#hero won't worry about the weight of the world on their shoulders when their villain tones it down

[worstloki]

hero and villain being casual with each other is a very good dynamic. they see each other regularly, they had better be fine enough with each other to carry a conversation. forced to work together surprises people with how much it isn't an issue.

[hot-wiings]

The One Where Prohero!Deku Says He Won't Be Home The Night Before Christmas, But Suddenly Santa Claus Shows Up At The Door, Flirting With His Wife And Frightening His Daughter.

Edited: 12-16-2020

You folded one leg over the other as you sat on your couch in front of the TV. With a glass of pinot wine in one hand and the remote in your other, you flipped through the channels, looking for a better news outlet that was able to get closer to the current ongoing fight. The fight of a villain versus Pro-Hero Deku. Tragically, this was a nightly ritual for you. Every night after dinner, after dessert, after you'd gotten your daughter settled in the bath or bed, you would pour a glass of wine and watch your husband on national television. With a pinched heart and high nerves, you would watch him duel it out with some new villains, all the while hoping like crazy he was okay. All the whole praying to God he made it out alive. 

This was the life of being the wife to the number one hero. You knew what you were getting into when you began dating. You knew it would be hard being quirkless and helplessly watching from the sidelines as he rose to fame, close to being more needed and out in more danger. You the costs, you knew the risk, and while you wouldn't change any of it, it didn't make it any less hard to see him go, it didn't make it any less hard seeing him on the television, fighting for citizens. Fighting to make the world a safer place, for you and your daughter.

"Mommy, is daddy gonna be okay?"

Your daughter clutched onto your arm, pulling on your shirt to try and get your attention desperately as she watched her father battle live. She had a scared expression on her face, the expression you hid every time your husband walked out the door each morning. You sat your wine down on the lounge table in front of you before turning to her with a smile.

"Oh, sweetheart... Your father is always gonna be okay, he's the number one hero! He's good at what he does, and you know why he does it?"

"Why?"

"He does it for you, and he does it for me. He does it so we have a safe world to live in. He goes out there because he loves us, he's gonna come home every night because he loves us. Don't worry your pretty little head, alright?"

Your daughter turns her attention back to the TV, a smile on her face making the scared look disappear. You hated letting her watch Izuku's fights with you. While you did it to see him, to make sure he's okay, you didn't want her seeing that violent aspect in his life. You didn't want her seeing her father beat the living shit out of a villain, but how could you tell her no? You could remember watching All Might on TV as a child along side your brother Katuki. Watching the symbol of peace keeping the world safe installed you with a sense of hope as a quirkless child. He inspired you to be a hero despite being quirkless, he inspired you to be a hero support device inventor. It was your support items that your husband wore, and that kind of inspiration and hope was not something you could prevent your daughter from. Especially not when her father was the current symbol of peace.

You watched fondly as your daughter smiled up at the TV, as she smiled at her father fighting the villain. She was so immersed in the fight, such a fan like her father. Punch after punch, and swing after swing, using his shoot style, Izuku took the villain down. The heavyweight in your chest was lifted as he got to work on helping any civilians that got injured. Your daughter turned to you with a huge smile present as she started yawning through her words.

"Mommy, I wanna be just like daddy when I grow up. He's so awesome, he could defeat anybody."

"If that's what you want, then you can be a great hero when you grow up, just like daddy is."

You turned the TV off before lifting your daughter into your arms with a hefty sigh. She was getting older every year, older and heavier. While she wasn't extremely heavy, she wasn't a baby anymore. Soon the years of youth would fly by and you wouldn't be able to lift her. Your husband would have no problem, but you weren't built like that. It wasn't good to put so much stress on yourself. Desperately fighting off sleep, she rested her head on your shoulder as she tried to keep her eyes open. 

"Mommy, will daddy be home to tuck me in bed?"

"Not tonight honey. He's still got some stuff to do, probably won't be back for another hour or so, and you're already falling asleep as it is."

"Awe. I wanted to tell him that I wanna be him when I grow up. I miss him."

You placed your daughter on her bed and wrapped the blankets around her, tucking the covers under her body and feet, cocooning her in and prepping her for a chilly night. You turned around and grabbed her favorite stuffed animals off the shelf as you bit your lip. You missed him just as much as she did. Sometimes it was hard when he was gone for days on end fighting a villain and tracking them down. Though he always made up for it to you both, it always hurt when he was gone. You felt so emotional tonight. You wiped away a few stray tears and turned around with a smile so you could tuck her stuffed bunny under the blanket next to her. 

"I know baby, I miss him too, and he misses us just as much. But you know what? Tomorrow it'll be Christmas, so you, and Mister Bun-Bun need to go to sleep so Santa can come."

You booped her nose then proceeded to boop the stuffed bunnies nose so she wouldn't think he was disincluded before tucking them both in under the blankets again to make sure she was extra warm. The heater in the house broke so you were currently living off of heat from the fireplace until Izuku or the repair people could come, but that wasn't until after Christmas, and you weren't sure Izuku knew how. You knew sometime in the night your daughter would climb out of bed and come to your room to try and snuggle with you and Izuku, not that either of you minded. 

"And when you wake up daddy will be here, and he'll give you all the attention you want."

"Okay... Can he still come in and give me a goodnight even if I'm asleep?"

"Absolutely, Mister Bun-Bun too."

You pecked a kiss against your daughter's forehead, then you turned her night light on and shut her closet door, knowing that she would get scared. You made way to her bedroom door and looked over your shoulder to check on her. She was still fighting off inevitable sleep, nodding off and jerking her head up, trying to be awake, undoubtedly trying to stay awake until her father came home. 

"Mommy, can Mister Bun-Bun have a kiss too? He also wants the bedroom door left open... He gets scared."  

"If it makes Mister Bun-Bun feel safer I'll leave it open, but Mister Bun-Bun needs to know that I and daddy will always keep him safe just like we keep you safe."

You walked back over to her bed and placed a chaste kiss on the stuffed bunnies head before moving over to her head and giving her another one. You pulled back and smiled at her. 

"I love you, [D/N], never forget that."

"I love you too momma, good night."

You chuckled at her slurred words, sleep overtaking her body as you walked to her door and left it open just enough for the right amount of light to flood in and make 'Mister Bun-Bun' feel safe, but not enough to prevent her from sleeping.

You made your way to the kitchen and placed your phone onto the wireless charger that you kept on the window sill. You opened the notification bar searching for a message or missed call from Izuku to see none, he must still be out at the fight scene. With a pinched heart, you turned your ringtone to high just in case your husband did call. 

The hour slowly started to slip by as you made yourself busy with cleaning up the house. What started as dinner dishes turned into cleaning the oven, which then progressed into dusting all the fans and wall decor. Your mother-in-law and family would be coming over tomorrow anyway, so if you didn't do it now, you would be stressed about it tomorrow. From your spot in the living room, bent over and stripping down the couch cushion seat covers so you could wash them before tomorrow, you hadn't even heard the knob on the front door turn. You hadn't heard a male presence enter the house, much less directly behind you. In your utmost defense, he was trying especially hard to be quiet, and you had soft Christmas music coming from the stereo. 

With one arm swooping down and wrapping around your waist, the other went over your stomach while his head rested in the crook of your neck. You knew the hands, having felt the callused working fingers every day of your life for nearly the past decade, these hands were very familiar. However, despite the familiarity, when you were home alone, had been home alone with no one but your daughter for company, the touch of a male was very startling and scared you. You let out a little shriek as you let your body weight drop, bringing you to the floor with protective hands over your tummy. Your husband came tumbling on top of you due to his arms being wrapped around you. His chuckles resounded in your ear, warming up a pool in your stomach. The sound of his voice would never cease to bring butterflies, no matter how many years of marriage you had under your belt. It almost momentarily made you forget and set aside the anger of him scaring you. Almost.

"You jerk."

"Merry Christmas to you too."

Izuku adjusted your bodies so that he was no longer crushing you, but rather so you were both on your sides holding each other. After a week apart he wanted nothing more than to hold you, he wanted nothing more than to make up for the lost time. 

"You know I hate when you do that."

"Well, you know I hate when you stay up for me so I guess we're even."

"We both know you love it. You love coming home to me, love getting to kiss me, hug me, and cuddle me."

You let your head roll against Izuku's chest as he pulled his arms around you tighter. The feel of being together again in your cold home, warming you both and riding those sad feelings that haunted you both every night apart. 

"I'd still love coming home to find you asleep and well-rested, kisses can wait."

"Mm, I lucked out in the husband department didn't I? [D/N] wants a good night kiss even if she's already asleep."

You detangled yourself from Izuku and used the edge of the sofa to pull yourself up and prop yourself onto the edge of it. It was then that you noticed Izuku was wearing a Santa costume, belt, wig, beard, and all. You nibbled on your lip as you watched him stand up and walk closer to you. Your sexual drive was crazy as of late, leaving you with an insatiable horny hunger and no husband to cure it. This was something you could have fun with. 

"Although, I think I'd rather keep Santa all to myself for a moment."

"Yeah? Do you like it? I was trying to escape the fans and ran into a mall Santa, traded him an autograph, and twenty bucks for his suit." 

"Hmm, lose the beard and wig and you just might be on Mrs. clauses nice list."

Izuku chuckled as he pulled his beard down and made his way over to you. He pulled you up from the couch and wrapped his arms around you, one hand lingering further, wandering to your butt and grabbing. Call it the distance he held from you for so long, but he was feeling frisky. 

"What if I like the naughty list better?"

His voice was warm and desperate as he whispered down your ear, maybe you would've played along with him and gotten him to the bedroom had you not seen [D/N] in the living room entrance, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Santa? Mommy, what are you doing?"

That anger from him scaring you, that anger you put aside for a later date came back. You weren't in a state to be scared like that. A devious smile made way to your face as you pulled away from Izuku and feigned shock. He still had his wig on, and you doubted that two a sleepy five-year wouldn't think he wasn't Santa.

"Ho-Ho-Hold on there one minute Santa. I've got a loving husband and a child. You better mosy on home to Mrs. Claus before she puts you on the naughty list."

Izuku turned around, a smile on his face to finally see his daughter after a week. He frowned as he saw the scowl on her face, no doubt a horrendous trait passed down from you. Though, he expected no less from a Bakugo.

"Sweetheart, it's me, daddy."

"What? No, you're not my daddy. My daddy's big and strong, and he'll hurt you for trying to touch my mommy."

"Yeah, don't fib. Are you are fibber, Santa?"

Your daughter tugged on you and took a hold of your arm. She quickly ran to your room, pulling you along with her. Once inside she slammed your door shut and tried to barricade it, leaving a flustered Izuku standing outside. He knew this was your form of payback, playback for consistently startling you whenever he came home. He couldn't help it, he liked seeing your shocked face, he liked getting a rise out of the Bakugo he knew wouldn't bash his face in.

In this instance, it was the only time he ever partially regretted marrying you. You never fought, and when you did he had to deal with your brother instead of you. As a Bakugo, you took more after your father, but the personality traits from your mother came out when you felt payback was necessary. You would go to great lengths for payback over the littlest things, although this one was mediocre for you. One time he went a week with pink dyed hair and another time you kept moving things from around the house out of their usual places and refused to tell him where. Leave him flustered with a hard on wasn't that terrible.

Behind the closed door, you felt slightly bad for playing along with the whole Izuku is Santa thing. Like most times, you thought it would be funny. Make your husband flustered, it'll be cute. That was before your daughter freaked out thinking it was a villain who could steal identities. Of course, your daughter wouldn't believe that Santa was a sleaze, there had to be some explanation. This was starting to backfire, very fast. It was in your lineage not to back down. Your momma didn't raise a quitter, and it would be bad parenting to raise your daughter to be a quitter. What were you supposed to say anyway? Santas not real, I was just trying to fuck your father? No.

"It's okay mommy, daddy will protect us." 

As if on queue your bedroom door busted open from Izuku using full cowling shoot style with his legs. He no longer wore his wig or Santa suit but a t-shirt and pajama pants. With messy mangled hair, he ran towards your daughter and tried to pull her into his arms, missing her after a week apart but she squirmed and tried to pull away. 

"How do I know your my real daddy and not a copying villain!"

"Would a copy villain save Mister Bun-Bun?"

Izuku placed the stuffed rabbit inside his daughter's arms as she broke into a smile. Throwing the rabbit on the floor in favor of her father, she wrapped her small child arms around her father's neck. 

"Daddy! I knew you'd protect us! You're so strong and cool." 

"I'll always protect you from imposter Santas, always."

"Will you protect mommy too?"

"Hmm..."

Izuku picked up his daughter and carried her back to her bedroom so he could tuck her in for the second time that night. He hummed in response, pretending to think to himself as if saving you was a hard decision. You followed behind him with a slight scowl on your face. He placed his daughter in her bed and wrapped the blanket around her and Mister Bun-Bun before pressing a kiss against her head. 

"I guess even if mommy can be mean sometimes, I'll always protect her too. You, mommy, and Mister Bun-Bun." 

"Daddy?"

"Hm?"

[D/N] was lightly nodding off, content that she got to see her father before she fell asleep, but she fought it off as she grabbed her dad's arm to stop him from going away. 

"I think Mister Bun-Bun wants you to leave the door closed. He's not so scared anymore."

"Okay, darling. If Mister Bun-Bun wants it closed that's okay, but if he gets scared at all, it's okay for him to open it back up. Okay?"

"M'kay. Good night. I love you both."

You and Izuku left her room and he closed the door behind you, both of you had heavy hearts, sad to see your daughter slowly growing up. It felt like just yesterday you gave birth, it felt like just yesterday Izuku was holding your hand, comforting you as you pushed. While it was years away, you felt like time was going by too fast. Plopping down on your bed together, Izuku kept his distance, still bitter you left him out there horny and alone like that.

"She's growing up so fast, I miss her being a baby."

"Yeah, but look at it this way, there are still so many things we get to do and teach her. Right now she wants to be you when she grows up, you can start worrying when she's a teenager and discovers boys." 

"Mmmm, no. She's never getting a boyfriend. Not when she's sixteen, not when she twenty."

"You can't prevent it, babe. She's gonna want a boyfriend, one day when she's fourteen and god, why did you marry me? I never should've procreated, I was a monster at fourteen." 

You scooted closer to Izuku as he pulled the blankets over you both. You smiled at Izuku as he slid one arm under your head letting you use it as a headrest, and let his other arm rest on your side, rubbing little circles in your hip.

"I'm not saying never, I'm just sayin' our daughter isn't going to have male friends, and when [D/N] turns fourteen and decides to bring home a boy, well... Who's to stop someone from giving said boys name to someone like, say, your brother?" 

"Mm, that's evil."

"You call it evil, I call it a genius solution."

"Did you mean it when you said you'd always protect me?"

Izuku presses a long kiss against your lips before pulling back and nodding as if it wasn't even a question. 

"Always. Always and forever."

"Even our baby?"

"Of course I'd protect [D/N]."

He says it like it was unquestionable. Like it was the natural order of how things should be. That wasn't what you meant. You chuckled as you smiled at Izuku and grabbed his hand that rested on your hip. You guided it towards your stomach and pressed his palm against your tummy. Your tummy that would soon be swollen. Your tummy that carried his seed and offspring.

"No, our baby Zu'. Baby number two." 

"[Y/N], you're pregnant again?"

His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree as he peppered your face with kisses. Joy and pure happiness spread in his orbs, delighted at the prospect of having another child with you. Realization dawned on him as he rubbed your stomach with his hand.

"Oh gosh, this is why you were so mad I scared you. I could've crushed him, or her. I've gotta be more careful."

"Mm, I'm eight weeks along and you know the best thing about it?"

"What's that?"

Your hands trailed up Izuku's shirt and ran up his skin as you bit your lip.

"Makes my sex drive go like crazy."

"Did you talk to the doctor?"

"Yup! We're good to go until the end of the second trimester."

Izuku pressed his lips to yours and you felt complete. You never thought you'd marry your brother's enemies, much less carry not one but two of his kids. You wouldn't change it for the world, you wouldn't change your little family for the world.

[dabiboy]

Here is part 2! Tbh I want to see more about Natsu's and Rei's reaction, and of course what is going to happen with Dabi, so enjoy the cliffhanger 👀 let me know if you'd like to be tagged!

Part 1

Rencounter [Part 2/?]

Two weeks ago

"Dabi?'' You said in surprise as you opened the door and he stepped into your apartment, ''I thought you were not coming until next week''

''We need to talk, y/n'' He said, not even looking at you. You walked towards him once the door was closed.

''Is everything all right?'' When you were facing him, you lifted a hand to caress his cheek but he abruptly pulled away.

''Stop that, for fuck's sake. Stop that.'' Your jaw dropped slightly, he was usually rough but that rough?

''Stop what?'' You asked in disbelief, moving your hand to its previous position.

''All of this, us'' You noticed how he clenched his jaw and then his blue eyes were right over yours ''This needs to be over, y'hear me?''

''What?'' You asked with a smile, a smile that was there because you thought he was joking, but when he didn't laugh you knew he was not faking it ''You're kidding, right?''

''I'm not kidding. This? You and I? Can't keep happening anymore. And thank me I came all the way here and not just fucking disappear from your life from one day to another.''

''I can't believe this, Dabi. Why? Yesterday you texted me, things were fine and I-'' He cut you off, not even paying attention to the tears in your eyes, or the confusion and pain in your voice.

''I was not made for this, I can't just be here and play the happy little couple with you. So fuck all of this.'' He turned over and started walking to the door again ''Sorry for making you waste your time'' And right then, getting out of the frozen state you grabbed his wrist, making him look at you over his shoulder.

''You're not leaving until you give me a reason,'' Holding back the tears, you spoke ''What the hell? Yesterday you sent me a text telling me that you loved me, that you cared about me and now this?''

''Can't you fucking see it, then?'' He scoffed, turning around again ''I care about you more than I should, y/n. And the only thing I'm doing is dragging you down with me, it is better if I leave.''

''We... We had this type of conversation before, and I already told you that-''

''Told me what? That you'll stay with me until the end? My end is near, and if I don't go to jail I'll die and drag everyone down with me.'' He raised his voice. ''Get away from me, move on. Get a fucking life, one that's better than the shit I give you''

''You don't give me shit, Dabi. I love you, everything about you and how you are when you're with me'' It was impossible to hold back the tears that were escaping from your eyes at that point.

''You think I haven't noticed? How you look at couples in the street? Or the way you smile at the screen when you see your friends sharing their damn life, getting engaged, having kids, moving together. I can't even take you out for a fucking coffee'' He snapped.

''I never asked you any of that! I smile because I'm happy for them, not because I want their lives!'' You snapped to. Why was it so hard for him to understand? ''I'm not planning getting married, either having kids. I don't want the world to know, I give a fuck about posting pictures and stories on Instagram, I just want to enjoy my time with you!''

''You're not enjoying it! You are worried all the fucking time, let me go! Forget about me, get you someone who gives you what you deserve!'' If he could cry, tears would be running down his cheeks as well. ''I'm broken, I'm cursed. I look like a fucking zombie, y/n. Get the fuck away from me before we both go down.'' Dabi said in between his teeth as he hit the table with his fist.

''Listen, I know you. I know you're not a role model, I know you've killed people and done even worse. I'm not romanticizing those actions, they're wrong as fuck but guess what, this society is wrong too. All that Enji did to you? How some actions are done by heroes are hidden? All the pain you went through? All of this is fucked up. But guess what, I fell for you, for the one I knew under all of that pain'' You almost yelled, feeling your eyes burning because of the tears and your heart racing.

''Oh you do? Sorry to break it up to you, but I'm nothing but a monster, a villain who doesn't regret his actions, and will not regret them.''

''The monster that tells me how much he loves me when he thinks I fell asleep? Or the one that plays with my hair when I'm sad?'' Dabi was silent ''Is that the monster you're talking about?''

''Y/n...'' Dabi denied ''You're not getting this. I might hurt you, and I don't want that.''

''You won't. I'm a grown woman, I know where I am standing, and I want to keep standing by your side. ''And I also know you might die soon, so please, don't push me away. Not now'' This time your voice was low, your chin trembling. You felt how his hand pulled you from your nape, making your forehead rest against his. It was his gesture, the one he used to do when he wanted to say he loved you but he couldn't, the one when thanked you for anything, or the one when he wanted just to be close to you but was too ashamed to ask.

''Are you sure about this?'' He whispered ''Are you sure you want to burn with me?'' Dabi's eyes were closed, clenching his teeth as he resisted the urge to kiss you and hold you in his arms.

''Today, tomorrow, and always'' You whispered back, caressing his cheek with your thumb as you sobbed.

............................................

Present time

Crickets and the sound of leaves against branches were the only sound filling the room, that and two lovers' breathing. You used one finger to trace Dabi's chest, drawing imaginary figures on his chest. The side of your body was holding your weight as you kept looking at him under the blueish light. Once you got tired, you pressed a soft kiss on his shoulder and lay down by his side, one hand on his abdomen and your face nuzzled against his neck.

''So you were really willing to burn with me'' He said suddenly, a raspy and tired voice.

''I told you I was'' You said, and then lifted your eyes at him ''How are you feeling?''

''Like shit'' He said, and then looked at the door ''y/n,'' he said in a low voice, still looking at the door ''Are they here?''

''Yes, they are.'' You said softly, having no idea how to approach that topic.

''What a lovely family meeting'' He chuckled and then coughed. ''This is so fucked up'' Dabi said again, moving his head to the side so it could rest on your temple.

''How can you still be an idiot even in this state?'' you said a little amused

''It is just who I am, doll. Can't help it y'know'' you felt a bit coldness in the hand that was on his abdomen, and it were the staples he had on his hand when he grabbed yours and squeezed it tightly.

Meanwhile, outside the room was someone watching every move. Her eyes were filled with tears, should she run over the man laying there or should she just wait? Rei thought that the second option suited best. His first son, the one who was wounded as much as physically and mentally looked in peace while laying next to the woman he loved. She had waited over years, a few hours more were fine. But what was Rei supposed to say to him? Was he going to hate her? Hate Natsu? Dabi was unpredictable, and his reaction had her worried. Maybe she was better at the hospital, isolated from all of that, but she already left her son on his own once, and now she had the chance to at least say sorry.

An hour passed, and you could tell Dabi was asleep again because of the rhythm of his chest, rising and falling slowly. His mouth was slightly open and his traits looked more relaxed. You left a kiss on his cheek before getting up, making your way towards the kitchen. Rei was standing in front of the window with a blanket over her shoulders, but she looked at you when your footsteps were louder.

''Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt'' You said with a small smile.

''You didn't'' She replied, looking calmer than you expected ''Is Tou-''She cut herself ''Is he okay?''  

''Yes, he's sleeping right now. But tomorrow he'll be better, I think'' You smiled at her. It was hard to find the words, but just when you were about to say something, a male voice interrupted.

''Mother?'' Natsu asked, rubbing his eye with the side of his hand. ''Is everything ok?''

''Yeah, we were just speaking'' Rei said.

''Oh, I'm y/n by the way.'' You said looking at the two of them ''It is not the best way to meet but, here we are'' you shrugged your shoulders. ''I... I need to go to the village tomorrow to get some things, so... You can stay with him in the morning and, you know. I don't want to interrupt you'' you knew his story, and they had a lot to talk about.

''Maybe it is better if you're here. I haven't seen much but you're important to him, so probably he'll feel better if you're here''

The truth behind his words and Rei's agreement on Natsu's statement was that they were not sure what to do or how to act with him on their own.  When Dabi was having hallucinations earlier, he recognized you. Rei saw you and him laying together, and she heard that tiny piece of conversation that told her you were important to him, someone he cared about. After saying that you were going to try and arrive earlier tomorrow so you can be there once Dabi's was awake, you gave them a smile so you could return to the room you were sharing with Dabi.

You lay back down, and you could felt how he moved and held you by the waist, pressing his chest against your torso, forehead against forehead as his hand was on your nape, using his thumb to caress the zone.

''Dabi! You're hurt, lay how you were'' You said worried, not even moving.

''I've been worse. Now shut up and just stay here'' Dabi mumbled, his scent and breathing close so close to you making you feel at home.

''Fine, you whining kid'' you laughed and heard him let out a low chuckle ''Do you need anything before I fall asleep?'' You asked, moving your fingers on his chest.

''A can of beer, maybe. Or you going down on me. Maybe you going down on my as I drink beer, that shit would be nice'' He said with a smile, making you laugh again.

''I'm serious, Dabi. Water? something for the pain?'' You asked again.

''I'm fine, dollface. Just keep your ass here by my side and don't go''

''Guess I could do that''

''You better''

You knew it. The way he held you, his snarky comments to avoid an answer, his hand on your nape, and silence. He was not Ok, he needed you there because he didn't know how to handle things at that point. His mother and brother were there, he saw them for brief seconds but it felt weird. His hate was against Endeavor, even against Shoto, but his mom? She was just another victim, and Natsu? He was there to hear him, to be a kind of support for him, how could he give them the same treatment as Endeavor? Those questions were screaming inside his head, and as they were becoming louder, the tighter he was holding you against his body.

Time kept moving, and before any of you could notice,

Morning came.

...................................

Tag list: @mikasackrmann @babayaga67 @sociallyanxiousmouse @peculiarinsomniac @makeusfreefromthisfandom

[paper-mirio]

Your Heart on Your Sleeve & A Knife in Your Back

Shindou Yo x Reader

Words: 7,229

Summary: When the two of you were young, you made a promise to each other that the two of you would be the greatest hero duo the world had ever seen. You would be the Pro Heroes Heat Wave and Grand, the best partners in the industry! And you weren’t going to let something as simple as going to different hero schools get in the way of your promise to your best friend. Before one can become a Pro Hero, however, they must receive their Provisional License. And really, since you’re so eager to talk to him about your classmates, can you blame him for using that information to his advantage? The answer, of course, is yes.

A/N: This was written as a Secret Santa present for a friend! It’s sort of a Christmas fic but since I don’t think I mentioned Christmas anywhere take it as a late generic holiday fic! Enjoy!

“I got in!” you shouted into the phone, prompting your dad to shout for you to lower your voice from downstairs. You called out an apology, gently setting down the hologram disc that came with your acceptance letter. The video had been paused near the end, and the smile on All Might’s frozen face paled in comparison to the beaming grin etched onto yours.

Instead of the excited encouragement you expected in response, you were met with silence. You waited, before hesitantly asking, “Shindou? You there?”

“...Yeah. Um, you got in where, exactly?” Shindou asked.

“Oh, yeah. I got into UA! They said I'm in class 1-A!” you exclaimed. You giggled excitedly, doing a small little dance. If Shindou were in the room with you he'd no doubt comment about how silly you looked, but you wouldn't care a bit. This was everything you dreamed of, and you felt like you were on top of the world right now.

“That's great, Y/N,” Shindou said, very clearly not as excited as you were. “So I guess that means you're not coming to Ketsubutsu, huh?”

You let out a sigh. “Yeah, guess not. I mean, I really would love to go to school with you, but Ketsubutsu is so far, and—“

“UA is your dream school, I get it! You don't have to make any excuses; if I were in your situation I'd choose UA too,” Shindou laughed. “Just don't get it in your head that this makes you better than me, alright? I may not be your senpai anymore, but I still have a year of experience on you.”

“If you say so,” you giggled. “Just get ready, I'll catch up with you before you know it. We gotta be on the same level when we team up, you know?”

Shindou chuckled. “True, true. I'll put in a good word for you with Yoroi Musha then. We’ll be able to get used to working together if he extends an internship offer to you.”

“Pfft, you won't need to! He'll be so blown away when he sees me at the Sports Festival this year, he’ll be begging to have me join,” you claim. Sure, you may have been exaggerating a bit there. After all, having the Number 8 Pro Hero as a mentor would be a very big deal. But you were confident in your skills, and Shindou made it sound so wonderful whenever he told you of his experiences working with the hero. You remember celebrating the night Shindou told you he'd been offered an internship at his agency, and you were still proud of him. He wasn't at the agency anymore, but was extended an offer to return once he'd gotten his provisional license.

“There you go again,” Shindou jokingly chided. “And they wonder why I worry about their ego...”

“Oh, because you're one to talk, right?” you joked back. You heard your dad call for you, and stopped laughing to let out a sigh. “Listen, I gotta go. I’ll call back soon, alright?”

“Yeah, talk to you later then. Bye.”

“Bye!” you said, quickly hanging up. You pocketed your phone and moved to exit your room when you caught sight of your acceptance letter. You squealed in excitement. You were gonna be a hero!

You entered Shindou’s apartment, giving a brief bow to Shindou’s mother on your way in. “Thank you for having me over on such short notice!” you thanked her.

She waved it off with a smile. “It's no problem, Y/N,” she said. “You're always welcome here! Besides, after what your class just went through we would've invited you over anyway!” Her eyes narrowed mischievously, and she leaned in and lowered her voice before continuing, “I know he's bad at showing how he really feels, but Yo’s been worried sick ever since the news broke. So I'm sure he'll be more than happy to see you here.”

You flushed at this, nodding in response and laughing nervously. “Haha, well, I guess I'll go see him now then!” You waved goodbye before rushing off in the direction of Shindou’s room. Once outside, you knocked a few times before placing your hand on the doorknob. “Shindou? It's me, Y/N. Can I come in?” you asked. You were met with complete silence. Your furrowed your eyebrows. “Shindou?” You placed your ear to the door, trying to listen for any movement on the other side. Nothing. Concern bubbled within you, and worst-case scenarios ran through your mind. Was your school the only one targeted today? Maybe someone had attacked Shindou without his family noticing. Trying not to panic, you called him once more. When no response came, you announced, “I’m coming in,” before twisting the doorknob and opening the door.

Quickly surveying the room for anything wrong, you sighed in relief at the sight of Shindou asleep in his bed, headphones covering his ears. Once the concern left you, you rolled your eyes in amusement. “Worried sick, huh?” you muttered, shaking your head and making your way over to stand at the side of his bed. Without warning, you flopped onto the bed next to him, throwing your weight into your fall. The mattress springs squeaked in resistance and Shindou was sent a few inches into the air, startling him awake. He ripped his headphones off and raised his hands into fists, seemingly ready for a fight before his eyes landed on you, casually lying in his bed with a devious smirk on your face.

His wide eyes blinked in confusion, and he reached up to rub at them before asking, “Y/N?”

You finally laughed at the confused look on his face. “Hey, Shindou. How was school today?”

At the mention of school, he was wide awake. The look on his face turned serious, and he gave you a slight glare. “I should be the one asking you that! A villain attack?!” He looked you up and down, concern etched into his features. “Are you hurt?”

Your smile turned soft, and you placed your hands on his shoulders. “Look, I’m fine! See? Not a scratch on me!” Except for the one on my back, you thought, but he didn't need to know about that. “As if I’d let some lowlife villain get the best of me!” you scoffed. “Besides, they really didn't know what they were doing with the whole attack. They basically made it easier for us all to fight back.”

Shindou raised an eyebrow, intrigued, yet still concerned. “They did? How?”

You giggled, finding humor in the convenience of the situation. “Okay, I probably shouldn't be laughing because I got really lucky they messed up the way they did, but it's just so perfect! We were at a training facility specifically for rescue training, so there were different zones for different types of disasters. And when the villains first showed up, they had their warper villain separate us into the different zones so they could pick us off individually, and—“

“So they were trying to kill you guys?!” Shindou asked, alarmed.

You sighed, frustrated at the interruption. “Yeah, they were. Anyway,” you continued, ignoring the growing concern in Shindou’s face, “we were all sent to the different disaster zones randomly. And, get this,” you giggled, pausing for dramatic effect, “they sent me to the fire zone.”

Shindou blinked, processing your statement before a bemused grin formed. “They didn't!”

“They did!” you cackled. The two of you laughed together for a few moments, with you hugging your sides. You wiped a tear from your eye, proceeding with your explanation of the day’s events. “Yeah, Ojiro and I took care of those assholes in no time.”

“Ojiro?” Shindou asked.

“Oh yeah, I haven't told you about any of my classmates yet. Ojiro’s got this really cool tail Quirk, and he's insane at martial arts!” You mimed some of the moves you’d seen your classmate perform earlier in the day, a large grin on your face. “With me practically giving them heatstroke and him kicking them into the concrete, they hardly stood a chance against us!” You smiled and leaned back in the bed, hands behind your head as you smiled at the ceiling. “I wasn't the only one who got a convenient placement, either. One of my classmates, Tsuyu, has a frog mutation Quirk. One of the many, many things she can do with her Quirk is swim fast.”

“Oh, let me guess,” Shindou cut in. “Flood zone?”

“Close,” you responded. “Shipwreck.”

Shindou snapped his fingers, muttering, “Damn.” He turned to face you, a small smile on his face. “You really did get lucky today, huh? You're sure you're alright?”

You nodded, returning his smile. “I promise, I'm perfectly fine. Other than this one kid with a really self-destructive Quirk and two of our teachers, nobody got seriously hurt. And those three are gonna be just fine, last I heard.” You let out a dreamy sigh. “Aside from, you know, the threat of death and all, it was cool seeing everyone’s Quirks in action. My classmates are all really cool.”

If you hadn't been staring at the ceiling, you might've noticed a certain glint in Shindou’s eyes. Having known him all your life, you would've immediately recognized the look as one he gets when scheming to himself. However, as you were looking away, he was met with no confrontation as a sly grin formed on his face. “Yeah,” he said. “They do sound pretty cool. Why don't you tell me more about them?”

You laid face down in your bed, unable to face the shame of meeting your friend’s gaze. Such a defeat had been humiliating, broadcast for the whole nation to see your failure. I can never go outside again, you thought. My entire career, down the drain. It was fun while it lasted. You'd survived an attack by villains, but this? This was your downfall.

“Y/N,” groaned Shindou, tired of your dramatics. “You got third place. That's good. What are you so embarrassed about?”

You lifted your head off your pillow to sent him a scathing glare. He rolled his eyes, not at all intimidated. “It wasn't good enough! I only got to the tournament round because Ojiro dropped out, and then I couldn't even last a minute against Todoroki! Me! Losing to the kid with the ice quirk!” You flopped your head back down, heaving another loud sigh into the pillow. “Who’d want to take me on as an intern after that mess I made out there...?” Your voice, muffled by the pillow, barely reached Shindou.

“Well, Yoroi Musha, for one,” Shindou muttered, rolling his eyes before letting out a laugh at the way your head jerked up in surprise.

“Wait, for real?!”

Shindou nodded. “You haven't gotten the offers yet, but he said he was impressed by your performance and thinks you'd be a good fit at the agency. Because, you know, you got third place and did a really good job, Y/N.” He watched as you processed those, waiting for the excited laughter that normally came when you received good news. This was a big deal, after all, and a great opportunity for your career. The laughter never came, however, as he saw you blink in confusion, your eyebrows furrowing. He sighed, realizing the issue. You still weren't satisfied with your performance, and you didn't understand why a high-ranking hero was impressed. Shaking his head, he moved to sit next to you on your bed, forcing you to roll into your back to make room for him. Lightly nudging your shoulder, he got your attention, asking, “Look, let's talk about what happened today. Maybe it'll get you to understand how well you actually did. Forget the second round and start with the first tournament match. Who were you up against?”

You sighed, grabbing your pillow and covering your face with it. “You watched the whole thing, you already know—“

“We’re talking each other through it,” he cut you off, ripping your pillow away. “Now, who did you fight?”

You let out a frustrated groan. “Fine. Kaminari Denki. My classmate.”

Shindou nodded. “Quirk?”

“Electricity.”

“And how did you beat him?”

“Kept my distance, since he’s better at short-range combat. Used my Quirk to make the air around us hotter, exhausting him faster and increasing the air’s resistance to electric current, making his attacks slower. I just waited for him to short out at that point,” you recited. You sighed once you finished. “Okay yeah, I did okay in that fight, but what about—?”

“Patience,” Shindou gently said, ruffling your hair as he cut you off yet again. Ignoring your pointed glare and avoiding your hand swatting his away, he nodded. “Next round. Who’d you fight?”

“Iida Tenya. Engine Quirk. I caused his engines to overheat,” you said, covering the questions you knew he'd ask before he got to them. “Harder to target him because he moved too fast, and he nearly got me out of the ring at one point.”

Shindou nodded. “Good, good.” He smiled down at me. “Now, the last round.”

You sighed, turning on your side away from him as your face flushed in embarrassment. “Do we really need to go over this one? It was embarrassing enough living through it.”

Shindou gripped your shoulder, rolling you back and laughing when he saw the pout on your face. “Yes, we do. It's important to understand your failures and learn from them. Can't be a good hero if you don't do that.”

You folded your arms over your chest. “...Fine. Todoroki Shouto. Half-hot, half-cold. I've only ever seen him use his fire against Midoriya, though.” You paused, frown deepening on your face.

Shindou poked your cheek at the corner of your frown, a smirk on his face. “Go on,” he teased.

“When the round started he sent ice to capture me like he did for everyone else. I used my Quirk to melt the ice, but I didn't evaporate it because the steam would have blocked my vision.”

“So the water was still on the floor of the ring?” Shindou asked.

“Yeah. I tried to get closer to him, since he seems like he prefers long-range attacks. Plus if he used his fire, I could've turned that against him. He didn't. And he kept avoiding me while I tried to close the distance until we basically circled the stage.”

“And,” Shindou added, “while this was happening you weren't focused on where you were standing.”

You shook your head. “Nope, just focused on getting closer to him.”

“So when you circled the stage—“

“I ended up back where I started,” you ground out between clenched teeth, “right where the puddle was from the ice I melted.”

“And the puddle?”

“Frozen over.”

“So,” Shindou continued, covering his mouth to try and stifle a laugh. “When you stepped on the ice?”

You sighed, sending him a pointed glare at his poor attempt to hide his laughter. “I fell on my ass, and Todoroki knocked me off the stage with more ice.”

Shindou snorted at the memory. He took in a breath, trying not to laugh too much when you were still embarrassed over the whole situation. “Now, if you had to do something different during that fight, what would you have done?”

You thought for a moment, your eyebrows furrowed in concentration. “Well,” you started, “I’d definitely get rid of that puddle, for one.” You continued to think, nodding to yourself. “I could try to do what Midoriya did and wait for him to overuse his ice, instead of chasing him around like I did. He'd either wear himself out from the cold or he'd use his fire, which I could turn against him.” You smiled, proud of yourself for your plan, before the smile dropped and you slammed your face into the pillow again. “Ugh, why didn't I just do that?!”

Shindou rubbed your back soothingly, a slight smirk on his face. “It's alright Y/N,” he said. “Now you know better, and you can probably beat him next time you go against him.”

You lifted your head, and his smirk vanished and was replaced with a smile. You sent him a soft smile, saying, “Thank you, Shindou. This was actually helpful. Think we can do this more often?”

He reached up to ruffle your hair, briefly blocking your view of his face as the smirk returned. “Of course! If you ever wanna go over a training exercise or something else you guys did in class, feel free to reach out.”

You sat up fully and leaned over to pull Shindou into a hug. You buried your face into his shoulder. Shindou blinked in surprise, his smirk dropping, but immediately returned the hug. For a brief moment, he felt a twinge of guilt, and considered telling you his real intentions. He shook his head, dismissing the thought and pulling you closer. They’ll understand eventually, he reasoned to himself.

Over the next couple of months, you'd taken Shindou up on his offer multiple times. After eventful Heroics classes, sparring sessions, or days where you just trained your Quirk, you'd call Shindou or visit his place to talk yourself through the experience. You'd go over the matches you'd win, detailing what strategies you'd used so you could understand which worked and which didn't. You extensively covered the matches you'd lost, analyzing together what your opponents did that got the best of you. Shindou would occasionally interject with his own ideas of how you could have utilized your Quirk, but for the most part he guided you to talk on your own.

When the time came to do your internship, you'd decided to join Yoroi Musha, who—just as Shindou had told you—extended you an offer to join him at his agency. Unfortunately, Shindou’s internship would occur in a different week, so the two of you did not get the chance to work together. Regardless, he continued to encourage you via text when you were free. Your regular analysis was put on a temporary halt, as you were getting plenty of feedback on your performance from your new mentor. Shindou, interestingly enough, did not reach out and offer to begin the conversation as much during this week, even though he was normally very enthusiastic in doing so. You shrugged this off, not seeing this as very unusual. After all, end of term exams had been approaching, and he was probably busy studying. This was a relatively new arrangement, after all.

When your end of term exams passed, however, his enthusiasm returned full force. He insisted you analyze the practical portion of the exam with very close attention to detail.

“After all,” he suggested, “it's not every day you get to fight against a Pro Hero.”

Finding no fault in his logic, you agreed. Interestingly enough, the direction he took when guiding your analysis wasn't what you expected. Rather than focus on the strategies you used against Midnight, Shindou had you focus on how well you worked with your teammate, and how you utilized both of your Quirks to your advantage. It all made sense why, however, after hearing him explain that in the field you'd likely find yourself having to improvise with a partner you haven't worked with before.

“But aren't we going to be partners?” you interjected, eyebrow raised as you teased him.

“Yeah, of course,” he nonchalantly responded. “But there might be times when we get separated for whatever reasons. You gotta learn to work with other people, you know?”

And after detailing how you were able to work together with Sero to win the match, that was the last analysis discussion the two of you would have. You told him about how your class would be going on a forest lodge trip during the summer, so you wouldn't be able to visit until you got back. He pouted when you told him, making you promise you'd visit as soon as you got back.

You giggled, pulling him in for a hug. “Of course!” You leaned forward and gave him a peck on the cheek, laughing as he blushed. “I know you'll get lonely without me, so I promise not to leave you alone for too long!” Shindou shook his head, muttering under his breath about you being embarrassing, but returned the hug. So you left, with the promise of a swift return and the sharing of any cool stories that happened over the summer.

And then the training camp was attacked. And your classmate was kidnapped. And you, without hesitation, joined your classmates in the rescue attempt. And though your rescue was successful, and you escaped without serious injury, and the villain that leveled the ward, leaving little behind was defeated—

It was all too much. You needed to get away, even if only briefly.

While the teachers made their rounds informing parents of the new dorms on campus, you made your way to Shindou’s apartment. Giving his mother the usual polite greeting, you were startled at her suddenly pulling you into a hug.

“We were so happy,” she said, voice wavering as she held back tears, “to hear that you were safe, Y/N.” She pulled away and wiped at her eyes, a soft smile on her face. “Yo is in his room. I know you came here to see him and not deal with me crying, so go on ahead.” She shooed you off in the direction of Shindou’s room, so you left her alone. You made your way to his room to see the door cracked open. You were about to announce your presence and walk in, when you heard another voice in the room.

“Wow, you got all that from one person?” The voice was male and was clearly coming from a phone speaker. You stayed quiet, not wanting to interrupt his phone call, so you stood outside the door and waited for his to finish.

“Yeah, I have a friend in class 1-A over there, and they’ve told me a bunch about their classmates and their Quirks,” you heard Shindou say. “Strengths, weaknesses, fighting styles. All of it.”

“Wow! For real?” exclaimed the voice on the other end. “Are they trying to set up their class to fail or something?”

Shindou laughed in response. “Nah, I don't think they know that the license exam is a competition yet. We've been having these conversations so they can ‘improve their strategy’ when fighting. Which, to be fair,” he said, oh so casually like he wasn't breaking your trust and heart with every word, “we technically are. That's just...not the whole reason, is all.”

A moment of silence from the person on the other end, and you swear you could heart your heart pounding in your ears as the weight of how you'd been betrayed settled on you. The license exam? That’s why he'd been helping you? While you thought you were bonding with someone you'd known your whole life, he was gathering info to use against your class in an exam. To become a hero.

“...Huh. Your friend sounds kinda gullible,” the person on the other end, who you could only guess was one of Shindou’s classmates, finally responded. You scoffed quietly, shaking your head. Gullible. Because it was so wrong to trust that kind of info with someone you shared everything with? With someone who promised you to always be at your side and support you?

At Shindou’s laugh and the response of, “Maybe,” you'd decided you'd heard enough. You stood in front of the door, taking in a deep breath. You wiped at the tears in your eyes, swallowed down the burning pain in your throat, and hesitantly knocked at the door. Silence on the other side. “...Hey, I'll call you back later, okay?” you heard Shindou say into the phone. He must have turned off the speaker, as you heard no response before footsteps made their way to the door, which slowly opened to reveal Shindou on the other side.

Once he saw you, his eyes widened and he immediately pulled you into a tight hug. “Y/N,” he muttered, bringing his hand up to rest on the back of your head. “You’re okay...” Feeling the burning pain in your throat return, you resisted the urge to shove him away and yell at him over everything you'd overheard. Instead, you hesitantly raised your arms and returned the hug, embracing the warm feeling and trying to gain some sense of comfort in it. You didn't find much.

He eventually pulled away, frowning down at you as he placed his hands on your shoulders. “We were already worried enough when we heard your camp got attacked, but you had to go off and pull some stupid stunt that nearly got yourself killed again?” At your confused look, Shindou’s gaze narrowed on you. “Your dad called my mom. We know about how you and some classmates of yours rescued that Bakugou kid.” He let out a shaky sigh, his grip on your shoulders tightening. He closed his eyes tightly. “Just...don't do something that reckless again.” His eyes opened, and he gave you a small smile. “I can't be part of the best hero duo if my partner goes and gets themself killed, right?”

Still hurt over both his betrayal and how he had the nerve to act concerned about you after just bragging about how he tricked you, it took a bit of effort to put on a convincing smile. You knew, with how long the two of you had known each other, that it wouldn't be enough to convince him, so you pulled him into another hug so he wouldn't have to see it. “I’m fine. I promise I won't do anything like that again. You don't need to worry...”

He pulled away, giving a quick ruffle to your hair before he reached down to grab a bag on the floor, slinging it over his shoulder. “Good. Listen, as much as I’d love to stay, you kinda caught me at a bad time. I have to get back to the agency—my internship actually starts today!” He leaned forward to press a kiss to your forehead, and you did your best not to let the fluttering feeling in your chest make you forget what he did to you. “I’ll see ya soon, Y/N!” He waved and jogged over to leave his apartment after saying goodbye to his mother.

You let out a shaky breath once he was gone, the tension of holding in your emotion almost overwhelming. You wanted nothing more at that moment than to go home and have a nice cry session in your room, curtains drawn, with your favorite music playing at full volume. Before you could make your way to the exit, however, you were stopped by a call from Shindou’s mother.

“Oh wait, Y/N, before you go!” She stood in front of you, a DVD case in her hand. “I just found out the other day that Yo never let you see what happened in his school’s Sports Festival!”

Your eyes zeroed in on the blank DVD case, wide in surprise. “Huh. He never even told me that they had one....” Which, now that you thought about it, seemed silly. Every school had a Sports Festival. Especially every hero school. And while most weren't broadcasted, like UA’s and Shiketsu’s were, they would certainly record events for parents to view, right?

Shindou’s mother rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “Honestly, I can't imagine why not. He did excellently this year! Sure, there were a few moments he was embarrassed about, but we all watched your performance!” She handed you the DVD case. “Here, we had a spare copy, so I think you should have this one. Enjoy!” She hugged you before sending you on your way, making sure to call out a “Stay safe!” before you closed the door.

Standing outside the apartment, you stared down at the DVD case in your hands. On the disc, you'd be able to watch Shindou and his classmates’ Quirks in action. See how they fight, how they strategize, how they act. Every bit of information Shindou coerced from you, you would be able to watch. And his mother had handed it over with a smile on her face.

A grin developed, and you snickered to yourself. This? This would even the odds. You pulled out your phone, pressing on Midoriya’s contact before typing out a text. ‘Hey, you like analyzing Quirks, right? I have something you might be interested in watching...’

A manic grin was on your face as you dodged a ball thrown by a Ketsubutsu student. Your plan was working perfectly. Your classmates had been thoroughly informed of the Quirks and fighting styles of Ketsubutsu’s class 2-2. While you'd all been caught slightly off guard at how most of the examinees immediately targeted your class, you very quickly recovered and fought back.

You had to suppress a cackle when you saw Tokoyami strike at Nakagame, who quickly collapsed her torso into herself using her Quirk to dodge, only to be struck by Ojiro while her vision was obscured. Midoriya was spot on with his analysis, and your classmates had clearly paid close attention. For every strike they made, your class countered with peak efficiency. Even as Shindou’s Quirk scattered the class, they had prepared beforehand for this scenario and were not too shaken by the attack.

You hit the third target on a Ketsubutsu student, laughing all the while. “One down, one to go!” you cheered, quickly scanning the area to see if any other examinees were nearby. Upon spotting a familiar mess of brown hair out of the corner of your eye, you quickly spun to face Shindou, who was looking at you from a distance away. You got in a stance, ready to fight against him if he attacked. Shindou’s eyes narrowed, glancing between you and his classmate who you'd just defeated. His mouth settled into a frown, and he turned and ran to another area of the stadium.

You'd wanted to smirk at him, taunt him for being outsmarted by your class, but you instead found yourself mirroring his expression and his silence. You'd gotten him back after he tricked you; you should have been happy, right? Proud of yourself? Despite reasoning this to yourself, however, a growing weight filled the void your pride left.

You shook your head, breaking yourself from your thoughts. You didn't have time to think about how seeing Shindou had made you feel. You had one more student to eliminate. You could focus on him later.

Your name was there. On the list, plain as day for all to read. You'd gotten your license, and all your hard work, all the late-night analysis with Midoriya, all the heartache you'd felt over Shindou’s betrayal was worth it.

Your eyes drifted slightly, and you spotted “Shindou Yo” somewhere else on the list. You supposed all of Shindou’s preparation paid off for him, too.

After obtaining your license, you followed the rest of your class to the bus to return to the dorms. Before boarding, you caught sight of Shindou again. He was speaking to Nakagame, you noticed you and gave an awkward smile and wave. Shindou turned to see who she was waving at, and his eyes widened when he saw you. You two stared each other down for a brief moment, before you broke the tension by turning to board the bus.

The weight in your chest felt heavier now.

The weight of the many presents you carried in your arms was only slightly heavier than the dread settling in your gut. Unwilling to admit to the tensions between you and Shindou, you couldn't come up with a plausible excuse to break the tradition your families had held for many years. Based on the warm greeting Shindou’s parents gave you when they finally answered the door, you assumed that Shindou hadn't told his parents either. You stepped inside and let the warm air rush over you, bringing feeling back into your numb fingertips and increasing the unnerving feeling in you.

“Shindou, don't be rude! Help Y/N out with those presents! Poor thing looks like they’re about to drop them,” Shindou’s mom scolded him, drawing your attention to where he'd been standing in the far corner of the room, partially obscured by the Christmas tree. You saw his mouth settle into a firm line; not quite a frown, but definitely showing discomfort. He pushed off the wall he'd been leaning against and made his way over to you. As he held out his hands to you, you stared at him dumbfoundedly. Here he was, standing in front of you after months of not speaking to each other, and he doesn't even say hello.

You were broken out of your thoughts by him clearing his throat. “You gonna hand them over, or...?” he trailed off, raising an eyebrow. You startled a bit, nearly dropping a present or two with how quickly you shoved the pile into his arms. As you saw him struggle to keep the pile balanced, you flushed in embarrassment and walked away, moving over to where your parents were engaged in a jovial conversation with Shindou’s.

Shindou’s mom saw you and smiled, holding out two steaming mugs of hot chocolate to you. “Just in time! I made these just the way you two like them. Oh, careful!” she warned, handing them over to you. “They're still pretty hot. Well, not that that would be an issue for you, but still...Anyway, why don't the two of you catch up on your own? We haven't seen you in a while, so I'm sure you have a lot to talk about!”

The cheer in her smile was something you couldn't help but smile and nod in return at, taking the mugs from her with a soft “Thanks,” and making your way over to the couch by the tree, where Shindou was sitting.

His eyes followed you the whole way over, not looking away as you approached. You, on the other hand, struggled to meet his eyes as you handed his mug to him. He accepted it, giving you a small nod before taking a sip. You stood where you were, bringing the cup to your lips to take a sip when you noticed his raised eyebrow. You returned it, asking, “What?” He tilted his head to the side, gesturing to the empty seat on the couch next to him. You blinked. An “oh” left your lips, and you slowly moved to sit in the small space next to him on the couch.

As you settled into your spot, you tried leaving a small amount of space between you two, though your knee still brushed against his. You spared a glance over at Shindou, only to see him staring intently at the mug in his hands. A small sigh left your lips, and you raised your mug to take a sip. The scalding feeling on your tongue, while not capable of actually hurting you, was a comfortable distraction from the awkward situation you found yourself in. For a few moments, the two of you sat in silence, with the only sounds heard being the distant chatter of your parents and the low hum of the heater. It was awkward, yes, but neither of you had mentioned the obvious source of tension yet. Maybe, you thought, today wouldn't be too unbearable.

“So, Y/N...” Shindou began, breaking the silence and shattering all your hopes of the evening being salvaged. “I think we both know exactly how my classmates got their info on yours...”

You snorted, lifting the mug to your lips. “Yeah, I know.” You took a long sip, hoping the burning feeling traveling down your throat might push down the angry words that wanted to come out. “Something about a ‘gullible friend in 1-A who doesn't realize this is all a competition’, right?” It didn't help much.

For a moment you thought you saw him cringe, and you heard a mutter along the lines of “...didn’t think you’d hear that...” before seeing him shake his head. “Anyway, I wanted to know how your class seemed so ready for the exam. You all were so coordinated with your attacks, like you knew our Quirks and strategies beforehand.”

You hummed, before raising an eyebrow and shooting him a smirk. “You know, I don't really think I owe you an explanation after what you did.”

Shindou visibly deflated, letting out a sigh and nodding. “Yeah, that's fair.”

You nodded with him. “But!” you began, a grin forming when you saw him perk up. “You probably know better than anyone how much I love bragging whenever I beat you at your own game.” Shindou pulled a face somewhere between a grimace and a smile, seemingly happy he'd get his answer yet embarrassed at the reminder of how thoroughly his plan failed. “Remember that day I dropped by after the Kamino Ward attack, and you headed off to your internship?” At his nod, your grin turned devious. “Well, your mother oh so graciously offered to let me watch the footage from your school’s Sports Festival this year. She gave me a spare DVD.”

His eyes widened comically, glancing over to where his parents were, causing you to cackle. “Seriously?” he asked. “That's all it took? We couldn't even get that much info from your Sports Festival, that's why we came up with that whole scheme in the first place!”

You nodded. “True, but I guess you all don't have a strategist like Midoriya in your class.”

Shindou raised an eyebrow. “The bone-breaking kid?”

You waved a hand. “He doesn't do that anymore. At least, not that often...but that's beside the point. I texted him about the DVD, let him borrow it, and he came up with plans to counter your classmates in the exam.”

Shindou blinked, processing your words. “Wow,” he started. He blinked a few more times before taking a sip from his mug. “That was pretty smart, I guess. He even planned for Makabe and Tokegi’s joint attack, and they've been working on that since the first year!”

You gave a confused hum, not quite sure who he was referring to before it hit you. “Oh! The ones with the boomerang and hardening Quirks, right?” At his nod, you grinned at the opportunity to ramble about strategy. “Well, the boomerang Quirk is kinda similar to Snipe-sensei’s, and we’ve had experience dodging his Quirk before. Also, while the hardening Quirk isn't exactly like my classmate Kirishima’s, it seemed like the hardness was similar enough. And since Ashido accidentally burned Kirishima once in a training accident even though he was using his Quirk, we figured if her acid was corrosive enough it could get past your classmate’s Quirk easily enough.” You paused your take a breath, devious grin widening further. “You all didn't take the corrosiveness into account because she kept it pretty low for the Sports Festival, and when you fished information from me about her I didn't know how corrosive it could be. We were pretty lucky on that part, but I still think we could've done just as well even if you had known.”

Shindou nodded. “You're right, then. You really did beat me at my own game.” He smiled at you and lightly nudged you with his elbow. “Not bad, Y/N.”

You smiled back, before the burning feeling in your chest returned with full force. Your smile dropped, and you turned away from him again. “Yeah, well, me outsmarting you after you tricked me doesn't exactly mean what you did was okay.” You clenched the mug tightly in your grip, bringing it close to your chest. The hot chocolate had gone cold during your conversation, and you stared down into it while trying to ignore the stinging tears in your eyes. “You said we’d be heroes together. Partners. What kind of hero sabotages their partner?”

Shindou’s eyes widened, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled for what to say. “Y/N, I didn't...I mean, I wasn't trying to—“ he stammered, before you cut him off.

“But you did,” you cut him off. The mug trembled in your hands as you accidentally used your quirk, and steam began rising from it again. “You took my trust and used it against me and my classmates. And for what? There were so many other schools there you could've gone after. Hell, we could've teamed up and gone after them together! But it was more convenient to just use me, I guess.”

Shindou’s frown deepened. He reached out and placed his hand on your shoulder, only to quickly retract with a hiss at the heat you were giving off. Startled, you quickly stopped using your Quirk and gave him an apologetic frown. “Sorry,” you muttered. You sighed deeply, leaning your head back against the couch. “I guess I'm no better, huh? Your parents were being nice and I took advantage of that...”

Silence hung in the air. Both of your parents had left the room a while ago, and the droning of the heater settled into the background unnoticed. Shindou’s hand found its way to your shoulder again, more hesitant this time. When you didn't respond or shrug him off, he slowly pulled you closer to him, hand moving to your head and gently resting it on his shoulder. You frowned, feeling the tears well up in your eyes again, but didn't resist.

“I'm sorry,” Shindou said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. You snuggled closer to him in response, staying quiet. He lightly ran his fingers through your hair. When he was sure you weren't going to say anything in response, he continued, “Not that it means much to say this now, but congratulations on getting your license.” You snorted at the statement, many months too late. He lightly chuckled, saying, “Yeah, I know. But even though we haven't exactly been working together, it's been nice having you at the agency. Nakagame won't shut up about her ‘cute new sidekick’, even though we’re all sidekicks.”

You snickered. “Looks like I'm stealing your friend. Maybe she'll be my hero partner when we graduate...”

Shindou rolled his eyes. “If anything, she's trying to steal you from me. Not like that’s gonna happen. You're my partner, got that?”

You lifted your head slightly from his shoulder, raising an eyebrow at him. “Oh, am I now?”

Shindou nodded. “I promised you, didn't I? I know I've been a major idiot lately,” he started, ignoring your muttered comment of “Yeah, no kidding...” and continuing, “but if the two of us work together we’re gonna top the charts in no time.”

You smiled at him, leaning back on his shoulder. “Well, I'm looking forward to that!” You closed your eyes and let out a breath, feeling the tension wash away from you. Shindou’s head tilted, resting atop yours. Things weren't perfect, and you would probably need to have a more in-depth conversation later, but for now, things were better.

“Oh, Shindou?”

“Hm?”

“I gotta say, your performance at the Sports Festival could've been better. We have a lot of work to do if we're gonna top the charts.”

“...Shut up...”

[another-quirkless-wannabe]

CHAPTER 1//Let The Games Begin

Summary:

Atlas Shaye is an American exchange student joining Izuku and the others for their third and final year at UA.

She struggles to let go of her past, causing her to push away her classmates, isolating herself while battling depression and self harm. One day, her biggest fear comes true and she attempts suicide. During recovery, she realizes she must trust her newfound friends with her darkest secret in order to heal.

Things are finally looking up back at UA, that is, until a villain attack on the school. Working as a team, the students of class 3-A win the fight, but at a cost.

Unbeknownst to the heroes, the villains have a new interest in Atlas and her dangerous abilities. It's not long before the they are enacting a new plan, one that will change her life forever.

Can the people she loves rescue her before it's too late?

Or will she succumb to the darkness inside?

----------------------------------

TRIGGER WARNING:

Scenes/mentions of rape, self harm, suicide, mental illness, torture, and graphic violence.

×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

-ATLAS-

I take a shaky breath, staring up at the towering door in front of me. It's light grey with giant red letters that read 3-A.

I should go in. I should introduce myself to my new classmates. I should be excited to be enrolled in the best hero course in the world. I should be thrilled that I am the only foreign exchange student they allowed in.

But I'm not.

Instead, the icy fingers of anticipation have wrapped themselves around my stomach and are squeezing tight. I'm not worried about not being able to keep up with the heroes in training that are all waiting behind the door. I know I can hold my own against even Midoriya, Todoroki, or Bakugou. After watching them for the last two years in the sports festival and news footage of fights they have been involved in, I have all the proof I need that I could take them on. No, I'm not concerned about losing to any of them. I'm worried about hurting or killing them. I'm worried about controlling my quirk. I'm worried about having a repeat of two years ago.

I have to remind myself that I'm not here to make friends.

I'm the only exchange student that made it into the program. I have been training at the top American hero school, but nothing holds a candle to UA, so I jumped at the opportunity to complete my final year here. Besides, a fresh start where no one knows me, or what I did, is exactly what I've been craving.

I take a breath and steel myself. I grab the handle and slide the door open.

Shota Aizawa is standing at the front of the class. He is wearing his usual black shirt and pants, complete with his black and silver belt. His capture weapon and goggles are resting around his neck. He looks at me when I step into the room. Everything goes silent and I can sense twenty pairs of eyes staring at me, sizing me up. I'm sure they've all been informed of my arrival. It's uncommon for UA to accept any new student for the third year, especially an exchange student.

"Class, this is our new student." Mr. Aizawa drones. His tone is bored, but his eyes are locked onto me, not missing a thing. I guess they told him about the instability of my quirk. But in my defense, I've learned to control it now. My last major incident was two years ago. I turn my attention to the group of students before me. "Go ahead and introduce yourself." My teacher orders.

"My name is Atlas Shaye. You can call me Atlas. I'm an exchange student from America. My quirk is energy manipulation." I don't hesitate. I sweep my eyes over each of them, making eye contact with everyone individually. When I say the last sentence, I activate my quirk for only a second, allowing my usually grey eyes to flash blue at them. I try to make my face menacing. I see some of their eyes widen.

"Miss Shaye, your seat is the empty desk between Todoroki and Tokoyami. Please make your way there now. I was just going over the syllabus." Mr. Aizawa instructs. I obey, quickly sitting in the uncomfortable chair and turning my attention to the tall, dark haired man. "This year will be different than years previous. You will be broken up into groups and will be patrolling each week, making good use of your provisional hero licenses. Also, your training will be more intense than in years previous." His dark eyes land on me as he says his next sentences. "You will face the hardest challenges yet this year. Be prepared for a fight." I smirk, locking eyes with the man at the head of the class. If he's trying to scare me, it won't work. I'm ready for whatever the people around me can throw my way. They won't stand a chance. "You are all dismissed. You have lunch, then training with All Might and myself after. If you need me, I'll be taking a nap." He slings his yellow sleeping bag over his shoulder and walks out of the door, closing it behind him.

I sense all twenty pairs of eyes lock onto me again.

"Can I help you?" I stand, glancing around the room at my competition.

"Hi, I'm Midoriya!" I immediately find the boy. Of course I recognize his messy green hair and his freckles. Izuku is as friendly as I expected him to be. But I can't let them in close. The events of two years ago are still fresh in my mind. I have to keep these people at bay for their own safety.

"I don't recall asking for your name." I say, coldly. He stops in his tracks. I feel the tension around me build. I turn to address all of the others. "Let me make myself very clear: I am not here to make friends. There is nothing that any of you could offer me that I'm interested in. Save yourselves the trouble and leave me alone." I shoulder my backpack and push past the students gathered around me.

I stalk into the hallway, leaving my stunned peers behind me. I feel a heavy weight settle on my chest and my eyes start to burn, tears pricking at the corners. I roughly wipe them away.

The truth is that I want nothing more than to be friends with the students here. They're all amazing and talented heroes in training, but I would never forgive myself if I hurt any of them. I will not let them close enough to be caught in the crossfire should I lose control again.

I make my way to the cafeteria, where I sit alone at a table. My new classmates all give me a wide berth, avoiding me after my speech earlier. I feel relieved that they're heeding my advice.

×××

Lunch goes by quickly, and soon, it's time for training. I reach the classroom and take my seat before anyone else. I'm relaxed, waiting for the others to file back in. I notice that Tokoyami takes the long way back to his desk so he doesn't have to walk by me. That's fine by me. No one makes eye contact as they file in. Maybe my coldness towards Midoriya was all it took for them to know I mean business.

Everyone is seated and chatting among themselves when All Might bursts through the door. He's in his muscle form, grinning like he always does.

After his battle with All for One two years ago, everyone thought he was done being a hero. Then, his close friend David, who is the head scientist at I-Island, managed to create an implant that retained the power All Might had before the fight. It allows him to still work as a pro hero for limited amounts of time each day.

"You all look eager to train! Grab your outfits and change. Meet me at training center alpha." His deep voice booms. Everyone stands and makes their way to the wall where twenty one compartments have pushed out. All the cases are numbered. I grab mine, #21, and head to the locker rooms.

While the others are changing out in the open, I make my way to a stall. I am not ashamed of my body, but the scars lining my left arm are very obvious. Not to mention the fresh deep cuts that are only a few days old. I don't need everyone here knowing that I battle with self-harm and depression.

I step into the costume I brought from home, a paneled black bodysuit made of thick bullet resistant material. It comes with a utility belt where I keep my throwing blades that I use on occasion. It's long sleeved, but I never overheat while wearing it thanks to the high tech temperature regulating lining on the inside. The neck line stops halfway up my neck, and tucked inside is a face mask I can pull up over my mouth and nose in case of a gas attack. I complete my look with combat boots that come to rest midway up my shin. 

I leave the stall and find that the others are still changing, chatting happily with each other. Conversation ceases when they see me. I walk straight past them without a second glance and head out to where some of the guys are already milling around. I hang off to the right side, keeping to myself as the rest of the class joins us. All Might and Mr. Aizawa appear before us, scanning over our small group.

"I see that you are all here, good." All Might booms, his arms outstretched to our group. "Today's training is nothing like we've done before. You will be each going alone, playing the hero. We will allow you to pick a group of at least three of your peers that you want to face off against as your villains." He booms. An excited buzz spreads over the mass of students. I find myself smiling.

"There's a catch." Mr. Aizawa's voice is quiet, but it silences everyone almost immediately. "When you are playing the hero, you will be fitted with a quirk suppression collar. It is on a timer set for ten minutes. When the match starts, you will be left without your quirk until the timer goes off. This is to simulate the situation where you are outnumbered in a fight, but have used up all your power, or have had your quirk erased. Once the timer goes off, your quirk will be returned to you. If you are still standing by that point, then you will be allowed to finish the fight with your quirk. All Might and I will be watching each match. They will end when either the hero or the villains have been defeated, or fifteen minutes pass." He pulls eye drops out of one of his pockets as he finishes and applies them to each eye.

"Aoyama is up first. Do you know who you want to face?" All Might beams. The flamboyant blonde boy smiles, fluffing his sparkling purple cape.

"I want to face Mineta, Shouji, and Asui." He chirps as Mr. Aizawa fits the suppression collar around his neck.

"I told you," The frog girl grumbles, "To call me Tsu."

"Make your way to the city center. That's where you'll be fighting." Mr. Aizawa sounds bored again. As a group, we start towards a towering force field spanning five city blocks from one end to the other. The first group heads through the opening of the force field, while the rest of us head to a nearby building to watch the match in a room with a large screen along one wall. All the camera bots in the training center are broadcasting every possible angle and insure that we won't miss a thing.

"Alright, Aoyama. The timer starts now. You may begin!" All Might speaks into a a microphone that transmits into the arena.

We watch in varying degrees of interest as the battle begins.

Aoyama is at a severe disadvantage against his opponents. Shouji makes the first move, quickly rushing the caped boy, who is running for the nearby building. It appears that he's going to make it, when Tsu drops in his path, blocking the entrance to the building. Aoyama turns to run out of the way of the two heroes, but finds that he can't move, thanks to one of Mineta's sticky balls holding his foot in place. We watch the trapped hero struggle to no avail. Shouji attaches the handcuffs given to him by Mr. Aizawa to each of Aoyama's wrists. All Might calls the match.

A low rumble spreads through the room, the students realizing that this will not be an easy win. Aoyama didn't even last the first 10 minutes.

I can't help the smile that plays on my lips. I know I can win this even without my quirk. I feel someone staring at me and look up to find Mr. Aizawa's dark eyes studying me intensely. I drop my head, ignoring his sharp gaze.

The matches carry on like that for a while-most of the heroes don't make it until the timer goes off to get their quirks back. Some of the students, like Midoriya and Bakugou, actually win their fights. It's interesting to see where my peers' weaknesses lie. I take mental notes after each fight.

Then, it's my turn.

All eyes are on me as I size up the class. Every single student is still conscious and able to fight. I smile darkly. They are going to hate me after this. I can't wait.

"Tell me, young Atlas, have you picked your opponents?" All Might asks. Mr. Aizawa is watching me warily.

"I have, Sir." I announce. Some of the students share apprehensive glances between them. Others glare at me, almost like they're daring me to say their names.

"I think we all are looking forward to hearing your choices." He beams. I sweep my eyes over the group. I smile again.

"I have decided," I pause for effect and watch my classmates squirm. "that I want to fight every remaining student."

Silence spreads over the room. All Might is the first to recover.

"You want to fight...everyone? All twenty students? Are you sure about that?" His deep tone is surprised. I nod my head. Apprehension spreads through the room.

"Yes, I'm sure." I don't break eye contact with the giant man. His smile returns and his laugh booms through the small space.

"Very well, then. You will be fighting against all twenty of your peers." He declares. I nod again. The students I'll be facing don't waste any time and have formed a large huddle, obviously planning for the upcoming match.

Mr. Aizawa walks up behind me, suppression collar in hand. He stands behind me, fitting the device around my neck. He connects it at the base of my neck and sets the timer. His hand brushes my skin as he does so and a chill runs down my spine, though I'm not sure if it's from the collar or his touch.

"I'll be on the field for this match. Just in case." He informs me lowly. I can't decide if it's for the safety of my classmates or my own. I just nod, my mind rapidly forming a plan.

I look to the group still in a huddle before me.

"Well, are we going to fight or what?" I ask impatiently. They shift back into upright positions and stare at me. Midoriya steps forward.

"You're on."

I grin. Let the games begin.