The next day.
Izuku stirred awake, slipping off his sleep headphones and tossing them into the drawer of his nightstand. The faint morning light spilled in through the curtains, painting the walls in warm gold.
Without even touching the floor, he began to hover lazily toward the bathroom. Steam filled the space within seconds as he turned on the shower, the sound of rushing water mixing with the faint hum of him flying. He bathed without ever setting foot on the tile, casually drifting in place as if gravity simply didn't apply to him.
By the time he was dressed in his uniform—still floating—he was already gliding down the stairs. He ate breakfast at the dining table the same way, his toes never brushing the ground.
Inko, seated across from him with her coffee, simply shook her head at the sight. "You know," she said, her voice breaking the comfortable silence, "the ground feels way better than all that floating."
Izuku smirked between bites. "No it doesn't. Now that I think about it… I've never flown with you before."
She blinked. "Huh? Why would I even want that?"
Her protest didn't stop him. Izuku drifted over behind her, looping his arms under her and lifting her effortlessly above the table. She gave a startled squeak, her legs curling slightly on instinct.
His hand settled at her waist, pulling her closer against him so she was balanced, her back pressed lightly to his chest. She blushed but didn't resist—though her posture stiffened just enough for him to notice.
"See? Feels nice, right?" he asked, trying to ignore the distracting warmth where her body rested against his.
"Not really," she said in a tone that tried for casual but didn't quite make it. "Though… I do like the view of the house from up here."
Her words were neutral, but her ears—bright red—told a different story.
He frowned slightly. "We should go flying for real one of these days."
Before she could answer, he set her gently back into her chair. She immediately reached for her coffee as if to hide her expression, though her lips lingered on the rim longer than necessary.
"Sure," she said after a moment, her voice steady again. "I wouldn't mind. Also… what plans do you have for this weekend? Any girls you're planning on taking out?"
"Not really. Well… not yet, I guess," he replied.
She arched a brow at him. "You're really a playboy, huh? And to think you'll be a pro hero one day… what if all your deeds catch up to you?"
He smirked. "How will they catch up… when they're not fast enough?"
He expected at least a chuckle or a blush, but she only stared at him blankly.
"You know," he said with mock disappointment, "that would've worked on any of the girls in my class… except maybe Jirō or Momo."
Her expression shifted with mild curiosity. "Oh, is Momo the daughter of the family down the street? The one in that huge mansion?"
"Maybe? Never really cared to go check," Izuku replied with a shrug.
...
After breakfast, Inko grabbed her keys while Izuku trailed behind, both slipping into the car. The morning air was cool, the streets of Musutafu buzzing with the usual weekday rush.
She turned on the radio for background noise—but the calm announcer's voice immediately caught her attention.
"Last night, Hoodie Hero the vigilante prevented what authorities describe as a major tragedy. Sources say multiple criminal bases were dismantled within the span of an hour. Eye wit—"
Inko's hand tightened on the steering wheel. Her foot almost slipped on the pedal. The car swerved slightly before she corrected it, shooting a sharp glance at the boy sitting beside her.
Izuku casually looked out the passenger window, face blank.
"I guess…" she said slowly, a mix of irritation and disbelief in her voice, "…you and I will be having a nice talk today."
"Guess so," he said, lips curling into a faint smirk but still avoiding her eyes.
They drove in silence after that, the tension hanging in the small space between them. The streets eventually narrowed as they neared the familiar stretch leading to U.A. High. Inko pulled over a little ways down the road—her usual drop-off point.
Izuku was unbuckling when she leaned toward him, aiming to press a quick kiss to his cheek like she always did. But just as she leaned in, he turned his head—calculated, deliberate.
Their lips met.
Her eyes went wide, her breath hitching in pure surprise. She pulled back instantly, cheeks blooming red.
Izuku chuckled, grabbing his bag. "What, Mom? It's just a kiss. Don't make it weird."
"I'm not making it weird," she said too quickly, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I was just… surprised, I guess." She glanced toward the road, avoiding his gaze. "Umm… have fun, okay? And don't… don't play around with those girls in there."
"No promises," he said, smirking as he stepped out of the car.
She drove off, eyes glued to the road but her flushed face giving her away.
' It's completely normal, ' she told herself. " I just haven't kissed him on the lips in years. That's why I was surprised." She muttered as she raised the volume in the car. Not wanting to listen to her thoughts right now.
Across the street, Izuku adjusted his bag and started toward the school gates, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips.
' Wow… I didn't think it would get this bad so soon. I swear, she's going to break one of these days.' He thought.
Izuku stepped into U.A., the morning halls quieter than usual. When he reached his classroom, he noticed it was still half-empty—desks neatly arranged, sunlight spilling in through the tall windows.
What caught his attention was Uraraka, already seated, idly fiddling with her pen. She was rarely this early.
He made his way to his desk behind her, leaning forward with an easy smile.
"Hey, what's up?" Izuku asked as he slid into his seat.
She glanced back over her shoulder, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Nothing really, just kinda hungry."
"Did you eat in the morning?" he asked, brow raised as he leaned forward a little more, curiosity in his voice.
Instead of answering immediately, she swiveled her chair to face him fully. "No, I didn't. Hey, did I ever tell you why I want to become a Hero?"
"Nah, I don't think you did," he replied, watching her closely.
Uraraka hesitated, her gaze dropping to her hands. The shift in her posture told him this wasn't an easy thing for her to share. He already knew her reasons—he'd learned them before—but hearing it from her directly mattered.
She took a small breath before speaking. "It's… because of my parents. They're not in the best financial situation right now. I want to make enough money to give them a better life, retire them early, make sure they don't have to struggle anymore. I know it's not the most noble goal compared to everyone else's, but… it's mine."
Her voice wavered slightly, and she let out a self-conscious laugh. "It's stupid, right? My ambitions are nowhere near as good as any of my classmates."
"I don't think it's stupid," Izuku said firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "To me, you're still going to be a great Hero, even with that goal. It's not like you're doing it for yourself—it's for your parents. So don't beat yourself up about it. Have pride in that."
Her head lifted, eyes glistening faintly as she bit her lip to keep the emotion in check. She nodded slowly. "Yeah… you're right."
"Great," he said with a faint grin. "Now let's go get you something to eat. Can't have you passing out on us."
She shook her head, chuckling softly. "Oh, I could never pass out. I think I've grown accustomed to my hunger. I even sleep just to avoid it."
Izuku chuckled with her, but the sound didn't fully mask the weight in his chest.
'That's not even funny… I think I should help her,' he thought, leaning back in his chair as he watched her try to brush it off.
TO BE CONTINUED