heroes-of-our-hearts

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

Okay, homecoming is over, I can resume writing now!

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

Me: Almost done with the next chapter of Vendetta

Also Me: Laying in bed, staring at a wall, being a piece of g a r b a g e

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

“I want an answer, goddammit!” + Toshinori Yagi

The silence was deafening.

You were waiting for him to say something, anything.

For months the two of you had been tiptoeing around your feelings for one another. It was difficult traversing the waters of coworker, friend, and lover. You’d shared secrets with one another during the late hours of the night, shared laughs under the sun.

It all was leading to this moment.

You hadn’t told him about your feelings. It’d been something you’d kept close to your heart, knowing that the number one hero was not the kind of person who would want a relationship.

Still, your heart yearned for him.

Then, you’d said those three words that left him in a stunned silence, allowing an air of gloom to seep between the two of you.

“I’m returning home.”

“Why?” Toshi finally asked, words returning to him.

You swallowed thickly, knowing that the words you should say to him wouldn’t ever make it to your lips.

Instead:

“Nedzu gave me a great opportunity but it’s-”

“Stop,” he interrupted, his teeth clenched.

He wasn’t the large, imposing figure of All Might, but he’d never looked more intimidating to you, even as his smaller form. The brow that cast a shadow over his eyes was wrinkled with concern, or perhaps frustration.

Toshi always was good at hiding his emotions.

“I’m trying to tell you-”

“I want an answer, goddammit.” He ground out, every muscle tensed under the strain of his hurt and confusion.

You flinched at the fierceness with which his words left his tongue.

Never had you seen him hold such panic, and pain, and uncertainty.

You opened your mouth to answer, fully intent on finishing what you’d begun to say earlier, but he stopped you short with one large digit to your lips.

He’d crossed the room in less than a second, now so close to you. You could see the emotions bubbling just beneath the surface, his eyes offering insight into his heart.

Normally, this close, you felt overwhelmed with arousal and love. Now, you felt a bit numb. A part of you wanted to curl in on yourself and let the world fade away.

However, you would be strong.

“An answer won’t change anything,” you said, pulling your lips tight. You wouldn’t allow your tears to fall just yet.

“Goodbye, Toshi,” you whispered, wrapping an arm around his neck to pull his head closer to yours as you stood on the tips of your feet.

Hesitating for just a minute, you closed the distance between the both of you. Your lips met, and while you could feel the excitement bubbling within, there was also a sadness.

One of his tears had fallen on your cheek as you met in a final goodbye.

Your resolve wavered, but the image in your mind wouldn’t let you change your decision.

“I’ll miss you,” you breathed, refusing to turn around as each step took you further from the one person you trusted more than anyone, the one person you allowed into your heart.

The echo of your footsteps against the ground reverberated into your heart, cracking it more with each stride.

By the time you made it to the meeting spot, you felt empty.

“Did you do it?” The voice above you asked, seething with hatred.

You looked at the rainy street below, watching as people walked by unaware of the danger they passed by. If only you’d known, then you would’ve never hurt Toshi. You would’ve never been in this mess.

“It’s done.”

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

I’m hoping to have the next chapter of Vendetta out tomorrow and one of the final chapters of Fade to Black out this weekend. I’ll begin on the writing prompts tomorrow too! I was planning on starting today but my schedule got filled up far quicker than I thought it would. Thank you for your patience and have a good night!! <3

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

"Would you mind? I can't reach it" with aizawa?

Most definitely! (:

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

October Dialogue Prompts

Hello! I’m hoping to start a new activity that might help me hone my writing skills a bit. I’ll be putting a few dialogue prompts below. I’ll write short stories with each (they’ll be reader inserts with various characters). If you want to see a prompt with a specific character, please message me and I’ll write the reader insert for that character. Otherwise, I’ll be choosing at random.

1. “I want an answer, goddammit!”

2. “Do you regret it?”

3. “How much of that did you hear?”

4. “Why are we whispering?”

5. “I never got to say goodbye.”

6. “Stay.”

7. “You keep me warm.”

8. “Out of every costume you could’ve chosen...”

9. “I’m not scared.”

10. “Five more minutes...”

11. “You’re in love.”

12. “Is that a ghost?”

13. “Pumpkin carving is an art; one you clearly never learned.”

14. “Watch me.”

15. “Would you mind? I can’t reach it.” Aizawa Shouta

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

Chapter Sixteen: Mother Hen

If you were being honest, you were having a hard time focusing on the matches.

You’d comment when you could, and try your best to cheer on, but your mind was elsewhere. There was something pulling your attention you couldn’t quite place, but it began right before Midoriya had snapped himself out of the mind control.

You had a sneaking suspicion it had to do with your quirks.

As you tried your best to find your center and focus on the feeling, you managed to catch a few glimpses of the matches.

Though, during Bakugo and Ochaco’s match, you were fully enthralled.

Everyone had been booing the kid for taking to so rough against a “weak little girl”.

Your fingers clenched into fists as you eyed the crowd with disdain.

“He’s fighting her like he would any opponent, you dumbasses. You think that people take it easy on Tempest because she’s a ‘small girl’.”

Your words at least managed to make a few people shut up. (And Shouta smirk beneath those bandages.)

He even added his own words of humiliation to the crowd and praise to his student.

“You’ve managed to get our cool jets all hot and fired up,” Hizashi joked, before narrating the fight like any other.

You pouted.

“I’m making sure she can beat everyone’s ass by the end of next week.” You proclaimed indignantly, crossing your arms over your chest.

“You’re stealing my students,” Shouta deadpanned.

You quirked a brow but offered nothing more as Ochaco went on the offensive once more. Despite the hoards of people between you and the stadium, you could feel the fractures in the earth. You knew what she was doing.

It was smart, but she wasn’t giving enough credit to his reflexes.

After this was over, you wanted to speak with her some. She had a promising quirk, and though you weren’t sure what kind of hero she wanted to be, you wanted to teach her to use it a bit more offensively.

Sure enough, when the time came, Bakugo’s reflexes were what saved him the match. Ochaco’s effort was admirable though, and you found yourself exhaling in disappointment as she was carried from the match.

“Midoriya is going to be sparring Todoroki soon,” Shouta reminded you.

He sounded curious, but the man was hard enough to read without bandages covering every feature on his face.

“Good,” is all you reply with, resting your head on your fist.

Hizashi perked up at the mention of the match.

“Who do you think will win?” He asked.

You hummed gently, pondering the question. It wasn’t a fair question, really. Not because one person would have an advantage over the other, but more because they were both so far from their genuine potential.

“This fight is going to be less about them,” you mumbled, watching as they began walking towards the stadium.

Endeavor, who had been quiet and lost in the crowd, suddenly rushed forward. God you had to hold the eye roll back.

“Don’t,” Shouta advised.

“I’m going to water whip that stupid mustache off his face,” you grit out, glaring at him.

You didn’t move your eyes an inch from him until he acknowledged your presence with a glance in your general direction.

Feeling particularly (no more than normal) petty, you kicked your foot roughly against the ground.

A satisfied smirk spread across your lips when Japan’s number two hero stumbled forward as an unseen force (and most definitely not a well placed kick into the ground that sent a small spike of earth up beneath his feet) caused him to lose his footing.

“That’s the opposite of subtle,” Shouta reminded you, no doubt realizing that it was definitely your fault that he’d been propelled the smallest bit forward.

“Couldn’t be me,” you claimed innocently, your eyes wide. “My quirk is water manipulation.”

“Make sure it stays that way,” Shouta warned lowly.

You muttered something beneath your breath, watching the interaction between Midoriya and Todoroki with interest.

Todoroki was not shy about throwing masses of ice at his enemy. You needed to work on that. You often incorporated ice into your attacks, as it was particularly powerful and off putting, but rarely did you use it like Todoroki was.

He was relying on his raw power to overtake his enemy, which wasn’t smart in this case. Even without knowing the origins of Midoriya’s quirk, it was obviously powerful in its own right. He didn’t know how to control it entirely, but he was a clever kid. He’d find a way around his temporary handicap.

He was using each individual finger, which was smart but far too excessive for a sports festival.

You huffed out a disappointed sigh.

The two weren’t fighting like they should’ve been. They weren’t even taking the advice they’d been given. They were eager to show off the greatness of their quirks, but they weren’t being smart about their attacks.

“God dammit,” you cursed in English.

Shouta eyed you but didn’t say a word. Clearly, he was evaluating the match on his own terms.

Midoriya needed to learn his quirk. He needed to stop treating it like this untouchable, unobtainable power. It was his turn to take the reigns.

“What is he doing,” Shouta finally murmured, seemingly realizing that their talking was more than just idle taunts.

Midoriya was trying to get Todoroki to use fire.

You knew where the hesitation came from. Maybe you didn’t know the whole story, but you knew that he did it as sort of a big ‘fuck you’ to his dad.

It stung a bit, honestly. His father didn’t own fire. He wasn’t the end all, be all of flames. It was such a sacred element, a unique gift.

When he saw you use it, did he think of his father too?

At the rush of flame, you released a breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding in.

“Fire isn’t emotion,” you said on a whisper, knowing the kid couldn’t hear you but desperately hoping he’d remember.

Using fire always felt a bit exhilarating. It was easy to get lost in the feeling of it, allowing your emotions to guide the flames. You’d had more than a few incidents when you began your training.

Even though Todoroki hadn’t really used fire when training with you, you still made it a point to discuss all of the elements. After all, understanding the balance was vital in understanding the uniqueness of each one.

Watching the fire rage below, you knew that he needed proper guidance. He didn’t have the control he should when attacking with fire.

You sat a little higher in your seat when the two students began rushing towards one another.

“They need to stop,” you told Shouta, only watching in horror as the obvious collision inched closer.

“They will,” he assured you, grabbing hold of your forearm.

You flinched the second it all happened, throwing your head in the crook of Shouta’s neck. One of his arms wrapped around the back of your head, the other around your waist. You were practically in his lap, though you couldn’t be bothered to care at the moment.

Your connection to the earth calmed your nerves a bit.

They were breathing.

They were alive.

As if reading your mind, Shouta spoke.

“Go,” was all he said.

You pulled away from him a fraction, a little sorry you’d been so careless. He was still injured, and throwing yourself into him probably didn’t help with that.

“Save my seat?” You joked, offering a worried smile.

Shouta raised his head a tad.

The two of you were staring at one another, almost daring each other to move. Finally, your worry won out, causing you to break from him.

As you pulled away, you gently pressed your lips to his bandaged cheek. It was too close, yet not close enough. Your heart slowed, begging you to seek more. What couldn’t have been more than a fraction of a second, a lingering touch, felt like a lifetime.

The warmth was there, then gone in an instant.

You bit back a sigh, not daring to look back as you made your way out of the booth and towards the stadium. Hizashi had yelled something to you before you left, but the pounding in your ears wouldn’t let you hear it.

The walk to the infirmary felt far longer than it was, but you’d stumbled into Toshi on the way. He’d looked every bit as worried as you felt.

“Mother hen,” you tsked.

“You should look in a mirror before you say that,” he teased lightly, almost relieved at the company.

Worry always festered when you were alone.

“Oh, Yoshi,” you chided, “this is the face of a frustrated teacher who has disobedient students.”

The man offered a chuckle.

“Don’t I know it,” he’d added, obviously lost in his own thoughts.

You breathed out gently.

“You know, it’s the way he views quirks.”

“What?” The man asked, not quite sure what you were implying.

“Young Midoriya,” you clarified, sliding past a particularly rambunctious retelling of the match. “He’s got this certain… perception of quirks. He’ll never master it until he understands it, not idolizes it.”

Toshi hummed thoughtfully. He seemed to genuinely take what you said to heart.

“You’re awfully wise for your age,” he added carefully, looking at you beneath a shadowed brow.

“Well, some of us don’t have the luxury of being a child,” you shot back.

He averted his eyes, realizing that he’d stumbled upon a subject he didn’t quite understand and wasn’t at the right time to begin to. The rest of the walk was in silence, though not an uncomfortable one. The two of you had really built upon what was supposed to be a forced friendship.

Take that Nedzu, you weren’t totally socially inept.

You had a rather stern look on your features by the time you entered the infirmary. One room held Todoroki while another had Midoriya.

“I’ll be in shortly,” you told Toshi, making way straight for Midoriya’s room.

There was a figure lurking outside. You didn’t even need to look up to know who it was, but you did anyways because god damn if you didn’t want to punch him in his stupid face.

“Oh great,” the man sassed.

One glare had him stopping short.

“How about you go sulk and pretend like you care somewhere else?” You asked politely, your brightest, most fake smile steadfastly on your lips.

His flames glew brighter in intensity.

“He’s being looked at right now, no visitors.” The walking match seethed.

You shot him a wink.

“Guess it’s a good thing the nurse is finally here, huh?”

Without waiting for a response, you snuck past him. And yes, you most definitely sent out an extra gust of wind as you closed to door just to piss him off.

“(Y/N)?”

A meek voice called from the bed.

Oh, he knew he was in trouble.

“Young Todoroki,” you breathed, taking slow steps towards his bed.

He was sat up, and looked in good shape. Recovery Girl hid a smile at your motherly attitude.

“You’re using fire.”

His eyes narrowed a fraction. He nodded cautiously, unsure if that’s where your anger was directed.

“Good, good,” you waved off, “But, it is an extremely dangerous element, and you felt it was okay to throw the equivalent of a god damn volcano at your classmate.”

He at least had the decency to look sheepish.

“I’ll leave you to it, then,” Recovery Girl nodded, then added lower to just you. “I’ll make sure he stays out until you’re done.”

You shot her a smile, and waited that way until the door shut with a gentle click.

“We talked about this,” you sighed, moving to take a seat at the end of Todoroki’s bed. The kid visibly slumped, looking conflicted. “I told you that fire wasn’t something you can just use on a whim.”

A breath.

“You told me nothing,” he whispered.

Your brows furrowed. His eyes were trained downward, and you were struggling to read the emotion on his face.

“I thought I was okay with it, with being lied to.”

“I didn’t-”

“You could’ve told me!” He raised his voice a titch, and with it his head.

You noticed the tears that were welling in his eyes, slowly making their descent down his cheeks.

“You told me to feel the fire within before I used it. I tried to, but I just felt… angry.”

“At what?” You dared to ask.

He met your gaze, and you swallowed a grimace.

“My dad,” he admitted, “and then you.”

You sucked in a breath.

“Listen, kiddo, I would’ve told you if I could. The truth is, I’m in a lot of danger. I’ve lost people I love to this villain, and I’m barely staying afloat here.”

You lifted his face a bit, swiping at the few tears that stained his cheeks.

“I will teach you everything I can. I will be honest with you. I will train you. But I will never, ever put you in danger. You hear me?”

He searched your eyes, the wrinkle between his brow asking more questions than he ever could.

“I don’t…”

He stopped short, taking a moment to gather his courage. Then, his voice barely above a whisper:

“I don’t want to be him.”

You pulled the boy close against you, hugging him with all of the warmth you could give. You would teach him everything you could.

You’d come down with the intent to scold him, let him know how reckless and foolish his actions were. Instead, you resolve was crumbling fast.

And with his final words, you found it gone completely.

“I want to be like you.”

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

Chapter Fifteen: Ruin the Mood

By the time Shouta made it back to Hizashi, you were already in full conversation with him.

The two of you got along really well, which is great, if it weren’t for the fact that your conversations were ridiculous to follow and the two of you fed off one another.

Your energies combined would bounce back between the two of you, and you’d keep switching between Japanese and English.

It was confusing as all hell to follow along.

“Look who decided to show up,” Hizashi joked, wrapping an arm around you.

He’d gotten you one of those swivel chairs, and Shouta had a feeling it was just so he could pull you close during the intense moments of the matches.

“You lost,” you reminded him, sticking your tongue out much like a child would.

He met you with tired eyes, despite the warmth that was enveloping his heart. You had a sweet smile on your lips, one that was filled with a careless joy. He found it refreshing.

He knew, without a doubt, you had troubles that plagued you. You were a hero, and like all heroes, that came with baggage. Perhaps you’d lost someone, or you hadn’t been able to save someone, or you’d nearly died yourself. Whatever it was, you’d experienced pain and grief and fear so heavily, it was on a scale of its own.

Yet, you still had the strength to exhibit genuine happiness. As much as he hated to admit it, you really were a lot like All Might. You weren’t just physically strong, but you had such an emotional strength that it even helped those around you.

“Ooo, what’s he owe you?” Hizashi asked, jumping up at the opportunity to possibly meddle in a relationship.

Not that there was a relationship, but… yeah he just wanted to meddle.

You shrugged.

“The crushing weight of a vicious defeat.”

“You’re no fun!” Hizashi proclaimed.

Shouta scowled at the man. He knew that he had something planned, something that would most definitely put him in some sort of situation with you that could be described as romantic.

“What about dinner?” The voice hero suggested, leaning so that his glasses were balanced precariously on the edge of his nose. He raised both brows, willing the man before him to answer.

“I’ll raise you one better,” you piped up, offering a small amount of reprieve from the blonde’s harrowing gaze. “Jaws 2.”

Shouta groaned.

“Absolutely not,” he protested weakly, knowing he’d sit through two hours of listening to Hizashi screech if he got to spend time with you during it.

“Two?” Hizashi inquired, “Where’d the first one go?”

“We watched it already,” you told him, leaning forward and resting your head on your palm. “Even though somebody didn’t appreciate my dishware.”

Hizashi was giving Shouta a look that said ‘tell me everything’. He knew his two friends were overly involved in trying to make a relationship happen. It was endearing, since they were doing it because of Shouta’s obvious interest, but also very annoying. They constantly hounded him for details.

“You’re going to miss the match.” Shouta mumbled lowly.

Both Hizashi and you had jumped at the realization that the beginning of the first round was dangerously close and they had yet to say anything. Even from this distance, the two of you cringed at the disappointed look from Nemuri.

Hizashi began hyping up the crowd, preparing them for the- as he called it- incomparable matches ahead.

Shouta was ready for a nap.

Perhaps you’d also want a nap? Did you enjoy naps? Was it weird that he wanted to know something so tiny and inconsequential about you? He found himself often wondering about certain smaller aspects of your life.

Yes, he knew you were the number one hero. But what was your favorite breakfast food? Did you like scary movies? Do you read a lot of books?

What are the little things that make you, you?

His gaze slid to where you were sitting. You were enraptured, watching the crowds with diamonds in your eyes. The little fascinated curve of your lips had a smile threatening to bloom on Shouta’s own features.

“This is amazing,” you breathed, and Shouta almost missed it, too distracted with the gentle awe on the contours of your face.

He hummed, not really sure if he was agreeing with you or just far too distracted to actually reply. He was willing to bet it was the latter as your eyes met with his, the twinkling still present.

It truly was a shame that so few had the pleasure of knowing you for who you really were, not the mask you wore or the civilian you pretended to be. He felt special in a way, and almost undeserving of knowing such an obscure version of you.

“You know,” you began, glancing over to him to make sure you had his attention.

If only you knew how often you did.

“I always thought I’d be here under different circumstances,” you added softly, careful to make sure you weren’t very audible, especially with Hizashi yelling out at the crowd.

He still wasn’t privy to the information of who you really were. It’d be best to keep the number of people who know to a minimum until you’re safe.

He often wondered about that too.

After what he’d seen of your power, both up close and in videos, he couldn’t understand what kind of villain could possibly leave you on the run.

He shifted a bit. The thought made him uncomfortable.

As a hero, and also just someone who cared about you, he felt a need to protect you. (Which, honestly, seemed a bit redundant. You were far more powerful than nearly anyone he’d met.) Still, it was unsettling, knowing that it was a threat he couldn’t protect you from.

“Became my dream for a bit,” you laughed gently, completely oblivious to the downtrodden thoughts swirling through his mind.

A stray few strands of hair fell right in the middle of his face. Before he even had a chance to attempt to fix it, your hand was there, carefully tucking it behind his ear.

This close, he could see the rise and fall of your chest. Your cheeks were dusted pink, eyes wide as if you’d just realized what you’d done.

“I used to want to be a doctor,” you continued, though your voice was much quieter.

Shouta knew that Hizashi was right there, he knew that he was wondering what the hell the two of you were doing, but he found the world fading from around him. Every worry and fear and bad thought dissipated. The extent of the universe was nothing more than where your hand rested gently against the bandages on his cheek.

He cursed them for being there. On the outside, his expression hadn’t changed. He still looked just as apathetic as he did in the classroom.

You couldn’t feel the catch in his breath at the warmth of you, or see the twitch of his fingers as he fought himself from reaching out.

He didn’t want to shatter the moment, so instead he just stared into your eyes. For once, he hoped you saw the emotion there. He hoped you saw exactly what you meant to him.

“A doctor?” He echoed, his voice raspy.

The smile on your lips was a fond one. Shouta could feel the soft sigh that slipped past them.

“Thought I’d save people, you know?” Your gaze was flitting around his face, and the strange tingling in his heart intensified. “Heal them.”

He was reminded of the warmth that had flooded his system when you’d placed your hands on him at the USJ. The pain was relieved substantially. He’d only ever seen your quirk used for fighting, he didn’t realize there was a healing aspect to it as well.

“How are you feeling?”

Your voice was so gentle, like a lullaby in the chaos that surrounded you both.

“I’ll survive.” Was all he offered.

His wounds did hurt, but he didn’t want to worry you. He knew he needed to heal. Sitting around and waiting to feel better was never really the kind of person he was though.

“Good,” you replied, slowly removing your hand from his cheek.

He swallowed at the loss of your contact. Your touch was pleasant, and he found himself wishing for it back.

“Match is starting!” Hizashi singsoned shamelessly, well aware that he was interrupting something.

You broke eye contact and physically pulled yourself back from him, instead moving to practically press yourself as close to the viewing window as you could.

Shouta hid his disappointment, leaning back in his chair as the match began.

He’d studied up a bit on the different quirks of the students that would be participating in the matches before he’d gone to find you. Though he was to remain impartial, he had a fairly good feeling he knew who would be winning each match. However, he was expecting to be surprised.

You, on the other hand, clearly had no idea what everyone’s quirks were. As Hizashi gave you a quick rundown of the names and quirks, you nodded enthusiastically, your eyes widening a smidge when you found out that Midoriya was going against someone who could control minds.

“Poor kid,” you muttered, eagerly watching as the two conversed below.

Hizashi complained (loudly) about the match being boring. Just as Shouta was about to berate him, you beat him to it.

“Fighting isn’t always about jumping into the fray,” you spoke wisely, “It’s about waiting and listening for the right time to strike.”

The crowd cheered and cooed at your words of wisdom. You laughed awkwardly, clearly not realizing that your mic had been on.

“Whoops,” you chuckled.

The match was still proceeding, though Midoriya had begun to walk towards the exit.

“C’mon kid,” you whispered, clenching your fist so tightly.

Shouta perked up a bit in his seat, watching with interest as he made no move to stop. They were slow steps, each patter of his foot on the ground like a drum. It echoed through the crowd, Hizashi’s cries growing in volume as Midoriya moved closer and closer to the edge of the stadium.

“No,” you breathed, “Stop.”

But the kid didn’t listen. His blank eyes stared straight ahead, body moving on its own accord to his ultimate failure. Just as he moved to take the final step, he paused.

It was such a miniscule pause, Shouta’s gaze flitting over to you as his foot began the final descent.

You weren’t watching the match. The look in your eyes mirrored the one in Midoriya’s. For the smallest of seconds, Shouta could’ve sworn there was a bright blue in your eyes.

Then, a gust of powerful wind clouded the arena.

You snapped back to attention, and Shouta momentarily questioned if you were the one responsible. (You were notoriously bad at sticking to the element you were assigned.) He was surprised to find that you were standing, your brow furrowed as you stared down at where Midoriya was.

The kid was back to himself, an injured finger clearly the creator of the sudden windstorm. He exchanged more words with the other student, running at him with determination.

He didn’t utilize his quirk, Shouta noted with pride, as he fought the kid in hand-to-hand combat. It was a short scuffle, one that ended rather quickly with Midoriya as the victor.

“You okay?” Shouta finally found his voice, watching as the crowd cheered on the winner.

“Yeah, just got lost in my thoughts,” you explained, waving it off like it was nothing. Though, if Shouta looked a little deeper, he would’ve seen the questions bursting in your mind.

“Hopefully the next match is a little livelier,” Hizashi cut in, talking to the two of you and not the crowd.

You gently shoved the voice hero.

“Don’t call matches boring.”

He flashed a sheepish smile.

“Oh wise one, please forgive me,” he joked, prompting a groan from Shouta.

Man, he should’ve never agreed to spend the whole day with the two of you trapped in a booth.

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

Chapter Fourteen: Water Beats Fire

Okay, your mission had a slight hiccup.

And by slight hiccup, you got hungry.

So, you found this adorable little ramen stand that had the most delicious smells and the sweetest old lady running the joint. The food was just as good as it smelled, and you ended up sitting at the picnic table right across from it while you enjoyed your meal.

That was how Nemuri found you.

She’d very nearly tackled you, and you’d had to waterbend your broth so you didn’t lose it.

“You have got far too much energy for someone who’s been watching over teenagers all day,” you grumbled, slurping up your broth as quickly as you could while keeping a close eye on her.

“I noticed you weren’t in the testosterone booth,” she commented, taking a seat by you.

Your quirked brow was all she needed.

“With Zashi and Shouta,” she explained further, leaning far too into your personal space.

Her hawklike gaze was staring directly into your soul, reading it like the dialogue of a cheesy porno. (And yes, she was enjoying the torture in your gaze from her line of questioning.)

“You’re avoiding him?”

“You’re psychic?”

You pulled back from her a bit, afraid of what else she might find out just by looking at you. Seriously, most people considered you a mystery, yet she could read your non-existent love life with one eye closed.

“Why are you avoiding him?”

She tried again, and you knew that she wouldn’t abandon the topic until she felt satisfied. You were sure that was the same attitude she had during sex, and honestly, you can stan a queen like that.

“It won’t work,” you told her flat out, surprising even yourself at your honesty on the subject.

You had no problem talking about a great deal in your life. There were a few topics that you kept close to yourself though, and relationships were one of them. You’d had your fair share (all of them disastrous in one way or another) but you always kept silent about them.

“Why not?” She pouted.

Clearly, she thought the two of you would be good together. You couldn’t think of much more other than the fact that you seriously wished you looked that good when you were upset.

“Because I’m here temporarily, remember?”

The other teachers were under the assumption you were spending a few months teaching abroad. Either way, you would still have to return home.

“You could always just stay here,” she mentioned slyly, wrapping an arm around your shoulder. “My place is always open to you.”

You smiled gently.

“That’s sweet, but I have to go back to America.”

You knew you did eventually. Once you figured something more plausible than ‘take asshat Vulcan down’ you’d return and reclaim your title. You’d be number one again, and you’d have all of the responsibilities as America’s top hero.

You wouldn’t be able to stay in Japan.

“Why not try?” She inquired suddenly, causing you to turn and face her.

The angling was awkward as she currently had you stuffed under her arm, but you made it work.

“It could be something magical, you never know,” she said softly.

You hummed.

Honestly, you wished you could indulge. You wished you could allow yourself the fantasy of being in a relationship with Shouta, but it wasn’t logical. It would only end in sadness, and you weren’t going to build something that was meant to be broken.

“Anyways, as much as I love talking to you,” you pulled her into a side hug, “I have a hot head I need to address.”

She kissed your cheek with gusto.

“Go get ‘em, Aphrodite,” she cheered, laughing as you pulled away.

Your heart was a bit more full as you walked away. You really did love your friend, and you couldn’t wait for this all to be over so you could tell her everything. She deserved it.

And, as heart warming as that encounter was, your lips fell into a frown.

You were channeling all of your inner strength for this next conversation.

Your journey to find Endeavor did not take long, and soon enough you found yourself just around the corner from him.

You rolled your shoulders.

This was the man who hurt your student, your Todoroki. He was a man who deserved far worse than what you were going to give him. You grit your teeth.

He was nothing compared to you. One fourth of your power on a bad day. You were the number one hero in America, on par with All Might himself. Endeavor was one stray flame of the firestorm you created.

You were white hot righteous fury and he would listen.

“Endeavor,” you called, turning the corner.

His eyes met yours almost immediately, as if he’d been expecting someone. You were sure that was the case, as he did have sharp instincts. (Not as sharp as yours though.)

“You are?” He inquired gruffly, one fiery brow lifted.

You grimaced.

“I’m one of your son’s teachers,” you explained, leaning against the wall and crossing your arms over your chest.

Your stance was casual, but there was a power cackling beneath the surface, the beast waiting for the right moment to strike.

“All his teachers are pro heroes, yet I don’t know you.”

His eyes narrowed a fraction, lips in a sneer. He was eyeing you up, judging how much of a threat you were. If the gentle release of a breath were any indication, he’d decided you weren’t a threat at all really.

That made you smirk.

“I’m from America,” you told him in response, shrugging one shoulder. “Poseidous, a water manipulation hero.”

“Water,” Endeavor scoffed, clearly not impressed.

“Yes,” you affirmed, shoving yourself off of the wall. You took one careful step after the other, your eyes trained like a lion stalking its prey. “Water.”

The word echoed in the corridor, bouncing from the walls. The flames decorating his face puffed up the slightest bit, like a peacock displaying its feathers.

“What is it that you want?” He finally asked, seemingly over the unspoken standoff between the both of you.

You, however, weren’t.

You let out a single, breathy laugh.

“I want you to be a good man, a good father, really,” you told him, as casually as if you were describing the weather and not telling one of the most volatile men in the world how he was shitty at one of his only jobs in life. “But obviously that’s not going to happen, so I’m just going to say th-”

“How dare you sp-”

“I’m not finished talking,” you spoke resolutely, your voice loud enough to shock him into silence.

His eyes were wide, though an angered look settled on his lips.

“If you ever lay a hand on your son, or any of your children for that matter, I will end you. If you are anything but supportive, I will end you.”

You were deadly calm, the look in your eyes brokering no argument. He didn’t speak, and you considered the conversation over.

You spun on your heel and began walking away, each step in the opposite direction cautious and tense. Should he lash out, you’d be ready.

And he’d regret it.

Just as you were reaching the light of the crowd, he spoke up.

“End me?” He cackled. “With your water manipulation?”

“You forget Endeavor,” you turned your head the slightest bit, just allowing his tall form to appear in your peripheral.

He stood out so contrastly against the darkness of the alleyway the two of you had been talking in. Even from this distance though, you could see the doubt on his face.

“Water extinguishes fire.”

And then you left.

You didn’t allow him the satisfaction of a retort. He was a bug beneath your boot, and you were feeling generous. He didn’t understand the elements the way you did, couldn’t possibly fathom the intricacies of the balance between fire and water. You studied it, learned from it, used it to strengthen your quirk.

He just used an overwhelming amount of fire to scare people.

You wouldn’t allow him to ever harm Todoroki again, in any sense of the word. That kid was under your protection, and may God have mercy on whatever soul tries to harm him, because you sure as hell wouldn’t.

“Did you just… threaten the number two hero?” Shouta asked from behind you, causing you to jump.

“Christ,” you swore, “You really are a ninja.”

Even as a mummified version of himself, he moved quietly.

“That doesn’t answer the question,” he deadpanned, moving a fair bit closer to you so it was easier to hear over the hustle and bustle of the people chattering excitedly.

“First off, two comes after one, so he can kiss my ass,” you snarked, “and secondly, hero is not a word I’d use to describe him.”

Shouta hummed thoughtfully, looking in the direction that Endeavor had been in.

“It’s not the best idea to make enemies when you don’t need to,” Shouta advised.

You quirked a brow.

“Seriously? He needs to be put in his place.”

“Maybe,” Shouta shrugged, gesturing towards where the seats were as if to guide you. You followed him. “But putting yourself on Endeavor’s radar isn’t exactly being covert.”

“I’m not going to apologize for offending an asshole who deserves it,” you replied, falling in step with Shouta despite his much longer strides.

“Of course not,” a small smile tugged at his lips, “You wouldn’t be you if you did.”

You found a smile of your own growing.

“Sounds like you like me after all,” you teased.

He met your eyes, nodding.

“Don’t get used to it,” he told you.

You laughed gently, his own laughter far louder than yours. It was strange to hear, but so nice. He didn’t laugh much, but damn if it didn’t feel like Heaven itself when he did.

“I know you said no earlier,” he cleared his throat, awkwardly moving from one foot to the other. Under the layers of bandages, his movements were stiff. “But if you want to commentate…”

You paused.

You knew you shouldn’t. You should stop yourself, cut all contact with Shouta, and snuff the feelings out before they grew past the dangerous levels they were already at. But, as if you were being offered a twenty-piece nugget meal, your resolve cracked.

You wanted to be near this man. You wanted to be in his company and enjoy your conversations together.

Fuck it all.

“I’ll race you there.”

You smiled, your tongue peeking out through your teeth as you did so. You gave him only a second to register your words before you sprinted off towards the booth.

Shouta let you run for a moment, just watching you.

He didn’t really care about the competition you’d initiated, and he was sure the smile you’d give him and the little cheers you were sure to supply would make the loss seem like nothing.

He was sure he’d do almost anything really to see your smile.

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

Chapter Thirteen: Dad Might TM

Silence hung between you and Toshi.

It wasn’t uncomfortable, per say, but it was full of anticipation.

He knew you had something to say. You figured it was as good a time as any, especially now that your identity was out- at least to class 1-A, Shouta, Thirteen, and himself.

That didn’t lessen your nerves at the approaching topic though. Not to mention, you were still shaking yourself out of your own grief.

After your sister’s death, you should’ve grieved like a normal person. You should’ve shaken your fist, asked God why, then cried until you couldn’t anymore.

Instead, you got angry.

You got sloppy.

You took your emotions out on villains, you secluded yourself, then, upon the discovery of a plot to kill you and those around you, you fled.

You’d been living with it buried for months now.

You’d convinced yourself that if you ignored it, all of the pain and the grief and the sadness and the anger would just go away.

Your sleep had been dodgy since then too. It was hard for you to get more than a few hours, and when you did your dreams were plagued by nightmares.

Or, at least, you assumed they were nightmares. It was almost always the same: the peak of a mountain, flattened enough for a person to sit, yet nobody around. It was cold, cloudy, and there was a distinct pressure in the air. When you stood atop the mountain, you felt the chill of power, and the eyes of doubt.

You didn’t know what it meant, but you kept going back.

A frown appeared on your lips.

Why did life have to be so complicated again?

If you were being honest though, you’d take those dreams over the other dreams anyday.

Those dreams were unspeakable, and made you blush just thinking about them.

Damn Shouta.

You coughed, clearing those particular thoughts from your mind. You managed to get Toshi’s attention once more.

You felt a little bad for distracting him from the sports festival, but you two beat up the worst of the worst villains for a living, you had faith you could talk and watch at the same time.

“So, I couldn’t help but notice a few things… about your quirk,” you began gently, gauging a reaction.

He was keeping a cautious facade, but you saw the subtle widening of his eyes and raise of his brow at the start of the conversation.

Okay, maybe if you bit the bullet?

“Midoriya’s quirk,” you shoved a thumb in the kid’s general direction, “It’s nearly identical, not to mention your sudden interest in him. He was also quirkless for almost all of his life but suddenly developed a quirk that’s very close to yours.”

Toshi laughed. Your eyes narrowed.

“What are you suggesting?” He asked, a hint of suspicion on his tongue.

The man was closing up before you. Whatever kinship he’d offered before had all but disappeared. This wasn’t the number one hero anymore, this was Toshinori Yagi, a man with a secret.

You crossed your arms over your chest.

“I’m just going to be honest with you,” you told him, “There’s a bit I’ve learned about my quirk from a teacher I once had. It’s not like other people’s quirks.”

He raised a brow, leaning forward an inch.

If you looked closely, you could see a little spark in his eye. He knew what you meant. There was somehow an understanding in his mind.

“When I die, my quirk is passed onto another person, a person that’s just taken their first breath. I was told that my spirit gets reincarnated into them as well, but I’ve never really had an experience like what they’d explained, so I’m not sure if that part was true.”

You felt odd admitting that. When you’d told Roshan that you’d never had any connection to the so-dubbed ‘spirit world’, he’d been surprised, and almost disappointed.

He’d even started to pack his bags, so sure that you weren’t the person he was looking for.

You’d convinced him to stay, but he was cold after that. There was a distance that hadn’t been there before, a doubt that seeped through the bonds you’d once thought were unbreakable.

And then he’d left. It was before you were even a pro hero. He looked you in the eyes, told you that you weren’t worthy of the mantle you possessed, and left without another word.

“So my quirk is different, not a natural quirk like everybody else’s, and that’s why it’s so powerful.”

Toshi grumbled under his breath. You took a moment to admire him.

He truly was the pinnacle of strength.

Physically, he looked emaciated. He was thin, nearly skeletal, and his eyes were dark. His brow still shadowed his face, though it looked less ominous and more concerning. His cheeks were gaunt, his hair messy. He often wore a frown, and it wasn’t uncommon for him to cough up blood.

Still, he was unwavering in his convictions, and undying in his bravery. You knew, if anything were to attack, he’d be the first to defend.

He would risk everything- his secret, his life, his health- just to protect the innocent.

He was the definition of a hero.

And, you found yourself questioning his quirk.

You didn’t need to really. It didn’t matter his origin to you, it wouldn’t make a difference in your eyes, but you could understand why he kept it a secret. The world needed the story of All Might, just as much as it needed the actual All Might.

So, you were surprised when he spoke without omission.

“My quirk has been passed down for generations,” he told you, staring down at his hand like it held all of the answers in the universe.

Covertly, you peeked too. Just in case.

“It’s called One For All.”

“Oh,” you added lamely. “A name… that’s official.”

He clenched his fist, then met your eyes. There was an intensity in them that sparked a fire in your own. No, not your eyes. You felt it in the echoes of who you were, like he was speaking directly to the quirk that had made a home in your mind.

“We are the pillars of our society, the keepers of peace.”

As much as you were determined to make a witty remark, nothing came out. You were frozen, stuck feeling the drumming of the power inside of you. It was pumping through your blood, moving like a part of you, not just a power you could utilize.

Deep down, you could feel yourself on that mountain top. The breeze ran through your hair, blowing whispers of the past to your ears. You were reaching out towards them, though your hand was just in your lap, a blue silhouette of it rose from that spot.

You felt someone so close, yet they were muted by the cheering around you.

Whatever connection you felt to your quirk died, and you were pulled back into reality.

“Are you okay?” Toshinori asked, leaning towards you a bit.

“Yeah,” You answered instinctively. “I just… keep having a weird dream and I was thinking about it I guess.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Toshi questioned, genuine concern in his eyes. “Because, your eyes kind of looked like they were glowing blue for a second.”

Your breath caught.

No, no, no, no, no.

You needed to learn control. You had to have control. You couldn’t lose it again. You couldn’t be the person you had become again.

You couldn’t be that monster.

“One For All,” you redirected, “What is it?”

Toshi sighed. Clearly, he knew you were avoiding the question. Whatever this part of your quirk was, it seemed to have you spooked, and he wouldn’t push unless he felt he needed to. He was sure you’d tell him in your own time.

“The power grows with each successor, used to fight evil wherever, but especially All For One.”

The way he said it was harsh, like a particularly bad memory cropped up. His fists were clenched tight, and regret settled on his brow.

“All For One?” You echoed. “Can you guys do any less confusing names? The whole ‘same letters, different direction’ is tripping me up.”

You attempted a soft laugh.

Toshi appreciated your attempt, but couldn’t offer more than a gentle upturn of his lips. You knew the memories that haunted him more than likely plagued his life. You wouldn’t ask for more.

“We’re a lot alike, you know?” Toshi said instead of continuing the conversation.

He leaned back, watching as Midoriya dodged another attack. For almost the whole match, he’d just been running thus far, which was the best course of action considering he did have the highest headband. The match was well over halfway done, and his team had done an outstanding job dodging. You wouldn’t count Team Bakugo or Team Todoroki out yet. They both had outstanding students with them who were eager to show off their skills.

“Both have some weird, ancient quirk that we couldn’t possibly fully understand the intricate details of?” You inquired, managing to keep a straight face.

Toshi let out a loud laugh.

“No,” he pondered that for a moment, wincing when someone got particularly close to Midoriya. His team managed to jump and fly a short distance away though, all while being protected by Dark Shadow.

“I meant being a hero has a different meaning to us than it does to a lot of people today.”

You hummed in agreement. Lately, the hero world had gotten rough. Many people only cared about profit or fame. They used excessive force and would let situations escalate just to put on more of a show.

And in America, heroes were industrialized. Corporations often owned heroes and made them their own brands. They were in movies and tv shows, on billboards, and restaurant chains. Being a top hero in America was the highest paying job, and it attracted many people for all of the wrong reasons.

“That’s why I chose Midoriya as my successor.”

You arched a brow at him. So there had been a connection between the two beyond teacher and student.

“Just as you seem to have taken the young Todoroki as your own,” All Might commented.

The two of you watched as Team Midoriya and Team Todoroki stared one another down. They were clearly getting ready for a scuffle, and you both watched with bated breath.

“I’m trying to help as many of them as I can,” you admitted honestly, on the edge of your seat as Todoroki went on the offensive.

“Todoroki and Bakugo are just the easiest for me to mentor, as their quirks are elemental based.” You murmured.

If All Might heard, he gave no indication, fully focused on the match before him.

Todoroki’s group suddenly boosted forward, the boy ready to grab a headband. Midoriya stood, ready to defend it.

They were going to clash, two insanely powerful quirks going for one object.

You couldn’t tear your eyes away, a cry leaving your lips at the sudden appearance of fire. Even if it was imperceptible to most, you could feel it in the air, the gentle pull of the elements.

Even though you should’ve been watching, you couldn’t help but move your gaze upwards, to where Endeavor was stood.

His eyes were narrowed, practically begging his son to use the side of his quirk inherited from him.

You scoffed.

This man was so arrogant, and so damn smug. You wanted nothing more than to splash some water on his dumb, fire stache. Seriously? Who the hell did the man think he was?

Rihanna? Because that’s the only person in the world who could pull off a look that dumb.

Cheering began, pulling you from your focus. Hizashi called the end of the round, and you found yourself blinking.

Had you really been so distracted you missed it?

“He didn’t make it,” All Might breathed.

“What?” You nearly yelled, leaning so far over the edge of the balcony that All Might grabbed the back of your hero costume just in case you took a tumble. “I can basically fly,” you reminded him.

He gave a sheepish smile, letting go immediately.

“There’s no way,” you continued, begging your eyes to just see better.

For a few tense seconds, Hizashi announced that Midoriya had lost the number one headband, but had managed to snag another. Though, the one he snagged wasn’t nearly enough points.

Just as you’d been about to deflate like one of those wavy-arm-dudes, Dark Shadow revealed another headband, one that had enough points to put them in the top.

You jumped, unable to contain your excitement. Only, you didn’t just jump, you had maybe-kinda-possibly used some airbending and ended up over seven feet in the air.

All Might coughed, sputtering as he grabbed your foot on the way up and tugged you hard back down.

“You’re not really good at this covert thing, huh?” He asked, his eyes wide like you’d nearly put him into cardiac arrest.

You giggled.

“Not at all,” you admitted with a toothy grin.

“You should be more careful,” he advised you sternly, his jaw set into a permanent frown.

“You know, I always wanted an older brother when I was a kid,” you told him, ignoring the look of surprise that passed through his face, “Now I’m glad I never had one.”

“I’m just being realistic,” he urged.

“Okay, Dad Might ™,” you joked.

He blanched.

“Did you just say ‘™’ aloud?”

Teasingly, you stuck your tongue out at him.

“Don’t hate the trade, Yoshi.”

You stretched your legs out in front of you, debating on what you’d get for food. There was a substantial break before the next event.

“Yoshi?” Toshinori piped up.

“Yeah, Like Yagi and Toshi, Yoshi,” you claimed triumphantly, making it seem like you’d just made it up on the spot and was not calling him a weird dinosaur thing from a game about a small Italian plumber with a fancy hat.

Toshi hummed.

“Anyways, I’m going to get some food,” you announced, “and hunt down the number two hero,” you added, your voice barely audible.

Toshi, however, had heard it.

“What do you want with Endeavor?”

You laughed nervously, standing up to get a little further from his questioning gaze.

“Just going to talk about Todoroki, no big deal,” you played it off, taking a few steps back.

Toshi noticed your retreat.

“I won’t tell you to not do what you’re planning, but please be cautious, he’s an… intense man.”

“Don’t worry Yoshi, I’m always charming.”

You gave him your best smile, offering a two finger salute as you made your exit.

Next stop: Endeavor.

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

Chapter Twelve: Shouta Isn’t A Puppy

The smell of your perfume was intoxicating. This close to your neck, Shouta could feel each intake of breath.

It was shaky, probably from his proximity, or the look in his eyes.

“Shouta,” you whispered, your hands tugging gently on his hair.

A slow smirk pulled at his lips.

“Patience,” he chided, leaning down to press his lips against your warm, smooth skin.

A little moan reverberated against his mouth. Already, you were falling apart beneath him.

Growing bolder, his tongue slipped past his teeth, lightly prodding at your neck. It tasted of your perfume, but Shouta couldn’t find it in himself to care.

All he could care about was being your undoing. He wanted to make you feel things nobody had before.

“Please,” you begged, and he found himself struggling to hold his composure.

By God, he wanted you more than anything. He needed to feel your bare chest moving against his, the way you’d moan his name. He needed to be closer to you.

“I want you,” Shouta admitted lowly, one hand slowly moving down your back.

It was a torturous pace, but he wanted to take his time exploring every inch of exposed skin. He wanted to feel all of you, to kiss all of you.

“I need you,” Shouta continued, his hand stopping at the round of your ass.

He pulled you closer, teasing both himself and you with the proximity. His lips were at the top of your chest, so gentle despite how bad he wanted to ravish you at the moment.

“I lo-”

“Shouta!” Hizashi yelled, causing the man to bolt up.

Shouta was disoriented for all of three seconds, his chest heaving with the force of his breathing. He was annoyed at Hizashi for waking him up, but he was even more annoyed that he couldn’t get you out of his head.

Sex dreams, innocent dreams- didn’t matter, you were always there.

“Having a good dream?” Hizashi asked, his lip twitching as he concealed a laugh poorly.

Shouta’s eyes narrowed a fraction. Despite bandages covering most of his body, he knew Hizashi could see the action.

“You were moaning,” Hizashi supplied, now full on howling with laughter.

Shouta grumbled a few expletives, glad the wraps were hiding his cheeks. Great, now he’d never hear the end of it.

“Is this about our new friend from over the sea?” His friend leaned in, far too close for comfort, with a mischievous smile on his face.

“What?” Shouta scoffed. “Of course not.”

Hizashi shrugged, leaning back with far too much nonchalance for a man who performed full Beyonce concerts in his shower.

“Then I guess you won’t mind she’s getting all snuggled up to Mr. Number One.”

One of Hizashi’s brows lifted, his gaze intense as he waited for a reaction.

“That’s not tr-”

Shouta stopped, staring at where you had your head resting on All Might’s shoulder. The older man had an arm wrapped around you. If he didn’t know either of you, he would’ve thought the two of you were just another couple enjoying the festival.

Shouta felt kind of hollow.

Of course you weren’t interested in him. He’d just been reading things wrong. You were a top hero, someone who would be far more interested in that kind of lifestyle. He knew he’d never be like that.

“Tell her how you feel,” Hizashi interrupted, his voice surprisingly soft.

“Huh?”

“Before it’s too late, let her know,” He suggested.

“It doesn’t matter,” Shouta huffed, burrowing himself into his capture weapon.

“You don’t know what’s actually happening,” his friend tried to be positive, “Americans are weird. Hell, women are weird. And All Might is like, what, twice her age?”

Shouta let out a gentle sigh. Logically, what Hizashi was not-so-eloquently saying made sense. You did seem like the kind of person who found comfort in physical touch, especially from your friends. He’d made several jokes about you being in love with All Might, partially out of jealousy. You’d told him on many, many occasions how you’d always looked up to the man.

Perhaps his feelings were causing him to see things differently than how they actually were.

As the festival began, he kept a close eye in your direction. Of course, he stayed as focused on his students as he could manage.

During the first event, he would occasionally look down to where you were sat. You and All Might had moved back to your respective spots, but you were still talking with the number one hero. Even from this far away, he could see your excitement at any mention of Todoroki or Bakugo.

He was aware that you’d been spending a little extra time with the two. It didn’t surprise him, nor did it really bother him. You weren’t an unkind person, if you were giving someone extra attention it was because you knew they needed it or they asked.

Plus, your little cheers were kind of endearing. He couldn’t hear what you were saying, but the small dances you were doing at the updates were absolutely adorable.

By the end of the race, you and All Might were practically cheerleaders, the way both of you had bolted up in your seats. You two were cheering far louder than those around you, unable to contain your excitement.

As each of the 1-A students rushed to finish, you continued your loud cheers, even going as far as dragging All Might up with you to cheer.

“I have to say, she doesn’t really seem like your type,” Hizashi commented during the short break before the next round.

Shouta didn’t give him a reply, just glared in his general direction.

“I’m being serious!” Hizashi defended himself. “She’s so energetic, and she likes attention. You’re just kind of,” his hands were moving in the general direction of his friend.

Shouta understood though. He’d always been more of a recluse and outcast. He typically preferred being alone and taking naps.

You, though, were far more energetic. You would talk to anyone and everyone, and there was almost always a smile on your face. You were a hero that was so, so similar to All Might- his genuine opposite in the hero world. Yet, still, a bond had formed unlike any other. He’d found himself enjoying the little quirks that made you, you.

“I thought you were the one who wanted me to talk to her,” Shouta pointed out, leaning back a bit in his chair.

His body still ached from the USJ attack. There was almost like a constant chill in the air, a terrifying reminder of how close to death he’d been. If you and All Might hadn’t shown up when you did, he knows he wouldn’t have lasted much longer.

Laying there, barely conscious, life seeping out of him, threatening to abandon him entirely- he could still see the look in your eyes. A fire sparked, so intense his already labored breathing had caught.

You displayed such raw power, so unlike many of the pro heroes he’d seen before. It truly was on All Might’s level.

Then, he’d seen the guilt and the fear echoing in your eyes as you reached him. He’d seen your heart break in your tears, your world crashing in your sobs.

He’d held on then, despite the overwhelming sense of exhaustion. Some part of him was tugging, begging to just let go, but he refused. He kept fighting, kept holding on and reaching out for something to pull him back up- for you.

“That’s why.”

Hizashi spoke with a tone of finality that had Shouta quirking a brow, despite the fact that his friend couldn’t see.

“What?” Shouta replied, not quite sure what his friend was talking about.

“Just then, you were thinking about her,” his friend stated.

Shouta inclined his head slightly, but gave no other indication that what his friend said was the truth. Hizashi didn’t need any.

“You get this look,” he gestured to his own eyes, “Like a puppy.”

Shouta scoffed.

“I do not look like a puppy,” he huffed, his eyes twinkling dangerously with murder.

“Maybe you don’t want to admit it big guy but I’m the one stuck looking at you,” Hizashi sing-songed, beginning the next match before Shouta even had a chance to retort.

He was grumbling to himself, feeling the ever-annoying flick of Hizashi’s gaze every few minutes. The man certainly knew how to push his buttons and he was doing so without an ounce of regret.

Unconsciously, he found his eyes moving back towards where you were sat. Whatever you and All Might were talking about appeared to be rather intense.

He couldn’t help but feel a flare of annoyance, one that wasn’t garnered from the friend beside him.

Had you not sat with him because you wanted to talk to All Might?

As the students lined up for the second event, he found himself in a rather sullen mood.

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

Chapter Eleven: You’ve Got A Friend In Me

“You know…”

One side look had Toshinori pausing. He rubbed the back of his neck like he was unsure. It was so different from the tentative friendship that had been forming prior to the USJ incident.

“I could help,” he finally decided, letting his words linger.

You raised a brow.

“With my relationship problems?”

You’d just spent the past ten minutes complaining to Toshinori how you’d been so stupid to develop a crush. You conveniently left out who the crush was on, but you complained nonetheless.

Toshinori sputtered. “What? No!” He replied hurriedly. “I’m talking about your problem in America.”

Your mouth formed a little ‘o’. You were glad, if you were honest. You had one hell of a feeling that Toshinori would give you shitty relationship advice.

He’d probably give some heartfelt ‘heroes can’t have relationships’ speech.

You had to resist the urge to roll your eyes just thinking about it. You’d always thought that was the biggest cop out.

If someone was willing to accept the risks, why deny the both of you what your heart’s desired?

No. You would never stop a relationship between Shouta and you because of that. The problem was that you had to be in America. You couldn’t abandon your post as the number one hero. Like Japan, America had seen a drastic fall in crime rates since your debut. You were discouraging criminals and villains.

“You can’t help,” you admitted, leaning back in the stadium chair.

The staff were given a pretty great view of the stadium. You were thankful you could watch and cheer on your students, even if you weren’t supposed to have favorites.

“Ah,” he acknowledged, shifting awkwardly. “So what you’d told the students was related.”

You nodded, carefully concealing your anger at the thought of your current situation. You were sure that Toshinori saw right through it, though.

“And what is going on, then?” He decided to ask.

When he did, he wasn’t exactly positive you’d answer. It seemed that you liked to hold things close to your chest.

You contemplated answering, letting the question roll around in your mind for a few moments.

Then:

“What do you know about me?”

He raised a brow.

“You’re the number one hero in America, your agency has a building in all 50 states, your quirk is a little dicey but for the most part it’s elemental manipulation, uh- you have a crush on Aizawa?”

You sputtered.

“Wha-what? I do not!” You seethed, shoving the man away from you.

Despite his frail appearance, you knew the man could take the hit. He chuckled deeply, a rich sound echoing through your embarrassment.

“My point is, you’re not a conventional hero. Your real identity has been hidden for as long as you’ve been a hero, and there was that whole trial thing a year or so ago about your identity?”

You straightened yourself out, willing the blush away.

“Yeah, they found it unethical that my identity was unknown, said I couldn’t be held accountable for any of my actions. I found a loophole though, a system in my agency has all the files on my identity, so if the time ever came where I did something…” you waved vaguely in the air, “They’d be able to find my identity during the agency raids.”

Toshinori nodded, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back. There was some commotion on the field, but the two of you were too deep in conversation to pay it much mind.

“You know, almost all of the money that’d otherwise go to me gets put back into a charity,” you told him. “I’m actually a nurse.”

Toshinori was caught completely off guard.

“What?”

“I decided to enroll in college, get a degree in nursing.” You scratched the back of your neck. “It was difficult, if I’m being honest. I was always training during that time, but at the end I was a fully-fledged hero. It was difficult balancing the work.”

“I know what you mean,” the hero beside you muttered.

He, too, struggled with finding time for the different responsibilities in his life.

“I volunteer wherever I can,” you shrugged, “after I get out of the suit following villain attacks, I head over to the people who need help.”

“That’s amazing,” Toshinori breathed, and you scrunched your nose up at him as you smiled.

You never thought the person you’d looked up to your entire life would say anything so positive about you.

“I’m sure you know from experience, but being a hero in America is very different from here.”

Toshinori inclined his head, humming in agreement.

“They’re like new cogs in the ever-running machine of capitalism,” you described, idly fiddling with the sleeves of your jacket. “The best heroes are the ones who have a brand, that are backed by corporations. There are some who are good, genuinely, but others…”

“So your villain,” Toshi leaned a bit more towards you, leveling his gaze. “Who is he?”

“Do you know who the hero Zephyrus was?” You replied with your own question.

After a brief pause, Toshinori asked, “The Greek hero, right? She was number one there for a while?”

You smiled.

“Yeah, that’s her.” You said proudly. “She came to America to learn from me right after I hit number one. She even taught me some stuff herself. She was one of my best students, and a lifelong friend.”

Your gaze was towards the sky now, watching as the clouds formed around the sun. Zephyrus was a wind hero. The two of you had always trained together, and oftentimes got into some mischief. It was easy, considering gravity only kept you down part of the time.

“She was number 16 in Greece when she came to see me,” you recalled, “after she returned, she became number one.”

Toshinori nodded, obviously not understanding what this had to do with the villain, but knowing that you’d tell him eventually. When you were ready.

Maybe you were just buying time, but honestly, you felt this was an important part of the story that couldn’t be left out.

“Something happened while she was there.” You told him gently, your words hushed.

You felt this wasn’t your story to tell, but this was something Toshinori needed to know. Zeph would forgive you.

“There was a fundraiser gala hosted by Vulcan’s agency. I opted to take Zephyrus as my date, since all of the people I’ve been in relationships with have never known about my hero persona. It was easier, less questions, and she was my best friend. I got swarmed by the media and fellow heroes, you know how it is.”

A small smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. He did indeed.

“Zeph was used to it so she wandered off on her own. I didn’t see her for the rest of the night, but I figured she must’ve found some attractive lady to run off with.” Lowly, you added. “I was so stupid.”

At the elongated pause, Toshinori placed a hand on your shoulder as a gesture of comfort. You’d always been a physically affectionate person, so you appreciated it.

“She tried to quit the next day, told me she didn’t want to be a hero anymore.” You sighed. “You should’ve saw the look in her eyes, she was so frantic, so scared. To me, she’d always been this unbreakable force, and yet she was crumbling right there.”

You leaned your head on Toshinori’s shoulder. The man in question seemed startled momentarily, but then relaxed. He knew it wasn’t anything more than a friendly gesture by you.

“Once I calmed her down, she told me everything. It was Vulcan, he’d slipped something into her drink and-”

You stopped short, a vile taste on your tongue. You couldn’t finish the sentence. You wouldn’t, for her sake.

“Vulcan?” Toshinori echoed. “But he’s-”

“The number two hero, yes,” you finished for him bitterly. “He’d always been a friend to me, despite our quirks being obviously opposite. A bit hostile when reminded of the rankings, but still a friend. After I found out what he did, I tried to confront him.”

You could see the confrontation in your mind’s eye. You were so fueled by anger and disgust you’d flung insults, physically holding yourself back from going on the attack. He’d stood there, not denying anything, and looking for all the world like nothing could touch him.

“I tried to get justice for her. But, since he’s so high profile, I had to compile the case in secret. I had testaments from over a dozen women. I’d even found one girl who was pregnant with his child. Zeph returned home while I was working, said she wanted to find her peace of mind again.”

There were tears in your eyes that you refused to let fall.

“I don’t know how, but he found out about all the evidence I had. I think I was too naive and believed it really would be that easy. He started killing them, one by one. Each one of them were made to look like suicides or freak accidents. Zeph was the last one he targeted, and the most gruesome.”

You shut your eyes, refusing to look at Toshinori. You could feel an arm wrap around you, pulling you a tad closer. He was trying to comfort you.

“I still tried. With the evidence I had, it would still be enough.”

You paused, your hands clenched into fists. Your fingernails were digging into your palms, drawing the smallest bit of blood.

“I thought if I kept a hard copy of all of the evidence, it’d be safer. That way no flags in the system, no hacking. But, it was the only copy, and it was in my agency building in New York. He knew.”

You puffed out a breath.

“I saved as many people as I could. I thought I saved them all but-”

A sob got caught in your throat.

“There was only one fatality,” Toshinori supplied, his voice a titch softer than normal.

“My baby sister,” you whispered. “She was waiting for me in my office, like she did every single day after school.”

Tears were falling more freely, landing in Toshinori’s lap. He paid them no mind, rubbing small circles on your back.

“I should’ve known, should’ve saved her.”

You couldn’t speak after that. The pain was still so fresh, cutting deep into your heart. Your sister had been your whole world, the entire reason you kept getting up every time you got pushed down. You were her hero first and foremost.

And you failed her.

“You did the right thing, none of this is your fault,” Toshinori soothed, a touch of familiarity in his voice.

You didn’t have to be a genius to guess that he had felt responsible for others’ deaths before too. It was natural.

“We’ll figure something out,” Toshinori promised.

Your heart swelled. The two of you were so alike in so many different ways that friendship seemed natural.

“You know why?” Toshinori asked, a small smile on his face.

You giggled breathily, wiping away the tears in your eyes furiously.

“Because you are here?” You guessed.

To your surprise, the hero shook his head.

“Because you are just as much a Symbol of Peace as I am.”

Your reply died on your tongue as the beginning of the games were signalled. The two of you gave it your full attention, but the air around you was light.

You’d made a friend in Japan’s number one, and you decided that friendship was exactly what you needed right now.

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

Chapter Ten: Feelings Aren’t Welcome

It was the morning of the festival.

You’d never considered yourself the type who got nervous, but you felt on edge the minute you saw the crowds gathering for the festival.

As Tempest, you were more than comfortable with crowds. You couldn’t be Tempest right now though, you were just yourself, and it was scaring the hell out of you.

“Just breathe,” you told yourself, letting your eyes fall shut as you exhaled slowly.

A yell of your name caused the little bit of comfort you felt to dissipate.

“Yes?” You replied, trying (and maybe succeeding?) at keeping the annoyance out of your voice.

You felt bad the minute you realized it was the young Todoroki approaching you.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he breathed, and you internally cringed.

You were not a morning person. Pair that with your current anxiety and you were barely even a person, let alone a friendly and functioning adult. Poor kid.

“You’re fine,” you promised him. “Just, secret identity and large crowds don’t mix well.”

The kid nodded as he looked out at the people waiting to enter.

“I wanted to thank you,” he said, looking as if he were struggling to find his words.

You understood though.

“Not to go all 1960’s hippies on you, but we belong to the elements. Your fire is just that: yours.”

The confusion at your first comment dissolved into a look of uncertainty. You knew that the element of fire weighed heavily on him. You were sure he was looking at it as a piece of his father rather than a piece of himself.

“Want to know a secret, kid?”

He looked to you with wide eyes, almost uncaring upon first glance, but there was a curiosity burning just below. For someone his age, he had a surprising grip on his emotions.

“When I first began training with my quirk, I refused to use fire. I thought it was too chaotic and dangerous.”

The young Todoroki couldn’t stop the look of surprise on his face. The public liked to make it seem like you were a natural, born to be the number one. They advertised you as if you’d never struggled with your quirk.

“Truth be told, I couldn’t really control it,” you admitted, rubbing the back of your neck. “The teacher I had, he told me that it was considered my ‘opposite element’ and thus I would have a harder time mastering it. See, water, earth, and air all came fairly easily. It took work and practice, but from the beginning there was raw talent. I couldn’t even produce a flame for the first few months.”

“What changed?” He asked, now fully invested in your story.

You smiled. Ah, the want to learn. Even if he was rejecting a part of himself now, you could see the craving underneath. He wanted to explore this part of himself.

“I stopped trying.”

“Huh?”

“Instead of trying to shoot a bonfire from my palms, I studied fire in its natural element.”

“So what, you want me to study the sun?” He questioned, a brow cocked like you were quite possibly insane.

You chuckled.

“No, I’m telling you that you need to understand the element if you wish to properly use it. Take time to feel the fire in your body before you produce it. You might be surprised.”

He took a moment to digest the information, crossing his arms over his chest. After a minute, he decided your advice was good enough and nodded.

“I’ll take that into consideration.” He bowed.

You inclined your head, shoving your thumb in the direction of the stadium.

“Go get ready for the festival, and kick some ass for me, yeah?”

He smiled. A small, genuine smile. You had to admit, it made him look like an actual kid, instead of the usual mistrustful gaze he held. He turned to leave you then, doing a little jog towards the arena.

You’d never wanted to kick Endeavor’s ass more than in that moment.

“The festival hasn’t even started and you’re already playing favorites,” Shouta slyly mentioned, causing you to jump nearly seven feet in the air.

“Jesus, the next person to sneak up on me is getting blasted into next week,” you grumbled, pouting at him.

He laughed. It was light and carefree and not at all what you’d expect from a man who looked like he’d just walked out of ‘Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian’. You idly wondered if Rami Malek would appear from underneath all those wrappings.

“I’m glad my misery makes you happy,” you huffed dramatically, sticking your tongue out at him.

His smile was hidden from you, but he couldn’t stop it from spreading. You were oddly adorable when you were obviously scared.

“It’s not your misery…” Shouta’s voice was barely above a whisper, but you caught what he said.

What did that mean?

Was he referring to you making him happy?

You turned away from him quickly before he saw the soft blush growing hot on your cheeks.

Dammit, dammit, dammit. You were not giving him the satisfaction.

“Where are you going to be at during the festival?” You changed the subject, hoping he wouldn’t push it.

You thanked whatever deity was listening when he answered, not even a hint of the previous teasing in his words.

“I told Hizashi I’d sit with him in the booth,” Shouta answered, catching up to you so he could walk by your side.

“You’re going to be commentating?” You questioned excitedly.

You always thought it’d be cool to get to commentate the sports festival. You tuned in every year to watch fresh new talent, as well as scout potential heroes. After all, you recruited from all around the world, not just in America. The media labeled it as you trying to get international recognition and expand your brand. You truthfully were just looking for young students who were worthy and dedicated.

“I guess,” he replied tiredly, barely staving off a yawn.

His lack of enthusiasm wasn’t off putting in the slightest.

“Do you want to join?”

A wide smile spread across your lips.

Do you want to join? Of course you want to join. It was the UA Sports Festival and he was asking if you wanted to help commentate!

Your smile began to fade as you thought it through logically.

You were supposed to be out of the public’s eye, now more so than ever. The villains that had escaped had seen your face. Any moment they could choose to reveal you to the world.

Not to mention, you had a growing problem you really needed to address.

“I’ve got something to take care of,” you said a bit forlornly, though you were quick to wipe it off like it hadn’t even happened.

“Have fun though!” You chirped, waving him off as you ran towards the teacher section.

You refused to look back. Maybe if you had you would’ve seen the disappointment in Shouta’s eyes. He’d wanted to spend time with you. He enjoyed spending time with you.

You, however, were stuck on the particular issue that arose with the man in question. You had a crush on him, yeah. And it was annoying.

As much as you wanted to entertain the idea of sliding your fingers through his (probably) soft hair, and pressing your lips against his slightly chapped ones that often wore a frown, and maybe you’d get a chance to run your hands down his (more than likely) toned chest, and possibly dipping lower to his…

No.

These thoughts were bad.

Very, very bad.

Shouta was a big boy and could take care of himself, you were sure. But, you had a promise to keep to the people you looked out for. You had a duty to fulfill as America’s number one. You couldn’t get involved with him, and you certainly couldn’t let this crush develop into anything more.

This ended now.

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

Chapter Nine: Something Akin To A Cat

You’d finally made it.

The hard work, the blood, the tears- you were finally here. The dream to be number one wasn’t uncommon, and it sure as hell wasn’t easy, but somehow you’d made it.

There were many obstacles, many inspirations.

Through it all, you’d managed to rise through the ranks so quickly. You built your hero agency from the ground up, recruited new heroes to do some training with. In the heart of New York City, your agency stood tall.

It was a shining representation of your hardwork and dedication.

“Purple? Purple’s my favorite color!” The voice by you squealed excitedly.

She couldn’t see your smile beneath the mask. Of course you knew purple was her favorite color, that’s why you’d decided to light the building up as such, the perfect ending to a perfect day.

“It’s your birthday kiddo, a whole 7 years old today,” you knelt down beside her, ruffling her hair a bit.

She looked a whole lot like you. You could see a lot of your mother in her too. The expressions she made mimicked you to a tee.

“Do you think mommy and daddy know?” She asked, her voice unusually small.

You sighed.

“I think so, baby girl, and I’m sure they’d give you the biggest hug if they could.”

Your mother had died giving birth. Her pregnancy with your sister had been a rough one, and she knew she wouldn’t make it. She fought until the last minute to make sure your sister was born.

Your father had been alone after that. He’d worked so hard to make sure that you and your sister were well provided for. Nearly two years prior, he fell ill. The doctors said it was incurable. You had a hard time watching the man who’d been your personal hero fade away with each day, but you admired the strength in his eyes that never once faded.

Both of your parents were fighters until the very end.

“Please don’t leave me,” your sister whispered.

Her voice was so quiet, barely a whisper in the wind. You pulled her body in close to yours, wrapping your arms completely around her.

“I will never leave you,” you promised, kissing the top of her head.

She melted into the contact. You could feel her tears start to fall on your neck.

The world was cruel to her. It’d taken both of her parents at such a young age. It’d left her quirkless in a world so filled with evil. She felt abandoned, weak, inferior- but through it all she had you.

You were her hero.

And damn it all, she was yours. She gave you the strength to see your dreams a reality. She was your whole world, even if you’d had to unexpectedly raise her.

You would do right by her.

You woke with a start. Ever since the USJ, you’d been plagued with dreams of your life before the incident.

Not all of them were bad, but they were a constant reminder of your failures.

You rubbed a hand down your face, willing the bad thoughts out of your mind. You were going to have a busy day as it was, you didn’t need the added exhaustion of no sleep on top of it.

Eventually, you forced yourself out of bed and started your morning routine. By the time you made it to school, the whole campus was buzzing.

The UA Sports Festival was fast approaching, and while you knew that training for it would be at the forefront of many of the student’s minds, you also knew it wouldn’t distract them enough to forget about what they saw.

You were hesitating, standing before the door the class 1-A.

This would be over soon. You’d be able to go home. For now, you would have to deal with the consequences of your abandonment.

The class fell into an uneasy silence the moment you stepped inside. The click of the door echoed behind you.

“(Y/N),” Shouta greeted lowly, wrapped head to toe in bandages. You knew he shouldn’t be there, knew he needed to heal, but you could sympathize with him. Your worry would still have you call him out later though.

You’d been to visit him when he was recovering. Hardly left, if you were being honest with yourself. He’d been so close to…

You were almost too late. If you’d been a few moments later, you were sure he would’ve…

The first night he was there, you sat with him the whole time, baring so much of yourself and your feelings. You knew he couldn’t hear, but it was something you needed to do.

You cleared your throat, moving to stand next to him. All Might and Thirteen stood behind the rows of students, watching closely. They seemed a bit on edge, and a little banged up themselves.

“Right,” you drawled, leaning forward on the podium.

Why in the hell was it easier to face villains?

“Allow me to introduce myself again, only genuinely this time.”

There, that was a good start.

A few of the students moved to the edge of their seats, practically buzzing with excitement at having their questions finally addressed.

“I am (Y/N) (Y/L/N), or as you’d recognize me, Tempest.”

Gasps of surprise, awe, nearly every emotion erupted. The class began murmuring among themselves, and honestly you had half a mind to leave them right there.

You couldn’t handle the inevitable disappointment.

You’d always wanted to be a hero, and you were lucky enough to be born with the power to do so. You’d spent so many years training and struggling to get to the number one spot. You never wanted people to think you’d abandoned them.

“But Tempest has been missing for months,” Midoriya said, seemingly confused with the circumstances of your disappearance.

“Yeah, I saw that on the news too!” Kirishima added.

You swallowed when they turned to you expectantly.

“Well, think of it like witness protection, you know?” You tried, hoping they’d take it.

They didn’t.

“Protection from who?” Ashido asked.

“If you’re number one why don’t you just beat them up?” Kaminari interrupted.

The voices grew louder as they talked over one another, speculating what- or who- could’ve been the reason behind your disappearance. Your leg twitched, ready to remove you from the situation.

Just as you were about to head out, Shouta’s bandaged hand rested against the small of your back. It was barely there, and you’d noticed he’d taken his whole arm out of the sling just to get it there.

Strength resonated from his touch, his bloodshot eyes sending warmth through your entire body.

“Why are you running away?”

Bakugo’s eyes met yours. It wasn’t his normal anger that stood out in his voice, it was something deeper. Disappointment, you were sure. You wondered if perhaps he’d been a fan of your hero persona.

“Villains aren’t just bad guys you can beat up,” you finally found your voice, surprised at the amount of ice in your tone. “Some of them hide behind titles and money and fame. They claim to be something they’re not, and the public eats it up. You can’t attack a villain if they parade around as a hero.”

The silence was back.

It was as if they’d suddenly all come to a realization.

“I could beat them, if I could fight them.” You stated, reaching your hand behind your back to place it against Shouta’s. “He has fame, money, police force- hell, millions of people in his corner. A villain is one thing, but this is deeper than just that. If I attack him publicly, I will lose everything I’ve worked so hard to build.”

You looked directly at Bakugo as you said the next sentence.

“I’m running because if I stop, I won’t be able to hold myself back.”

The kid looked stunned, but nodded resolutely. Clearly, he understood, even if it was only to a degree.

“This school prepares you to fight villains in the street, it doesn’t prepare you to face against the corruption everywhere.”

Then, quieter:

“Some heroes are villains.”

You felt closer to the class somehow. Like they finally knew you for the real you.

A tentative hand was raised, two bright eyes shining up towards you.

“Yes, Ochaco?”

A slow smile was pulling at her lips.

“I’ve always wanted to know why you kept your identity a secret.”

That was something you didn’t mind answering.

See, your hero costume was made with your quirk in mind, but also concealed your identity completely. Nobody could tell what you looked like beneath the mask. Your real name had never once been leaked. You were a mystery.

It wasn’t just for privacy’s sake though.

“What did you think I looked like?” You countered.

She seemed flustered for a second, before finding her bearings.

“Um, I expected someone like Mr. All Might.”

You raised a brow.

“You couldn’t miss him in a crowd,” she explained. Her eyes widened the moment she realized what she said. “I mean, it’s not to say you’re plain and you don’t stand out it’s just-”

“I look like a normal person, with a normal life.” You finished for her.

She nodded, looking shameful.

“That’s the thing though, I chose to remain anonymous because I wanted more people to realize anyone can be a hero, it’s a state of mind, not a gift.”

You hated the way the class was staring back at you. They were almost reverent, like they couldn’t believe you were standing in front of them. You imagined this was how Toshi felt.

A few more hands were raised. You’d felt your strength diminishing and was hoping to be done for the time being.

Shouta must’ve had an exhaustion meter or something, because he caught on very quickly.

“Save the questions for later, focus on the sports festival.”

And just like that, the class was returning to normal. Well, as normal as a room full of hormonal heroes-in-training could get.

You breathed out a sigh of relief, making your way for the door without a moment of hesitation. Shouta lingered a moment longer before following you out.

“You should still be recovering,” you chastised, leaning against the wall right outside of the classroom.

“Thank you,” Shouta countered, resolutely. Clearly, the words were hard for him to get out.

You paused.

“Of course, I’ll always be there to save you,” you muttered, ignoring the burning of your cheeks.

He seemed to hunch in on himself too.

“But if you ever scare me like that again, I’ll kill you myself,” you stated seriously, your eyes burning into where his were visible through the slits of his bandages.

You sighed, deciding the throw caution into the wind as you very carefully pulled the man against you. He was stiff, like he wasn’t quite sure what you were doing. If you’d had to describe him in the moment, you’d choose a confused a slightly scared cat.

“Just… be safe.”

With that, you pulled away, not bothering to look if he’d even reacted.

You had a more concerning thought on your mind.

Two of the villains had escaped, and it was only a matter of time before they realized who you were.

What would they do with that information?

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

Chapter Eight: Secrets Don’t Make Friends

The established Symbol of Peace, was also apparently the Symbol of Bad Time Management.

He’d used up so much of his hero-ing time that he was spending time with you while Thirteen and Shouta were teaching at the USJ. You had no doubt Shouta would be complaining to you about it later.

It was a bit odd, sitting so close to All Might. (And fairly uncomfortable, the man practically took up the whole bench. Did he really expect you to fit in the tiny sliver his body didn’t occupy?)

At first you’d discussed your private lesson with Bakugo the day prior. All Might was a bit surprised you’d managed to convince the kid to spend extra time out of his day to train with you. He’d resisted at first, said something about not wanting to slum it up with some D-lister when he had more important things to do. You’d broken through his walls though with a bit of reasoning, and slyly mentioning you’d been working with Todoroki. (The kid did have some serious jealousy issues when it came to some of the others in his class.)

You’d actually ended up really enjoying your time with him. He’d warmed up to you a little bit too, you were sure. The conversation eventually died, lulling into a quiet atmosphere.

The silence between you was comfortable though. The two of you had become rather fast friends. You could recognize it as a kinship between two people who were always choosing others above themselves.

On this dinky bench sat two of the world’s most powerful humans, and more heart than anyone combined.

Your musings were cut short as you caught sight of Iida Tenya. He was running as fast as his feet could take him- which, to be fair, was pretty fast. Your smile slipped when you noticed the panicked look in his eyes.

“USJ!” He huffed. “Villains!”

That was all you needed to hear, already to your feet before he even finished his exhale. All Might was quick on the draw too, pulling you against him as he leaped high into the sky.

Had you not been already accustomed to the feeling of falling as wind blew on your face, you might’ve been more startled by the sudden move.

It took maybe thirty seconds flat before All Might was crashing through the building, standing in all his glory like the hero he was.

His entrance was demanding attention, but your eyes unconsciously sought out the teacher you knew should’ve been here.

Your heart leaped to your throat as you saw the man in your thoughts lying beaten on the ground, a creature looming above him threateningly.

Hell hath no fury like America’s number one hero seeing a man she kind of-maybe-really liked but chose a really bad time to finally address it.

All Might was still striking a pose, looking for all the world like he was about to spew some nasty insults at the villains before attacking, but you gave him no chance. You darted before him, letting your emotions guide your movements.

You could feel the dam building in your veins, pumping through to your heart. An ancient call was humming to life just beneath your skin, and you were doing everything to hold it back.

Every bit of your restraint was focused on holding that part of you back.

All Might yelled your name, but you paid no heed as you rushed forward, leaving Japan’s number one hero behind.

“A little girl trying to play hero, how cute,” the man with stupid looking hands on his face cooed.

You grit your teeth, tears threatening to spill as you looked back towards Shouta. He was unconscious, maybe worse.

“Oh fuck off,” you spat in your best American accent.

While doing so, you flexed your hands, pulling them close to your body.

The rush of water followed, a whole whirlpool running forward to swallow him whole. Had a strange man (?) not teleported him away, he would’ve been caught in the crushing grip of the water. Instead, he sicced his dog on you.

Each second that dragged on was harder on you to hold back the part of you that wanted to rage on.

You let your power guide your movements, the water taking form of a circular prison, freezing the creature that had been standing over Shouta in place. You knew it wouldn’t hold, but it would give you the time you needed.

You released a painful breath, begging your body to hold on. You couldn’t lose control. Not now. Not here.

You spun, your limbs moving in an ancient dance. The water rushed all around you, flowing and ebbing in a perfect movement. It was headed straight for the two villains standing, a whole lake full of it. They were dodging, clearly, but you’d already anticipated that.

You changed course at the last second, sending them reeling backwards with a twist of your hand. The ground beneath them froze, icy tendrils sneaking up their bodies.

Just as you caught them, the creature broke free from his cage. You tried to go on the offensive, but it was too quick. One fist collided with your ribs, powerful enough to force your body back a few feet. You were getting ready for another attack, only for All Might to intervene.

He was punching, doing his typical hero thing. It became obvious, however, the creature wasn’t affected.

The buzzing in your head was growing, demanding your attention.

It wanted to be released.

You looked to Shouta, pleading to anybody listening that he be okay. Just a look was enough to break the smallest sliver of the power inside free.

Was he dead?

You couldn’t tell, honestly. A part of you didn’t want to know.

A heartbeat.

You glanced back to All Might. He was on his knees, at the mercy of the creature, that was quite obviously built to withstand his attacks.

What you were doing wasn’t enough. Water wasn’t enough.

It was your secret or risking others’ lives.

You knew your choice, but still, you hesitated a moment longer.

You couldn’t act on emotion alone. If you did, you were sure you wouldn’t be able to hold that little part of you back that begged to be released. No, you needed to be smart.

This creature could take All Mights blows. Shock absorption had been mentioned. It seemed like the perfect counter to All Might.

But not to you.

Just as it went to deliver another blow, you raised your hand.

The power that broke free sung, its melody rushing through your veins.

You could feel it surge through your body, pumping like blood through your heart. Still, you held steady. You couldn’t let it out. You refused to.

Instead, you steeled yourself to do what was necessary to protect the students, Thirteen, and Shouta.

With a release of breath that seemed to echo around you, you pushed a fist forward.

Fire raged through the air, following the path you willed it to. With your other hand, you guided a stream of water which found purchase against the nomu’s chest.

Half of its flesh was burning, half of it freezing. It was practically torn apart by the aggression of the elements.

Wind formed around you, circling tight. Your feet were lifted from the ground. You dropped the fire and water, calling forth the earth beneath the nomu’s feet.

Your rage took form in the ground, shoving its way up and sending the nomu careening through the roof of the building.

Burning, freezing, flying.

It was no more.

They’d created the nomu to withstand All Might’s power. You were (arguably) as powerful as him, though, quite obviously, your power was different. They were expecting punches, not elements.

You felt the slow release of the power that had been bubbling beneath the surface as All Might jumped towards the remaining villains. Your eyes weren’t leaving Shouta’s limp body.

The moment your feet hit the ground, you were running, calling forth enough water to encompass your hands.

It glew a bright blue as you fell next to him, relieved to see a weak rise and fall of his chest. The water wrapped around your hands covered his wounds. Tension left his face, a sure sign the healing you were doing was helping.

For the first time since Iida found you, you felt like you could breathe.

The gravity of the situation was beginning to settle.

They knew your secret now. The class would no doubt realize it. You were sure that if any villains escaped they’d know too.

Nedzu would be pissed. You tried to hold yourself back.

But that was before you saw Shouta’s body, beaten and bloodied.

You would not allow this.

You couldn’t hold back the part of your power clawing from the inside out. The one that was still not under your control, just under your emotions’ will. If you hadn’t acted when you did, if you’d let it simmer a moment longer, it would’ve boiled over and even you couldn’t say what would’ve happened.

“(Y/N)?” All Might inquired, a bit breathy.

Your jaw was clenched. You would not look at your hero counterpart. He did not know of your origins before now. He wasn’t supposed to know.

The two other villains had made their escape some time during the exchange. Students had gathered to watch, perhaps even fight.

There were no cheers of success, no cries of fear.

There was just silence.

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

Chapter Seven: Hero Rank Doesn’t Translate to Teacher Rank

Nedzu had arranged a joint lesson between you and All Might.

During the planning process you’d learned of his weakened form. It was startling.

To the media, they’d always pitted the two of you as rivals for the world’s greatest hero. They made it seem the two of you were always trying to one up each other and get an edge on one another.

In reality, however, you admired the man. He was your senior, and a man who could pass on so much wisdom and knowledge. You felt like his apprentice, despite the fact you’d never actually met and your quirks were far different.

To find out the man you’d always looked up to had his own weakness made you feel more comfortable, in a funny way. You had problems of your own, failures and worries. This was a jerking realization that it was okay. You weren’t less of a hero because of your shortcomings.

He’d been pleasant while you were planning, but you noted he didn’t seem to be as joyful as he was depicted by the media.

Your time with All Might, or Toshi as you’d taken to calling him, was nice. It wasn’t as comfortable or entertaining as your time with Shouta, but still good.

Shouta had been busy with planning of his own. He was telling you about an upcoming lesson at the USJ. All Might would be there too.

Your eyes slid to the hero in question. He was stood tall in front of his students, a wide smile on his face.

A part of you was worried about this lesson. All Might had notes in his hand he was looking over and reading from. These students were about to get taught by the world’s two best heroes, who, incidentally, had no idea how to teach.

You could kick some ass though. That was always a good thing, right?

Glancing at All Might only to realize he was giving you the same helpless look made you realize how absolutely screwed your were.

“So, quirk drawbacks, huh?” You chuckled nervously.

All Might too laughed hesitantly.

See, besides the now glaringly obvious weakness, his quirk didn’t really have any known drawbacks either. You two were essentially the worst candidates to teach this lesson. Yet, here you were.

“Some of yours I’m aware of, and I already have a few notes on what to work on. A few others though, I’m going to need you to let me know.”

You paused, looking them over a bit.

Basically, you’d had pretty much everyone figured out as far as drawbacks go. You did not have Bakugo’s figured out though. You narrowed your eyes.

“Bakugo,” you said suddenly, noting the way All Might tensed beside you.

Clearly, this kid didn’t hold back even on him.

“I still need information on you.”

The kid in question huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I’ll kick your ass then maybe you’ll find out,” he spat.

That sent Iida on a long ramble about respect and whatnot. You weren’t really listening, your lips pulled in a pout.

“I’ll have you know, this is America’s ass,” you grumbled to yourself, though All Might heard you if his sudden cough was anything to go by.

You shot him a wink.

“And you’re Japan’s ass,” you said a little louder.

Considering his fame, he was ridiculously awkward in terms of compliments. In America, you got rushed by fans that laid way too many compliments on you. From what you’d seen of All Might in the press, you were sure that his situation was no different.

All Might yelled over the ramblings of his students, introducing the activity they’d be participating in. He surprisingly got it right. Mostly.

“Basically,” you summarized, “We’re going to have you use your quirks in a one-on-one battle. All Might will be on one side of the field, and I’ll be on the other. During the fight, we’ll be assessing your quirk and yelling out suggestions for how to counteract drawbacks. Whoever survives the longest in the ring wins.”

A few solemn nods followed your explanation.

“Great, I’ve already taken the liberty of splitting you into groups who will be under All Might’s watchful eyes and those who will be under mine.”

You didn’t miss the look of excitement on Mineta’s face. Idly, you wondered how much trouble you’d get in for punting a student across campus. Probably a lot. But could they blame you?

“You did?” All Might replied. At the look of confusion on the student’s faces, he continued. “Oh, you did! Right! Just like we planned!”

Man, this guy was not smooth at all.

“Kaminari, Uraraka, Tokoyami, Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, Ojiro, Jiro, Bakugo, Sero, and Midoriya- you’re with me. Everyone else with All Might.”

There was a hesitation in All Might’s eyes, and you knew exactly why. You’d chosen Midoriya on purpose. See, you had a gut feeling about All Might’s quirk. It was leagues above any other quirk, barring your own. And, your own quirk wasn’t exactly natural.

It worked almost like reincarnation. The next user was born when the previous died. With each reincarnation, the user could harness the abilities and knowledge of their predecessors. You still hadn’t fully mastered the more difficult aspect of your ability. In fact, you had only tapped into that power once before when under extreme emotional duress.

That wasn’t the point though. The point was, your quirk’s power comes from the fact that it’s not just a quirk you were born with. It was special. Which made you think that All Might’s quirk may be similar, especially since he’d always dodge the question.

After doing some research on Midoriya, you were starting to connect a few dots. Sure, you could straight up ask the dude, but you had a feeling he’d deny. Plus, where’s the fun in that?

Your little entourage of students followed you towards the right side of the ring, chatting the whole way.

You didn’t notice Shouta slip in behind either. You smiled at that.

“Kaminari, you’re up first,” you told the blonde. “Focus on smaller attacks. If you can give yourself more time between charges, you should be able to last longer in fights.”

The kid nodded, giving his classmates a thumbs up as he headed towards the ring. You took the opportunity to take a few steps back, bringing yourself closer to Shouta.

“Are you always this watchful of your students or are you just trying to spend more time with me?”

Shouta’s deadpan expression hardly changed, though you did detect a hint of pink. One sentence in and you were already working your charm.

“Cute thought, but not true.”

You smirked.

“Not that I’m unhappy to see you or anything, but you’re quite the distraction.”

You took an extra moment to drag your eyes up the length of his figure. Instead of shying away completely, he practically rose to the challenge.

“Shouldn’t you be watching the students, not me?”

You laughed, breaking the flirty atmosphere. (Though, you did catch the look that Bakugo was giving the both of you. He looked like he was going to throw up. Or just murder the both of you. Maybe both?)

“Right, have fun watching.”

You turned your focus back towards the students at hand. The trials started to go by quicker as you spent your time analyzing how you could give them an advantage with their quirk. Kaminari did well with more attacks but with less power to each one. Uraraka was a bit more challenging. However, you figured with more practice she could extend the amount of quirk she could use before she’d worry about drawbacks. You’d also discussed the option of using smaller items with her quirk, and learning hand-to-hand combat so she could combine the two for attacks.

Tokoyami’s biggest issue was too much light, or too much dark. He needed a balance for his quirk. You decided you’d work with him about controlling Dark Shadow when he was in the dark, but as for the light portion, the two of you discussed having Tokoyami take the offensive and Dark Shadow act as his defensive line.

Yaoyorozu was a question of her lipids. You discussed possibly modifying her diet, as well as crafting simple general items to begin with before worrying about larger, more complicated items that would be specific to the problem at hand. Todoroki, as previously discussed, was the easiest drawback for you to solve. After all, much like your own quirk, his was self regulating. You’d been working with him already too.

The kid’s progress really was making you proud, even if he wasn’t using his fire side fully yet.

Ojiro didn’t have much of a drawback specifically because of his quirk, but you could tell that he needed to work on his combat skills. He was good with his tail, but he needed to be good with his hands and feet too if he ever wanted to stand a chance as a pro. The main focus with Jiro was fine-tuning her offensive abilities. She had a pretty good handle on how to use her quirk for intel, but she needed to do more offensively.

Bakugo was interesting to watch. His quirk was powerful, and he had a high tolerance before he began to even hit a limit. You could see it though, when the muscle in his arms tensed passed his control. But, you wanted to work on his attitude. His temper was very familiar. It made you miss your hot-headed friend you’d left behind at your agency.

Helias, your fire protege.

You missed a lot about your old life, but mostly the four heroes who studied under you. There was one for each of the elements. You’d chosen them so carefully, hoping to pass on your knowledge and wisdom of the elements. Yet, here you were, abandoning them.

Your smile had faded then, and you forced yourself to focus on the rest of the students. After Bakugo was Sero. Sero had a limit to the amount of tape he could produce. If he could use them a bit more conservatively, then he’d find the most success. Midoriya was the last one in your group. You still didn’t let him use his quirk. You did give him some pretty good advice on how to get a hold on it without breaking all of his bones though. It was untested, and possibly wouldn’t work, but you knew what it was like to have a power more than what you could control.

By the end, all of the students were exhausted. You’d waved them off with a smile and a “good job,” not wanting to make them stick around if they didn’t have to. They all let out a breath of relief, practically dragging their feet towards the locker rooms.

“I think they learned quite a bit,” All Might pronounced proudly.

You nodded.

“Yeah, they’re doing a good job at keeping up.”

“You two need a ‘Teaching For Dummies’ book,” Shouta grumbled.

All Might frowned at your laugh.

“I think you’re just mad because the students like us more than you,” you teased, poking fun at Shouta.

Shouta muttered something under his breath that you didn’t quite catch, but you waved it off.

“Anyways, I have something I have to take care of, don’t work the kids too hard at the USJ tomorrow, okay?”

Both men nodded.

You ran off towards where the students exited only a few minutes prior. For the past few days, you’d been working with Todoroki after hours. You knew it wasn’t entirely fair to all of the students, so to partially make up for it you wanted to try and give them all extra support. You specifically wanted to focus on Bakugo at the moment though.

He had an incredibly powerful quirk, and you had no doubt that his power would bring him places, but his temper could be somewhat of an issue. That’s where you’d start. You’d help him like you helped Helias.

Then, you could start helping the others as well.

Besides, you excelled at one on one training.

[heroes-of-our-hearts]

Chapter Six: A Foreplay Kind Of Guy

After a while, you decided you were pretty decent at being a teacher.

You weren’t sure if the others thought so, but your students had a great deal of respect for you. You’d helped them hone their individual quirks and tried to give each student the same amount of your time.

You’d even gotten Todoroki to use fire, just for a second and in private. It was progress though.

You’d begun to open up to Shouta a bit too. The two of you spent a little more time together than you had before. You told yourself it was because he was one of the only people who knew your secret.

It may also have been because you genuinely liked talking to him, but that was besides the point.

Nemuri and Hizashi had both noticed that you two were talking more and man, you’d had to sit through days of them hounding you for details on the super secret love fantasy they thought the two of you had.

It was amusing, but also didn’t sound horrible and you kind of hated to admit that.

You didn’t think you were really Shouta’s type anyways.

He was always serious and didn’t really like being in the spotlight. He took his hero duties seriously, but never really stuck around for fans.

Even after denying vehemently that you two were together, Nemuri and Hizashi continued to give you looks. Looks which were very annoying and implied something you’d rather not think about.

You wouldn’t think about that now though, because you were about to start lesson planning with Shouta.

You see, after Shouta realized how absolutely underqualified you were (hey, you were still great so he could stuff it), he offered to help with some of your lesson planning.

You’d denied at first. One, you were very capable, thank you very much, and two, the man already looked like he had enough on his plate. But you’d had a hard time denying him after he stole your planner and started thoroughly critiquing it anyways.

You’d both decided if this was to become a regular thing, you might as well get comfortable while doing it.

That was why Shouta was found knocking at your door, surprised to see how quickly you’d answered. Or perhaps he was surprised that your apartment was so clean it was practically sparkling.

Okay, maybe you cared a little bit about appearances in front of this man. But that was absolutely it.

(Okay and maybe you put on a little bit of that fancy perfume you saved for special occasions, but that was just because you were nervous and could use the confidence boost. No other reason. Absolutely nada.)

“Hi.”

You cursed yourself for sounding so excited to see him. You really needed to socialize more.

He nodded, offering no verbal response as he walked past your spread arms, taking a seat on your coach.

“You really are a no foreplay kind of guy, huh?” You muttered.

You were sure he didn’t hear you by the lack of reaction. Shutting the door behind him, you grabbed the two cups of tea you’d readied and set them on the coffee table. He was unamused by your cups, if the quirked brow was any indication.

“If you’re going to judge my dishware, the least you can do is say thank you.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled, taking a tentative sip from the mug with All Might’s face plastered to the front.

“Wasn’t sure how you liked it,” you admitted, shrugging, “Figured you’d prefer your tea without anything since you’re…”

His look was daring you to finish that sentence.

You cleared your throat.

“Anyways, I’m ready to hear all the ways I’ve disappointed you today.”

That managed to get a small smile from the man beside you. He was quick to hide it though, knowing already that you would tease him.

“You should focus more on the drawbacks of their quirks,” Shouta announced a moment after looking over your notes. “Developing fighting styles unique to each student will be easier when they find methods to limit drawbacks.”

You hummed.

That was actually really smart. You hadn’t thought of it that way, too busy trying to teach offensive and defensive uses. You didn’t have to think much of quirk drawbacks. Sure, every quirk had them, but you got lucky enough to have a quirk that could balance itself. Using the water-bending element of your quirk too much? Use fire-bending to even it out. This was how you’d developed certain elemental combinations when fighting. Water balanced fire and air balanced earth.

“Next lesson I should find their drawbacks then? Some are rather obvious, but I think it’s best if I measure the limit of them.”

Shouta nodded.

“Midoriya and Kaminari might be the two hardest students to work with in that regard. I’m sure you already know how to help Todoroki.”

You gave a thumbs up.

“Are you going to have them fight you again?” Shouta asked (teased).

You stuck your tongue out at him. Because you were an adult.

“Not this time,” you laughed, “You should fight people more often it’s very liberating.”

“How very American of you,” he mumbled dryly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

“I’m going to fight All Might after this is all over, just you wait,” you promised, not missing the look of disbelief in his eyes.

“Oh come on, they don’t just make anyone number one, you know? I think I could take him.”

It was clear that Shouta still didn’t believe you, but he let the dream slide. That was probably for the best. You and All Might both had your strengths and weaknesses. You knew it would be a fairly even match.

The rest of the evening continued much the same. There was light teasing and soft laughter, until eventually the two of you found yourself sitting rather close, the notes abandoned in favor of some television.

“That was the worst movie I’ve ever seen.”

You blinked. The credits were rolling by now. Shouta had been complaining throughout the entire film, to which you had been arguing with him.

“That is a classic, I’ll have you know,” you huffed.

“Maybe to you.”

You looked offended.

“There are three sequels. Really bad sequels, but still sequels. Jaws is widely regarded as one of the most popular films of all times.”

A beat passed before Shouta laughed. Your frown deepened

“I’m not mad, just disappointed.”

Your dramatics drew a few extra chuckles from him.

“It’s getting late,” Shouta stated. As if on queue, you yawned. You hadn’t realized how tired you’d been, too distracted by his company.

“I’d better go, but thanks,” he said, taking a moment to stretch before he stood to full height.

You had a soft smile on your face.

“Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

His smile mirrored yours for just a moment before it was gone, his back to you as he crossed the room in almost no time. You felt a twinge of disappointment as he opened the door.

Why were you disappointed?

“I am a foreplay kind of guy, by the way.” He murmured lowly, your eyes widening as you registered what he said.

Before you could question it he was already out the door.

You giggled to yourself, relishing in the feeling coursing through your body. You couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was, but you knew that it was making you happy.

He was making you happy.

And wasn’t that a scary thought?