfortunately, I neglected writing for about a month in the process, so I won't lie, this chapter's a bit rough. It's kinda filler, but it's also got important info, and I threw in some shipping fodder because I live for it lol. I'll try to stay on schedule from here on out because I absolutely have a plan for this story that I intend to see through. Thank you so much for staying with me on this, those of you who are, I seriously appreciate it. Enjoy the chapter, and I PROMISE you can look forward to the next one on schedule!
"If you two know something, you've got five seconds to pass it over to me or I blow this entire car to smithereens."
If that thread held any truth to it, neither Yaoyorozu nor Kirishima ever knew it. Though his words on their own communicated anger and malice, his tone sounded one thread away from breaking down entirely. Still, Kirishima and Yaoyorozu bowed their heads, neither one of them brave enough to respond.
Bakugo cocked an eyebrow, fighting back tears. "Well?"
"Sorry, Bakugo, but I really don't know what this is about." Kirishima eyed his own shoes, mumbling halfheartedly about not understanding what's going on.
"Bullshit!" The blond spat, sitting up from his slump against the window. "You've been looking guilty since the power outage, shitty hair, now talk–"
"Bakugo, please let the police do their job." Yaoyorozu somehow managed to cut through his outburst despite her voice quivering barely above a whisper. "That's…that's what they're there for. To fight for us and investigate everything…suspicious so we can stay safe. They'll figure out what happened. Please trust them."
Pro-police propaganda from the backseat of a cop car seemed crazy to Bakugo, so much so that he didn't do anything other than bewilderedly blink for a second. Where did any of that come from?
Kirishima's eyebrows drew together in confusion, indicating to Bakugo that the two of them weren't on the same side. Or, rather, they didn't possess the same intel. That made things all the more frustrating; both of them held potentially valuable pieces of the puzzle that could put this whole mystery together if they'd just. Fucking. Say something.
He opened his mouth again, ready to tear his classmates a new one, when the car door swung open and cut him off. A relatively short officer stood before them, gesturing outwards toward the police station.
"Step on out, if you would." He spoke curtly, unsure whether to trust the three teenagers he'd just transported on Tsukauchi's orders. "Our detectives will be speaking with each one of you individually."
Oh, no they wouldn't. Not if Bakugo had anything to say about it. However, a heated exchange between him and the driving officer made it quite clear that he had, in fact, absolutely zero say on the matter.
XxXxXxX
Nezu's office never made much sense. Why did such a small being need such a large workspace? Both class A and B fit comfortably inside, even with room to spare. Granted, class A's numbers dwindled down by a few at the moment, but that couldn't possibly make enough of a difference to matter here.
"Good evening, hero course students." Nezu clasped his hands (paws?) together on his desk, maintaining his typical cheerful disposition. "I trust you're all aware of the disappearance of our dear alumni, Tamaki Amajiki. Correct?"
After a moment of silence, Kendo, the only main class rep present, spoke up. "Indeed, sir, we have."
"Perfect. Then you're up to speed on the current circumstances." Somehow, Nezu never appeared bothered by anything going on around him. He obviously understood the gravity of the situation, yet presented himself so pleasantly diplomatic, it threw everyone in the room for a bit of a loop. "In that case, I'll get right into it. Aizawa, Vlad, I'd like you up here beside me for this announcement."
Their teachers shuffled to the front of the room, standing on either side of Nezu's desk. Neither one of them looked happy, a few students noted.
"We've not had time to give this decision a whole lot of consideration." Nezu admitted, voice level. "But it appears that in the interest of your safety, we are leaning toward canceling your attendance for the upcoming Hero's Gala."
Gasps and small exclamations of surprise echoed through the room. Nezu expected as much, allowing the students time to process and react. Disappointment made sense. However, he did not anticipate most of what followed.
"And why's that?" Honenuki demanded.
That was a question, not a challenge, but it still caught Nezu off guard. "Why, because of the recent kidnappings. You see, it's not just Amajiki who's been put in potential danger. Several young up and coming heroes have gone missing over the past few weeks. We'd be remiss as an institution of education to place our young students in the line of fire by parading them around at such a high profile event. Think of the potential for–"
"For everything we've been training for?" Sero spoke up next. "Sorry, Principal, but it's gonna take more than a few missing persons reports to scare us off."
Murmurs of agreement migrated through the group, though nobody wanted to be too loud just yet.
"This isn't about being afraid, Sero." Aizawa cut in sternly. "You being present paints a target on the entire building, focused on each and every one of you."
"Yeah, while we're surrounded by the top pros in the country." Monoma added. "I cannot imagine they'd be unable to handle villains who have up to this point been snatching lone rangers in the dead of the night. That's a far cry from the crowded, television broadcast event of the year."
"There has to be some sort of safety measure we can implement here to reduce risks!" Deku pointed out, fiercely stepping forward. "Maybe some sort of safety devices or a…I don't know, someone's quirk could–"
"I need to be clear, this is but a consideration." Nezu hurriedly cut in sensing the tension building. "And as stated before, while this solution is ultimately our preference, nothing has been decided yet."
It sure sounded decided. Why else would all of them be standing here receiving this news? This briefing served as their warning. The final verdict would be delivered in a couple of days, but this meeting confirmed it to them before any further staff got involved.
"We understand that this is a decision that greatly affects you." Aizawa explained, hoping to settle the students' obviously rising outrage. "And we're aware it's an infuriating position to be in. This is a golden opportunity for furthering your future careers, and it's a travesty to let it go to waste. We didn't bring you in here to torture you about something that isn't set in stone, though. We want to fully explain that if this chance does get taken from you, it's through absolutely no fault of your own."
That part actually made it worse for some of them. If someone goofed off and messed up their chance to attend, yeah, whatever, that's their own fault. But outside forces, villains, no less, dropping in and snatching this out of their hands despite all their best efforts? What could they even do about that?
"Principal Nezu." Kendo squared her shoulders, glancing around at her classmates before continuing. "We respect you and your decisions. Whatever choice you land on, the hero course students will accept with grace and dignity, we promise."
Nezu gave her a small nod, pleased with her humility. "Thank you, young lady. And I assure you–"
"I'm not finished." Grit colored her tone, the escalation of her statement catching everyone's attention. "It's not only us you need to factor into this decision. The public is just as susceptible to these attacks as we are. Worse, even. They won't be attending a high-security gala chock full of professional, powerful fighters. They're everyday people, wandering the streets, hoping the heroes employed by the government keep deciding to do their job and protect them. If you're afraid to let us, the next generation they're depending on, out into the world under these circumstances, how do you think they're going to react?"
Everyone, even the teachers, hung on her every word, silenced to the point of hearing a pin drop anywhere in the room (an impressive feat on a carpeted floor.)
"I know I wouldn't be reassured by that, if I were in their shoes." Kendo continued, eyes level with Nezu's. "I'm not telling you what to choose or how to feel, but I'd consider the long term effects of preventing us from attending. In the short term, yes, you'll likely protect us from harm. But when the time comes for us to protect someone from harm, will they have any faith in us to succeed?"
Silence stiffened the atmosphere. She swallowed, her confidence wavering slightly, but she kept her head high. Far be it from her to crumble after the statement she'd just made. Before her, the three men she'd addressed had completely different reactions. Aizawa stood stunned, unblinking, while Nezu's poised, neutral expression cracked ever so slightly. Vlad, however, stared back at her, a look of pure, unadulterated pride lighting up his face.
At the sight, she faltered slightly, shifting from one foot to the other trying not to grin. There would be time for him to gush and compliment her standing up later; right now, she needed to remain focused on convincing Nezu.
"You raise some excellent points, Miss Itsuka Kendo." Nezu refused to drop his facade. "Your words do not fall on deaf ears. We appreciate your passion and plan to move forward with a course of action that is best for all parties involved."
A small exhale of relief emitted from her nose. Beside her, Kodai reached out and squeezed her pinkie finger, offering her silent support.
"For now, however, you are dismissed." Nezu continued. "Students of class A, follow your peers to the B dorms. I've arranged for Cementoss to add onto it and provide rooms for you until we get the wiring situation sorted out in your current building. Thank you for your time, and sleep well."
Their exit was as quick as their arrival, most of them rendered speechless still by Kendo's words.
"Whoa, Kendo, that. Was. Iconic!" Hagakure exclaimed once the door closed behind them.
"Way to get a bunch of grown men to listen to you." Yanagi echoed Hagakure's praise.
"All in a day's work." The redhead turned and smiled at her classmates. "After all, I'm the only class rep present. Someone's gotta speak up for us, right?"
"Well, you did a bang-up job of it!" Tsuburaba flashed her a thumbs-up.
"Definitely think they're gonna reconsider after that." Honenuki nodded in agreement. "Fabulously done, Kendo."
Tetsutetsu finally approached her, catching her a bit off guard with his intensity. For once, his face wasn't brightened up by his signature wide eyes and toothy smile. Rather, he came across way more seriously, the look in his eyes alarmingly unreadable.
"B-babe?" She stepped toward him tentatively. "I, um…was that too much? In there? I know I maybe got a little intense, but I–"
He cut her off with a hand under her chin, gently tilting her face up to look at him.
"You're perfect, Itsuka." He murmured fiercely. "Don't ever change."
Smiling in relief, she bowed her head a bit. "O-of course, I, um…I won't."
He kissed her roughly, unable to hold back. Around them, their classmates either whistled or immediately distracted themselves. Whether that be because they felt the two were entitled to privacy or they genuinely didn't care, Kendo definitely preferred the averted reaction. Especially with how intensely Tetsutetsu kissed her.
Never mind how badly she wanted to jump on him right then, right there.
"Alright, everybody!" Shoda stood up straight, doing his best to assert some authority and pull focus from the couple's moment. "If you'll be so kind as to follow me this way, class A, I can show you to your temporary dorms."
Temporary dorms. While they figured out what happened to their original living quarters. Why all of a sudden they'd been put at risk of being electrocuted to death. Amidst three missing person cases. That three of their classmates supposedly had intel on? Geez, what the heck was going on these days?
XxXxXxX
News outlets reported both Tamaki's disappearance and the outcome of the Sidekick Awards simultaneously, making for some jarring tone shifts across several different articles. Deku scrolled through social media numbly, unable to make anything of what he read. Nothing gave them any leads, and it started to seem like most of the media copied and pasted information from one another rather than any reliable source, meaning no one so far spoke with police or anyone directly involved with the case. Funny enough, nobody connected Tamaki to the ongoing missing persons news, as if his disappearance somehow operated on a different plane than theirs.
"Hey." Uraraka knocked on his door frame, which he'd left open for whenever Todoroki got back from yelling at his dad.
"Oh, hey." Deku sat up. "You and Sero got Kaminari?"
"Mm-hmm." Uraraka stepped into the room. "He's gotten pretty powerful. Managed to absorb all the electricity and sever the cord safely. Right now, Recovery Girl's checking him out to make sure he didn't overdo it, but all signs say he's gonna pull through just fine."
"That's great, babe." He smiled at her proudly. "You did amazing, I'm sure."
Blushing, Uraraka shifted a little bit. "Thanks. How about you, are you doing okay?"
"Trying to." Deku sighed, beckoning her toward him. "This whole situation hasn't instilled a lot of faith in the current justice system, if I'm being honest."
"I hear that." Uraraka settled down next to him dejectedly. "Have you seen the comments on everything? People are tearing the pros and the police to shreds."
Deku nodded, cringing a little. "Someone made a big fuss about how if the pros hadn't been so busy getting their beauty sleep for the award shows, maybe nothing would have happened to anybody."
"Here's another one." Uraraka pulled up an article and scrolled down. "This person's upset because if heroes can't even protect their own kind, how are they supposed to keep everyone else safe?"
The whole comment wasn't worth reading through, but Deku got the gist just from Uraraka's description. Shaking his head, he gently pushed her phone down.
"How could something like this keep happening?" He murmured dejectedly.
"Well, it sounds like they've gotten a suspect in custody, at least." Uraraka perked up a bit, hoping a slightly cheerful tone shift would help her sulking boyfriend. "That might put a few things to rest."
It did sound promising, seeing someone actually undergoing an arrest. The girl they'd dragged out resembled no master criminal Deku could ever picture, but he supposed stranger things have happened. Strange how they hadn't released a single detail about her, though; the full shot of her arrest should have summoned someone who had the ability to pinpoint her identity somewhere across the internet. Yet every time someone searched, they came up empty handed and confused.
"Let's hope."
"Hey."
The warmth of her palm pressing against his cheek stirred him from his racing mind. Immediately, his mood brightened a bit, his hand instinctively rising to intertwine his fingers in hers.
"Don't worry." She met his eye, her voice softening. "Sometimes, being a hero is hard. But that's why we have each other. Right?"
Those shining, amber irises never failed to melt Deku's heart. Right now, they gleamed sincerely up at him, warmly reassuring him even more than her supportive words did. For a moment, words escaped him, her sweetness and beauty captivating him into silence while he fully drank in the sight of her.
Falling even more in love by the second.
"Ochako…." He swallowed nervously. Now felt like a good time to say it, right? "I, um…well…."
"Midoriya!"
Ah, yes. Iida. Exactly the person Deku wanted as an audience member while he professed his love to his girlfriend.
"Uh, yeah?" He turned towards the doorway, slightly exasperated.
Iida blinked back at him, the sight of Deku and Uraraka staring into each other's eyes so deeply stopping him.
"Oh, am I interrupting something?" He'd pieced together that he probably was, but at this point it's not like he could undo his intrusion.
"Uh, not particularly. Why, what's up?"
Ouch. Uraraka internally winced; she thought they'd been having a touching moment.
"Um, Todoroki…inadvertently filled me in on a few things." Iida adjusted his glasses, doing his best to flip back into class rep mode. "Well, I…worked out what's been going on, more or less. How you've been following the missing persons cases. I overheard him discussing someone with his father just now, and I…think I might have something helpful."
"Something helpful?" Deku sat forward completely, curiosity piqued. "What do you mean, Iida?"
"Yeah, uh, what's going on?" Uraraka pointedly eyed her boyfriend. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
Lots, actually. The fact that he and the other big three members had been investigating a case they had no real business being involved with. Also that he and Todoroki knew exactly why Bakugo had been called in for questioning today (something the class group chat buzzed about nonstop.) Oh, and the fact that he'd fallen in love with her and couldn't seem to find the right damn time to say it.
…That last part didn't need to be talked about anytime soon, though.
"Um, I'll fill you in soon, okay?" He turned back to her, eyes gleaming apologetically. "Sorry, it's just right now, we need–"
"Midoriya!"
Unbelievable. How many more interruptions planned on bursting through this makeshift dorm room? Uraraka just wanted to finish one conversation with the guy she loved.
Loved. Oh, man, now so wasn't the time. It almost had been, sure, but now….
"I need to talk to you about Nagase." Todoroki panted, seemingly in panic mode.
Iida perked up. "Wait, you too?"
"Me, too?" Todoroki stopped, turning to Iida confusedly. "Are you…also following the case?"
"Not particularly, but I heard you talking about Nagase with Endeavor, and–"
This caught Deku's attention. "What's wrong? What's the deal with this girl, do we know?"
And why did Deku care so much? Uraraka made a bitter note to ask him later, sensing the urgency of this conversation.
"She's the one they arrested on TV." Todoroki paced into the room, working himself up as he did. "Someone we might have…no, there's no way we've ever met her, I guess, but God, I knew she looked familiar, just–"
"Todoroki, breathe." Iida sensed Todoroki's involvement in this revelation to be emotional, at least to some degree. "I can tell him if it's still too much for you."
"Tell me what?" Deku jumped to his feet, unable to stand the suspense. "What do the two of you know?"
Gripping his hands in tight, trembling fists, Todoroki shifted his gaze to the floor. Squaring his shoulders, Iida turned to face Deku, his response stunning the room into silence.
"Megumi Nagase is Yaoyorozu's cousin."
XxXxXxX
Father will fix this.
Somehow. He always found a way. It's how the Yaoyorozu's maintained their prestigious, refined image all these years. Any issues that arose became squashed in almost an instant, by whatever means necessary, always spearheaded by Mr. Yaoyorozu himself. She never quite figured out how he did it, but it wasn't her place to question him.
"Miss Yaoyorozu?" The officer who escorted them into the building rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Yes?" She wished she knew him by name. It felt wrong to ask for it, considering her parents owned the building and should be on first-name basis with their staff. But of course, she'd never taken the time to study her parents' employees identities, and once again, she came up short.
He smiled down at her warmly, seemingly reading her mind, his eyes accepting her silent apology. "You know you aren't here for questioning, right?"
"I…assumed not." Her voice slid down to barely above a whisper. Much as she hated flaunting her privilege, she knew exactly why they'd called her down to the station.
"Your father is sending a car for you. I'll let you know once they arrive." He patted her gently, then returned to his office.
A potential scandal on the rise meant media attention. Enough journalists knew of Yaoyorozu's status as a student of UA, making that their first destination to try and dig around for answers from her. Had she been left to her own devices, of course, she'd have known precisely how to handle things. Every Yaoyorozu child underwent rigorous media training from elementary to middle school, ensuring that by the time they became teenagers and their interviews could be taken seriously, they'd know how to speak and what to say.
Watching Megumi be arrested on live television, however, was an unprecedented experience.
There wasn't any protocol for navigating this situation other than get home, fast, and debrief with their publicists. Once Yaoyorozu reached the estate, she'd be fed the story necessary to get the paparazzi off their backs while still keeping up appearances. She had no idea how they planned to spin this, but it wasn't her problem to figure that out.
Deflated, she pulled her phone from her pocket, guilt rippling through her knowing her friends had been locked away in interrogation rooms, every belonging aside from the clothes on their back being ripped from them. Bakugo fought just about everyone in the building, and though she didn't agree with his antics, she understood his rage. Granted, she only now questioned what he and Kirishima were doing here, seeing as how their lineages weren't in danger of a public scandal. At least, not as far as she knew.
About ten texts popped up from Awase, all ranging from confused to clearly panicked. Other chats pinged her notifications, mostly her friends checking in on her and ensuring she was alright. But the first one she opened made her thumb tremble ever so slightly as she tapped it.
Todoroki: Hey, I hope you're okay.
No question, no reassuring words, just…that. How did that message manage to both excite her and disappoint her at the same time? Exhaling, she exited out of the text app, no longer interested in anything else anybody had to say. Instead, she pulled up TikTok, deciding a little brain rot might be good for her right now.
"Breaking news!" An amateur reporter using their camera on selfie mode appeared, the green screen behind them displaying a still image of Nagase poking her head out a window.
Yaoyorozu's stomach dropped.
"We have exclusive footage of the kidnapping suspect being arrested and her chilling message that the rest of the public should be well aware of!"
No. No, they shouldn't. Oh, God, everyone scroll, right now!
The video started to play, with Nagase jerking her head out of the window of the police car (something that she could only do with the help of her quirk) and screeching at the crowd drawn behind them.
"If I'm going down, I'm taking this entire family with me!" She glared at whoever filmed her, her dark eyes piercing into Yaoyorozu's soul. "You hear me, Mitsutaka Yaoyorozu? I know what you did! I know everything–"
Chills stung through Yaoyorozu's chest at the sound of her father's name followed by a string of cryptic accusations. While a policeman wrangled Nagase back into the car, she continued to scream obscenities, cursing the Yaoyorozu name.
A name she'd legally renounced to avoid nepotism, Yaoyorozu remembered, right before entering high school.
Now she couldn't help but wonder what other reasons her cousin had chosen to take on her mother's surname once she decided to pursue hero business. Could her family be responsible for something nefarious? Did Nagase know something the rest of them didn't? She sure acted like she did. What if these kidnappings were some sort of signal, or warning, or worse, a cover up for–
Almost as quickly as she thought them, Yaoyorozu squashed her suspicions. How ridiculous of her to entertain such nonsense. Obviously, her cousin had flown off the rails and didn't want to own up to her wrongdoings. So instead, she'd cry out like a banshee and cause all this ruckus to keep the attention off of her as much as possible.
"What kind of shady business has the Yaoyorozu clan gotten up to?" The reporter reappeared, now before a still paparazzi image of Nagase out and about. "Do you think Nagase is innocent or is she trying to deflect to distract everybody? I'd love to know your theories, let me know in the comments what you think is going on!"
Of course. Hang her whole family out to dry just for some online engagement. Do these people not understand they mess with actual lives when they circulate rumors and spread drama like this?
No wonder her parents wanted her at the police station for pickup. The situation had gone from bad to worse in a matter of seconds, and now Yaoyorozu couldn't even pretend like she knew what to do about it.
It's okay. Father will fix it. She had no clue how, but he would. Just like always.
XxXxXxX
"Jiro? Hey, are you there?"
His voice sounded far away, like it only reached her through a funnel of some kind. It echoed just a bit, fizzled out toward the end, and yet, she still recognized it immediately.
"Hm?" Blinking, she found herself staring up at a stark white ceiling. A moment later, a blue curtain registered on one side of the bed she laid in, the other occupied by a certain blurry, blond someone.
Recovery Girl's office. That's where she'd ended up. Somehow, she didn't quite remember how she'd gotten here or most of what led to it, other than a piercing electric shock that she knew hadn't been Kaminari's doing.
A grin lit up his face the moment he saw her responding to him. "Hey, you're awake!"
"Uh, yeah." Sitting up, the remnants of her injuries coursed through her muscles, small sparks of pain bringing a grimace to her face. "Did I get, um, electrocuted?"
"Huh?" Kaminari's expression dropped for a second. "Oh, uh, yeah. It wasn't my fault, though! There were these crazy wires all around the building and you were listening and heard some voices, oh, and then Dark Shadow had to unplug you because–"
"Slow down, young man!"
A bop to Kaminari's forearm startled him. About four feet down from his line of vision stood little Recovery Girl, scoldingly swatting him with a rolled up newspaper.
"Whoa, what was that for?" He stepped back, pulling his arm behind his back to shield it from the vicious newspaper attacks.
"For causing such a ruckus!" The elderly nurse snapped, still sounding good-natured despite her indignation. "I understand you're excited to see your girlfriend, but you have to give her some time after sustaining such a draining injury!"
"What?!" Both Kaminari and Jiro jumped back, their faces heating up the color of tomatoes.
"Y-you've got that all wrong, Miss Recovery, we're–"
"She's my friend, I just wanted to make sure she was okay, we aren't—"
"That's quite enough, you two." An amused smirk lit up Recovery Girl's face as she moved to return to her office. "Just take it easy, okay? I don't want to have to treat any emotional injuries, now. Keep those hearts in check."
Jiro stared down at her pale blue sheets, humiliated. She hadn't been awake for longer than a minute and already she knew no peace. Emotional injuries? Please, her heart was totally fine. Probably a bit rattled from all the action, but she knew how to keep her emotions in check. She'd been doing it for years, damn it. It's not like she had any big feelings to deal with right now, anyway.
Kaminari, meanwhile, pressed his hand to his chest, anxiety spiking.
"Wait, are our hearts okay? She didn't mention anything about them in the initial checkup!"
"What?" Jiro frowned up at him. "No, there's no reason either of us would be having issues, she's just–"
"Crap, now something's pulsing!" He grabbed his arm in an attempt to get the small jolts in his arm to stop. "She was warning us, I'm gonna die!"
"I'm sure you're fine, Kaminari." Already Jiro wanted to go back to sleep, the embarrassment alone exhausting her. Never mind having to deal with all this panic from Kaminari (though secretly, she did start to worry about the pulsating.)
Kaminari kept his palm pressed to his chest, terror draining the color from his face. "Wait, no, Jiro, this is bad! I-I can't feel my heartbeat! Oh, God, am I gonna die? Or…am I…already dead?"
"What?" Jiro laughed and rolled her eyes. "No, you aren't dying, you're just–"
"Then why does my heart not pump?" Purposefully, he settled down on the edge of her bed, facing her. "Seriously, Jiro, we should–"
"That's not where your heart is, doofus."
The fear melted to confusion in an instant. "What? I thought it…it's in my chest, right?"
Trying not to grin, Jiro grabbed Kaminari's wrist, tugged his hand from himself, and slapped his palm on the other side of his chest.
"This side, you dork." She bit back a giggle. "Here, can you feel it now?"
Once she pressed his hand down a bit, he stopped, blinking down in confusion. A couple beats later, his face lit up.
"Oh, yeah!" He pressed his own hand a little harder against his heart. "There it is! Oh, man, I guess I freaked out, it's kinda pounding right now."
"Is it? Here, let me check."
Without thinking, Jiro slipped her hand underneath his, lightly applying pressure until she felt his heartbeat. In the moment, nothing about the contact between them really got to her; the priority was making sure Kaminari didn't need immediate medical attention. Her heroic instincts overrode any embarrassment that such action might cause.
Kaminari, however, blinked in surprise, the feeling of her hand on his chest startling him.
"W-what are you doing?" He stammered, unsure whether or not to move his own hand.
"Relax." Not a hint of exasperation or dry wit in her voice. "I mean it. If you freak out, it'll only make things worse. Okay?"
Gulping, he nodded. "Okay."
He tried. Took deeper breaths, closed his eyes for a few seconds, tried to come up with some sort of happy place to transport himself to. Yet his brain stayed focused in the moment, fixated on the feeling of Jiro's hand, his fingers involuntarily bending against hers….
"Hmm, I think it just got faster." She frowned, sitting forward a bit. "Do you feel okay? You aren't nauseous or dizzy or anything, are you?"
"Huh?" He scooted a bit closer to her. "No, I'm…I feel okay, I just…my body might just be freaking out, I guess."
A minute ago, he'd been horrified. How did he come down from that so quickly? And why did his heart rate not match up with his behavior? Was he hiding his anxiety?
"What are you freaking out about?" Jiro asked. Maybe getting him to talk would calm him down.
"Nothing, I don't think." He paused. Was there something freaking him out? "I mean, I know I got a little spooked when I started telling you about what happened, and I guess, um…."
It started to click. He'd been worried. Jiro hadn't woken up for a few hours, leaving Kaminari in the bed beside her, hoping she'd recover, anxious that she wouldn't, unable to preoccupy himself with anything other than waiting.
"It scared me when you didn't wake up." He explained after a moment. "And I watched you get electrocuted, that…wasn't fun to see."
Keeping her hand on his chest, Jiro swung her legs over the side of the bed in a motion that moved her closer to Kaminari, now sitting beside him, hand never leaving his chest. He watched her, speaking only when she nodded for him to continue.
"I just didn't want you to be hurt." He met her eye. "You're my friend, Jiro, one of the best ones I've ever had, and I'm the dumbass that put us in this position! I mean, you never would have listened for anything in the walls if I hadn't…man, I don't even know what I did, I just feel like…."
Several different emotions building up over the course of the last few weeks welled to the brim, Kaminari having no idea how to process them all at once. He wanted to apologize for upsetting her the other day, tell her how amazing her gala performance had been at practice, for some reason ask her why she thought no guy would ever ask her to the gala (which is a comment that he seemed to be bothered by now?) and yet he couldn't find the perfect words to sum anything up.
"I'm sorry." He finally murmured, eyes drifting downward. "I feel like…all I'm doing is annoying you. And putting you in danger. I probably shouldn't have woken you up, I just couldn't–"
"It's okay." Jiro bit her lip, feeling a little awkward. "I, um, I'm glad you're here, Kaminari. I'd feel the same way if something like this happened to you."
Kaminari perked up. "Really? Even though I've been, like, super irritating lately?"
"You have not." Jiro spoke up so quickly, she barely registered her own words before they left her mouth. "I'm…just dealing with a lot right now, and none of it's your fault, I just–"
"Then talk to me." He rested his free hand on her shoulder. "If you're going through stuff, I want to know about it. Please, you…you know you can trust me, right?"
Of course she did. Clearly, he'd gotten her to a safe place during a crazy situation, and stuck by her side while she recovered. He'd more than proven what a good friend he was to her.
But opening up to him might lead to a conversation that she'd rather jump out the window than address. Frankly, even with herself.
"I…" Biting her lip, she looked downward. "Look, I do trust you. Just…give me some time to kinda…work things out for myself, you know?"
In a move that absolutely shocked her (with somehow zero electricity whatsoever,) Kaminari threw both his arms around her. Before she processed everything, she found her forehead gently against his chest, bundled up in an embrace, his chin resting on top of her head.
"Whatever you need." He promised softly. "I'm just glad you're okay."
His heartbeat radiated through her ears, pulsating throughout her body. Despite everything that should be making him anxious, she found his heart rate to be steady, consistent, comforting, in a way. Losing herself in it, she relaxed against him, sliding her arms around his midsection.
"I'm glad you're here." She practically whispered.
XxXxXxX
"Wait, what is the purpose of this game?"
Mineta practically tore his eyeballs from his skull. "It doesn't have a purpose, Shoji, it's just so you can make people do dumb things slash get them to spill their secrets!"
Shoji blinked. "But what if I don't want to do either of those?"
"You can opt out." Pony supplied. "No one expects you to do anything you don't want to do."
"Well, that depends on who's asking who to strip." Mineta stated as if it were plain as day.
Hagakure let out a sigh of pure exasperation. "Nobody's gonna do that, Mineta, pipe down already!"
"Alright, I think everyone's got the fundamental rules here." Honenuki settled down on the floor beside Kodai, rubbing his hands together. "Who wants to go first?"
Well into the night, it became apparent just how many people couldn't seem to find their way to sleep. Much of class A felt uncomfortable in their new abodes, and everyone felt pretty spooked by the events of the past few hours. Over the course of a couple hours, stragglers made their way into the B dorm lounge, to the point that Komori sent out a mass text inviting all sufferers of insomnia to join them so they at least didn't have to be alone. Once a few more people dwindled in, the group settled in a circular formation more or less, with Mineta suggesting a game of "Truth or Dare" to liven things up. Everyone accepted, though Tsuyu immediately slammed down a "no sexual dares" rule that everyone agreed to, much to Mineta's dismay.
"I will!" Hagakure's sleeve shot into the air.
"Alright, what've you got?" Honenuki nodded to her politely.
"Hmm…" Her bent elbow indicated she made the motion of stroking her chin, potentially accompanied by her looking around the room. "Komori!"
"Shroom?" The brunette sat up straighter, clearly not expecting to be picked.
"Yes! Okay, truth or dare?"
"Um…truth?" Komori looked nervous.
"What color dress are you wearing to the gala?" Hagakure leaned forward, excitement dripping from her tone.
Relieved, Komori's expression melted into a smile. "Oh, that's easy! I want to wear something similar to my costume, so I'll be in red and white!"
"No way! That's so cute!" Hagakure gushed. "I feel like you'd look so pretty in a muted red, maybe like a pinkish–"
"Ugh, next person, please." Kamakiri grumbled, slumping back in the armchair.
Ojiro, amidst his eyelids drooping, shot Kamakiri a frown. "Chill, they're just talking."
"We can do it later, for everyone else's sake." Komori nodded in Hagakure's direction. "And we will. But anyway, um, Tsuyu?"
Tsuyu froze mid-sip of her strawberry milk. "Kero?"
"Truth or dare?" Komori's demeanor didn't hint at any mischievous intent. More than anything, she seemed to want to get this turn over. Tsuyu obliged, choosing truth for safety's sake.
That's when Komori's eyes darkened.
"Out of all the boys in the hero course, which one do you think would make the best boyfriend?"
Despite having just drunk half a carton of milk, Tsuyu's mouth went dry. "Uh, well, based on the relationships I've seen, I'd say–"
"Oh, no, shroom, I don't mean the taken boys!" Komori grinned and giggled a bit. "I mean the eligible bachelors. The ones a girl might actually have a chance with!"
Of course. Why let Tsuyu take the easy way out?
"And why exactly are you interested?" Tsuyu cocked an eyebrow. If she couldn't have a relief, neither could anyone else.
"Details, please." Mineta's shuddering murmur cut through the room like a creepy knife.
Ignoring him, Komori swept her hair out of her eye, allowing it to fall right back down as she spoke.
"Well, these boys have been dragging their feet on asking girls out to the gala, and if it goes on for any longer, we female toadstools may have to take things into our own hands!"
From her, it sounded like the most obvious solution in the world. And once Tsuyu digested what she'd said, she had to admit there was a bit of a point to her words. The guys hadn't been super proactive regarding the gala (which everyone still operated under the guise that they were attending) and sure, there wasn't anything wrong with a girl taking the initiative to ask them out. Accepting that, however, felt a bit strange to Tsuyu. Almost like some sort of metaphorical ball had been thrown in her court through this question, and she didn't know what to do about it or why it bothered her so much.
"So you're asking me who you should ask out, Komori?"
"Shroom, no!" Komori stayed giggly and lighthearted in this absolute torment of her peer. "But I'm curious to know who you would ask out in this situation! I can pick for myself if I need to, after all."
Beside her, Kuroiro stiffened. A prick of amusement washed through Tsuyu; the poor dark hearted soul had been far too obvious about his crush on Komori since their first year. Everybody knew it, though no one was cruel enough to actually talk about it. Something about his feelings for her were too…pure to make fun of. It almost felt unfair hearing Komori prod Tsuyu about suitable options for a date with him sitting right there.
So much so that Tsuyu was compelled to help him out a bit.
It's not like she had a chance with any of the guys in the hero course, anyway. If a guy wanted to ask her out, he'd have done so by now. Of that she was certain. So what's the harm in guiding someone else's budding relationship along a little bit?
"Honestly? I think you'd do really well in a relationship, Kuroiro." Tsuyu offered him a reassuring smile.
The dark boy's eyebrows flew practically to his forehead. "Wait, me?"
"What?!" Mineta jumped to his feet. "You can't be serious, Tsu!"
"Really?" Honenuki looked equally surprised, quickly turning to Kuroiro once he realized he'd said that out loud. "No offense, man, just–"
"None taken." Kuroiro sat forward, genuinely curious. "But why do you say that, Asui?"
Yes. Why, indeed? Tsuyu chewed her lip for a second, trying to piece together an answer that would make him look good while still being truthful.
"Well, you seem like you'd be devoted." She started, seemingly finding her way as she spoke. "You know, no one would have to worry about you running out on them. You're quiet and soft-spoken, and…some people might consider your inherent darkness…alluring."
Kuroiro sat back, forcing himself not to smile. "Wow, you really…think that?"
Tsuyu nodded. "I doubt I'm the only one who does, too. Have more faith in yourself, Kuroiro."
"Ooh, good choice, Tsuyu! Never would have picked him for you, but to each their own!" Komori's giggle now sounded a little forced. Ah-ha; the only proof Tsuyu needed to land this thing.
"Oh, I'm fine on my own." Tsuyu waved her off. "But you have my suggestion. Do with that what you will."
Just like that, she returned to her strawberry milk, oblivious to the murmurings and excited whispers surrounding her. In fact, the only person who caught her attention lounged in the corner of the room beside Shoji, a book he obviously wasn't reading perched in his lap, dark red eyes brimming with some sort of anticipation. Something about his expression read as violent to her, but not quite in a scary way. Unsure what to do, she raised her hand in a small wave, breaking eye contact only when Tokoyami waved back. A lump formed in her stomach as she settled back; something in her brain pushed the anxiety that she'd made some sort of mistake to the forefront, and though she tried, she was unable to stop worrying.
XxXxXxX
"You hear me, Mitsutaka Yaoyorozu? I know what you–"
Mirror didn't suppress the devious laughter bubbling in her throat. The TV blipped back to black in an instant, her manicured fingers daintily clutching the remote.
"Oh, I just love when everything goes according to plan." She mused to no one in particular.
