Izuku stood near the bus in his U.A. gym uniform, feeling distinctly naked without his hero costume. The new gauntlets Mei had delivered that morning sat snug on his forearms, the metal catching the early sunlight. They were lighter than the old ones, more responsive. He flexed his fingers and felt the kinetic dampeners activate with a soft hum.
Small victories.
The rest of his gear sat in storage. Hatsume had promised his full suit would be ready in a week, after she reinforced the fabric to handle explosions that could level city blocks. Until then, he was stuck in the standard issue blue and white tracksuit like some kind of discount superhero.
"Those are new."
Momo stepped up beside him, adjusting her ridiculous excuse for a hero costume. The red leotard cut so high on her legs it made Izuku wonder if her father's R&D department had actually been staffed by perverts in lab coats.
"Gauntlets, version two point oh," Izuku said, tapping them together. "Triple the force absorption. Won't crack if Bakugo decides to throw a tantrum again."
Momo's lips twitched upward. Not quite a smile, but close. "Your last pair lasted exactly one match. I'm surprised you're trusting Hatsume's work."
"Mei knows what she's doing. She's just enthusiastic about it."
"Is that what we're calling it now?"
Izuku glanced at Momo sideways. Was that jealousy? From the ice queen herself?
Interesting.
"She's brilliant," he said, keeping his tone light. "A little unhinged, but brilliant. Kind of like someone else I know."
Momo's eyebrow arched. "I am not unhinged."
"You created a military-grade cannon during the assessment test. To launch a baseball."
"That was strategic thinking."
"That was overkill." Izuku leaned against the bus, crossing his arms. "Not that I'm complaining. It was pretty hot."
The faintest pink touched Momo's cheeks. She looked away, pretending to examine the bus's tires with intense interest.
"You're insufferable."
"I've been told." Izuku tilted his head, studying her costume again. The more he looked at it, the more it annoyed him. "You know, I've been thinking about your outfit."
"What about it?"
"It's terrible."
Momo's head snapped toward him, her dark eyes flashing. "Excuse me?"
"The design. It's functional for your Quirk, I'll give it that. But it's also the worst possible tactical choice I've ever seen." Izuku gestured at her exposed skin. "You're basically walking around with a sign that says 'aim here for maximum damage.'"
Momo crossed her arms under her chest, making them poke out more. "The Support Department designed this based on extensive research into my Quirk's requirements. I need skin exposure to create objects efficiently."
"Yeah, but does it need to be your entire back and half your chest?" Izuku stepped closer, lowering his voice. "There are other options. Better ones."
Momo didn't move away. If anything, she leaned in slightly.
"Such as?"
"Ever heard of a kunoichi outfit?"
"Ninja wear?"
"Sort of. Picture this." Izuku raised his hands, sketching the design in the air between them. "High-cut hakama. Shows your thighs from the side for leg-based creations, but looks completely modest from the front. An obi sash here." He gestured at her waist. "Wide enough to expose your side for torso creations without showing off your entire ribcage to every villain with eyes."
Momo's gaze turned thoughtful. She uncrossed her arms, her fingers tapping against her chin.
"That could work. The sash would need to be reinforced, though. And the hakama would require slits high enough for proper range of motion."
"Mei could handle it. She'd probably add rocket boosters and a coffee dispenser just for fun, but she'd get it done."
A real smile broke across Momo's face this time. Small, controlled, but genuine.
"I'll consider it."
"You should. Can't have my class president getting shot because her costume doubles as a target."
"That's very noble of you Vice President."
The door to the girls' locker room burst open, and Tsu stepped out in her wetsuit-style hero costume. She blinked at Izuku with those large, dark eyes, then hopped over to him in three quick bounds.
"Midoriya. Where's your hero costume, ribbit?"
"Still getting repaired. Bakugo's explosions melted half of it."
"That was Lord Explosion Murder to you, Deku!"
Izuku didn't even need to look to know Bakugo had arrived. The walking rage machine stomped toward the bus, his massive grenade gauntlets swinging at his sides.
"I'm not calling you that, Kacchan."
"It's my name!"
"It's a stupid name."
Bakugo's hands started smoking. Kirishima appeared like a red-haired angel of mercy, grabbing Bakugo's shoulder before he could launch himself at Izuku.
"Come on, man! Save it for the villains!"
"The only villain here is this Quirkless piece of—"
"Bakugo!" Iida's voice cut through the parking lot like a whip crack. The class rep marched toward them, his arms already chopping through the air. "Such language is unbecoming of a U.A. student! We must maintain proper decorum!"
Izuku tuned out the lecture. Iida could talk for hours if you let him.
Instead, his eyes drifted across the parking lot to where Jiro and Toru stood with Mina and Uraraka. All four girls wore their hero costumes, ready for whatever training waited at USJ.
Jiro's purple hair caught the light as she turned her head pointedly away from him. Toru's gloves and shoes shifted position, angling her invisible body so her back faced him.
Yep. Still mad.
Izuku had sent exactly one apology text to each of them last night: "Mei was calibrating my equipment. Actual equipment. The kind that doesn't make innuendos."
Neither had responded.
Oh well. They'd get over it eventually. Or they wouldn't, and he'd deal with that when it became a problem that couldn't be solved by his natural charm and a well-placed smile.
"Midoriya!"
Izuku blinked. Iida stood directly in front of him now, close enough that Izuku could count the stress lines forming around his eyes.
"Yes, assistant?"
"As vice president, I require your input in organizing our classmates into a single-file line for optimal bus boarding efficiency!"
Izuku stared at him. Then at the bus. Then back at Iida.
"Great idea. Ask Yaoyorozu."
He stepped around Iida and headed for the rest of the group. Behind him, Iida sputtered something about responsibility and leadership, but Momo's calm voice cut through his protests.
"Iida, the bus has an open floor plan. Single-file boarding won't make a difference."
Izuku grinned. He'd known Momo would handle it. She was good at managing people who took themselves too seriously.
"Alright, everyone!" Aizawa's voice carried across the parking lot, rough and completely done with existence. "Time to board. We're leaving in two minutes with or without you."
The mad scramble began. Students rushed toward the bus, hero costumes of every color and design creating a moving rainbow of chaos.
Izuku climbed aboard and claimed a window seat near the middle. The bench was designed for two, maybe three if people didn't mind getting cozy.
Momo slid in beside him without asking, settling into the seat with the kind of grace that came from years of etiquette classes. Her costume's high cut meant her bare leg pressed against his through the thin fabric of his tracksuit.
Izuku's brain helpfully noted this fact. He told his brain to shut up and focus on literally anything else.
"Comfortable?" Momo asked, her voice carrying the slightest hint of amusement.
"Peachy."
Tsu hopped into the seat on his other side, sandwiching him between the two girls. She adjusted her goggles and settled in, her webbed hands folded neatly in her lap.
"This is fine, ribbit," Tsu said to no one in particular.
Izuku caught Jiro's glare from three rows back. She sat next to Toru, both of them radiating hostility in his general direction. Mina occupied the seat across from them, looking between Izuku and the angry girls with barely suppressed glee.
Yeah, this was going to be a fun bus ride.
The engine roared to life, and the bus lurched forward. Buildings blurred past the window as they headed toward whatever fresh hell awaited them at the Unforeseen Simulation Joint.
Izuku leaned back, letting his head rest against the seat. The gauntlets hummed softly against his forearms. Mei's work really was excellent. He'd have to bring her more food as a thank you.
"Midoriya."
Tsu's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. She'd turned slightly in her seat, her large eyes fixed on him with that unblinking stare she did so well.
"What's up, Tsu?"
"As you know, I'm a very blunt person who says what's on their mind, ribbit."
Izuku's internal warning system started blaring. That sentence never ended well.
"Go on."
"I have a question."
Several classmates had stopped their conversations. Izuku felt attention shift toward him like a physical weight.
Tsu tilted her head, her expression completely neutral.
"What exactly is your Quirk?"