Chapter 326 - 64.2

The four had been digging into Himiko's meal with enough gusto to make her blush, but even they had been paying attention to the scene with the rapt attention of any teen watching some school drama. Himiko nodded and hurried over to her station, and pulled out a bowl of Thai birdseye chillies. "Yup, got a whole lot of them."

Katsuki slammed his hands onto the table, making all the plates and glasses rattle. "You bitch! You said they were all gone!"

Himiko was already carrying the bowl over to Momo, so when she passed by Katsuki's table, she flipped him off. "I said that, because fuck you."

Reaching the table, Himiko already knowing what game Hanta was playing, held the bowl up to Momo. "Okay, put your money where your mouth is."

"Come on guys, you're gonna make her sick pushing this," Kyouka complained.

Mina looked at her. "You say that like you're not trying to get the best angle to watch."

"Sh-shut it!"

Momo looked at the bowl, and the many small chillies inside. Some were already teasing that she was going to back out, now that her bluff was called. Then she reached up and there were a few gasps. Many couldn't believe she was going through with it. There was crazy, and then there was what she was—

Momo grabbed a full handful of chillies, stems and skins sticking out between her fingers and, while both classes gawked, started popping them like M&M's, throwing them in her mouth, one after another, after another. Many times she wasn't even done chewing when she was adding more. Skin, seeds, stem and all, Momo munched and devoured her handful, and didn't bat an eye.

Which was more than could be said for the students watching the horror show, as some looked ready to pass out just from the idea of what they were seeing.

When she was done, she pulled a wet wipe from her arm and cleaned off her hands and mouth, and just smiled like it was nothing. "As I said, thanks to my Quirk, as long as the item has some nutritional value that lets it be turned into lipids, I can eat it without worrying about it causing me any discomfort while in the process of eating it, or when it's fully consumed." She looked around, "Would you also like me to demonstrate with a lemon? That was always a personal favorite at my old school."

Mouths puckered, the students of both classes agreed when they all turned to the Pussycats, begging them to see if they had any lemons in their pantries, That the first years had just found their new favorite game.

"Hey, why don't we see who made the best curry?" came Tetsutetsu's idea which got some interest from his 1-B classmates.

"What, like have it judged against 1-A's?"

"Okay, but there's no shot anyone is gonna be impartial."

"Besides, Monoma blew it out of the park over here!"

Many in 1-B cheered while Neito rose and bowed to the cheers.

"What, he can cook?!" came the shocked scream from Denki.

"He can follow instructions maybe. Isn't copying his thing?" Mina teased.

Some paper napkins were tossed her way, and she gave an indignant huff while some at her table returned fire.

"How about we get the Wild Wild Pussycats to judge?"

"Oh, that could work."

"What about the teachers?"

"…"

"…"

Members of both classes just sorta stared at each other before everyone started shaking their heads. "Nah, that'd be like us judging. They'd be super partial."

Midnight cut in, "No we wouldn't." She didn't like the flat out looks of disbelief the kids shot her.

"Yeah, Kan-sensei would have our backs."

Vlad King smirked, while Midnight shot him a look at not helping the perceived bias the kids thought the teachers had.

Izuku, seeing an opportunity, spoke up, "If you want the best curry, then it would be Toga's."

Ochako and Tsuyu gave twin ringing endorsements while Himiko shimmy and swayed, blushing and acting all crushy at the praise, earning some eye rolls from members of the squad.

"Wow, since when do you ever act lik—Whoa!" Hitoshi's dry comment was cut off as a spoon sailed by his head. Though the act confirmed to him Himiko had been playing it up. "Knew it."

Mei was up and looked down into the pot Himiko had used and the four had been eating out of. "There's practically nothing left. Pretty sure you have to have something to be judged by all the judges to be considered."

Ochako crossed her arms. "Not our fault we scarfed it all down."

Shouto frowned. "If they ate it, then how can it not be—"

Hitoshi put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. "Don't even try to follow their logic."

Neito, who had just lost a vicious round of rock paper scissors, was carrying his table's emptied plates to get refilled, gave Izuku a leveled look as he passed their table. "Don't think just because something is a limited quantity automatically makes it better than anything else." He then pointed at Himiko. "Plus, 1-A's house trained troublemaker stole ingredients. And while it's just like 1-A to cheat, even your classmates won't stand for it. Not when it means there's a chance they won't win. Not that they had a chance to begin with."

Tsuyu was standing up now, while Ochako leaned forward, knuckles pressed into the wood table, neither exactly happy to be hearing Neito going off at the mouth. Again.

Izuku was just staring Neito down. He wasn't sparking up, but he wasn't exactly thrilled.

Himiko in the meantime was blinking as she played catch up with the convo. Since one stupid comment had tripped her up momentarily. "Who the fuck you are you calling house trained?" She was out of her seat now.

Neito smirked, alarming several of his classmates as he stepped up to Himiko. "Oh please. You may still have some people running around scared, but you're just a paper tiger now."

It was interesting to see how quickly people were turning their heads away from stuffing their faces with the remaining curry, to see what in god's name possessed Neito to say that to Himiko. Even the classmates that had been talking Neito's cooking up, were suddenly looking like they wanted to reel their friend in.

Himiko arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

Neito struck his extravagant pose he always took when he got loud, and pointed at Himiko. "U.A.'s done an incredible job with you! Now you're nothing but a… defanged delinquent!"

Itsuka groaned while Momo leaned over. "Should… you be stepping in?"

Kyouka snickered. "Please don't. I wanna see where this goes."

Himiko stood, motionless, looking up at Neito with an almost bored look. Though those that knew her, could see the slight twitch in her brow. "Defanged. Okay. Yeah…" She took a second or two to run some numbers, and took a step back, giving herself and Neito a little space. Neito seemed to think this was her backing down, but before he could boast and point out his win, Himiko asked a simple question. "Wanna see something fucking terrifying?"

"…Eh?"

One second, Himiko was just standing there. The next, she looked at Neito and dropped all niceties. Like a dam opened, she let her bloodlust out. Those that had been in that alley in Hosu City recognized the aura. It was Himiko's own twisted version, but that was the aura Stain had when he stood before you. Ready to kill.

It hadn't even really registered with anyone else what Himiko had done, when the teachers and heroes acted. The ground underneath Neito and Himiko suddenly spread out, forcing the two far apart. At the same time, coils of capture cloth ensnared Himiko and were drawn tight.

Everything had happened in the span of a few seconds, and Himiko smirked, a cold soulless smile, at Neito. "Defanged, huh?" Then with a blink, the Himiko the classes were used to was back. "You can untie me now." She said it like she hadn't just delivered the biggest ultimatum towards the loudmouth.

While Aizawa untied Himiko, Vlad King walked up to Neito and put his hand on the visibly shaken young man's shoulder. And like a father about to ask his toddler what he learned after sticking a fork into a wall socket, "Congratulations. You just had a teachable moment. And you shared it with everyone."

Untied, Himiko got two steps before Midnight waltzed over, grabbed her and made it crystal clear, "We're talking."

After a few pats on the back, Vlad King left to go back to the sit with Aizawa and the Wild Wild Pussycats, while Pixie-Bob got the ground more or less back to how it was. Neito took a moment to collect himself, ignoring a few snickers coming from both sides. Then he took a step, and Izuku stood up.

Ochako and Tsuyu took immediate notice, glancing at him worriedly, with Ochako looking like she wasn't sure if she should be lunging for him to get him back into his seat. Even Katsuki at another table had paused his eating and was giving Izuku a careful look.

Izuku noticed all of this, and with a calm wave of his hand, at the very least dispelled any ideas he was about to start trouble.

"Monoma. I'd like to speak with you." Izuku was working to keep his voice calm and steady, hoping that it would show he wasn't about to just walk over to him and deck him. With the way people were looking between them, like they were about to get a show with their dinner, it was debatable if it worked.

While Himiko might have put fear back into the loudmouth blond, that clearly only extended to her. Because with Izuku, the cocky grin was back. "Uh oh. Looks like it's Midoriya that has the thinnest skin of 1-A."

Izuku frowned, and he had to make himself not ball up a fist. Thinking about it, this was probably the hardest he'd ever forced himself not to act out violently. Even when Katsuki would badmouth Ochako, it was at least another clue that he wasn't his normal self at the moment. "I said I wanted to talk."

Neito crossed his arms, looking smug. "Oh, and I'm sure you'd like us to go somewhere private, right?"

Izuku scratched at the back of his neck. "That's… probably not a good idea. We can talk here."

"Oh, and why's that?"

"Because if we were alone… I'd probably just knock your block off." Izuku just casually stating he'd punch someone was not normal. 1-A was giving each other startled looks while 1-B was wondering if they needed to step in and save Neito's bacon.

Ragdoll leaned over towards Mandalay. "This is the nice boy you were talking about?"

Mandalay didn't say anything as she watched the scene unfold. Confronting an issue wasn't necessarily a bad thing. As long as things stayed non-violent.

Pixie-Bob just shrugged. "Boys will be boys. Ow!" Mandalay reached over to swat her.

"Eh, let them fight," Tiger grunted. Mandalay didn't want to hurt her hand so she avoided smacking him.

Neither Aizawa or Vlad King commented while they waited to see how this played out. They were in favor of their students finding their own solutions to problems. Only deeming it necessary to step in if their solutions were the wrong ones. And while Aizawa was certainly willing to give Izuku's leash a little more slack given what he just went through, he also had a firm grip on it, because he knew the boy had limits. He could be understanding. But that didn't mean he was going to tolerate fighting.

"So, me standing here, in front of witnesses, keeps me safe from your temper tantrums, hmm?" Neito smugged smugly.

Izuku didn't take that bait. Instead he just addressed the issue he wanted to bring up. "I want an apology."

Neito snorted, and this time so did some of 1-B. However, a sharp look from Itsuka got them to shut up. She had felt the eyes of some of 1-A come their way. Which could lead to all sorts of other issues.

Neito however hadn't seen Itsuka's warning look, so his snort devolved into a full on laugh. "Ha ha ha ha! Oh, that's rich! 1-A is so thin-skinned they have— Ha ha ha ha! You'd think the famous 1-A would be able to take a few critical jabs. What, can't handle it when people aren't singing your praises?"

Izuku sighed. "Look, I get you probably got a lot of flack growing up because your Quirk has to rely on other people to do anything. And the concept of a hero needing other heroes to be a hero probably didn't do anything to help the self-esteem and inferiority complex you have, but if you need to talk down to others to help yourself reach your dream, fine. Knock yourself out. Or get knocked out, honestly, don't care. I grew up dealing with people mocking me too, but I didn't grow up into a jerk. But to each their own."

Neito's eye twitched while many in 1-B winced. "Damn, I thought it was Toga that went for people's throats."

"Huh, I thought Midoriya wanted this to be public so he wouldn't murder him," Kyouka chuckled.

Neito's hand shot up, jamming a finger into Izuku's chest. The contact had people jump. Ochako was on her feet now and both homeroom teachers took a step forward.

"You—"

"Apologize for what you said about my mom."

Neito snatched his hand back like he'd touched a hot stovetop. "What?"

Izuku crossed his arms. "I know what Toga and Tsuyu talked to your class rep about yesterday. Since she knocked you out, I'm assuming she talked to you."

"…And?"

"You said something, someone told someone else to tell you to stop. You haven't mentioned her since."

Neito threw his hands out, dramatically motioning to the mess. "Situation solved."

"No." Izuku was quick to reject that. "You owe me an apology. You say you're sorry, and then you don't mention her again."

Neito waved him off. "Look, the mom thing was a low blow, I admit that, but you are making this way more dramatic than it needs to be. Your mom got a few bumps and scrapes. That's no reason to go on and on like a—"

"She was dead." Izuku had to fight to keep his voice calm. Keep himself from shuddering violently as those words left his lip. "She was… or at least… as close as someone can get."

Neito rolled his eyes. "I get you're scared for your mom, but—"

"I FOUND MY MOM IN A POOL OF HER OWN BLOOD!" Izuku snapped. Fire spit from his mouth and tears leaked from his eyes. He had to take a deep breath, to get himself calmed down. He wiped at his cheeks, drying the tears. Or at least trying to.

"She was… it was everywhere, and she was… just on the ground." Izuku paused again. Knowing everyone was looking at him at this point. He didn't really care. "I've been hurt bad. Really really really bad. But not one of those times, was I in a pool of blood."

Izuku swung out a hand, pointing towards Katsuki. "Toga looks at me funny when she thinks I don't notice. Kacchan hasn't looked at me the same since! He was there, and he's been treating me like I'm fragile! Him!"

Katsuki sneered, but did something really telling. He turned away. Grumbling about damned nerds. But the kind of response one would expect from him, didn't happen.

"I didn't see the worst, but I saw enough."

For the first time since anyone in 1-A had met him, Neito didn't look smug anymore. His mouth was tuned down, his eyes searching. "That doesn't line up with anything. She walked out of the mall. Released the same evening."

"I'm aware. Mom's been sticking to the story too." Izuku was clearly not happy with that fact.

"So what, by some miracle she suddenly recovered?"

"Yes."

Neito blinked. "Huh?"

"It was Eri. She's the reason my mom isn't… She's the reason my mom's okay."

Neito frowned. "Eri?" That wasn't a name of a student from 1-A. And he was pretty sure he knew all the nicknames the school had for the class' students. Flattering and unflattering. And yet, it felt like it was something he had heard, but from passing a conversation.

Izuku was guarded again, giving Neito a hard, even stare. The change in demeanor got Neito's attention, especially since Izuku had waltzed up acting all calm and friendly. "She's… she's someone Ochako and I found after escaping someone who was hurting her. A lot."

Instant recognition. "Oh. The poor thing your family took in." Izuku blinked. "Despite my best efforts to warn them of the dangers to their reputations, some of my classmates like to share gossip with some of yours. So we heard about the kid."

Izuku was still guarded. Neito blinked. "You're not expecting me to mock a child are you? Wow, that's douchey. Very 1-A of you to make that kind of assumption." The arrogance and offense in Neito's voice was a wonder.

Mina threw her hand up. "Wait? Eri has a healing Quirk?!"

Katsuki answered. "Healing is like calling my Quirk, Firecracker. Damn thing wasn't like Recovery Girl's or anything you see at the docs. Kid has something insane in that horn of hers. Most violent healing I've ever seen." He paused, then added solemnly, "But it did the trick."

"How… how bad was it?" came the nervous question from Eijirou.

Katsuki glanced at Izuku, something everyone noticed, then just answered, "Bad."

To be told Katsuki is acting differently with Izuku, to actually seeing it… Seeing him leave things at 'bad' was shocking. And added a lot more weight to Izuku's words. So as the students murmured and talked amongst themselves, their attention was pulled back towards Neito, to see how he would respond.

Arms crossed, and looking appropriately subdued, Neito weighed everything. Finally, "Sorry. For throwing your mom's attack in your face yesterday." Neito didn't look exactly happy saying it. But people don't tend to look happy when they admit they were wrong.

1-B sighed in relief while 1-A were glad he rightfully relented. Now eyes turned to Izuku, waiting to see if he would accept the apology. Some, mostly Ochako, thought that Izuku deserved more. Maybe some bowing to help round things off.

Izuku, though, was satisfied. "Apology accepted. And thank you."

Neito sighed. "Yeah, yeah."

"Now," Izuku pivoted, "about what you said about Ochako."

"Uh uh!" Neito held up a hand, cutting him off. "I'll keep your family out of things, but your class is fair game! Just because you're dating doesn't mean she's off limits!"

1-A and 1-B groaned. Izuku glanced back at Ochako, and she just shrugged, with an eye roll. It seemed Izuku was going to have to take what he got, and leave it at that.

But at least, he felt a little more like himself now.

Pulled from the group, Himiko sighed dramatically. "I'm so sorry. I won't ever do something like that aga—"

"Cut the crap and don't lie to me." Midnight let go and glared down at Himiko. "Do you have any idea how many lines you just crossed?"

Himiko shrugged.

"Don't. Don't give me your attitude right now." Midnight pointed down at her. "I could have you restrained and shipped back to U.A. if I wanted. And I'm really close to making that call."

Again, Himiko seemed unperturbed.

"So, you get one shot here. Otherwise I'm putting you to sleep here and now, then it's on the bus back to school. And we both know you suddenly being gone is going to make a few people really sad." Midnight crossed her arms, noting the facial twitch. "You answer me now. Things are bad with Midoriya. Aren't they? Because they'd have to be for you to pull a stunt like that."

Himiko glanced away.

"You went full scorched earth scare tactics, hoping that if everyone is afraid of you, then they won't risk pricking people you're close to either."

Himiko chewed on her answer. Then, with a grumble, she answered, "It never occurred to Izuku, until we talked to him, that he should try asking Monoma to stop."

"…Oh…" Midnight let her arms drop. "Oh."

"Yeah. The three of us, we thought it was just a case of him having a short fuse right now. Being on edge and all that. Plus, he's defensive of people he cares about. Ochako for sure has been a button that was always a bad idea to press." Himiko looked worried. "He's not walking around with a short fuse. He's a grenade with its pin pulled. The lever is held down but, once that's let go… boom." Himiko made a little explosion effect with her hands.

"I need to talk to him, Toga. You three have formed ranks around him, but you have to let me speak with him." She knelt to get at her eye level. "You three think you can help him, but this kind of trauma, he needs people with experience to help him through it."

Himiko hated it when Midnight was right. "The girls are planning a get together tonight before bed." She gave Midnight a look. "So I suppose that would be your best bet."

"Thank you, Toga."

"Hmph."

With things settled, or at least as much as they were going to be, Izuku claps his hands together, ready for another curry plate. Because man, dealing with douches gave him an appetite. Hopefully there was enough for a plate.

Huh, it's a wonder I'm not as round as Fatgum.

Katsuki's brow twitched. "Oi, why're you looking at me?"

Izuku turned. "N-no reason." And hurried to the pot. Where there was only a little of the curry Toga had made left.

"Kouta, it's time for dinner! Come eat before everything is gone! Kouta! Kouta!" Mandalay called out as she looked around. However the little boy was nowhere to be seen.

Izuku, his plate made, felt his eyes drift up. Overlooking the campsite was a small rocky hill, and Izuku, plate in hand, slipped away.

But his absence did not go unnoticed.

"H-how'd you find me?!" Kouta glared angrily as Izuku approached him.

After a short walk up a well worn path, Izuku was up at the top of the hill, where Kouta was hiding away. As he rounded a corner, Izuku could hear water before he saw splashing spray and a large puddle on the ground.

As he neared, Izuku's footsteps must have carried, as there was a startled yelp before Kouta bolted around the corner and pointed angrily at Izuku, his hands dripping.

"You?! How'd you find this place?! Get out of my secret hideout!"

Kouta was very much not happy. At all. And Izuku started to realize he had walked up here, to find a kid that seemed to positively hate him. And had just invaded his apparently personal spot.

"O-oh, sorry… A secret hideout, huh?" The area had a lot of space to move along. And Izuku was standing there, realizing he didn't really have a plan.

Oh… uh oh.

"You're probably hungry, aren't you?" Izuku held up the plate. "You can eat this curry."

The glare didn't let up, and Izuku realized he hadn't answered the question. "I um… noticed the spot, and then found a path with your footsteps. And with your aunt calling you for dinner, I figured you might want something to eat."

Kouta's eyes darted to the plate, before they were back on Izuku. "I'm fine. I don't need any." He snapped. "Especially something from you."

Izuku shifted his weight from one foot to the other nervously. "I did what you're doing too. I worked a lot to improve my Quirk. When you really get into it, you work up an appetite."

Izuku hoped that maybe this topic would help Kouta feel less hostile. Everyone loved talking about Quirks. Especially kids at his age—

"It's gross."

…Did I just make things worse?!

"N-no it's okay. I get it. You're trying to get stronger to be like your parents, right? Water Hose. You inherited their water Quirk, huh."

Kouta's face scrunched up, and now he had a sneer on his lips.

Oh… ohhhh I did bad.

"How do you know anything about my parents?!" His face was darkening at an alarming rate. "Mandalay! What did she tell you!"

The anger was now starting to spread to other people. Izuku, not wanting Mandalay to deal with his screwup, and feeling extreme guilt at the whole situation, worked fast to at least make sure at the very least, if Kouta was going to be mad, better it was directed at him.

"Oh! Oh, no, um, uh… Sorry! It's nothing like that. I like looking up heroes and I kind of ended up hearing about it. And she… your mo… I mean Mandalay is your aunt, so… I just sorta drew a conclusion. Especially after you, um, sprayed me and Ochako." Izuku knew he was digging himself deeper. "I, um…. I'm sorry about what happened. I'm sure it's been rough for you."

"Shut up! People like you don't care. All you care about is calling yourself a 'hero' and other people 'villains' while you go around fighting, hurting and killing each other without caring about who you hurt in the process." Kouta looked down at his hands, and looked sick. "You all talk about Quirks like they're these great things. All you're doing is getting better at showing off. Just doing the same stuff the adults do. And it all ends up the same. It's all the same."

I thought it was just heroes… but it's everything connected to them too. The world we live in, our Quirks. He hates everything about it.

The thought that someone so young could feel like that. It made Izuku so sad. And think of something he had heard before. Even past the haze that day was, Tomura Shigaraki always stood out like an exposed nerve.

"You heroes are the trash of this society. Government officials with a license to commit horrendous acts of violence on the ones you deem threats."

Izuku hated that Kouta's hate reminded him of what Tomura was spewing at All Might back at the USJ. A hate of heroes. A hate of the world that propped them up.

Kouta wiped his hands off and turned to leave. "If you're done talking, then go away!"

Izuku should, he knew that there wasn't anything he could say here. Besides, who was he to stick his nose into this? This was a deep personal issue. The best thing to do, would be to turn around and leave. It would be the best thing to do.

But not the right thing to do?

"I grew up weak. For pretty much my whole life, I couldn't do anything." It was shocking that Kouta wasn't the most shocked person on the hill when Izuku kept talking. "Everyone had better Quirks. But… I couldn't hate them for it. I admired them. Even if they weren't a hero's Quirk, I found them fascinating. Quirks are… a part of our world. A fundamental part."

Izuku looked at Kouta softly. "There's a lot of different ways to think about them. Not just for heroes and villains. But rejecting them… I don't think that will lead to anything good. It won't take the pain away. I think all it'll do is cause others close to you to hurt too. It's a hurt that will spread and spread… like rot…" Izuku knelt down so he was able to look at Kouta. "Your aunt… she seems really sad, you know."

Kouta's face twisted and he turned away. "Shut up! Just go away!"

Izuku looked down at the ground. "Sorry. I just started rambling." Izuku laid the plate down. "Here. I'll leave this in case you want some."

Kouta didn't turn or say anything else, and Izuku knew it was time to leave.

Izuku had his head down as he walked the path back. The sun was now setting behind the mountains, so everything was cast in the soft glow of twilight.

Izuku kept his hands in his pockets as he walked back slowly. "I probably shouldn't have said anything." Izuku was pretty confident he had just caused Mandalay a lot of problems.

He was so distracted, he didn't notice someone slipping behind him. Of course, he wouldn't have noticed even if he wasn't distracted. He noticed when his shoulders were grabbed and suddenly he was backpedaling as someone stirred him until his back was against a tree.

"Wha wha what?!"

"Oh shush," Himiko smirked as she slipped out of the shadows cast by the trees and stood right in front of him. How she could just do that while in front of him was crazy. "You sound like you're in danger."

"T-toga?! I, ahem, didn't, um… see you there." The attempt to play off his shock just made her chuckle.

"Yeah. You weren't supposed to see me. You or that kid."

Izuku jerked, startled to hear Himiko say that. "Wait? You followed me? When? How long?"

Himiko tapped her chin. "I got away from Midnight pretty quickly. Didn't get to hear you apparently settle things with the douche. But I was back in time to see you 'sneaking' off with a plate. Soooo," Himiko walked her fingers up Izuku's chest, emphasizing each word with a little step, "I. Followed. After. You."

Each touch made the spot tingle, even through his clothes. Gulping, Izuku glanced away. "So… you, um… how much did you hear?"

"Oh, all of it."

Izuku winced. "Feel like I just made things worse."

"Oi, none of that now. The kid has issues. Some serious ones by the sound of it. You'd be surprised what the simple act of reaching out to someone can have."

Izuku huffed. "Really?"

"I mean," suddenly the little space between them shrank drastically, "I'm living proof."

Izuku turned, looked at Himiko's gentle smile, then glanced down.

She's still in that leotard.

Izuku's eyes snapped back up, hoping that she hadn't noticed him take that peek.

She had, and the way her smile turned, he knew she knew he had. And she was happy.

Izuku gulped as Himiko had her hands pressed into the bark on either side of his face, leaning in on him with a knowing smile. "You. Are just so cute. You know that?" She wasn't touching Izuku, but she was getting close enough that it didn't really matter.

"Yes?" Izuku gulped. "I mean…" Any worries that his answer might have come off as arrogant were silenced when Himiko chuckled.

Her breath felt hot, and Izuku was suddenly very unsure what she was about to do to him.

Her eye had a sparkle in it as she moved her head so her lips were hovering just by his ear. "Do you think I don't know when someone's playing a game? It's my game."

"I—" Izuku whimpered when Himiko blew a little puff at his ear. "I'm not… not playing any game."

"Oh?" She moved her body closer, slipping a foot between Izuku's so her leg was between his. Still not touching, but there was no denying the intimate posture. "So earlier, you weren't trying to rizz the three of us up?" Her smile widened and her fangs dripped as she eagerly licked her chops when Izuku gulped loudly. "I'll admit, you play my game with a softer touch, showering us with praise and such. It sure threw me for a loop. But, it's obvious. You want something, don't you." It wasn't a question. She knew.

Izuku started to turn away, and an apology was about to leave his lips, before one of Himiko's hands moved from the tree to gently cup his cheek. Keeping him from looking away. "Hey. Do I seem mad to you?" She paused and added, "Do they?"

Soft chuckles from Izuku's blind spot. Implications were many. None of which Izuku was given time to think about.

"Besides, it's nice to know you can play too. It's not as fun when it's only the three of us. You should feel good you can, hmm, weaponize your innocent qualities to really get our blood pumping." Himiko really was happy that Izuku was sitting at the game table with herself, Ochako and Tsuyu. It opened up so many possibilities.

"I… want to kiss…" Izuku gulped. "I really… really like kissing." Himiko cooed. But then, despite knowing it was selfish, he added softly, "I also… want to be kissed."

Izuku, a little distracted by his own guilt for admitting something so selfish, did not realize he'd just flipped a switch. He was the only one in the area that wasn't aware.

Himiko shuddered. Her toes clenched. A jolt of lightning ran up her back. Then, she looked to the side and saw smirks and approval.

"Izuku." Himiko's voice dripped with cinnamon and honey. "Want me to kiss you, like I kissed Ochako?"

Izuku's eyes snapped wide, just as Himiko grabbed his wrists and pushed them above his head. At the same time, she pressed her body against his. "Let me give you what you want. Let me give you what you need."

"I… hmm…"

"You've thought about it, right? How it would feel for me to kiss you, like I kissed her." She moaned softly. "Like how I kiss Tsu."

Izuku's head jerked in a nod.

"Fair warning." Her tongue slipped out. Tantalizing pink and wet. "I'm not for the faint of heart."

She was toying a little. She couldn't go full force. Izuku dreamed of kisses. She could touch, and grind, but she knew, there were steps and places she had to hold back. But there was still so much she could do to, and for, Izuku.

Above the waistline still left so much to play with.

A fire ignited inside Izuku. Each point of contact was sending Izuku's nerves into euphoric twitches. His body pushed back against her, and he let out a needy, "Please."

Himiko pressed back, overwhelming with touching and grinding. And when he opened his mouth to moan, Himiko covered his lips and mouth with hers. Claiming his lips with her own.

She slid her tongue in to twirl around his. Playing with it, showing just how talented her tongue was.

She nipped at him as she pulled on his tongue and sucked on it, savoring the feeling and taste of his saliva and that slight iron flavor of blood.

Izuku let out a wanton moan in the back of his throat. Their bodies flush, Izuku could feel a lot more of Himiko than he was prepared for, sending him into orbit, while her warm breath coming out of her nose as she kept his mouth claimed, was wondrously smothering.

She owned him in this moment. Overstimulating his senses. Making his world revolve around her.

Izuku lost himself in the kiss, in Himiko. His body burned against her. His own tongue wiggled weakly inside Himiko's mouth, as she sucked and played with him, dominating him with her experience and gusto. She had been dreaming of this moment. The chance to give Izuku an experience.

And a show, as a bonus.

When Himiko pulled back, slipping her tongue back into her mouth and giving Izuku's bottom lip a playful pinch between her fangs, she let go of Izuku's wrists so he was able to drop his arms down to his side. A count later, his knees gave, and he slipped down the side of the tree and was left sitting on the ground, a crumpled, sputtering mess, smoke wafting from his mouth and from his nose like a cute green bug coil pot.

Himiko ran her tongue over her lips, put her hands on her hips, and let her head lull to the side to look over at an amused and dusted pink Tsuyu, and a gobsmacked and openly staring Ochako. Then, wagging her eyebrows, Himiko brought a hand up to her lips, mimicking like she was holding a cigarette between her lips, and blew. Exhaling a mouth full of smoke she'd sucked out of Izuku fervently.

Tsuyu watched the smoke drift and fade, then glanced down at Izuku. "You sucked the soul outta him, kero."

Himiko chuckled while Ochako nodded hurriedly. Though she didn't say anything, too busy taking mental notes over everything she'd just watched so she could try her hand at giving Izuku that hungry of a kiss.

Tsuyu smirked. "Guess the 'rizzing' got one of us to blink, kero."

Himiko laughed. Then turned to address Ochako. "Make sure," Himiko started, reading Ochako like an open book and putting on her Toga-sensei persona, "that when you try, you make sure he can't touch you."

Ochako chirped but was paying attention.

"Remember how I told you he's touch starved? Well, you wanna take advantage of that by making sure that his attention isn't split between what he's touching and what you're touching. Make sure the only sensation he's feeling is your touch. If that's the only thing he's getting, well," Himiko motioned to the absolute wreck at the base of the tree, "you'll turn him into mush."

Not being touched by Izuku while she was kissing him would be a sacrifice, but looking at the blissed out smile on Izuku's face, it was a sacrifice Ochako was willing and eager to make.

Tsuyu tapped her chin. "I think I'm jealous. Midoriya looked like he had a lot of fuuuuUUUUNNNhmmmm!" Tsuyu's dry humor got cut off as Himiko pounced. Swinging Tsuyu into a deep dip. One hand cradling her, resting between her shoulder blades. Her other hand, openly and unashamedly groping below. Tsuyu didn't have the same waistline rules, and Himiko happily filled her hand with froggy cheek, while she consumed Tsuyu's lips.

Himiko had no reservations, her kiss was a furnace of wet desire and burning lust. Tsuyu let out a throaty, pleasurable moan as her body twitched in Himiko's arms. Himiko's tongue pushed into Tsuyu's mouth, before dragging Tsuyu's tongue into hers to slurp and suck. While at the same time, her hand massaged Tsuyu's ass, making sure she was giving Tsuyu her own loving full-body experience.

Himiko's fingers kneaded Tsuyu's juicy cheek, squeezing and stimulating the area.

Tsuyu's tongue coiled and swirled with Himiko's as they rocked in a rhythm, Tsuyu quivering happily from the attention. She was melting into Himiko's embrace. Happily letting her take her for a ride.

Soon, Himiko lowered Tsuyu onto her back in the soft grass, giving Tsuyu one last playful nip, before pulling up after the kiss was done, and letting Tsuyu's tongue slip from her lips, leaving her in the exact same state Izuku was in. Himiko straightened up, and made sure her leotard was still on right. Then, she turned to Ochako, wiggling her eyebrows.

Ochako gulped at that look. She knew that look. So she was left standing with a bright red blush and hands wringing in front of herself.

"Hey there, pink, round and mean," Himiko teased.

When Ochako's cheeks puffed in indignation, and it looked like she was about to say something, Himiko pounced. Leaping out, she tackled Ochako to the ground, pinning her arms down, and swinging her leg over her, straddling Ochako. "There we go."

"Wha wha wha?" Ochako stuttered, trying to figure out which way was up after getting flipped.

"Yeah, this is right. You on your back, me on top." She licked her lips. "Making. You. Mine."

Ochako squawked.

"Oh, don't be like that. We both know," Himiko moved a hand, and grabbed a few brunette locks in between her fingers, pulling softly to make Ochako expose her neck, "you're a girl that needs it a bit rough."

And like Carmilla and Laura from the old Sheridan Le Fanu novellas, Himiko leaned down, and pressed her lips against the sensitive skin that covered the thumping, drumming, vein underneath. And as Ochako moaned at the start of the suck, Himiko pressed her fangs in.

Not enough to break the skin, but enough that the mix of pain and pleasure had Ochako start to writhe under her, whimpering as Himiko sucked and pulled, working her head around her own personal toy to play with.

With a wet pop, she broke away from Ochako's neck, and while Ochako cried at the loss of contact, Himiko wretched her hair firmly, pulling her open, defenseless mouth towards her own. Silencing her cry and with just the right press of her body, making those whimpers become full throated moans.

Himiko kissed and slurped and dominated Ochako's mouth, while one hand roamed down the length of Ochako's body, passing over Ochako's stomach and rubbing her fingers down the indentions of her muscles.

Ochako gasped at the attention and arched her back, only for Himiko to press her back down, her fingers scraping down the front of her shirt, and leaving long red marks on her abs.

Pressed and held down, Ochako was left at Himiko's mercy, as she worked her mouth and toyed with her body, fingernails scratching along her hardest parts, mouth sucking and kissing in time with each finger press and scratch. When Himiko's fingers came close to Ochako's softer parts, she let her fingertips press and massage where the area began to soften, but never crossing into those untouched sensitive areas Izuku had yet to discover himself, at the same time her teeth sank into Ochako's lips and tongue.

Himiko mixed pain and pleasure, switching what part of herself she gave Ochako, her hand and mouth a reflection of her insanity as she inflicted both sides of herself onto Ochako. One gave pleasure, the other pain, and Ochako was coming apart underneath her.

Himiko left Ochako with no say, no choice. She was hers, and she could do anything to her.

When she was done driving Ochako mad with the manifest of her mania, Himiko let her butt rest on Ochako's lap. Said girl was sprawled out on the ground under her, chest heaving up and down while she drooled from the corners of her opened, panting mouth. Her shirt was rolled up where the long red welts ran up and down her exposed muscles.

Himiko looked down at her, then over at the still recovering Tsuyu and dazed Izuku. "Hey. You two call me Himiko from now on. I think we're past needing to use last names." She pressed her butt down, and Ochako made a very nice sound. "Right?"

Ochako gurgled out a drunken affirmative sound, while Izuku, still too dizzy to know where he was, just giggled. Which Himiko took as a yes.

"Good!" Himiko cheered with a clap. "Now, we probably need to get back. Pretty sure everyone is gonna be heading for the baths soon. And I don't think having the teachers coming to look for us would be good for us."

Himiko gave Ochako's cheek a little pat. "And we girls have plans for tonight, don't we?" Another blissful gurgle. "But hey, maybe tomorrow night, why don't we find a nice quiet spot after dark, and see what happens?"

Even blissed out of their minds, Izuku, Ochako and Tsuyu had enough sense to make nervous, but affirmative chirps and croaks at the idea.

It wouldn't hurt just to see what happened, right?

Once everyone had come back to their senses—and each realized that telling Himiko back during their little meeting, to let what happens happen, might have been signing over waaaay too much power over them, not that they were exactly complaining—the walk back had Himiko helping each three, since they were all a little wobbly. Slipping behind Izuku, she helped steer him back on the road, and moved so she could whisper into his ear.

"So, would you like Ochako's cheat code?" She smirked as even in the fading light, she saw him blush. "Since you were still out of it when I was kissing Ochako. You might've missed how I got her so out of it."

While she giggled, her laugh was broken when she heard Izuku start muttering to himself softly. Oh, he was thinking about the idea pretty hard alright. Then, Himiko was surprised when he looked back at her, and shook his head no.

"Eh?"

"I'm sad I missed the k-kiss. But I'm… honestly… I kinda want to… figure out all of Ochako's… secrets myself. Wh-when we're ready."

Oblivious that neither of the two were as quiet as they thought, as Ochako chirped after Izuku said that.

And it was. A very excited chirp.

"B-but thank you, To... Thank you, Himiko."

Himiko hummed happily and slipped away when she saw Tsuyu start to wander off the path. "So you're sad you missed me kissing Ochako, hmm? Someone here likes to watch, it seems." Himiko's golden eye practically glowed in the dark. "I'll have to remember that when we start our group make-outs."

All three blushed heavily at that idea.

But no one said anything against it either.

Baths were done and it was getting time for everyone to get some sleep. Or at least Izuku thought it was.

"Wait, what are you all doing in 1-B's room?" Izuku asked while he glanced into the overcrowded girls room as the last of the 1-B girls moved inside, with Mei setting something up for the group.

He hoped it wasn't a still. Because it looked like a still. He breathed easy when he saw chocolate get handed to her and then the jug of milk.

Oh it's hot chocolate…. That'sto make hot chocolate?!

Himiko leaned over Ochako's shoulder with a grin. "We're just having a big old slumber party. Gotta have a little fun tonight after the hell we went through today, you know."

"Oh, that does sound fun," Izuku said with a smile. Before adding, "Should I help keep Mineta away?"

Mina waved her hand. "Nah. He's been behaving lately, so we should be fine."

Kyouka smirked as she kept pouring the drinks for everyone. "I think the poor guy lost too much blood today from training." Everyone winced a bit, knowing his scalp was probably pretty sore. "I doubt he's gonna do anything besides sleep."

"That's true," Ochako agreed.

"I guess I should duck out so you all can do… whatever girls do," Izuku said with a smile.

Himiko rolled her good eye. "Yes, escape the cooties, Izuku."

Ochako pushed her away. "Honestly Deku, it's nothing weird. We're just hanging out, is all."

"And talking about some of us that thought hiding their secret crushes was a good idea," Tooru giggled.

Ochako sighed, having had to deal with this already, and glared at Tooru, or at least where her head should be, while Izuku winced. "You call each other out on that stuff?"

Mina grinned evilly. "Oh yeah we do. Plus once we get bored with Ochako, Tsuyu and Himiko, we can have fun with everyone else. There's always more gossip and supposedly secret crushes to talk about."

"Oof. Well good luck, Jirou. I'm rooting for you." Izuku gave her a thumbs up and turned to leave. Missing the totally shocked looks from everyone and the look of horror on Kyouka's face. Himiko, Tsuyu and Ochako traded wide-eyed looks before they grabbed Izuku and dragged him back.

"Hold it right there!"

"Deku, what did you just say!?"

Startled, Izuku looked between the three. "Oh I'm sorry, did I spoil the fun?"

"Forget that. Why'd you single Jirou out, kero?" Kyouka chirped when Tsuyu pointed at her, her ear jacks tapping against each other nervously.

Momo had frozen, looking at Kyouka. Then her eyes drifted towards—before she snapped them back to pay attention to Izuku.

"I mean… it's obvious, right? Her crush? And you guys said that's what you give each other hard times over. And since Ochako's crush is… well…" Izuku flushed, earning an eye roll from Ochako before he moved on, "And Tsu and Himiko are out too…" Izuku looked around. "Did I not get a joke?"

Ochako leaned forward. "Her obvious crush!?"

Izuku nodded. "Yeah. She totally lik—!"

"AAHH!" Kyouka bolted for the door and ripped Izuku away and proceeded to drag him down the hall, away from everyone. Well, far enough that no one in the room could hear anything as she talked with him. While that happened, the rest of the girls crowded the doorway, wondering if what they were seeing was real.

"There's no way Midoriya saw something like this right!?" Mina shrieked.

"I mean… he seems so oblivious," Setsuna observed.

"Tell me about it," Ochako said with a sigh.

Himiko shook her head. "There's no way. Just no way in hell this is real."

"I mean… he called me out, remember? Hasn't he been… spot on recently, kero?"

Ochako and Himiko shared looks before they turned, with the rest of the group, and watched closely as Izuku and Kyouka had an animated talk. At least animated on her end. Izuku looked very lost and confused. Then he said something, and Kyouka screamed and slapped her hands over his mouth, face a deep shade of scarlet and ear jacks tangled into knots.

Ochako's jaw dropped. "No way."

Momo covered her mouth with her hand. "I wonder who it is?" No one heard the anxious tone in her voice and despite herself, cast a worried look over at Itsuka, who she noted was watching the scene with great interest.

Though so was everyone.

Mina was tearing at her hair. "Midoriya? HIM OF ALL PEOPLE SAW SOMETHING!?"

Himiko crossed her arms. "That boy and me need to have some words."

"That's 'that boy and I', Toga," Momo corrected absentmindedly as she kept glancing at Itsuka.

"You too, huh?" Himiko deadpanned.

Izuku then bowed and hurried away. Leaving Kyouka alone in the hall. Slowly she turned to the group, and her red face turned white. Twisting on her heel, she made a beeline to escape, but Tsuyu's tongue shot out and grabbed her. Kicking and screaming, she was pulled back into the room.

Izuku made a hasty retreat away from the girls' room, Kyouka's screams echoing down the hall, making his pace near a dead sprint. Rounding a corner, Izuku pressed his back against the wall, and had a hand over his chest as he huffed and puffed from the run.

"Oh." Izuku now realized the gravity of his mistake. "Oh, I just left Jirou to die. Oh, I'm a bad person."

"Sometimes you have to do what's best for you, and run as fast as you can," came a surprising new voice. Midnight glanced down the hall, shaking her head. "Poor girl was doomed the moment you said anything. Best to run while you have the chance."

Izuku jerked off the wall. "Midnight-sensei! Um, I was just… ummm…"

"Leaving poor Jirou to those vultures?"

Izuku blinked. "I'm dating one of those vultures, you know."

…

…

"Ooooh, please don't tell Ochako I said that."

Midnight just smirked. "My lips are sealed."

Izuku sighed in relief. "Oh thank you. She'd kick my butt if she knew I said something."

Ochako paused as she worked to tie Kyouka's jacks around a chair while the other girls held her down.

I think Deku needs to be kicked.

"So Midoriya. With the girls occupied, you're free right now, right?" Midnight observed, though her tone made it pretty clear she already had decided on Izuku's answer. Izuku also seemed to realize he wasn't in a position to decline, as Midnight led him away.

The room he soon found himself in almost looked staged for the two to talk. Or at least two people to talk. "Is this where you and T… Himiko come to talk while we're here?"

Midnight raised an eyebrow, noting the name change. "That's right. I still think it's important we keep her talking. Even during this time, and maybe because of it. Her being exhausted could inadvertently open up new topics of discussion." She motioned to one of the chairs. "Please Midoriya, take a seat."

Izuku had a feeling he wasn't really being given a choice. But looking at the seat made him feel uneasy. He didn't want to be here. "Do we… have to do this?"

"I think it's very important that we talk. A lot has happened to you recently. A lot more than most students go through their entire high school careers. I want to see how you're doing." She saw Izuku looked unsure and was waiting for something specific. "So yes. I'm saying you have to do this." She made sure to say that as gently as she could. But clearly she had to make sure Izuku was aware, this wasn't a request.

She had a feeling, a few days ago, she wouldn't have had to make it clear like that.

Still better to break the ice with someone more pleasant.

Himiko's warning about his mental state had Midnight treading carefully. She was making him have this talk, but she didn't want this to be an unpleasant time for him. Happily for her, Izuku seemed willing to accept he was here and was in his seat to have their talk.

"So, how's the poly life treating you?"

Clearly, the first thing Izuku expected to be asked wasn't that. He puffed out several clouds of smoke before he answered, "Wh-wh-wh-what do do do do you mean?!"

Midnight chuckled. "Come on now. You know I'm a bit of a gossip. And if you think I'm not going to notice that Asui is suddenly now a very close member of your group…"

Izuku glanced away, poking his fingers together.

"And now you're using Toga's first name. And so's Ochako, if I overheard right."

Boy, the ceiling was super interesting to Izuku.

"Plus. The day you all had that little meeting, she's now a member of your future agency. And…" Midnight smirked, "I saw you four when you came back."

"Earlier today?" Izuku asked hopefully.

"Tonight," Midnight corrected.

Izuku gulped. "I don't know what you're talking about." The stupid blush on his face, and slightly glazed over eyes as he thought about earlier, made it pretty clear that it was a bold-faced lie.

"Oh really?" Midnight chuckled. "Everyone that believes that, go ahead and stand up."

Neither Izuku or Midnight left their chairs. Midnight leaned forward, offering a soft smile. "I'm not trying to embarrass you, Midoriya. And there's nothing to be ashamed of. Polyamory doesn't have any negative implications like it once had."

Izuku stiffened. "Negative implications?"

Midnight waved it off. "Some people might have labeled people involved in relationships like that as promiscuous."

Oh, Izuku didn't like hearing that at all. His brow knotted down and he frowned deeply. "What kind of people exactly?"

Midnight blinked. Whoa! He went defensive fast.

"Reign it in, young man," Midnight said with a laugh. "We're talking pre-Quirk worldviews. Nothing any of you are going to need to worry about."

Izuku rubbed his hands together, his face softening. "Right… right."

"Good job confirming my question though," Midnight teased while Izuku blinked and covered his blushing face. "Adorable."

"Has, um…" Izuku peeked through his fingers. "What had Himiko said about… us?"

"Honestly Midoriya, I'm more interested in hearing what you have to say about things. And I'm pretty sure you already know how Himiko feels about all this. You all did have that talk not too long ago."

"Me?" Izuku chirped.

"Like I said, I want to talk to you." Midnight held out her hands in a welcoming manner. "So, how are things with everyone?" Start small and work towards the hard stuff. Make him comfortable. Safe. Focus on happy feelings, before making him face the bad. These were the simple rules Midnight felt would help her get a good grasp where Izuku Midoriya was.

Izuku lowered his hands, wringing them together. "Good. Things are… good between us."

"You sound like you're unsure."

"No! No, I'm ecstatic! Really," Izuku quickly moved to dispel that idea. "Honestly. I don't… I can't remember the last time I ever felt like this…" Izuku chuckled. "Probably because I've never felt like this."

Midnight made a soft hum, having an idea as to what the issue was. "It's not that you're unsure that things are good. You're unsure what to do since things are good."

"Everything I've read about polycules and polyamory relationships point to making sure no one feels left out. Making sure there's no axle-and-spoke dynamics."

Midnight raised an eyebrow. "So you've been doing research, huh?"

"Yup. Been reading so, so many romance books and how-to guides."

That got a little snicker from Midnight. "Romance guides, hmm?"

"It was a little easier when I was prepping for Ochako… you know, when I asked her out for our date to I-Island… and a little before, after I sorta kinda eavesdropped on a conversation between her and Himiko."

"I recall seeing the notebook and all the date plans you showed Himiko to keep her from biting your head off. It's good you have the 'avoiding one member being the center' issue down. That can lead to a lot of hurt feelings, and can spread through the group faster than you'd think."

Izuku blinked, and Midnight could see the look in his eye. Inquisitive. He was a boy that had an eye and mind for details. "So, I was involved in a poly relationship myself once. And I know some of the pitfalls. When someone… becomes unhappy, that feeling can spread throughout everyone if it's allowed."

Midnight tapped her fingers on the armrest for a moment or two, looking thoughtful and a little melancholic before she was back to her normal self. "Best advice I can give you, Midoriya. Communicate. Talk often. Talk talk talk. Even if someone doesn't want to talk, you talk to them. Because you always want them to know that line is there."

Izuku nodded, and Midnight noticed that his hands were twitching, like he was writing that all down.

"So. You mentioned it was easier to research before. Any particular issue you run into trying to research how to have a poly relationship?" Midnight noted the blush was back on Izuku's face. And despite herself, her tendencies worked themselves out. "Oh. Oh, you mentioned you were looking at romance books. I bet," she was smirking wide now, "what you really mean is you came across the mountains of novellas?"

Izuku was a blushing mess now. "Everything was so…"

Oh this poor boy. Midnight had been told by Himiko that he was coming out of his shell. He was more confident. But Himiko had also made it very clear. Izuku will always be Izuku. "Erotic novellas do dominate the poly space. For better or worse." Izuku chirped. "But, if you're finding ones that are written from a female perspective… well, there's some good references there."

Midnight smiled brightly when she saw Izuku nod. Small and jerky, but it was there.

"Also remember, the type of affection given between you all is just as important as the act of giving it." Midnight pointed out, "No one person just fits into a 'one size fits all' situation."

"R-right."

"Take Toga for example. You wouldn't give her the same kind of attention you would Asui, right? Toga thrives on the physical. The very core of her being, biting and drinking blood, is a huge reflection of her personality. She expresses her love through touch."

Izuku gulped. "She sure does." Midnight snorted, and gave Izuku a once over. Izuku quickly looked away, but Midnight knew. The kid gloves were starting to come off now.

"She's physical, and it's give and take."

Izuku nodded. "Ochako… she… I think she likes touching. But it's also the whole… package." Izuku frowned thinking of the right word. "I think intent matters. She gets flustered so easily, it's praise and affection are important to her. I just have to be careful that I don't come off as condescending or my acts somehow take away her independence."

"Don't do anything that'll make her feel like she has to depend on you." Midnight was impressed. "That's a great insight, Midoriya. Balance is important with Uraraka. You want to lift her up, without her feeling like she's being held up. Good. That's very good."

Izuku puffed up with pride.

"And what kind of attention would you say is best to give Asui?"

Aaaaand instant deflate.

"Tsu… is… I think is the most mature out of all of us. It kinda feels like… in a public setting, she'd want restrained and more thoughtful acts. Maybe like what you'd see a married couple share… But privately… Himiko said she's ver—" Izuku clamped his mouth shut. Midnight raised an eyebrow but let Izuku finish on his own time. "Himiko, um… said things, and Tsu sorta… Actually, I'm not sure it's my place to say anything about that unless they tell us they've talked to you. I mean, technically we're still two separate couples so it'd be wrong of me to… gossip with anyone about their private matters."

Not going to just start talking about the fact that apparently Tsu is just as needy and exuberant as Himiko is. Also she's more intense too and wild. Which given her Frog Quirk… 

Izuku definitely wasn't thinking of the way Himiko teased Tsu that time during their double date. Calling her her 'horny toad.'

"Two separate couples?" Midnight asked coyly.

"…There's a lot of overlap and we're open to letting things happen if they happen. But we're making sure we're good on our own first and foremost."

"Letting things evolve naturally, hmm. Mature and considerate of all of you. You wouldn't be using this time out here to 'see what happens' would you?"

Izuku glanced away. "No comment."

"Ha ha ha ha!" Midnight laughed heartily. "That's fair. I won't pry into things you don't think are your business to discuss. However, I would like to focus on something. Asui seems to be a bit of an unknown to you. So why don't we do something? I'm going to say a name, and you say the first thing that pops into your head. Don't worry about trying to make it neat."

"Oh, um… okay?"

"Tell me how you feel about Uraraka."

"Ochako? I'm in love. It feels like she filled a piece missing I didn't have for years."

Midnight nodded. Taking note of the idea that Izuku felt he was missing a part of himself for apparently a long time.

"Toga?"

"Himiko… It's a different kind of love. But it's love. She became a part of me but differently. Like she added herself to me. Ochako made me whole, but she expanded me."

Midnight nodded again. That description got to a T. Himiko very much inserted herself into Izuku's life. But to say she added to him, instead of sticking with something that could have a negative connotation, like insert, was a huge thing. And showed that while new, these feelings came from a strong place.

"Asui?"

"Tsu… weird. Not that I'm saying she's weird or anything!" Izuku corrected quickly. "It's just… she's blunt so it's hard to really know what she's thinking. Though she's definitely not afraid to tell you what she's thinking," Izuku ended with a chuckle. He had already seen her pull on Himiko's leash a couple times. Which was amazing to witness.

"But weird like… The moment she became a part of things, someone who shared feelings for someone I was realizing meant so much to me, the dynamic changed. She was a friend, a really good friend, but still a friend. Now, even if things stay… I think she used the term metamour, well, she's going to be special to me." Izuku held up his hands, making them like claws, as he turned them at the wrist, like he was trying to figure out how to make his hands clasp together. "It feels like we're two puzzle pieces. And we're turning and flipping, to see if or how we'll fit together." He clapped his hands together and set them in his lap. "I feel a little guilty about that. That I don't have an answer for her."

"With Uraraka, you had a whole year of training together to build up what you have now. You were practically already living together by what I've heard." Izuku chirped. "Toga, she's unique. So the way things have gone with her, shouldn't make you feel that's how it should apply to anyone else. You and Asui are part of something brand new, and need time. There's nothing wrong with both of you getting a feel for one another." Midnight smiled softly. "Think about how you described her and you. Pieces of a puzzle trying to figure out how you fit together. It sounds like you think you both want it, but it's all so new. You need time to figure out how it'll work. It's mature that they are taking the time, and not smashing the pieces together. That choice can make things bad for everyone involved."

Izuku was nodding and Midnight added, "You're doing fine. That you're so focused on making sure everyone is happy is so important."

"Of course!" Izuku puffed out a little bit. "I'm going to make sure they're happy! … If I'm not too busy being the center of attention and making them miserable." He deflated at the end.

Midnight leaned forward, initially debating if it was time to move things towards the heavier topics, but if Izuku was going to take things there naturally she wasn't going to stop him. "Is this something you feel is something that's happening?"

Izuku sighed, slumping down, and looking tired. "Considering they're having to keep an…" Izuku paused and gave Midnight a look. "Anything I say here stays between us, right?"

"Of course. Minus if you start making threats of violence or anything along those lines." Midnight felt that should be enough, because Izuku wouldn't be making threats.

"…"

Why isn't he saying anything?

"Ahem… So as long as I don't just say, 'I'm going to do XYZ,' it's fine?"

…Well that's fucking alarming if he's looking for specifics.

"Midoriya, I think we both are mature and smart enough to know the difference."

Izuku was quiet for a few seconds. Finally, "I'm not… okay. After what happened to my mom. I knew it wasn't fine but… I didn't know just how not okay I was. But Ochako, Himiko and Tsu knew."

"How not okay are you?" Midnight asked softly.

"I've… well I guess I've been pretty close to… punching Monoma. Um… multiple times on this trip."

"Well he can be a handful, but—"

"I was close to punching him while using my Quirk. And I didn't even realize I was… well…" Green sparks danced over Izuku's palm and arm. Giving Midnight a pretty good idea.

"They stepped in today… after Monoma called Ochako a gorilla. When they pulled me aside, they talked to me. And it sorta hit me…how dumb I was being, but… I almost didn't care. I just wanted him to stop. And… I knew I could makehim stop."

An alarming statement to hear for sure, but at least Midnight knew this issue had some resolution, as she had heard about it from the other teachers.

"I'm grateful they got my head back on straight and I was able to talk to Monoma and have him apologize for what he said about mom." Izuku frowned deeply. "But it never should have gotten to that point. I was acting dumb… and distracting people important to me."

"I doubt anyone feels like that," Midnight reassured.

Izuku groaned. "Which somehow makes it all worse… Mom kept trying to say everything was fine… but it's not. She's not." Izuku leaned his head back, looking up at the ceiling. As he stared up, thoughts creeped into his head. Little insect legs creeping around his head. Dark thoughts buzzing far at the back of his brain. "None of this would have happened if I was there." Izuku's voice was dark, cold and certain.

"You know that's not true, Midoriya. There was nothing anyone could do in a situation—"

"I'm. Psychokinetic!" Izuku snapped, making Midnight jerk. That was not a tone she was used to hearing. Even when he rebuked her at the sports festival, it wasn't like this. "I could have grabbed Shigaraki. Pulled his hand away from mom."

Midnight shook her head. "Midoriya, I know how your Quirk works. When you use it on a person it doesn't work as well. You've said before, you have to be careful you're not applying too much force too."

Izuku pressed his hands together, and squeezed. "I wouldn't have to be careful with Shigaraki."

Midnight eyed Izuku's hands. Noting the way his knuckles turned white from the force.

Midnight was careful, slightly alarmed at the way the conversation was starting to lean. And the fact that Izuku was expressing some very uncharacteristic violent intentions. "Midoriya. Your mother got hurt. And we know, despite how the media is portraying it, it was serious. Of course you feel like if you had been there, things would have turned out differently. But nothing good will come from making the assumption things would have turned out differently or for the better if you had been there to inter—" Midnight was hit with a strong feeling that using interfere wouldn't have been the right word, "—involved."

"Except that every time I have gotten involved, I've saved the people in danger," Izuku countered pointedly.

"No th—"

"The sludge villain with Kacchan. The zero pointer with Iida. In the USJ, if I hadn't gone through those villains in the hall, they would have swarmed Ashido. Ochako, Tsuyu, Himiko and Kacchan with that large group of villains. All Might when I threw myself at Shigaraki the first time. Then there's Stain…" Izuku trailed off. Not going into detail because he wasn't supposed to, but Midnight knew. And she was flinching as Izuku kept listing off his examples. It was an unfortunately long list by this point. "I know I would have made things better. Despite what people like Aizawa-sensei like to say."

"Midoriya…" Midnight looked down at her hands, wringing them together as some weight of the past pressed down on her. "I know you're probably tired of hearing Aizawa say it. But the hardest part of being a hero is knowing when you mustn't act, and knowing that inaction is going to cost lives. Because the hard truth is, doing nothing might save more people than doing something in the long run."

It was one of the most unfortunate truths for a hero. Maybe she was taking a page out of Aizawa's book, putting such an unappealing and frankly cruel fact out in the open. But maybe it was a lesson that needed to be taught sooner. How many kids come to hero schools these days, thinking that the stories they hear as little children are real, only to cruelly learn first hand that they aren't. Maybe it should be the teachers' job to dispel these comic book ideas as soon as possible.

"He's wrong."

It wasn't what Izuku said that had Midnight snapping her head up. It wasn't even that Izuku didn't agree. It was the tone of anger and alarming disgust.

And when Midnight looked at the boy sitting across from her, Midnight knew she had just made a huge mistake… Izuku wasn't just angry that this idea was just told to him. He looked reviled at the very idea of anything she'd just said.

"So what. He's saying that instead of acting, I should be like… like those… those frauds out in the world? Like Death Arms and Kamui Woods?!"

Shit shit shit!

Whatever progress Midnight might have made tonight was going down the drain. "Midoriya, just hold on—"

"They were going to stand back and let Kacchan die! Is that what I'm supposed to do?!" Izuku was out of his chair, and Midnight had her hands up, trying desperately to get Izuku to calm down.

"He's a grenade with its pin pulled. The lever is held down but, once that's let go…boom." Himiko's warning was in her ears. Fuck! Fuck!

She'd gone too far. She'd just wretched the hand off the grenade lever. Maybe she had assumed Izuku would be easier to talk to. Even if he was dealing with trauma it couldn't have made him anything like Himiko had been.

Fuck!

She had been very very wrong. "Midoriya, please. Aizawa has a rough way of teaching, but he cares for you all. We… I just think—"

"He cares?! Aizawa-sensei?! Who's so unhappy being a teacher that he goes out of his way to let our class know we can't trust him by lying to us practically every day! And because we caught onto him on day one, he's decided to take out all his negativity by making me his favorite punching bag. All because apparently, no one likes that when the heroes fail at doing things they're supposed to be good at, I step in and do their job for them!"

Izuku threw his hands into the air, his frustration hitting a crescendo. His body was sparking up, and suddenly things felt dangerous. "At least my teachers in junior high just stuck with doing nothing when my life was being made a personal hell, but Aizawa-sensei seems to love putting on a personal touch. Always, always making sure to call me out in front of the class, so I wouldn't dare speak out or complain."

Izuku was breathing fire now. "'Just do what you're told, Midoriya.' 'Don't complain, Midoriya.' 'Trust us, Midoriya.'" He turned and pointed at Midnight. "Well, I've tried that, and it would have gotten my friends killed and now my mother's been attacked and no one's done anything about it! Because I wasn't there to act, my mom almost died! Trust?! Trusting you all doesn't seem to work!"

Furniture was rattling around. "None of you can point to one situation where me doing nothing would have been the right thing to do!"

By the end of the sudden rant, it was hard to tell who was more surprised. Midnight, who was frozen in place as she tried to quickly digest the rant just thrown at her. Or Izuku, who had a hand up to his mouth like he was checking to make sure it had actually been him that had spewed the sudden, unplanned, vitriol.

Upon realizing that he had actually said what he had said, out loud and with another person in the same room, and said person being a teacher, Izuku promptly decided that this little session was over and he needed to leave now. "I-I have to… I need to go. I… need to go."

Midnight, still in shock but also with enough sense left to know when it was time to quit, "Sure. That's alright. It's… going to be okay." Izuku was already at the door at 'sure.' Pausing only at that last bit before he ran off. Leaving Midnight to hold her face in her hands.

When Midnight walked into the shared living space for the teachers, Aizawa and Vlad King looked up, and had to do a double take.

"The hell happened to you?" Aizawa asked as a very disturbed looking Midnight walked over to the fridge, found a beer and slammed it back.

Vlad King chuckled. "Looks like she had a rough talk with Toga. I told you you didn't need to get on her case too much over the incident today. It was a good learning experience for Monoma."

"I wasn't talking with Toga," Midnight hissed as she tossed the can away and grabbed another to press against the throb in her skull. "I was talking with Midoriya."

Vlad King blinked when Midnight gave Aizawa a particularly nasty look.

Aizawa for his part put down the student planner he was prepping for the extra study session for tomorrow. "What?"

"You fucked up…" She almost slammed down the full can. "I fucked up. It's all fucked." She cracked the can open. "I handled Toga, so of course handling Midoriya shouldn't have been an issue. But nope, I didn't listen when Toga warned me he's a fucking pinless grenade."

Aizawa frowned deeply, not having seen Midnight like this after a talk since the early days with Himiko. "Slow down. What happened?"

Midnight to a swig, then lowered her can. "We might need to grab Ragdoll and ask that she make sure Midoriya doesn't run off."

That got Aizawa and Vlad King's attention. "Wait, is that an actual concern?"

"I honestly don't know. Probably not, but I just misplayed Midoriya bad, so I might not be the best one to make the call."

Aizawa glanced at Vlad King, who got up. "I'll just knock on her door and see if she can tell us where he is. If he's in his room, no worries."

Now it was just Midnight and Aizawa. "So. What happened?"

"You know how the mother isn't exactly a fan of us?" Aizawa nodded. "Well you can add the son to the list."

"Are things really that dire?"

"Midoriya is a hero fanboy, right? Well, that fanboy just started throwing around the word fraud. And he had names to go with it."

That was actually a surprise for Aizawa. "Names?"

"Death Arms and Kamui Woods."

Aizawa took a moment to give that a thought, then rubbed his brow. "The heroes involved in the sludge villain incident. They were part of a group of heroes that weren't able to act to save Bakugou."

"The incident where Midoriya ran in to try to help."

"…And the incident where All Might complimented Midoriya for his bravery in acting. Reminding him that heroes are supposed to risk their lives," Aizawa finished.

Midnight gawked. "WHAT?!"

"I've had a few conversations regarding Midoriya with All Might. Apparently he himself wasn't willing to act due to… his circumstances. To see Midoriya act… well…"

"That dumb fuck!" Midnight exploded. "Well, great. Thats three teachers that have fucked up!"

Aizawa frowned. "Midoriya is a raw nerve. Whatever was said was probably built up due to the situation with Monoma. I'll speak to him and push him to focus on his training. It helped me to compartmentalize after… it helped me so it should help him."

Midnight shook her head. "Maybe, but I don't think it should be you."

"I'm his homeroom teacher. It has to be me."

"He. Doesn't. Trust. You," Midnight said like she was stabbing in each word. "hHe exploded at me because he feels like not only do you hate your job, but that he feels he's now the best target for you to vent your frustrations." She held up her hand. "Don't even try to say it's ridiculous or anything. As far as he's concerned, he's a target, and to make matters worse, as far as he's concerned, every time you've come down on him for taking action, is basically you telling him to act like a fraud hero, and let people die." She took another drink. "He's convinced if he had been there at the mall, he would have saved his mother… and fuck me if I don't think he has an argument."

Aizawa frowned. "That mindset isn't helpful for breaking Midoriya out of this destructive habit." Aizawa got up, and decided that Midnight had the right idea, and grabbed himself a beer. "You've made your point over my teaching techniques. I can only apply my own life experiences as best I can."

"Right, because how you were as a pro is healthy." Midnight recalled many a night finding Aizawa treating his own injuries during those last few weeks of their last semester.

"Hard work kept my mind clear. Hopefully after a few more days of our training, Midoriya will burn out this… funk he's in. And after that… I can have a talk with him." Aizawa cut off the objection from Midnight. "I'm not going to talk down to him. I'll let him talk and… express his side of things."

"Good… that's good." Midnight sighed. "Yeah, now isn't the time to do it. He needs time to breathe. Wait until after this camp at least. Maybe… maybe before the next semester starts will be alright."

"Hmm."

"You're going to listen?" Midnight sounded genuinely shocked. Relieved but shocked.

"Hmph. I suppose I should learn from your example. Especially if things are as dire as they seem."

"They are." Midnight looked down at the can in her hands, "I'm pretty sure the thought of killing Shigaraki is floating around in Midoriya's head right now. Not a pleasant notion."

Aizawa glanced over at her. "Is he the only person Midoriya wants to harm?"

Midnight nodded. "I think Monoma giving that apology prevented a potentially horrific situation. The thought of asking for one only just occurred to him, after his… friends stepped in."

"Midoriya isn't violent by nature."

"He isn't."

Aizawa nodded, settling on his plan. "Then we'll make sure he doesn't have time to consider violent acts. He'll be too exhausted." Aizawa cracked open the can. "I think Midoriya has great potential. It's our job to make sure he lives to achieve it."

When Vlad King returned, he confirmed that Ragdoll had Izuku asleep in his room. And both teachers breathed a sigh of relief.

In a swirling cloud of black, multiple figures stepped out onto a flat outcropping, jutting out from a mountain. Down below was the vast forest belonging to the Wild Wild Pussycats. Lady Nagant stepped up to the ledge, and deployed her rifle, looking through the scope. Behind her, Chimera crossed his arms as he tested the air.

"Do you see anyone?" Chimera asked. Though he had a pretty good idea what the answer was going to be.

"No. We're at the far edge of their property here. And that should be outside Ragdoll's search range."

Dabi huffed as she stepped up beside them. "Should?"

Chimera answered after he didn't smell anyone in the vicinity. "Large range Quirks always mean you should be cautious. There's always a chance a hero might keep a trick or two about their abilities close to the chest. Just in case."

A large man, wrapped in a tattered cloak cracked his knuckles. His voice was twisted and deranged. "He's down there isn't he. What are we waiting for?!"

"He he he he." Deep within Kurogiri came an almost inhuman laugh. Obscured by the black mist, a black elongated figure peeked through. Bright yellow eyes peering past the darkness. "I wonder if he's still strong. I hope he's strong. So long. Sooo long. I want to see him… he he he he he."

The last member of the group to walk through, making sure to stay at the far edge of Kurogiri's portal to avoid the lanky monster and towering man, grumbled as he pulled at his school uniform. Noting that the thing didn't quite fit like he wanted.

Chimera looked him over. "Nothing scarier than a school boy."

The shortest member grumbled behind the tightly sealed mask on his face. "This is what I was wearing when my life changed. Plus, I want everything that happens, to be traced back to her." The tiny member let his fingers run along the metal of the gun at his waist. "So when do we go?"

"Man, you crazy bastards need to shut up," Dabi grunted, slipping his hands into his long coat pockets. "We'll move when all fourteen of us are here. We were put together as a strike force. But you don't send in a unit like us with only a quarter of the members present."

Lady Nagant looked over at him. "Look at you, acting like a big shot, hmm?"

"It's just common sense." Dabi looked out at the forest, almost smelling the smoke. "After tonight, these 'heroes' will realize that their false peace is about to come to an end."

Lady Nagant had to admit, taking a bat to the stained glass window this world was, sounded especially enticing.

Kurogiri's portal shifted as he began to close. "I will leave you all to scout then, while I collect our remaining members at the designated point."

Lady Nagant nodded. "Sounds good. Once everyone is dropped off, we'll need to move fast. It's like Chimera said, Ragdoll and her Search Quirk might have other ways of sensing when someone is in range. We need to move like she doesn't have to see us." Kurogiri nodded. "One last thing. Any word from our inside man?"

"No. They relayed the location of this training facility to Master. That is all I know about any communications."

Lady Nagant huffed. "Would love to know how All for One got someone inside." She paused and more seriously added, "Would also love to know who they are. Don't think All for One would take too kindly to his mole getting taken out during our attack."

"He has assured me that that will not be a concern." Kurogiri could tell there were some eyes on him. "And I'm afraid I don't know who they are. This is a secret Master has chosen to keep to himself."

The tiny member grunted. "What, like need-to-know kind of thing? So if someone is caught they can't accidentally spill the beans? Or use it to cut a deal." All heads turned to him. "What? It's what they do in those crime tv shows."

Chimera pulled out a cigar. "Then we need to assume that we'll be getting no inside help. Either directly or indirectly. Them sending this location to us is the extent of their help."

The large man grumbled. "Bunch of cloak and dagger bullshit."

Lady Nagant eyed the big man wearily. There were definitely a few members of this new League of Villains that had a lot of potential to be assets to the mission. Some—she looked to the side at the youngest—were more tagalongs that would be getting their first real taste of violence tomorrow. Then there were the wild cards. The ones that relished the carnage and violence. Then there were people like this one. The ones that were crazy, but also had their own agendas they wanted to fulfill. They, even more so than the insane members, were the ones she had armor piercing rounds for.

They were the ones that always went off script.

Chimera lit his cigar. "All right people, let's get hiking. Lady Nagant will be overwatch while we get close. I want us in position with time to spare before we launch the strike."

Lady Nagant kept her scope trained on the forest as the group set off. Behind her, Kurogiri wished them good hunting and said he looked forward to bringing them back after their victory.

The lone, twisted figure, still hidden behind the portal cloud, started laughing again. It was almost time and he was so excited. "He he he he, just you wait. Just you wait. I'll get to see if you're still strong. When I find you, I'll get to see if you're still strong, Bakugou."

Inko sat at her dinner table. Eri was tucked in and so she sat in silence by herself. Except she wasn't alone. At least not in her mind. She sat at one end of the table. At the other, sat her old self. Muddy and bloody. Together, Inko began to lay out what she knew.

"He's up to something."

"He is."

"Reforming the MLA?"

"He never had that kind of drive before."

"You know he loved the power being a general gave him. All those people falling in line at his word."

"He doesn't have the connections. We don't even know where anyone from the island is."

"Forget about anyone from Bespin. Those aren't the connections he should be focusing on."

"…"

"Remember all those people? At the dinner. That's what you want if you want to make an army now."

"People with influence."

"Political, industrial and entertainment."

"And money."

"He's leveraging Izuku. Somehow Izuku is important to this. He keeps wanting to bring Izuku around his boss. Bring him to that city."

"Why?"

Both voices were silent. Neither had a clue. Izuku was important, but to what?

"I don't have enough information." Inko tapped the table. "Too many pieces missing."

"Haven't even flipped them over after pouring them out of the box. Take it one step at a time. Get the edges filled out first. Outside and work in."

"Hisashi is our only piece though…"

The reflection shook her head. "You still have that card?"

And then, when Inko blinked, she was gone. Shaking her head, Inko got up and walked to her room. Finding her purse, she dug around, and pulled out the card that Chitose had given her. Flipping it over, there was the private line she had written down. Inko remembered seeing her back at the mall after the attack. Saw her looking at her before she was pulled away.

Was it a stretch to assume she was part of things? A part of Hisashi's whole thing? Inko didn't think so. At least she couldn't see the blue woman being someone that would play any game Hisashi was playing. But…

Inko found her cellphone and hit the numbers. At the same time, she was pulling open her closet, and started to pull clothes out. Surprising herself as she noticed she was paying attention to anything that was cut low, or maybe had a slit in the skirt.

"Yes? Oh hello. Yes. Yes it is me." Inko smiled, putting on a friendly voice, as she was answered by a surprised but almost enthusiastic woman. "Oh it wasn't anywhere near as bad as the news made it sound. I'm fine. Totally fine. But…"

Inko pulled a top out and eyed it. "Oh, nothing's wrong. I just… well… after such a close call. It got me thinking that maybe I shouldn't just wait around on things anymore." Inko nodded. "Exactly. So… I thought maybe you and I could grab some dinner? It's short notice I know, bu—"

Inko blinked in surprise. "Oh. Oh, that's a wonderful spot. But isn't it always busy?" Inko, despite herself, smirked. "'You'll figure it out.' Okay… okay then, I'll let you figure out how we'll get a table. And me… well, I'll just focus on making sure I'm dressed to kill."

Inko switched to another top. Something she was sure Mitsuki had gotten her, because she would never buy something with such a deep cut. She'd be too afraid she'd pop out of it.

"Eri? Oh… no. I think I can convince my friend to look after her tomorrow. You met her. I'm sure she can look after Eri for me. So we can," Inko pulled from experience she hadn't used since Bespin. Using a voice that could get her anything she wanted back in the day, Nenshouki put on the charm, "so we can have some fun. Without worrying about any interruptions."