Pucker Up: Kiss with a Fist

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/38599053.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: F/F, F/M, M/M
Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero
Academia
Relationship: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Izuku/Todoroki Shouto,
Hatsume Mei/Yaoyorozu Momo, Amajiki Tamaki/Hadou Nejire, Midoriya
Izuku/Everyone
Character: Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki, Todoroki Shouto, Hatsume Mei,
Shinsou Hitoshi, Class 1-A (My Hero Academia), Uraraka Ochako, Iida
Tenya, Yaoyorozu Momo, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Aoyama
Yuuga, Toogata Mirio, Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko, League of
Villains (My Hero Academia), Shuuzenji Chiyo | Recovery Girl, Sasaki
Mirai | Sir Nighteye, Takami Keigo | Hawks
Additional Tags: Midoriya Izuku Has a Quirk, Midoriya Izuku Does Not Have One for All
Quirk, Healer Midoriya Izuku, Cute Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki is
a Good Friend, Jealousy, Pining, Protective Aizawa Shouta |
Eraserhead, Mentor Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Wordcount: Over
100.000
Language: English
Series: Part 3 of Pucker Up!
Collections: good BNHA reads, BNHA BEST CHAPTER FICS TO EVER GRACE
THE INTERNET, Seul’s Favorite BNHA Fics, my hero academia: a
medley, -`ღ´- HALL OF FAME - BNHA FICS -`ღ´-, I will re read it again
insted of studying for sure, BNHA, SSFAV
Stats: Published: 2022-04-25 Completed: 2022-11-21 Words: 136,960
Chapters: 55/55

Pucker Up: Kiss with a Fist

by MissThang17

Summary

Sequel to Pucker Up! Now in his second semester at UA, healing hero Izuku Midoriya
works hard alongside his friends to become heroes. But as ruthless villains with dark
intentions begin to flood the streets and threaten hero society, UA’s Sweetheart must
overcome obsessive villains, crushing truths and potential heart break to save as many
people as possible.

Join Izuku as he puckers up, for the good of the world.

Notes
Hello, everyone! We’re back in business!

This story idea has gotten so big and so in depth it’s kinda crazy, but it’s been a lot of fun to
write, so I hope you like it!

For anyone just happening across this, this is the second installment of a previous work, so
if you haven’t already, go check out Pucker Up!

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

 Keep Them Kisses Coming

“And…begin!”

Class 1-A sprang forward on their teacher’s mark, feet pounding against dirt as they braved the
obstacle course. Katsuki and Shoto easily took the lead, with Iida and Shoji not far behind. At the
first obstacle, scaling a small cliff built by Cementoss, Uraraka and Asui surged ahead of the boys,
Uraraka’s weightlessness and Asui’s tongue propelling them over the cliff with ease.

As they continued to run, now coming upon a minefield (courtesy of Powerloader and Hatsume)
that curved through a wooded section of the training area, Ashido skated by effortlessly, tailed by
three figures swinging through the trees: Sero with his tape, Shinso with his scarf and Izuku with
his support gauntlets.

The others were catching up fast, the last stretch of the course a straight shot to their teacher. Izuku,
Shinso, Katsuki and Shoto were all pushing themselves, determined to come in first, when a red
blur shot past all of them, kicking up a trail of dirt.

“What the hell was that?!” Katsuki barked, coughing. Next to him, Izuku pulled his goggles down
to keep the dirt out of his eyes. When the four reached the end, they saw Momo lounging on a red
motorcycle, a matching helmet resting on her hip.

“Oh wow, you figured it out, Momo!” Izuku exclaimed, grinning at his friend.

The tall girl returned the smile, looking just a bit smug. “Yep! Mei helped me with understanding
the particulars on the engine, and after some practice it was fairly simple to create.”

The others joined them, some grumbling about cheating, but most congratulating the girl.

Aizawa checked his stopwatch: eight minutes, he was impressed.

“That was terrible,” he chose to say instead, his face impassive as always. “I hope you plan on
performing better for the provisional exam, otherwise we may not let you take it at all.”

It had been roughly two weeks since since All For One’s defeat, and the campus had been on
lockdown since then. The hero students continued their training, despite it technically being
summer break, working hard to prepare for the upcoming exam. Earning their provisional licenses
would open the door for possible work studies during the fall semester, as well as make them semi-
pros in the eyes of the Hero Commission.

Something that, naturally, had UA’s faculty a bit wary.

Students like Hagakure, Iida and Koda still managed to be cowed by their teacher’s threats, but the
rest had learned when the man was serious and when he wasn’t, for the most part.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Aizawa!” Kaminari chirped, his eyes glimmering behind blond bangs. “We’re
totally gonna nail it!”

Aizawa gave him a nasty smile. “We’ll see. Everyone take five, then meet me at Gym Gamma.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once they’d reconvened, Aizawa told the students they’d be developing their signature moves over
the next few days, with Cementoss, Ectoplasm and Midnight aiding them.

“Having a signature move in your back pocket could mean the difference between passing the
provisional exam and failing it,” the teacher informed them, his expression bored. “We want to see
you push the usefulness of your quirks into many different areas: combat, rescue, mobility… you
should have at least one or two prepared before the week is over.”

Ectoplasm and his clones aided most of the students, while Aizawa trained with Shinso and
Midnight trained with Izuku.

“Aizawa tells me you’ve increased the range and duration of your mist attack,” the woman
mentioned, cracking her neck. “That’s a good start, but I wanna see something a little more
impressive than that.”

Izuku nodded, readying his stance. “I have an idea I’d like to try, if you wouldn’t mind releasing
your pheromones.”

Midnight blinked, before shrugging. She tore off a chunk of her sleeve, activating her quirk and
sending her pheromone cloud over to the boy. Izuku countered with his mist, concentrating as pink
met purple. The two gases swirled about the area, before Midnight’s attack was completely
converted to Izuku’s shimmering mist.

“Interesting,” the hero muttered, her blue eyes trained on the mist. “I’m guessing because my
pheromones are an extension of my biology, you were able to manipulate them?”

The greenette nodded. “I know more about your quirk than I do the others’ because of all the extra
training I did with you, but my guess is I could have similar effects with some of my classmates’
quirks as well.”

“Ah, you mean like Sero’s tape or Ashido’s acid.”

“Yes, but probably not Iida’s engines,” he replied, remembering Ingenium and his inability to heal
his engines, “or Todoroki’s ice or Momo’s creations. I think the closer the quirk is to anatomy or a
bodily response, like sweat or hair or skin, the more likely I can manipulate it.”

“And what of Dark Shadow?” Tokoyami asked, the boy having heard their conversation as he
passed the two. “It is a part of me, but I don’t believe it to have organic properties.”

Izuku hummed, tilting his head. “Could you summon it for me?”

The other boy obliged, summoning the spectral bird. Izuku blew his mist at it, which seemed to
agitate the creature, but nothing else happened.

“Interesting,” he muttered. He knew his mist was weaker than direct contact, so it could be
reasoned that he’d need to put his lips on certain quirk extensions to have an effect. Izuku drew
closer. Dark Shadow eyed him warily, but he leaned forward anyways, planting a kiss on the
creature’s beak. It was solid enough for the freckled boy’s lips to make contact and, once he’d
activated his quirk, the bird shot back into Tokoyami.

“Fascinating,” the healer breathed, scrambling to grab his notebook and write down the results of
the experiment. “Dark Shadow must be biologically linked to you, Tokoyami; that means I can use
my quirk on you just by using it on Dark Shadow!”

He looked up to smile at his friend, only to find the other boy face down on the gym floor.
Midnight was cackling.
“I guess I put a little too much power into it,” he muttered, moving to wake him.

“Leave him there Midoriya,” Midnight insisted, putting her fists up. “We’ve worked on your
special move, now let’s work on your fighting style.”

He gulped, but readied his stance, his eyes gleaming.

The training was grueling, most of class 1-A exhausted by the time Aizawa called it a day.

“Remember, it’s unusual for first years to take the exam, so you’ll be up against older students with
more training and experience than you currently have. We’re working you hard now so you won’t
be completely crushed by the other schools later.”

There were a few nervous glances exchanged, but most of the students looked determined, as well
as excited.

“Yes, sir!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Back in the dorms, Izuku and the rest of the Study Buddies were discussing their training progress.

“I’ve been successful in extending Reciproburst’s duration time,” Iida told them, sipping his
orange juice. “But unfortunately, it still takes far too long for my engines to cool down.”

“You should swing by the Support studio, maybe Hatsume can help,” Izuku suggested, looking up
from his notebook. “I’m going in tomorrow to update my costume.”

“Ooh! Finally gonna go with my crop top suggestion, Izu?” Came Ashido’s teasing voice from the
kitchen, Katsuki shooting her a glare. “We’ll have a new R-rated Hero in no time!”

“No one gets to see Deku in skimpy clothes but me,” he growled, ignoring the heated look Shoto
aimed at him.

“I’m still shooting for ‘PG Hero,’ Mina,” the greenette insisted, his cheeks pink.

Momo gave him a sly grin. “Well, PG-13 wouldn’t hurt…”

Izuku ignored her, excusing himself to get washed up for dinner. He’d made it to his room’s floor
when Shoto cornered him.

“Izuku…” The dual toned boy muttered, leaning in as Izuku’s back hit the wall. “We have
something very important to discuss.”

The healer’s cheeks burned at the taller boy’s proximity. He was still figuring out the nature of his
relationship with Shoto, as well as with Katsuki. They were limited in what they could do, given
the school’s lockdown, but he’d had lunch dates with both of them on separate occasions, and
would always be cuddled up with one or the other during the class sleepovers.

In many respects, it almost felt like things were the same as they’d always been except in moments
like these, where Katsuki or Shoto would get him alone just long enough to remind him of their
intentions.

“W-what is it, Shoto?” He asked, smiling nervously.

“I want a nickname.”
Izuku blinked. “Huh?”

“A nickname,” Shoto continued, his expression determined. “I’ve enjoyed you using my first
name, but you’ve begun calling many of our classmates by their first names. Shinso isn’t even
romantically involved with you, yet you call him ‘Toshi.’ And then there’s Bakugo…”

“But I gave Kaachan that nickname when we were six,” Izuku pointed out. “It wasn’t exactly a
romantic gesture.”

“It speaks to how close the two of you are,” the taller boy insisted, leaning in closer. “And you and
I have become so close recently…”

Izuku was having a hard time thinking with his very handsome, not-quite-but-almost boyfriend
pressed against him, muttering lowly in his ear. “O-okay, so what should I call you?”

“I leave that up to you, just make sure it’s sincere.”

The greenette quirked a brow. “You know, you don’t have a nickname for me, either.”

“I do, actually: Bunny.”

Izuku balked. “Bunny?!”

Shoto nodded, his face splitting into a wide grin. “Bunnies are small, nimble and quick. They have
fluffy hair like you do, and they’ve got a strong kick.”

He brushed their noses together, causing the healer to let out a small squeak. “But the biggest
reason is your cute little nose. You scrunch it up when you’re annoyed or confused, and it looks
just like when Koda’s bunny starts twitching its nose.”

Shoto stepped back, and Izuku felt like he could finally breathe again. “I want that nickname soon,
Bunny.”

Izuku watched him go, his stomach in knots. While either boys’ mere presence was enough to
fluster the greenette, he found it especially embarrassing whenever Shoto would wax poetic about
him, or Katsuki would very bluntly tell him how cute he was.

Later that night, after everyone had eaten, Izuku came to sit next to Shoto on the couch, his cheeks
pink. “I’ve given it some thought, and… well, what about ‘Shochan?’”

It wasn’t the most creative nickname, and perhaps even a little juvenile, but the freckled boy had
noticed how grumpy Shoto would get when he would say ‘Kaachan,’ so perhaps a similar
nickname would suffice.

Shoto cocked his head, thinking for a moment, before turning to call out to Katsuki at the dining
table. “Bakugo, Izuku wants to call me ‘Shochan,’ what do you think?”

“DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE, DEKU!”

“I love it,” he confirmed, kissing the shorter boy’s temple and wrapping an arm around his waist.

Izuku felt his face heat up as Katsuki kept yelling and the rest of his classmates giggled.

“Guys, look! They’re talking about All Might on TV again,” Sero called out, turning up the
volume.
All eyes turned to the television, a picture of the smiling hero on the screen as two news anchors
discussed the topic.

“It’s becoming increasingly obvious that the number one hero’s ‘temporary’ recovery is becoming
a semi-retirement,” a man with glasses and two small horns commented, eyes flitting to his co-
anchor. “And subsequently, the crime rate has increased from nine percent to twelve percent in just
a few short weeks! Tell me, where are the other pro heroes? Are they on vacation? Did they
vanish? Or, is it that they’re so used to letting All might pick up the slack, they don’t actually
know how to handle a crisis?”

The other anchor nodded, her red hair gleaming under the studio lights. “Let’s not forget, the pro
hero Ingenium is also still on medical leave after being attacked by the hero killer Stain; it seems
that the pro hero numbers are dwindling, leaving us with fewer protectors than ever.”

“Those idiots,” Katsuki snarled, leaning over the couch. “All Might took down the biggest criminal
in Japan, and they still wanna bitch about him?”

“They have a point,” Uraraka commented. “The pros are getting their butts kicked out there, and
Stain got a bunch of criminals pumped up and out on the streets.”

“Even so, small time thugs only constitute a serious threat when in great numbers,” Iida pointed
out, his eyes fierce after hearing his brother mentioned. “Two pro heroes in recovery shouldn’t
have led to such chaos.”

“It’s probably more related to the League of Villains,” Asui piped up from her spot on the opposite
couch. “They’ve been connected to every major attack that’s happened in the last few months, so
naturally they’ve become a big inspiration to all kinds of crooks.”

Izuku frowned, tuning out the conversation. The League of Villains…

He hadn’t spent much time with the group, only twenty-four hours or so, but it was enough for him
to gauge how they operated, for the most part. All For One was the man behind it all, but he left
most of the decision making to Shigaraki, the official leader. Shigaraki was dangerous and
unstable, but also a half decent tactician. He’d managed to organize two separate attacks on UA,
one of which would have resulted in Aizawa’s death, had Izuku not intervened. They hadn’t met
their goal that first attack, but had succeeded in the second by appealing to the healer’s humanity
and concern for his friends. In fact, it seemed that no one was mortally wounded for the sake of
triggering Izuku’s protective instincts, and it had worked.

The greenette understood that he had only just managed to narrowly escape the villains, and that
they hadn’t yet given up reacquiring him. It was possible that, even with a provisional license,
Nezu wouldn’t allow him to participate in a work study out of fear of something happening to him.

He shook his head; he’d worry about that after he passed the exam.
 Kisses of Fire
Chapter Notes

Hi, everyone! Here’s the latest chapter, enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Izuku didn’t flinch as another explosion went off in the Support lab, far too used to the sound to
pay it any mind.

He, Shinso and Momo had visited Hatsume to update their costumes and support gear, with
Aoyama, Ashido and Uraraka tagging along.

Iida had some of Hatsume’s latest babies attached to each arm, the class rep scrambling to get away
from the grinning inventor. “I just need a radiator for my engines, which are in my legs, you
madwoman!”

“Forget your legs! If they’re too worn out, run with your arms instead!” She said brightly,
brandishing a screwdriver.

Hatsume had become class 1-A’s unofficial support student, the pink-haired girl taking any and all
projects they gave her. The rest of the support students worked with 1-B and the upperclassmen,
and the Big Three were known to seek out any available student for help, but Hatsume had all but
claimed class 1-A as her own.

Momo smiled fondly at her girlfriend, before turning to the others. “I’ve gotten better at creating
two objects at once, but my lipid supply depletes even faster now; I think I need a higher fat density
in the macronutrient snacks I carry with me.”

“If you can’t create a lot of things one after the other, why not convert the creations you don’t need
anymore back into lipids?” The pink haired girl suggested, giving Momo a quick peck on the cheek
before flitting over to Uraraka, poking at her costume.

“That’s a smart idea,” Izuku told her. “Since they’re made from your body, you might be able to
reabsorb them, with some practice.”

Momo seemed to ponder the idea, before spawning a thimble from her hand. She concentrated,
managing to break down half of it and return it to her body. “It worked! Kind of…”

“You’ll get it,” the greenette assured her, turning back to his sketches. “My quirk doesn’t really
require anything special from my costume, but the fabric on my current design can get a bit
restricting when I’m moving around.”

“That’s because you flip and spin around like you’re in the Olympics,” Ashido teased, taking his
pencil and erasing the bottom half of his sketch. “Since you’re being a total stick in the mud and
won’t do a skirt, how about more of a romper style cut? That way, your legs won’t be restricted.”

“We can make your boots a bit taller to keep the skin showing to a minimum,” Hatsume called out,
putting the finishing touches on Uraraka’s helmet. The girl followed the class rep out after
thanking the inventor, with Ashido following soon after.
Momo watched as Hatsume took Shinso and Izuku’s costume designs, promising to have them
updated within a few days. “I can make any special materials you need, Mei.”

“Thanks, sweetie!” She chirped, grinning at the blush on the taller girl’s cheeks. She turned to
Aoyama, who was fiddling with a wrench. “I forget, was there something you needed, Blondie?”

“Oui, I was wondering if you could tinker with my support belt? I’ve gotten better with my quirk,
but my tummy still hurts if I use it for too long.”

“I see… you have that laser thingy, right? How does it work?”

Aoyama stood, shooting a small burst of energy from his stomach and blasting a hole in the far
wall. “My shining beam can destroy almost anything, and I can use it to propel myself backwards
as well.”

Hatsume’s eyes lit up. “Is it concussive force, or is it heat based?”

“Je ne sais pas, dear Hatsume.”

After conducting a few tests, they determined Aoyama’s blasts generated a considerable amount of
heat, the beam burning some of Momo’s snacks. Izuku scanned the blond as he used his quirk,
sensing irritation in the stomach lining.

“The beam isn’t coming from inside your stomach; instead, the agitation is most likely because of
where your quirk is generated, almost like a recoil effect. It makes sense; the face, head and chest
areas are the most sensitive to changes in temperature… if your beam is heat based, shooting it
from your naval will hurt more because of that sensitivity.”

Hatsume turned to him. “What are you thinking?”

“It’s just like what you said to Iida: If your legs are tired, run with your arms! Aoyama, have you
ever tried shooting your laser from another part of your body; say, your palms?”

He shook his head, and Izuku grinned, Hatsume matching the expression. “That’s brilliant, Izu!
Ooh, the possibilities are endless! What about eyes, do you think he could make eye beams??”

“Not likely; at least, not without boiling the aqueous humor in them. His palms will still be
sensitive to the heat, but most people with quirks have developed an extra layer of skin there, due
to so many quirk factors being hands. My guess is that’s the safest outlet for his beam, and he
could probably learn to shoot beams from each hand simultaneously with some practice!”

“I call them the Chaos Twins when they get like this,” Shinso muttered to Aoyama and Momo,
who both giggled as the two childhood friends began talking over one another in their excitement.

After several hours of practice, Aoyama was able to create a thin beam of energy from his right
palm, his eyes glittering at his progress. “Mon dieu, it didn’t hurt! Not even a little! Midoriya,
Hatsume, you are geniuses!”

The two gave him matching grins, looking pleased with themselves. “We know!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“I have an idea for my quirk.”

Midnight looked to the healer, motioning for him to continue. “When I was at that warehouse in
Kamino, I was able to sense a couple of people, even though they weren’t injured; and when All
Might was fighting All For One, I could sense the injuries civilians even from a few miles away. I
think I might be able to increase the range of my senses, and expand it to healthy individuals as
well as injured ones.”

“Interesting,” the woman said after a beat, before brandishing her whip. “Well then, what are we
waiting for? Show me!”

Izuku nodded, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. It took a minute for him to clear his mind
with all the background noise, but once he had he started sensing his classmates. “Ask Mr.
Ectoplasm if he’ll send us a clone to confirm if I’m right.”

Once he’d appeared, Izuku addressed him. “I’m sensing most of the class is clustered in the middle
of the arena, but there’s two in the far right corner and three in the left. Right now, I’m only getting
heartbeats and…adrenaline? I’m not sure, but I know I’m only sensing one of you, Mr. Ectoplasm,
which I think means your clones don’t have the same biological processes that you do.”

The clone nodded, confirming his report before dissolving into a white fog.

“Excellent work Midoriya,” Midnight approved. “Once you’ve fine tuned it, that will become an
invaluable skill to use in rescue missions.”

Izuku grinned.

On their last day of training before the exam, Aizawa paired them together to spar.

“We want to see your new signature moves in action,” Midnight told them, the other teachers
nodding along as the students broke into their pairs. “And remember the names you gave them, it’s
a part of your hero brand just as much as your costumes or your hero names.”

The first pair to spar was Iida and Momo, the rest of the class huddled together on the side.

“Iida has his speed, but Momo’s quick thinking can likely turn the match in her favor,” Izuku
muttered, notebook and pen at the ready.

The match began, and Iida sprang forward immediately, his engines flaring as he used his
signature move. “Reciproburst!”

Momo quickly created a pole from her hand, using it to vault over the bespectacled boy. Once she
was directly overhead, she called upon her own signature move. “Double Development!”

Caltrops shot from one open palm as a snare shot from the other. Iida moved to dodge the caltrops,
only to get caught in Momo’s snare. The girl landed gracefully as her opponent hit the ground with
a thud, winning her the match. Izuku, Uraraka and Shinso cheered her on as Aizawa called the
match, looking unimpressed as always.

The next match came from the pairing of Tokoyami and Aoyama, the blond nervously fiddling
with his belt.

“Do you think he’ll try out the new moves he’s learned?” Momo asked as she joined her friends,
Iida moving to stand beside her and Shinso.

“I hope so,” Izuku replied, eyes trained on the two opponents.

The match began, and Tokoyami called on Dark Shadow at once, the spectral bird shooting over to
Aoyama. The blond dodged the creature’s claws, unleashing his laser from his palm.

It was far weaker than his usual naval blasts, but it didn’t seem to hurt him as he pressed forward,
using the light from his quirk to push the beast back. Once he’d gotten close enough, Aoyama
swung his foot up in a roundhouse kick, his boot connecting with Tokoyami’s beak. He staggered,
and Aoyama finished him off with a naval blast that sent the feathered boy sailing out of the ring.
This time, Aizawa did look impressed, if only ever so slightly.

The others congratulated the sparkling boy, who preened at the approbation from his classmates. “I
owe it all to the crazed brilliance of Hatsume and Midoriya!”

Soon after came Izuku’s match, the healer facing off against Katsuki.

“I won’t be holding back, Princess,” Katsuki said with a grin. “So you better be ready.”

Adopting his signature smile, Izuku put on his Pucker Up persona, giggling. “I should be saying
that to you, Kaachan!”

Aizawa rolled his eyes at the two and began the match.

Katsuki led with an explosion, blasting his opponent before the greenette could let out his mist.
“Signature Move: AP Shot!”

The blond shot forward, keeping just close enough to use his explosions but far enough that Izuku
couldn’t touch him.

His explosions are disrupting the air around him, so that my mist can’t close enough to work
properly, Izuku deduced, missing a kick and leaping back before the blond’s explosions could
cause too much damage. I’ll need to make direct contact to win, so I have to make myself an
opening.

The healer switched from defensive to evasive, rolling, flipping and wheeling away from his
opponent before finally managing to get behind him. Izuku let out a puff of mist, before darting the
opposite direction. Katsuki fell for the feint, blasting the cloud of mist and missing his target.
Izuku swooped in.

“Now, for my signature move: Lip Lock!”

He grabbed the collar of Katsuki’s tank top, pulling him in as he smashed their lips together and
activated his quirk.

He’d only managed to intentionally use the move just once before with Mirio, and then once
partially in his fight against Muscular. He hadn’t perfected it like he had his mist, and so he was
unprepared for the small flashes he saw as his lips met Katsuki’s.

They were quick, there and gone in an instant, but they almost looked like…

Katsuki collapsed as Izuku’s quirk took hold, knocking him out. The others stared.

“I’d like to switch partners,” Shoto said, raising his hand. Shinso let out a snort.

“Midoriya, would you please wake up Bakugo so we can get on with it?” Aizawa drawled,
resolutely ignoring Midnight’s laughter behind him.

The freckled boy acquiesced, rousing his opponent with a swift peck on the cheek. Katsuki
 grumbled and frowned, but didn’t look too put out by his loss as he took Izuku’s hand.

“I saw something, when you kissed me,” The blond muttered once they’d moved back to the
group, Kirishima and Ashido sparring next.

“Was it heaven?” Came Kaminari’s teasing voice, and Izuku bit back a giggle as Katsuki snarled at
the other boy.

Izuku was about to question him, when the doors to the gym opened, revealing Vlad King and
Class 1-B. “It’s our turn to use the gym, Eraser.”

Aizawa eyed the man irritably. “We still have ten whole minutes left, and more pairs to get
through.”

As the teachers squabbled, Monoma sauntered over to the 1-A students. “Have you heard? Only
fifty percent of the licensing examinees actually manage to pass!”

“Is that true?” Hagakure asked, managing to appear nervous despite not appearing at all.

Kendo nodded. “I checked the stats from previous years, it’s been the same for ages. Mr. Kan said
we’ll be at two different testing sites though, so we won’t have to compete against each other.”

“Good thing, too! It would be such a shame if 1-B managed to pass while 1-A was left sobbing in
the dust!”

The cocky blond was silenced by a quick thump from Kendo, the girl’s expression apologetic.

The two teachers wasted 1-A’s remaining time arguing, at which point Aizawa conceded with a
sigh, he and his class leaving for the day. “Those of you who didn’t get to spar will have to do so
on your own time, just make sure not to damage school property.”

After they were released for the day, Midnight stopped Izuku for a chat.

“You’ve become quite the media darling these past few months,” she mentioned with a smirk. “So
if I were you, I’d prepare to receive a lot of attention from the other schools the day after
tomorrow.”

Izuku nodded. “You’re right; since there’s been so much press about me lately, the other schools
will no doubt have studied my quirk, so I won’t have the element of surprise, none of us will! They
probably have some idea as to our weaknesses too, given the Sports Festival…”

Midnight watched bemusedly as the boy in front of her began muttering to himself about strategy,
completely missing the point of what she’d said.

Ashido told me he’s dating both Bakugo and Todoroki, the hero thought to herself, shaking her
head. How can he still be so oblivious?

She reckoned he’d figure it out eventually, once the other students started asking him for kisses.
She also supposed his classmates (and boyfriends) would be burning with jealousy at the display,
the thought bringing a mischievous smile to her face.

Chapter End Notes

There isn’t much information on Aoyama’s quirk, and in the show he’s able to shoot it
out of his shoulders for his super move, so I imagine using his hands wouldn’t be out
of the question. I also thought it would be interesting if Momo could reabsorb her
creations, instead of it being a permanent conversion.
 Kiss Somebody
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

The day of the exam, class 1-A met in front of the school, where their bus was waiting to take them
to the Dagoba Arena. Class 1-B’s bus was next to theirs, prepared to leave for a secondary
location.

Monoma offered more taunts to the 1-A students, pinching Izuku’s cheek as he gloated about 1-B’s
future success. “I’m sure at least some of you will scrape together a passable score, and to that I say
good luck! You’ll most assuredly need it.”

“Your costume makes you look like a bad stage magician,” Shinso told him bluntly, remembering
the boy’s ridiculous attire from the day before. He along with the others watched with amusement
as Kendo dragged him away.

The ride to their destination was short, the students excited and nervous in equal parts as they
exited the bus, costumes in hand. They could see students from other schools already making their
way inside, the group an array of uniforms and colors.

“This is gonna be so awesome!” Kaminari exclaimed, grinning at Kirishima. “I just know we’re
totally gonna crush it!”

“Should we say our school motto?” Ashido asked, looking to her classmates. “On three?”

“One,”

“Two,”

“Three!”

“Go beyond, Plus-“

“PLUS ULLTRAAA!”

Izuku flinched as a behemoth wearing a uniform and a hat appeared next to him, bellowing out his
school’s motto. He had his fist in the air and a wild look in his eyes.

“Inasa, don’t you know it’s rude to interrupt like that?” A boy dressed in the same uniform
drawled, followed closely by, presumably, the rest of their class.

“You’re right! My apologies, UA students, I just got so excited! I think UA is one of the very best
schools out there!!!”

The boy’s enthusiasm was almost menacing, and Izuku took a small step back as Inasa smacked
his head against their bus accidentally. His head began to bleed, but Inasa didn’t seem to register it
at all.

“You’re, uhm… you’re bleeding…” the greenette feebly pointed out, the taller boy’s eyes locking
onto him before lighting up.

“Hey, wait a minute! You’re that sweetheart kid, right? The one with the healing quirk?”

Before he could respond, Izuku was met with Inasa’s face inches from his, the other boy leaning
down to meet him. “Think you can fix this for me?”

Startled by the other boy’s demeanor and close proximity, the healer took no notice of the frosty
glares sent Inasa’s way by his entire class; for even though the running for his heart had effectively
been dwindled down to just Shoto and Katsuki, that didn’t mean the students of 1-A took kindly to
other classes, let alone other schools, taking advantage of Izuku’s quirk.

But Izuku merely shrugged, planting a quick kiss on the boy’s cheek. Inasa grinned as his cut
healed in seconds, his eyes lighting up once again. “That’s so cool! I totally get it now, it takes a
real sweetheart to kiss a total stranger just to heal them! Thanks a bunch!”

“Inasa!” Barked one of his classmates, his eyes narrowing. “We can’t be late.”

“Right! See you guys later, Plus Ultra!!!”

Izuku stared dumbfounded as Inasa raced off to join his classmates, finally recognizing their
uniforms. “They’re from Shiketsu, aren’t they?”

Aizawa nodded. “Yes. Interestingly that boy, Inasa Yoarashi, placed first in the recommendation
scores at UA, but chose to enroll with Shiketsu instead. He probably would’ve been in this class if
he’d stayed at UA.”

And well, wasn’t that something.

I don’t understand, Izuku thought, staring at the retreating boy’s back. If he loves our school so
much, why did he turn down his admission?

Before he could delve into the mystery any further, a loud perky voice tore through the air,
Aizawa’s hackles rising as he recognized it.

“Hey there, future husband!” Came the gleeful voice of the smiling hero, Ms. Joke. She was
grinning from ear to ear as she sidled up to their teacher. “I’ve missed you!”

“I’m not your future husband,” Aizawa ground out, his shoulders hunched with tension.

“Mr. Aizawa, we had no idea there was someone special in your life,” Ashido teased, a
mischievous look on her face as she took in the scene.

“We worked for neighboring agencies back in our early hero days,” Joke said proudly, her attempt
to grab the man’s hand thoroughly rebuffed. “It was fate; two star crossed lovers coming together
to save the world!”

“You’re the one the world needs saving from,” Aizawa grumbled, trying his best to get away from
her.

“Haha! There’s my funny guy!” Joke was doubled over, chuckling and snorting to herself. In
comparison, Aizawa looked the picture of a cornered alley cat, irritated and defensive. Izuku
imagined there was a lot of complicated history there.

Two hands clasped his own as a dark haired boy came in close, smiling politely. “It’s an honor to
meet you, Sweetheart! I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Uhm, thank you?” It was as Midnight predicted; the other schools had clearly done their research
on their class.

With that, the boy was off to clasp the next person’s hands, eventually introducing himself as
Shindo. Katsuki smacked his hands away.

“That nice guy act doesn’t reach your eyes,” the blond sneered, curling a hand possessively around
Izuku’s waist.

Izuku missed the competitive spark in Shindo’s eyes as he moved away from Katsuki, only to be
grabbed by Shoto.

“Bunny,” the dual toned boy greeted, and the greenette blushed.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Aizawa growled, distancing himself from the cackling woman beside
him. “Everyone, get inside and get into costume, the exam will start soon.”

Izuku hurried along with the rest of 1-A, deliberately not meeting anyone’s eyes.

It may have just appeared to be fanaticism, but those other schools were sizing me up, as well as
the others. Thanks to the Sports Festival, everyone here likely knows who we are, but we know
nothing about them. We’ll have to be careful…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As everyone reconvened after donning their costumes, Izuku and Momo snickered to themselves as
Shinso revealed his costume. Like Izuku, he’d had to train in his gym uniform for some time while
Hatsume finished making his hero outfit. He had on a loose fitting black jumpsuit, free of any
embellishments save a white spiral in the middle of his chest, partially covered by his capture scarf.
Next to them, Uraraka snorted.

“You look like a mini Aizawa,” she teased, the purple haired boy shooting her a poisonous look.

Ashido whistled as she took in Izuku’s costume adjustments, eyeing the new design appreciatively.
“Lookin’ good, Izu.”

The healer blushed. He’d shortened the sleeves and trousers of his own jumpsuit, hoping to
increase his mobility. His boots and arm braces had also been lightened, the heavy materials
having made it difficult for him to execute some of his more complicated acrobatics. There were
swathes of skin shown on his thighs and arms, but the boy thought it tame compared to Kirishima
and Momo’s half-nakedness.

He’d also opted for a smaller utility belt, wanting to keep the weight he carried on him to a
minimum. The pouches held only bandages, gauze, antiseptic, his capture bandaids and a few lip
products, so decreasing their size and number didn’t appear to be much of an issue.

Izuku noticed his classmates had upgraded their own costumes in one capacity or another, and the
healer couldn’t help the small surge of pride he felt admiring Hatsume’s hard work.

His attention turned to the small stage in front of them as a man shuffled over to it, adjusting the
microphone. He had a weary, unkempt look about him, and eye bags that could put both Shinso
and Aizawa’s to shame. He introduced himself as Mera, a representative from the Hero
Commission assigned to oversee the exam. As he explained the finer details, the students became
agitated.

“Only the first hundred of us will pass?!” Kirishima exclaimed, Katsuki gritting his teeth beside
him. “That means-“

“Less than ten percent of the people here will get their licenses,” Momo finished, the girl looking
pale and shaken.

Izuku shook his head, trying to think. I was right about the free for all, which means our class will
be the primary target. We’re only given enough balls to pass, but he didn’t say we couldn’t take
balls from our competitors. They’re hoping to see how desperate some of us will get, how we’ll act
when the number of open spots starts to dwindle…

“You’ll have a few minutes before we begin to get situated,” Mera grumbled, not batting an eye as
the room they were in began to unfurl, revealing the testing site. “So get ready, and good luck.”

Immediately groups began breaking off, classes moving as units to different areas.

“Deku,” Katsuki said gruffly, getting the greenette’s attention. “I’m going on my own, so you
better not screw around out there. We need to pass this.”

Izuku nodded; here, they were competitors, not…whatever they were at UA.

“You can’t leave the group!” Kaminari complained, both he and Kirishima sidling over to the
explosive boy.

“No, he’s right; Kaachan’s quirk requires lots of space, he can’t risk hurting any of us while
fighting, so distance is better,” Izuku reasoned, and he could see Shoto nodding along, the dual
toned boy clearly having thought the same thing. “The rest of us can stick together, or form smaller
groups of us with complimenting quirks. Just remember, the other schools know what we can do,
thanks to the Sports Festival.”

“You mean, what we could do,” Momo reminded him. “I think that’s why Mr. Aizawa had us
create signature moves before getting here, so we’d still have some surprises for our competitors.”

Izuku nodded. “Right.”

In the end, Katsuki took off with Kirishima and Kaminari following behind him, smirking as the
blond yelled at them to go away. Shoto went off on his own, the rest sticking to Izuku and Momo
as they searched for a defensible position.

Overhead, they heard an alarm blare, and the test began.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“There you are!”

Izuku turned to see Shindo and the rest of Ketsubutsu Academy leering at them, the other class
having the high ground. Next to him, Momo and the others tensed, readying themselves.

“We’ll stay on the defensive for now,” Momo had told them moments before, “until we can gather
more intel on our opponents’ quirks and weaknesses. This is a lot like our final exams, except
there’s no time limit. As long as our approach is careful and measured, we’ll be fine.”

The healer had agreed with her, until they’d heard Mera announce the first student to pass had
taken out a hundred and twenty other examinees. They still had to be careful but, even without a
limit, time wasn’t on their side.

It wasn’t long before a barrage of balls were sent sailing towards them, class 1-A dodging as best
they could. “Ashido, quick!”

The pink skinned girl fired off her signature move: Acid Veil, dissolving quite a few of the
projectiles. Jirou used her Heartbeat Distortion to disrupt some of the balls that were sent to them
underground, and Momo created two large iron shields to cover their blind spots.

Shindo merely smirked, before activating his quirk.

The ground began to tremble and crack as an earthquake decimated the area, large chasms
separating 1-A.

“Everyone, split up!” Izuku called out. “They’re using a divide and conquer strategy, so don’t get
left alone!”

Predictably, Izuku stumbled and fell not long after giving the advice, effectively cutting himself off
from his class as he hit the ground.

As he stood, he spotted Uraraka running towards him. “Hey, are you okay?!”

He was about to respond, when more Ketsubutsu students appeared, ready to strike. He grabbed
Uraraka’s arm and dragged her to safety, the two taking cover behind a large chunk of rock jutting
from the ground.

“This isn’t good,” he muttered, green eyes sweeping the field. “I can’t see anyone else from our
class, and Ketsubutsu will find us here if we stay too long. We need a plan…”

“What do you think we should do, ZuZu?”

The greenette stilled. Uraraka would usually call him by his first name, or sometimes ‘Izu’ when
she was excited about something, but she’d refrained from any other pet names or terms of
endearment after he’d rejected her.

Green eyes locked onto brown as he sensed her. All her vitals were normal, nothing out of the
ordinary, and yet…

He wasn’t sure how, but he knew the girl in front of him was not Uraraka.
 Kiss the Day P. I
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Shoto scanned the anteroom as he entered, looking for signs of his classmates.

After a difficult fight with the students of Seijin Academy, the dual toned boy managed to defeat
the entire class, securing his spot in the next portion of the exam and lessening the competition for
his friends.

Ordinarily, I’d have only taken out the two I needed to pass, he thought to himself, removing his
targets, but my friends are still out there, and likely need all the help they can get.

He took a seat off to the side, determining the rest of his class to still be fighting. He locked eyes
with Inasa, the smiling boy surprising him by glaring, before returning to his enthusiastic
conversation with another student.

Shoto blinked. He wasn’t sure what he’d done to deserve that kind of look, as he hadn’t interacted
with the other boy at all that morning. None of his class had, to his knowledge, save when Izuku
had healed him. Shoto frowned at the memory.

Maybe he’s hoping for something more with Bunny, he guessed, sizing the Shiketsu student up,
and he sees the rest of us as competition.

Dating Izuku thus far had been a strange experience for Shoto. On the one hand, there wasn’t much
they could do while on lockdown at the campus, and getting the other boy to himself proved
especially difficult whenever Bakugo found out bout their plans. The blond would intrude which
made Shoto upset and Izuku, ever the mediator, would try to appease them both, which led to more
arguing.

Shoto couldn’t fault his Bunny for not understanding how romantic relationships work, given he’d
no experience with them either. Even worse, Shoto had never seen any warmth or affection
between his parents and, save for the romance movies he’d sometimes watch with his sister
Fuyumi, he’d not seen it outside the home either. Then there was Bakugo…

The blond was still as arrogant, aggressive and rude as he’d been the first time Shoto had to interact
with him. He was perhaps a bit calmer now that Izuku was in the class, though he only ever
showed a genuine connection with the healer and with Kirishima.

Shoto disliked him, and it was clear the feeling was mutual. He did, however, enjoy the
competitions with the blond: The Sports Festival, the final exams, and now Izuku. The dual toned
boy had been raised with competition, he understood it. Fighting for first place was as natural to
him as breathing, and it was perhaps the only thing about the situation that Todoroki could give his
all to, with no hesitation or insecurity.
He locked eyes with Inasa once again, this time narrowing them as the taller boy glared.

If this was yet another hopeful vying for UA’s Sweetheart, then he would beat him just like he
would beat Bakugo.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hitoshi blinked a few times as he stood, groaning as he did.

The impact of Shindo’s quirk had sent him pretty far from the others, as he couldn’t see any of his
classmates. He adjusted his scarf and his mask before heading towards the city area, needing to
find cover.

He’d been about to duck into an alley when a large blast rattled the surrounding buildings. Hitoshi
leapt away as the street cracked beneath him, chunks of concrete coming off a nearby building and
almost crushing him.

Another earthquake? No, some kind of sonic attack; Jirou does something similar, which means
there’s a sound based fighter nearby. Not a great matchup for my own quirk…

The purple haired boy fiddled with the dial on his mask, eyeing his opponents as he did. It was a
cluster of students he’d not seen yet, their faces unfamiliar to him. There were three front and
center of the group: one with a set of lips that rivaled Sato’s, one with glowing, sunken eyes, and
the last…

The last boy looked to be a child, though Hitoshi guessed his real age was closer to his own. He
had tousled golden waves that framed a soft face and big brown eyes. Hitoshi could make out
wings on the student’s back, white and fluffy.

“Hitoshi Shinso of UA,” the boy said, a saccharine smile on his face. “You placed third in the
Sports Festival, right? Interesting choice, letting someone like you compete in the first place.”

Hitoshi narrowed his eyes. He began speaking, only to be cut off by another sonic attack from the
big-lipped student. “Ah ah ah! Your little mind games won’t work with us, right guys?”

The cherub boy’s grin turned sharp. “I’m glad I was the one to find you, it’ll make your defeat so
much more poetic. After all, someone with your kind of quirk can’t possibly hope to get a hero
license, especially when up against real heroic quirks!”

And there it was. All his life, Hitoshi had heard the same thing: Brainwashing was an evil quirk, a
villain’s quirk. He’d never be a hero, never-

His train of thought was cut off as the glowing eyed student activated his quirk, the rubble rising
and shifting to form what looked to be a knight, made entirely of refuse.

More of the knights began to form, and Hitoshi assessed his situation. No good, I can’t use my
quirk on these things, and even if I could that loud mouth guy is disrupting the sound waves. I need
to think…

He threw down a smoke pellet, courtesy of Hatsume, and made his escape, darting into an alley
and pressing himself against a building. He could hear the sounds of the knights clamoring after
him, splitting up to look for him.

“That’s right, slink back into the shadows! It’s where trash like you belongs,” came the sing-song
voice of the cherub, Hitoshi clenching his fists as he tried to ignore it.
He moved to strike when a hand landed on his shoulder, relaxing as he recognized Tokoyami’s
serious expression.

“Don’t listen to him,” the other boy muttered.

“I- what if he’s right…” Hitoshi asked, casting his eyes downward. Their competitors, his old
classmates, even his parents thought he’d never make it as a hero. If no one else believed in him,
why should he?

“He’s not,” Tokoyami retorted, shifting as Ojiro joined them, the boy’s tail standing up straight. “I
know how you’re feeling, I’ve heard the same things said about Dark Shadow, and about- about
my face…”

Hitoshi had to suppress a guilty flinch as he remembered how society tended to treat heteromorphs
like his friend. To have a mutation as well as a ‘non-heroic’ quirk had to be hard, and it pained the
purple haired boy to think how Tokoyami had likely been treated before entering UA.

Ojiro seemed to catch the gist of their conversation, as he too turned to Hitoshi. “Listen, I was
upset after what happened in the Sports Festival; mainly because my pride was wounded, but I
never thought what you did was villainous… rude maybe, and definitely unsportsmanlike, but not
villainous. And now, after getting to know you, I see that you’re a good person who wants to make
the world a better place. We’re all working hard to become great heroes, and that includes you,
Shinso.”

Tokoyami nodded. “We have to believe in ourselves, because now we have others who believe in
us, too.”

Hitoshi gave them a determined look: Izuku, Mei, Momo, all of 1-A… they were like a family, and
they didn’t see him as a villain. He was a hero, and it was time to prove it.

“I have a plan.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“You’re not Uraraka, are you?”

Izuku reached for a ball as he jumped away from the fake Uraraka, his theory proven correct when
the girl dissolved into a grey sludge.

“So, you figured it out, huh? What gave me away?” The face that emerged from the goo looked to
be one of the Shiketsu students, the healer recognizing her tawny hair and hazel eyes.

She’s not wearing her targets, Izuku realized, lowering the ball he was holding as the girl finished
her transformation. I’m pretty sure that’s cheating, but either way it means I can’t get any points
off of her, but she can still try to get points off of me. I better deal with her, fast.

He blew a kiss to her, which the girl easily evaded before disappearing from his sight. He looked
around, but she was nowhere to be seen.

“Looking for me?” Came a voice in his ear, and Izuku whirled around in time to block a punch she
threw his way. She giggled. “It’s a little technique I learned: I close my eyes, hold my breath and
clear my mind, making it harder for others to perceive me.”

Izuku would have to pick her brain about that after the exam, but for now he needed to focus. He
shot into the air, using his zip line to escape the girl and blowing a thick mist over the area. I can’t
use it to incapacitate anyone, since I don’t know where my classmates are, but they should be used
to fighting with my mist around after the training camp, so hopefully this gives us an edge.

He landed on a rock nearby, preparing a signature move. “Seppun Smokescreen!”

He blew out more mist, this time allowing it to wrap around his own body to conceal his targets.
He’d based the move off of Kurogiri’s quirk, knowing it’d be perfect for this particular challenge.
He’d search the area once; if he couldn’t find anyone else, he’d have to assume he’d be on his own
for the rest of the exam.

Izuku looked for his classmates, dodging the other examinees and keeping an eye out for the
shapeshifter.

Not far off, he could see Sero and the real (hopefully) Uraraka, and he raced over to them. “You
guys are actually you, right?”

Sero gave him a bemused look, and he clarified. “There’s a shapeshifter lurking around here
somewhere; she was pretending to be Uraraka.”

Uraraka blinked. “Me?”

The healer nodded. “She looked and sounded exactly like you, and even knew some of your
mannerisms. Mr. Aizawa was right to push us so hard during training, these other schools are
seriously strong.”

The two activated their quirks to prove their identity, appeasing the jumpy greenette. “Okay, so we
at least know we’re ourselves, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t pretending to be one of the others, so
keep an eye out.”

“What do we do now?” Sero asked, adjusting his helmet. “We can’t find the others, and there
aren’t that many spots left.”

“We need to worry about ourselves right now,” Uraraka said, her eyes gleaming. “The others can
handle themselves, so we need to focus on passing.”

“She’s right, and I have an idea: Uraraka, do you think you can float the three of us?”

Some of the Ketsubutsu students searched the area, looking for 1-A and keeping an eye out for
other schools. A girl with blue skin groaned. “How’d we lose them, they were right here!”

A boy with greasy black hair and slimy skin shrugged. “Must be some speedsters among them;
either way it doesn’t matter, there’s probably some stragglers caught under all that rubble Shindo
made.”

His classmate was about to reply when a thick, pink fog rolled in, obscuring their vision. “Crap, it’s
Midoriya! Everyone, masks up!”

The group pulled masks over their noses, but it was to no avail as their bodies grew heavy. The
slimy boy startled as he felt something wrap around him, pulling him towards his other teammates
and holding them tightly together.

He looked up as the fog disappeared to see three of the 1-A students floating about them, that same
pink mist shrouding their bodies. “He’s hidden their targets, so we can’t hit them!”

“It doesn’t matter, I can’t move!”

Izuku grinned at them as Uraraka released the trio, Sero’s tape and Izuku’s zip lines swinging them
to safety.

“Come on, can’t you just give us this, kid?” On student whined, eyes widening in panic as Izuku
kissed a few of classmates, knocking them out as Sero and Uraraka scored their points. “We’re
second years, we have to pass this time around!”

The greenette pulled out one of his balls. “I’m sorry about this, but we need to pass just as badly as
you do.”

The blue-skinned girl let out a defeated sigh. “At least we’re getting kisses out of it,” she muttered,
watching her classmates fall to the freckled boy’s quirk.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The students of Isamu Academy sat in wait as Fujimura’s knights circled the area, looking for
Shinso. At the front, Azuma blew a strand of hair from his face, beginning to grow bored.

“I’m not one for cat and mouse chases, so please find them soon,” he addressed his classmate, who
nodded. He was intrigued by his opponent’s apparent skill; Fujimura’s quirk allowed him to see
through the eyes of his creations, given a sufficient proximity, so Shinso must have been keeping
well out of sight.

“Once we’ve caught him, I say we go after Midoriya next,” the blond decided. “He may have an
acceptable quirk for a hero, but he’s UA’s Sweetheart; and as Isamu’s Sweetheart, I need to remind
him which of us is the superior.”

Next to him, Fujimura tensed. “I found him! Just up that alley over there!”

The boy smiled, stretching his wings. “I’m on it!”

He flew lazily over to the spot, finding the boy surrounded by knights, a hood covering his head.
“Silly boy, such a poor attempt at a disguise couldn’t possibly fool anyone!”

Shinso glared at him, before smirking. “Who said it was meant to fool you?”

The blond cocked his head, before his eyes widened. Not meant to fool, but to distract. Azuma shot
away as Fujimura’s knights fell apart; his friend must have been captured. Azuma took to the sky,
only to be pulled back down by Shinso’s capture weapon, the scarf binding his wings tightly.

Shinso dragged him back over to where his group was, everyone incapacitated by Tokoyami and
Ojiro. The UA students had already claimed their victims, earning their points. Fujimura was being
held by Dark Shadow, clearly left open for Shinso.

Azuma glared as Shinso leaned down, a ball in hand and a sneer on his face. “This doesn’t change
anything, you’ll never amount to anything more than a disgusting villain!”

“Say whatever you want, but I know who I am.” Shinso declared, his eyes bright. He tapped
Azuma’s targets, grinning. “You don’t have to worry about me becoming a hero or a villain,
because you won’t be a hero any time soon either.”

Shinso tapped Fujimura’s targets without saying anything, having made his point. He, Tokoyami
and Ojiro then made their way to the anteroom, victorious.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Yuga sat curled up in his hiding place, trembling.

He’d lost sight of the others during the earthquake, scrambling to find cover as the Ketsubutsu and
Shiketsu students began swarming the area. He’d been hit twice by someone before he’d managed
to escape, his targets glowing red.

Oh dear, I’m really in for it now, the blond thought, curling in on himself tighter.

Logically, he knew he didn’t stand much of a chance even in a group, but alone he was effectively
useless. His armor made it difficult to move around, the heavy metal becoming more and more of a
burden as their training and special exams went on through the semester. His support belt was the
clunkiest, despite its fashionable appearance, but without it there was no using his quirk.

He’d been practicing more with using his hands to fire his lasers, but it was still a work in progress,
and entirely too unreliable to use during such an important exam. Even when he could summon it,
the beams were weak and overall not very useful. That left his naval laser, which he could only use
for so long before hurting himself.

Yuga angrily wiped the tears away. He felt so stupid. All of my classmates have been working so
hard to achieve their dreams, while I’ve been falling further and further behind. I want to be a
hero, but when given the chance I’ve always run away instead. The USJ… the training camp… all
I’m good at is being a coward!

“Aoyama?”

The blond turned to see Iida kneeling next to him, his eyes concerned behind his helmet.

“Oh, bonjour Iida! What are you doing out here?”

“I came looking for the others, there’s a group of us just over there.” The class rep pointed to a
nearby boulder, the others no doubt gathered there.

“I see… then you should probably go, I heard voices not too long ago, they’ll be here soon.”

Iida looked to him. “Aren’t you coming with me?”

The blond shook his head, a rueful smile on his face. “I’m afraid I’d just slow you down; besides,
two of my targets have already been hit, it’s unlikely I’ll be able to pass now.”

“So, you’re just going to give up? What about becoming a hero, what about your dream?”

Yuga bit the inside of his cheek to keep the tears from falling, shrugging his shoulders. “Maybe
I’m not meant to be a hero. After all, I can’t even begin to compare to you or Todoroki or
Midoriya… you three fought the Hero Killer and won, and Midoriya let those villains take him at
the training camp just to keep the rest of us safe… no, compared to you three, I’m no hero.”

“But you bested Tokoyami in your match the other day,” Iida reminded him. “And you and Ashido
have helped so many of our classmates with their costumes, even Midoriya! I’d say you’re a bigger
asset to us than you realize.”

Yuga looked to his friend, uncertain. “Do you really mean that?”

“I do. You’re one of us, Aoyama, and class 1-A doesn’t leave anyone behind!”

It was as if a fire had been ignited in the blond, his expression and demeanor shifting in an instant.
 “You’re right! Come, mon capitaine, we must go save the others and pass our exam!”

The two made their way to the others, stopping just short of their location as a group of rival
students surrounded them. “We got ‘em!”

“We can’t let them find the others,” Iida murmured, readying himself. “In a moment, I’ll use my
engines to get us to safety, so h-“

The class rep was cut off as Yuga wrapped himself around his arm, firing his naval laser directly
downwards. The force of the blast shot them into the air, creating a small crater and shaking the
ground their opponents stood on.

“Now, Iida!” The blond cried out as his stomach began to cramp. Iida activated his engines,
propelling them through the sky and towards a safe patch of dirt.

They turned to see their classmates working together to take down the other students, having been
signaled by Yuga’s laser.

They saw my beam and came for us, the boy realized, his eyes glimmering. I- I saved us!

Iida turned to him, smiling from behind his helmet. “See? You brought us all together, you
protected me. That’s pretty heroic, Aoyama…”

Yuga grinned at the taller boy, his cheeks flushed and his smile almost as blinding as his laser.

Chapter End Notes

Seppun, at least according to google translate, mean kiss, so I named one of Izuku’s
moves after it.

Also, Isamu is one of the hero schools listed online, but the students mentioned are all
made up.

Thanks for reading!

 Kiss the Day P. II

Izuku was relieved to see Katsuki, Kirishima and Kaminari as they walked to the anteroom, the
others having passed as well.

“Didn’t doubt you for a second, Deku,” Katsuki said with a smirk.

“Oh, good! I doubted you a lot, Kaachan.” he teased.

The greenette just grinned as the explosive boy yelled, taking the hot head’s hand in his own.
Katsuki calmed down almost immediately, though he shot a murderous glare towards Kaminari,
who had the bravery to mutter ‘he’s so whipped’ to Kirishima. They entered the anteroom to find
some of their classmates waiting for them.

“We were ambushed by some girls from Seiai Academy,” Mom told the freckled boy as he
removed his targets. "They had an impressive strategy planned out to beat us, and it nearly
worked.”

“I wasn’t worried,” Asui commented, Jirou and Shoji nodding beside her. “Momo’s the smartest
person in class, so if anyone could figure out how to beat them, it was her.”

The taller girl smiled at them. “Thanks, but I couldn’t have done it without you guys; we were a
real team back there!”

Next to Izuku, Katsuki scoffed. “Save the mushy crap for later, you damn nerds! We’re not done
yet.”

Kirishima agreed, and the first half of the exam was called to an end as the rest of 1-A entered the
anteroom, having passed.

“Turns out, Aoyama was the one who ended up saving me!” Iida told the group, smiling as he
recounted the tale. "He really pulled through for us today."

Aoyama looked at the taller boy like Christmas had come early.

Izuku congratulated them, before getting 1-A to line up as he checked them for injuries. Most were
fine, only needing a few bandaids which the greenette readily produced.

“I’m pretty sure I bit my tongue earlier,” Shoto insisted, though they both knew it to be a lie.

Izuku huffed, but gave the taller boy a quick kiss, blushing as he did. This meant, of course, that
Katsuki got one as well, to appease the blond, before the greenette could continue examining his
friends. At the end of the line, Inasa was grinning and pointing at his cheek, and behind him Izuku
could see students from other schools lined up as well.

“Go kiss yourselves, you shitty extras!” Katsuki yelled out, eyes blazing. The rest of his classmates
were glaring, some even shifting in front of Izuku to shield him from the rival schools.

“But Midoriya is a healer!” One girl pouted. “Surely, he’d want to make sure we’re all in tip top
shape before the next portion of the exam.”

“Yeah, come on Midoirya!” Shindo prodded, he and his group grinning at the freckled boy. “We
need some Plus Ultra smooches!”
Izuku shook his head, fighting the light flush on his cheeks. “Unless someone has a serious injury,
I can’t help you; I should really save my strength for the next part of the exam.”

Inasa glanced at the wall contemplatively, but was pulled away by Mora before he could do
anything stupid. Izuku locked eyes with the tawny haired girl in their group, making his way over
to her. “Excuse me, uh-“

“Camie,” the girl told him.

“Right, Camie; I was wondering if you could tell me more about that technique you used, to make
yourself harder to perceive? I think I could make good use of it when paired with my mist.”

“You… you want my advice?” Camie asked, a wide grin appearing on her face. “That’s so cute!
Okay, listen up: The key is to not think at all, to be so focused on being hidden that nothing else
registers. It’s hard to keep my mind that empty, but discipline helps.”

“I see…” Izuku committed the information to memory, making a note to add it to his notebook as
soon as they got back to UA.

Camie stepped closer. “Now, it’s my turn; I watched that mist of yours take down some Ketsubutsu
students, even though they had masks on… why is that?”

“Oh! Well, my mist can affect someone who breathes it in, but contact with the skin also has an
effect. I’m guessing they thought the masks would help filter it, but having enough skin exposed
kind of negates the efficacy of a mask.”

Camie’s grin turned sharp. “Interesting… thanks for the info, ZuZu!”

And with that, the girl walked away, a bounce in her step. Izuku turned to the screen on the wall as
Mera began to explain the second half of the exam, this time focusing on search and rescue.

He moved over to his classmates, Shinso nodding at him. “Search and rescue… that’s kinda your
thing, huh?”

The greenette nodded. “All the training with Midnight helped me sharpen my senses, and my
kisses would obviously be a big help under normal circumstances, but these are just actors; I’ll still
pretend use my quirk, but I think at least in the beginning I’ll be a bigger asset to search, rather
than rescue.”

Iida nodded. “I can help with carrying victims to safety, along with Sato and Kirishima.”

“Uraraka, Tokoyami and I can use our quirks to assist with any fallen buildings,” Momo added,
moving over to the Study Buddies to strategize. “And Jirou and Shoji can help you with locating
people, Izu.”

Izuku frowned as he looked over to the other classes. “They’ll all have way more experience with
this kind of thing, since they’re older, but we’ve dealt with real emergencies too.”

“Kamino,” Iida muttered.

“The USJ,” Shoto added.

“And the training camp,” Momo finished.

“Splitting up makes the most sense this time,” Izuku deduced. “We should work in groups of three
or four. Having a searcher, a runner and one or two rescuers would be the best way to handle
multiple injured people. Momo, can you make a few communicators, so we can stay in touch?”

The girl nodded, doing just that as the room unfurled once again, the second portion of the exam
beginning.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once again, Katsuki went off on his own, Kirishima and Kaminari trailing after him. The rest split
into smaller groups, each one taking a communicator before entering different areas of the disaster
zone. Izuku had formed a group with Shinso, Uraraka, Momo and Jirou, heading to the now
destroyed cityscape to look for bystanders.

Izuku focused his quirk, his senses lighting up with people nearby. None of them were injured, but
some had high levels of cortisol: something the healer had come to recognize as a sign of quirk
usage. He determined those to be other examinees, so he focused on the people with normal vitals,
finding one alone a few feet away. “This way!”

They found what appeared to be a young boy in the rubble, but closer inspection revealed him to be
a very short man in a wig and baseball cap. He had fake blood running down his temple and a
bubble of snot coming from his nose. “Please, help! This building fell on my grampa, he’s stuck
down there!”

Izuku wasn’t sensing anyone else, but he kneeled down in front of the actor. “Everything is going
to be alright, we’re here to help!” He gave the actor a quick peck on the cheek, causing him to let
out a squawk.

“What was that? Did you seriously just kiss me?!”

“Oh, it’s part of my quirk! I can heal people with a kiss.”

“Well, say that next time! Give a guy some warning, jeez! Minus points!”

So the actors are grading us, he realized, wincing as he was docked points off his score. “Your
wounds should be fully healed, now. Toshi, can you please escort him to safety?”

Shinso nodded, and Momo tapped her communicator. “The others say there’s a medical area set up
on the far side of the arena, take him there.”

Shinso led the boy to the safe zone, holding his hand after the actor chastised him for not doing so.
Izuku focused his senses again, finding no one else in the building. “If the grandpa really was
supposed to be here, I’m guessing he’s not alive.”

Momo nodded. “We’ll mark off the area so the ‘body’ can be recovered once the rescue effort is
finished. Come on, there’s still a lot to be done.”

They found more victims thanks to the healer’s senses, a couple with only minor injuries. Izuku
used his gauze to patch them up, turning to the others. “I’ll take them to the medical area and stay
there to assist with triage. Since you have Jirou for search, I’ll be of more use there; I’ll send Toshi
your way if I see him.”

And with that, he escorted the couple to safety. The medical area was rather well put together,
given the scarcity of resources, and Izuku was once again impressed with the level of experience
and professionalism the older students had. The three were met by a Ketsubutsu student, who wrote
down the couple’s injuries before directing them to a different spot.
“You’re a healer, right?” the girl asked the greenette, who nodded. “We have some severely injured
people in that corner, if you wouldn’t mind helping them.”

“Of course.”

Izuku remembered the note the first actor gave him and introduced himself to each patient,
explaining his quirk and asking permission before using it. The exercise reminded him a lot of his
time in the infirmary at UA, and the rhythm of greeting and treating the wounded was almost
calming, in a way.

Izuku almost dismissed the explosion they heard as Katsuki being nearby, until he spotted the hero
Gang Orca rush in with a group of armed men, clearly playing a villain.

“Another large-scale villain attack is underway,” Mera announced, his voice blaring through the
speakers. “Please act accordingly.”

Izuku frowned. Fighting off villains and rescuing people at the same time will be pretty difficult, so
we should have more combat oriented heroes deal with the villains while the rest of us protect the
bystanders.

He tapped his earpiece. “Can you guys hear me? We need to send some of our fighters over to the
villains, but we’ll still need some strong people to protect the victims.”

“I’ll deal with the villains,” Shoto’s voice came through. “Iida and Shoji can continue to protect
the others.”

“I’ll send Toshi back over to the medical area,” Momo added, and Izuku turned to see Shindo
standing nearby.

“I’ve healed as many people as possible,” he told the dark haired boy, “but moving everyone
would be difficult under these circumstances. Do you think you could use your quirk to section off
the ground around us, like you did earlier?”

Shindo paused for a minute, before nodding. “I’m on it.”

The boy placed his palms flat on the ground, creating small tremors facing away from the medical
station. He’d managed to create a small chasm between the injured and the villains heading their
way, but it wouldn’t be enough.

Most of the villains are fully covered, the freckled boy deduced, shuffling the injured closer to the
wall as another hero student erected a small forcefield around them, which means my mist won’t be
as effective against them. I have to hope Shochan and the others can hold the villains off until the
rescue mission is complete.

He tapped his earpiece again. “Everyone: we have the medical area secured, but I don’t know for
how long. Pair up with the other schools if you can, and tell them to bring the injured over from the
East; the villains are currently positioned in the West.”

The others confirmed, and Izuku turned to watch as Gang Orca appeared, paralyzing Shindo with a
sonic attack. “A single hero defending the injured? That’s grossly negligent.”

Izuku grit his teeth, securing the last of the injured already accounted for before slipping through
the forcefield. “I told the others to come in from the East, so keep an eye out. If the fighters can’t
hold Gang Orca back, we may need to retreat.”
“Got it!”

Izuku saw Shoto appear, using his ice to immobilize the grunt villains and distract Gang Orca from
his prey. Izuku moved quickly and quietly over to the fallen Shindo, trying to imitate the technique
he’d seen Camie using. He reached the boy, scanning him. His eardrums were damaged by the
attack, but even without Izuku’s healing there probably wouldn’t be permanent damage. He gave
Shindo a quick peck, before helping him to his feet.

The sounds of arguing drew the healer’s attention back to the fight, where Shoto was bickering
with Inasa, who’d joined the defense effort. Inasa’s wind was disrupting Shoto’s flames, and the
boys’ posturing was beginning to anger the villain.

“Outrageous, you’d really rather fight each other than a dangerous terrorist??” Gang Orca
admonished. His grunts began firing their weapons, now focused completely on the two fighters.
Izuku turned to Shindo.

“Hey, do you think you can still use your quirk?” The other boy nodded, and Izuku continued. “I
have an idea; on my signal, I need you to focus your attack on the grunts again, I’ll do the rest.”

The greenette raced over to Shoto, hiding with him behind his ice wall. “What the hell are you two
doing?? We’re in the middle of a test!”

The two had the decency to looked ashamed, but Izuku pushed on. “Inasa, I need you to make
some wind; keep it circling around the villains, but make a strong gust aimed right for Gang Orca!”

The Shiketsu student blinked, before nodding vigorously. Izuku peeked over to Shindo, who still
hadn’t been noticed by their opponents. “Now, Shindo!”

“Right!”

Shindo activated his quirk once more, the force of the tremor throwing the grunts off balance. A
few of them lost their masks, and Izuku signaled Inasa. The greenette unleashed his mist, floating
on the wind the other boy made and hitting Gang Orca and the others dead on. He put a lot of
power into his mist, wanting to take down as many as possible.

Mora from Shiketsu and more of class 1-A joined them, and Izuku focused his mist only on Gang
Orca, who was still advancing. Shoto attacked with more ice, giving Izuku time to slip away as
Inasa and Shoto combined their attacks, sharp icicles slicing into the villain.

Gang Orca managed to interrupt their attack with more sonar waves, and Izuku shot forward,
aiming an aerial kick at the man’s head. He blocked it, and Izuku swung in close, leveraging his
body on Gang Orca’s bracer and powering up his quirk.

The buzzer sounded, and Mera’s voiced filled the arena once more. “All HUC members have been
successfully evacuated; the test is now complete.”

Pink mist dissipated from Izuku’s mouth, the boy sheepishly letting go of Gang Orca’s arm. The
hero nodded to him before leaving the arena, Izuku watching him go.

As he made for the exit, the greenette spared a glance to Shoto and Inasa, both boys appearing
downtrodden.

He sighed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shoto felt the weight of his failure as he realized his name wasn’t listed among those who passed,
his disappointment overwhelming.

As he’d fought Gang Orca, he’d incorrectly assumed Inasa had appeared to show him up, as a play
for Izuku’s favor. Then, when the other boy began spitting vitriol about Endeavor, Shoto realized
his animosity was mainly due to his hatred for Shoto’s father. He hadn’t understood why he should
bear the brunt of his father’s criticisms, until he remembered the day of the recommendation
exams; he’d raced against the wind user, and had been cruel and dismissive towards him when
Inasa tried to reach out. The Shiketsu student no doubt believed him to be just another version of
the flame hero because of his behavior, the dual toned boy unable to properly refute it as he had
indeed been acting just like his father would.

He felt stupid, and his failure reflected that stupidity. He could find some small comfort in
knowing he wasn’t the only UA student who didn’t pass, Bakugo seconds away from exploding.

It shouldn’t have been a surprise that the blond failed, but it was. Shoto had seen him, albeit
begrudgingly, be less hostile in situations that called for a gentler touch, and the explosive boy
could almost be sweet when around Izuku. Then again, Shoto knew Bakugo had an intensely
competitive spirit; if he’d let his ambition come before his rescue efforts, the H.U.C. And
Commission evaluators would certainly take note of it.

Their assigned supervisors came out with packets for them, containing their evaluations and a list
of their shortcomings. Shoto heard Bakugo snarl something about ‘poor social skills’ and
‘terrifying presence,’ while some of his friends preened over their results.

Izuku was pouting next to a laughing Shinso. “They said my work was good, but that I need to
work on my initial response. And they said I was bossy.”

“That’s because you are bossy,” the purple haired boy teased, grinning.

Shoto made to join them, when Inasa approached, his expression filled with regret. “Todoroki, I’m
sorry; I was acting immature, and I caused you to fail.”

Shoto was surprised by this; he’d thought himself the guiltier party in their interaction, spurred on
by his own competitive instincts. It was a mature gesture, to admit fault and apologize so openly,
and the dual toned boy could respect that much about the Shiketsu student, if nothing else. Inasa
bowed, and Shoto gave him a curt nod. “I’m sorry too, I let the competition get the best of me, and
I shouldn’t have fought with you.”

Inasa turned to Izuku. “I’m sorry to you, too; you shouldn’t have had to step in like that, but you
seriously helped us out.”

Izuku huffed. “Next time, save the bickering for after the test.”

Shinso was laughing again. “See? Bossy.”

Despite the situation, Shoto smiled softly.

“For those of you who didn’t pass,” Mera announced, “We will be holding a special makeup exam
after you complete a three month supplementary course. We want to see each and every one of you
go on to become top heroes, so I hope you’ll take this opportunity to learn from your mistakes and
grow.”

Shoto’s heart lightened at the opportunity for redemption. Izuku was beaming brightly at both he
and Inasa, talking a mile a minute about how they could improve before the makeup exam. Shoto
only half listened, too absorbed in what Mera had just said; he could still get his provisional
license.

He just had to prove himself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As they made for the buses to return to campus, Izuku was intercepted by Aizawa. “Midoriya, we
have a situation.”

The healer turned to his teacher. “There was an incident at the other exam site, a student has been
severely injured and they’re asking for you.”

“Me?”

The man gave him a wry smile. “You’re licensed now, better get used to it.”

Aizawa was right; it would be his new reality, being shuttled from one injured hero to the next
with his newly earned freedoms and, though it was daunting, Izuku was ready for the challenge.

The freckled boy nodded to the hero, his expression determined. “Right. Let’s go.”
 Kiss A Girl
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Izuku and Aizawa took a separate car to the hospital where the student was being treated, the rest
of 1-A riding back to campus without them.

The two entered the building, getting the girl’s room number and taking the elevator to the correct
floor. The greenette’s mind immediately went to their visit to the Hosu hospital, when he’d treated
Ingenium. He hoped this time his patient fared better than the hero had. Izuku was surprised to see
Vlad King waiting outside her room, along with a shaken Monoma.

“Vlad,” Aizawa addressed him. “What’s the situation.”

“Monoma here used Midoriya’s quirk on the girl, and now she’s in critical condition,” the man
said gruffly, his tone worried despite the stony look on his face.

Izuku gave him a quizzical look, before he remembered. “This morning, when you were pinching
my cheeks… you were just doing it to copy my quirk, weren’t you?”

Monoma nodded. “I can store a copy of someone’s quirk in my body for about a day if I don’t
activate it, but once I do I only have about five minutes to use it.”

“She was injured during the exam, and Monoma was attempting to rescue her. I didn’t catch her
name…”

“It’s Yoshida,” Monoma said, eyes glued to the floor as he spoke. “Tsumugi Yoshida.”

“Monoma?” Izuku had never seen the smarmy boy so shaken.

“I- I don’t know what I did wrong…” the blond continued, his hands trembling at his sides. “I was
trying to heal her, just like you do Midoriya, but she started writhing and crying out in pain…”

“The doctors are saying her organs are twisted, and the wounds she has aren’t clotting,” Vlad told
Izuku. “We need your help, Midoriya.”

Izuku gulped, but nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

The greenette stepped into the room, eyes widening in horror as he looked at Yoshida. Her
appendages were twisted in unnatural ways, her skin a mottled purple in several places. Her breaths
were shallow and raspy, and Izuku could sense multiple abnormalities within her.

This is horrible, he thought, moving to her side. Monoma did this with my quirk? I didn’t think
something like this would even be possible…

He introduced himself to her, before explaining the reason behind his visit.
“Please,” Yoshida croaked out. “Just make it stop…make it stop…”

Izuku blew a small puff of mist into her face, sedating her. Once she was under, he placed a quick
kiss to her cheek, her bones creaking as they snapped back into place.

This is taking longer than usual, he noted, Yoshida’s injuries still mostly present. Maybe it’s
because it was technically my quirk that did this… that would mean any damage I do to someone
with my quirk will be harder for me to reverse than any physical damage I do. It’s definitely
something to keep in mind…

He gave her another quick peck, her injuries finally beginning to lessen after about ten minutes as
her body healed. Her organs shifted back into place, cells revitalizing and returning a healthy color
to her skin. Her breathing evened out as the last of her injuries healed, a peaceful look on her face.
Izuku breathed a sigh of relief.

When he joined the others, he gave them a shaky smile. “She’s going to be okay.”

The teachers looked relieved, and Monoma burst into tears. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt
anyone, I just-“

“It’s not your fault,” Izuku told him. “Not really. If I had known you’d copied it, I could’ve warned
you. I use my quirk to heal people, but technically speaking it’s more of a biology manipulation
quirk. I use it to heal, but it could easily be used to harm someone as well.”

“But- but I didn’t mean to harm her,” Monoma insisted.

“We believe you,” Vlad assured him, “but it sounds like Midoriya’s quirk is complicated; you
using it without knowing all the facts caused a real problem, and we’re lucky that Midoriya was
able to fix it.”

Aizawa took in the information with a small frown, his mind racing. He shook his head. “In any
case, we should leave her to the professionals now, and get these two back to campus.”

Vlad nodded, and the teachers led their students outside, a car picking the group up and taking
them to UA.

During the ride, Izuku tried to get the blond’s mind off what he’d done. “So Monoma, did you
manage to pass the licensing exam?”

The boy smiled softly, sniffling. “I did. I think I would’ve lost more points because of what
happened, if Mr. Kan hadn’t argued on my behalf. I’m lucky…”

Izuku debated it, but decided to tell the boy about 1-A’s losses, knowing in some demented way it
would cheer him up.

Monoma did perk up slightly, though it looked to be mostly for show. “Isn’t that interesting? All of
1-B managed to pass and yet 1-A couldn’t, I guess that proves that we are the superior class!”

The greenette just smiled, happy to see Monoma more like himself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As they neared the 1-A dorms, Aizawa stopped the healer. “Tomorrow the teachers are having a
mandatory staff meeting, and Nezu asked you be there as well.”
Izuku wanted to ask the man what it was about, but from the irritation on his face, he guessed
Aizawa didn’t know either. “Okay; I’ll be there, sir.”

“Good. Goodnight, Midoriya.”

“Goodnight.”

Once inside, Izuku was unsurprised to see a small party going, the others celebrating their new
licenses. The greenette pulled his own out, smiling at the unflattering photo of himself splashed
across the front.

“It doesn’t look that bad,” Shinso told him, showing the freckled boy his own photo, which made
him look even more exhausted than normal.

Ashido was bouncing off the walls with excitement, the pink skinned girl’s grin wider than Izuku
had ever seen it. “Isn’t this the best?! And I heard that the school is gonna lift the lockdown soon,
so we can go off campus again! Once we’re allowed, you and I are going shopping, Izu!”

“Great…” Izuku muttered, the girl’s words conjuring up images of skimpy clothes and long hours
at the mall.

Momo was celebrating her license with Hatsume in the Support dorms, according to Uraraka, and
Kirishima and Kaminari had gone to celebrate with the 1-B students.

Across the room, Izuku locked eyes with Katsuki, the blond nodding to the stairs. The greenette
followed him to the second floor landing, the hot head unusually quiet.

“Where did you and Eraser go?”

“Oh, we went to the hospital; a girl from one of the other testing sites was in bad shape, so I helped
take care of her.”

Katsuki let out a huff. “So, you’ve started your hero work already, huh?”

Izuku blinked. Technically it could be considered hero work, but the greenette had been doing
something similar since his fourth week at UA, when he’d begun working in the infirmary.

Katsuki stared at the ground, his expression softer than it had been a moment ago. “I- I’m happy
for you; I’m glad you got your license, but…”

“But you wanted to pass, too.”

The blond nodded harshly. “My goals haven’t changed, Deku; I’ll get my license, then I’ll become
the number one hero, just you watch!”

“I believe you,” Izuku told him, and he did; he knew his childhood friend to be strong and
ambitious, and he knew that, one day, he’d become the greatest hero there was.

Katsuki’s face scrunched up, like he’d tasted something foul. “For that to happen, I have to give
this supplemental class my all, no holding back! I- I probably won’t be around as much because of
it, so I wanted to set things straight: my feelings for you haven’t changed either, and I will prove
myself to you, but I need some time.”

Izuku hadn’t expected the blond to say that, but he wasn’t surprised. In truth, with his own work
study likely on the horizon, they’d be out of each other’s orbits anyways, unless they ended up at
the same agency. He figured Shoto would be telling him something similar as well. He was hurt,
and he couldn’t help the small part of him that felt like he was being punished for their missteps,
but he squashed those feelings down.

He could see the hurt on Katsuki’s face that likely mirrored his own; it was clear the blond didn’t
want to put their relationship on hold, but it would be necessary for him in order to make up for his
failing the first exam.

It doesn’t make it okay, Izuku thought as he took the other boy’s hand, but if I want to make things
work, I’ll have to be strong for us both.

“I- I understand, Kaachan… I wish I could say I’m okay with it, but to be honest I’m going to miss
you. Hopefully, we’ll have time to figure our situation out later; but for right now, what’s important
is you getting your license, so you can go back to kicking ass!”

Katsuki gave him a mock gasp. “What’s this? The princess is swearing?!”

Izuku wrinkled his nose, but smiled at the other boy. “I have my moments.” His breath caught as
Katsuki drew closer, boxing him in.

“Just so you know, I’m gonna kiss the crap out of you once this remedial crap is over,” the blond
muttered lowly in Izuku’s ear.

The greenette flushed, but gave him a shy smile. “W-well, technically it hasn’t started yet, s-so if
you w-wanted…”

Katsuki’s grin sharpened, and he leaned in.

Downstairs the others could hear a loud thump, and Ashido turned to Shinso and Uraraka. “Five
bucks says Izu knocked one of his boyfriends out by accident again.”

“I’m not taking a losing bet,” Shinso muttered, and Uraraka giggled.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The following day, Izuku joined Aizawa and his other teachers at the staff meeting, the adults
confused by his presence.

“Young Midoriya,” All Might said, watching as the boy took a seat next to Aizawa. “Did you need
something?”

“I asked for Midoriya to join us today, at least for the first half of this meeting,” Nezu said
cheerfully, plopping down in the seat at the head of the conference table, “as it pertains to him and
his new provisional license.”

Izuku looked to him. “What do you mean?”

“Well, now that you’re licensed, the Hero Commission has agreed to let you use your quirk on the
adults on campus, in the event of an emergency.”

“Oh, that’s great news!”

Nezu nodded, smiling. “It’s a step in the right direction, but it also means we must take additional
steps to ensure your safety and comfort here at UA; which is why each and every member of the
faculty must now take part in a three hour seminar on proper teacher-student conduct!”
The small creature smiled sadistically as the adults groaned and Izuku covered his face with his
hands. Nezu had a representative from the Commission come to speak, the man looking just as
bored as Mera had during the licensing exam. Midnight had gotten to speak at one point on the
importance of consent, brandishing her whip enthusiastically as Izuku sunk lower into his chair.

It’s not like I’ll be making out with my teachers, the boy thought, the seminar coming to a close.
They’re just harmless cheek kisses…

Once the seminar was over and the Commission rep had left, Nezu took the floor once again.
“Now that we’ve got that settled, there’s something else I wanted to bring to everyone’s attention: a
girl from Shiketsu Academy has been reported as missing. Her name is Camie Utsushimi, her last
known location the Dagoba Testing Arena.”

Izuku perked up at the name, remembering her as the girl with the disappearing technique. It
wouldn’t make sense for her to use it after the exam ended, but as the greenette thought about it, he
didn’t remember seeing her at all once the second portion of the exam started.

“It’s likely the girl went off on her own voluntarily,” the principal continued, “but we can’t rule out
the possibility that she was taken, either.”

Midnight looked to him. “You think the League of Villains is responsible.”

“It’s possible,” he conceded, his smile faltering. “But I can’t help but wonder, why her? Glamour
is an interesting quirk, but it’s not exactly powerful.”

Izuku started. “Glamour? Is that what her power is listed as?”

“Yes; Camie’s quirk allows her to create illusions from a mist she expels from her mouth, much
like your own mist, Midoriya.”

The greenette shook his head, eyes wide. “The girl I met had a transformation quirk, not an illusory
one. That means-“

“It wasn’t the real Camie,” Aizawa finished, his expression stony. “I think it’s pretty clear this is
the work of villains.”

“But why infiltrate the exams?” Snipe asked. “No one was harmed, no one else taken… why
bother with the pretense?”

“Perhaps they were keeping an eye on someone,” Nezu commented lightly, his beady eyes flitting
over to the healer. Izuku frowned.

So, the League is keeping tabs on me, or maybe all of us…

“In any case, we need to find out what they’re planning,” All Might said, standing from his seat.
“I’ll pay a visit to Tartarus, see what I can find out from All For One.”

Nezu nodded. “I believe that would be best; Midoriya, the school’s lockdown ends today and,
while I don’t want to place you under house arrest, I urge you to be cautious when leaving
campus.”

Aizawa’s eyes flitted to him. “Perhaps we should; after all, Midoriya’s been taken by them once
before, who’s to say they won’t try to take him again?”

“I don’t necessarily think that’s their goal,” Midnight chimed in, adjusting her glasses. “If it was,
they would’ve had plenty of opportunities to take him at the exam. I believe this was a surveillance
mission.”

She turned to the boy. “Did you say anything of note to this girl, or she you?”

“We talked a little about stealth techniques,” he told her, “and she asked about my quirk.”

The teachers looked to each other. Aizawa sighed.

“As much as I’d like to keep you locked in your room,” Aizawa said, arms crossed, “you’re
technically allowed to fight back in emergency situations now. Just, please, promise me you’ll be
careful.”

Izuku assured him he would, then the meeting adjourned.

“I’d like to meet with you again soon, to discuss the incident regarding Monoma using your quirk,”
the principal told him as the other teachers left. “I have a theory as to why it happened, and I’d like
your opinion on it.”

Izuku agreed to a meeting later in the week before departing, a worried frown on his face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Toga smiled as she entered the hideout, dropping her disguise. She’d had so much fun playing the
ditzy Shiketsu girl, and ZuZu had even asked her about one of her special techniques! She let out a
dreamy sigh, cherishing the memory.

The others greeted her as she walked through the apartment, a fairly large space tucked away in
Tokyo proper. Shigaraki had rented it for himself, Kurogiri, Toga and Spinner to stay in under a
false identity, the others having their own accommodations spread out through the city. The girl
found her boss with Kurogiri in the dining/meeting room, the table littered with newspaper
clippings, police reports and surveillance images.

“Well?” Shigaraki asked her, blood red eyes meeting her yellow ones.

“I found out ZuZu’s mist attack works through skin contact,” she told him. “Breathing it in helps,
but it’s not necessary for activation.”

“I see…”

“A full body suit like Twice’s makes it harder for the mist to kick in,” she continued, “but not
impossible.”

Shigaraki nodded, not thanking the girl but not criticizing her either, which was practically a
compliment from the blue haired villain. Once Toga left, he turned to Kurogiri. “We need to keep
increasing our numbers if we’re going to go through with this operation; have the others each take
a different city to begin recruitment.”

“Yes, Shigaraki.”

The man dismissed his advisor, turning his attention back to the photos in front of him. They were
of Izuku, taken during his time with the League in Kamino, and playing on a tablet was the
greenette’s press conference speech, where he had so boldly claimed that the villains wouldn’t win
the war to come. The villain grinned to himself.
“Only a matter of time, Izuku…”
 Kiss the Dirt
Chapter Notes

Hi, everyone! Here’s the latest chapter, enjoy!

On the first day of their second semester, class 1-A waited impatiently for their teacher to arrive.

“Do you think he’ll bring up the work studies first thing, or make us do a bunch of boring school
stuff instead?” Kaminari asked, leaning over to Jirou.

The girl shrugged. “He didn’t say anything about them after we got our licenses, so who knows.”

When Aizawa did finally arrive, his students scrambling to their seats, he was joined by three
familiar upperclassmen, who zeroed in on 1-A’s healer.

“Sweetheart!” They chirped in unison, causing Izuku’s cheeks to flush. Behind him, the greenette
could hear Shinso and Momo snickering at him, and he turned to glare at them.

UA’s Big Three had been brought in to discuss the work studies program, Aizawa slinking over to
his desk and slumping into his seat. Amajiki was meant to speak first, but the shy boy’s stage fright
got the better of him as he simply turned to face the wall. Nejire got completely off topic, flitting
from student to student to ask them personal questions and never stopping long enough for them to
answer.

Finally Mirio addressed the class, the chipper blond getting an unenthusiastic response from his
bad jokes.

“Wow, even you Midoriya? Normally I can get at least a pity laugh out of you,” the blond said
brightly.

Izuku shook his head. “Normally you’ve got a concussion, and I’m trying my best to keep you
awake while you heal.”

“Very true! Anyways, why talk about work studies when I can show you? I’ve got a great idea;
The three of us should give you a demonstration, by taking you guys on in a fight!”

Katsuki was smirking at the chance to punch the older boy in the face, but the rest of the class
looked apprehensive.

“Is this really allowed, Mr. Aizawa?” Iida asked, eyeing Mirio warily.

The man shrugged, cracking one eye open. He looked bored, but there was a glimmer of
amusement as he said, “I don’t see the harm. Put on your gym clothes and meet us at Gym Gamma
in ten minutes.”

Once reassembled, Izuku noted that the Big Three were also in their gym clothes and, with a start,
the greenette remembered something Mirio had told him about his quirk. “Mirio, wait! Shouldn’t
you be in your costume, so that…you know…”
Mirio blinked, before giving him a big smile. “Oh, don’t worry! The Support students reinforced
my gym clothes so my quirk won’t affect them, so you won’t be seeing me naked today.”

“N-naked?!” Hagakure squeaked.

“TODAY?? HE WON’T BE SEEING YOU NAKED EVER, YOU BASTARD!” Katsuki snarled.

“Wait, does that mean you know what his quirk is?” Jirou asked, turning to the freckled boy.

Before he could respond, Mirio called out, “Keep those lips sealed, Midoriya! Break room secrets
stay in the break room!”

Ashido blinked. “Secrets… break room… naked…” she let out a loud gasp, pointing an accusatory
finger at Mirio. “You defiled my friend in some break room, didn’t you?!”

The gym fell silent as Izuku turned to look at the girl in horror. “Ashido, what?!?”

“So that’s what you meant that night at the training camp,” Uraraka muttered, remembering the
topic of the healer’s first kiss.

Izuku’s face turned an alarming shade of red as his classmates turned to glare daggers at the
smiling upperclassman, even the normally disinterested Aizawa quirking a brow at him. “Y-you
guys, it’s not like that at all! Mirio and I worked together at Sir Nighteye’s agency during the
internships, and we talked a bit about our quirks! That’s all!”

Next to him, Shinso was shaking in barely repressed laughter, his face red from holding it in.

“Enough talk,” Shoto said lowly, his eyes flashing dangerously. “We came here to fight.”

Mirio assessed each student, before smiling brightly. “All right, let’s do this!”

They split into three groups: Nejire facing off against Momo, Shoji, Uraraka, Asui, Kaminari,
Ojiro and Sero; Amajiki against Sato, Kirishima, Shinso, Hagakure, Tokoyami and Koda; and
Mirio against Shoto, Katsuki, Jirou, Iida, Aoyama, Ashido and Izuku.

As Nejire and Amajiki fought their students on either side of the gym, Mirio disappeared in a flash
in the center, popping up in front of Jirou and landing a firm punch before disappearing again.

“The hell? Deku, what is this?!” Katsuki barked, trying to catch the slippery upperclassmen as he
made short work of the others.

Izuku’s mist wasn’t making enough contact with the older boy to slow him down, and Katsuki and
Shoto were growing frustrated as Mirio phased through all of their attacks. The older boy shot
through the wall of ice Shoto put up and took him down, Katsuki and Izuku moving closer together
as they became the last two students standing.

He’s been ducking underneath the ground and popping up in different spots to confuse us, the
greenette deduced, keeping his guard up. No doubt he’ll go for an attack from behind next.

A grunt from behind him confirmed this, and Izuku whirled around in time to see Katsuki hit the
ground, a hand on his stomach and murder in his eyes.

Before he could react, a blur shot up from the ground and surged toward him. Izuku dodged the hit,
countering with a roundhouse kick that phased right through the blond’s head. Soon Mirio was
right in front of him, Izuku bracing himself for the hit.
It never came.

Instead, Mirio leaned down, bopping the tip of the greenette’s nose with his index finger.
“Gotcha.”

He stood upright, ignoring Katsuki’s insults and Shoto’s icy glare as he addressed the class. “I
hope you all learned something from this.”

From the other groups, Izuku could see his classmates in similar situations, the Big Three’s skill
evident in the pained expressions of their opponents.

“Yeah we did, your quirk is way too strong!” Ashido complained, rubbing her stomach gingerly.

“Actually, it’s the opposite: my quirk lets me pass through solid objects, but it isn’t very flashy or
powerful. I had to train really hard to get to where I am, and you all can do it too! Being UA
students trains us to be heroes, but as work study students, you get to be heroes! That’s why we
train so hard, and why we constantly have to think of new ways to use our quirks.”

He turned to Izuku. “Midoriya has the least combat oriented quirk out of everyone here; in fact, I’d
say it’s anti-combat! But he found ways to use it to fight, and during our battle he predicted my
movements, and almost caught me off guard! I see that same potential in all of you, so keep that in
mind as you move on to becoming semi-pro heroes!”

He flashed them another bright smile, most of the students begrudgingly coming around to the
blond’s cheery disposition. They thanked him as well as the other Big Three members before
returning to class, Katsuki and Shoto keeping Izuku firmly between them.

“Damn bastard, thinks he’s so slick, touching your nose like that…” Kastuski grumbled, while
Shoto merely stewed in silence, his expression stony.

Personally, Izuku thought they were being a bit overprotective; Mirio could be flirty, but that was
just who he was. The greenette was used to the blond’s flirtations thanks to all their time spent
together in the infirmary and, since he’d never made any overtures, Izuku was sure he didn’t mean
anything by it.

Once they’d returned to class, Aizawa addressed his students. “I hope you now have a better
understanding of what being a work-studies student means; however, the school hasn’t yet decided
whether or not to approve you for them this semester. With everything that’s happened the last few
months, there are understandably some concerns.”

The hero’s expression intensified as he stared down his students. “Just know that, if your work
studies are approved, you’ll have to be model students and follow your mentor’s instructions to the
letter, or we’ll shut the program down for the rest of the year; do I make myself clear?”

At the nods of confirmation, Aizawa relaxed.

“Good.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

All Might tensed his jaw as the car pulled through the gates of Tartarus, the massive prison walls
bleak and uninviting. The hero took on his muscle form, filling out his Golden Age costume that
had been loose and baggy on his skinny form.

The hero donned his muscle form mostly for appearances, though it didn’t really matter anymore;
the whole world knew he wasn’t the invincible champion they’d thought him before, and the blond
could only imagine the consequences of such information coming to light.

He greeted the guards who took him to the lowest level of the underground prison, bypassing all
the other floors in search of his target. When he finally entered the room he was looking for, All
For One was already seated on the other side of the glass, strapped into his chair by both his
restraints and life support equipment.

The villain was a horrifying sight: He’d lost both his eyes and most of his facial features in a fight
with the number one hero several years prior, as well as sustaining severe damage to most of his
organs. It was through several unknown quirks and advanced technologies that the man was still
breathing, a twisted smile on his face as All Might sat down.

“I was wondering when you’d finally show up,” the villain said casually, his voice smooth and his
tone elegant. He spoke with poise and a vocabulary that indicated a classical education, or at the
very least a penchant for reading the classics. “Locked away hundreds of feet underground, with
nothing to do and no one to converse with, my mind is rotting from boredom.”

“I’m sure you’ll live,” All Might quipped back, a frown on his normally smiling face. “Now, tell
me where Shigaraki and the rest of the League are hiding.”

The villain shrugged, twisted smile still in place. “I haven’t the slightest idea; you may still think
I’ve been pulling the strings this whole time, and admittedly I’ve had a hand in many of the events
taking place recently, but I’ve allowed my protégé the freedom to make all of the decisions
regarding his ‘League of Villains.’ I’d say he’s mostly failed in his schemes, but I still see so much
promise in him.”

“You’re letting an unstable man child wreak havoc on innocent people and high school students,”
All Might spat.

“Consider it a learning exercise, much like the ones I’m sure you implement at UA: Tomura’s only
goal for many years was to kill the Symbol of Peace, mainly out of loyalty to me. It’s flattering, but
not the right motivation for the kind of villainy I expect him to achieve. His attack on the USJ was
preemptive, but it taught him the value of seeking powerful allies as opposed to lowly thugs
looking for a paycheck. Then came your school’s highly anticipated Sports Festival, and he got his
first glimpse of his new goal.”

Young Midoriya, the hero thought, gritting his teeth.

As if he could read his mind, All For One chuckled. “Yes, the young healer and UA’s Sweetheart.
A poor move on your part, broadcasting such a rare, powerful quirk for all the world to see.
Tomura saw Midoriya’s incredible healing abilities and wanted him for his League; attempting to
recruit the Hero Killer Stain, unleashing the Nomu throughout Hosu, cornering the boy at the mall,
all pieces of a bigger puzzle. His Vanguard Action Squad took the boy from you embarrassingly
fast, and in doing so my protégé managed to obtain his prize and undermine all of hero society at
the same time. I must admit, I was almost impressed by it.”

“But we got Young Midoriya back,” All Might argued, crossing his arms over his chest. “And took
you down in the process.”

All For One was unfazed. “It was bound to happen eventually, my being captured in this weakened
state. I’m glad I was able to meet the healer before my capture, it helped to put things into
perspective for me. You may have Midoriya back for now, but the boy clearly has no qualms
aiding the opposite side if it suits him.”
“He’s a healer, it’s his duty to save people, no matter how wretched they may be.”

“Believe what you will, but I see what Midoriya will do for Tomura. He’s obsessed with the boy,
even fancies himself in love with him, I’d wager, and that obsession will lead to one of two futures:
Either Tomura will claim Midoriya as his prize, and the two will go on to destroy this disgusting
world of heroes, or Midoriya will reject him, time and time again, and that rejection will destroy
what little remains of Tomura’s stony heart. In either case, Tomura will carry out the grand design
I always had for this world, and if he has to kill the boy to do so, then so be it.”

All Might had to fight every instinct in his body telling him to leap through the glass and smash his
fist into the smug villain’s face.

“I may not have the senses your young healer has,” the villain continued, “yet even I can tell your
strength is fading fast. That stolen power of your is eating away at your body, just as it did every
holder that came before you. I don’t know how you managed to hold out for so many years, but the
inevitable is catching up to you. At this rate, I’d say you have a few months at most before that
immense power rips you apart.”

The intercom buzzed, letting All Might know his time was up. With one final sneer at All For One,
the hero exited the sterile room, trudging back to the elevator with dread pooling in his stomach.

Young Midoriya…

When he returned to UA to give Nezu his report, he omitted the villain’s plans for Midoriya and
Shigaraki. The small creature gave him a suspicious look, but didn’t press him for more
information.

If I had told him the truth, the hero reasoned as he left the principal’s office, Young Midoriya
would never be allowed to do a work study, and he’d fall behind his fellow classmates because of
it. I can’t let that happen; even if he isn’t my successor, I firmly believe Young Midoriya will be
vital to the legacy of One For All.
 Kiss It Better
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Izuku sat across from Nezu in the principal’s office, their meeting taking place an hour before
school began.

“I’ve already received the reports from the licensing examiners, as well as the doctors at the
hospital Miss Yoshida was taken to after the incident with Monoma,” Nezu told him, sipping some
tea. “It seems that during the second half of the exam, much like yours, the students had to perform
a rescue mission. Miss Yoshida was harmed while fighting off Fourth Kind, the hero tasked with
playing the lead villain in the exercise, and Monoma attempted to use the quirk he’d copied from
you to heal her.”

Izuku nodded, he’d heard more or less the same thing from the blond at the hospital. “I don’t quite
understand why he wasn’t able to help her; even when I knew next to nothing about my quirk or
about the human body, I was always able to heal others with it, no problem.”

“I believe in this instance it has less to do with the quirk, and more with who wields it. Tell me, can
you remember the first time you were able to use your quirk?”

He nodded, telling the principal about healing Hatsume when she’d fallen out of a tree. “I didn’t
think anything was going to happen, I just… I’ve always liked making people feel better when
they’re hurt. I carried bandaids around with me as a kid, and I’d always try to kiss Mei and
Kaachan’s injuries, to make them better. When I kissed Mei’s cheek that day, and it actually healed
her…”

Nezu smiled. “From the moment we met, I knew you to be a kind and nurturing soul, Midoriya.
Despite your lack of knowledge and experience, despite the hopelessness of the situation, I’ve
watched you bring not one, but two people back from the brink of death; that kind of compassion
can’t be taught, Midoriya, and I believe it to be the foundation of your power.”

The healer blinked. “So, you think Monoma wasn’t able to heal that girl because he’s not…
compassionate enough?”

“Not quite; I believe Monoma was unable to heal Miss Yoshida because he lacks both a
fundamental understanding of medicine and the human body, and because his drive to help others
is not stronger than his drive to succeed. Had he possessed a comparable knowledge of anatomy,
he could have easily used your quirk to heal her, but we must remember that your quirk is biology
manipulation, first and foremost. You use it to heal others because, at your core, you value healing
and helping others above all else; that’s why your power works for you the way it does.”

“I see… and now, because I understand the human body much better than I did before, I’m able to
create more complex biological responses than just healing,” Izuku surmised, muttering to himself.
The principal nodded, sipping his tea. “I have no doubt that, in the wrong hands, your quirk could
be devastating. I’m happy to know it’s unlikely you’ll accidentally harm someone with your quirk,
but the more you can learn about it, the better. That brings me to the second topic I wish to address:
After a lengthy discussion, myself, the teachers and the school board have decided to approve the
first year hero students for the work study program.”

The greenette beamed. “That’s wonderful!”

“We’ve had to implement some precautionary measures, I’m afraid; only agencies with proven
track records can take on work study students this semester, so many of the agencies your
classmates had internships with won’t be viable.”

“Oh… but, I did mine with Recovery Girl, sort of, and went to a bunch of different agencies… will
I be doing something similar for my work study?”

Nezu gave him another smile. “My, you certainly are a clever one. Yes, I’d like you to do part of
your work study with Recovery Girl again, but you’ll also be able to choose an agency to work
with for the rest of it. Once you’ve chosen an agency, we can create a shift schedule for you, so the
two don’t overlap. Working with Recovery Girl will fulfill the healer experience you’ll need, so be
sure to pick an agency that will cover the rest.”

Izuku nodded, already having one in mind.

Recovery Girl had been thrilled when Izuku stopped by the infirmary to tell her the news, the older
woman giving him a sweet smile.

“I was hoping we’d get to work together again,” she told him, handing him a folded piece of cloth,
“so I had this made, just in case.”

It was a white lab coat, much like the one he’d worn before, but with a few alterations. The buttons
were green, and the back panel had pink kiss marks in a pattern very similar to the one on his hero
costume. On the breast pocket in green stitching was his hero name, ‘Pucker Up’ written in loopy
cursive.

“I did the stitching myself,” she told him proudly, and Izuku’s eyes welled up with tears.

“Th-thank you so much…” he sniffled, clutching the coat to his chest. “I’ll treasure it forever!”

Recovery Girl smiled.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

During lunch, Izuku found himself sandwiched between Shoto and Katsuki, with Mei, Momo and
Shinso sitting opposite them.

The two remedial students would have little free time once the remedial courses began, and as such
had made sure to always eat lunch with the greenette. Izuku was happy to spend time with them,
but was confused as to how he should feel about their new situation. It was clear to him that neither
Kaachan nor Shochan wanted to go on a break, but had to out of necessity. The healer was
unfortunately reminded of their new distance every time he got close to one of them, and it made
his heart hurt.

Instead of dwelling on it, Izuku instead turned to Shinso, who was chatting with Hatsume.

“The smoke pellets you made for me worked perfectly during the exam,” the purple haired boy
told her.

Hatsume grinned. “Just you wait, Toshi! I’ll have plenty of babies for you to test out during your
work study!”

Izuku looked to him. “Oh, have you found one already, Shinso?”

The other boy nodded. “It’s tentative; Amajiki wants me and Kirishima to meet with Fatgum, to see
if he’ll take us on.”

“That’s wonderful!” Momo chirped, smiling at her friend. “Nejire wants to introduce myself,
Uraraka and Tsu to Ryukyu, and I heard Aoyama is going to ask Best Jeanist about working for his
agency.”

“Those two would be perfect for each other,” Izuku piped up, remembering the pro hero’s love of
style and fashion.

“Yeah, yeah,” Hatsume flapped her hand, nearly smacking Shinso with it. “Just make sure to let
those big hero agencies know I’ve got a storage room full of babies for them to try!”

Izuku giggled as his friend grew more and more passionate while talking about her inventions, and
spared a glance to Katsuki, who was frowning. The healer instantly felt guilty about their current
topic, and turned back to his food, finishing his meal quietly.

When lunch ended, both Shoto and Katsuki pulled the greenette aside before heading back to class.

“We don’t want you to feel bad about getting to do a work study just because we can’t,” Shoto told
him. “It’s our own fault we failed, and you shouldn’t carry that burden.”

Kastuski was still frowning, but said, “Icy hot is right; we fucked up on our own, that’s on us.”

Izuku gave them a sad smile. “I just wish we could’ve done this together…”

Katsuki smirked, stepping forward. “Don’t start crying just yet, Deku. I’ll get my license and then
you’ll be stuck with me.”

Shoto gave the blond a withering look. “Unless he ends up with me.”

“Dream on, Icy hot!”

Izuku let out a sigh as the two squabbled.

If nothing else, at least the arguing hasn’t changed…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“You want to come work at Sir’s agency with me?”

At Izuku’s nod, Mirio’s face split into a wide grin. “That’s totally awesome, Midoriya! I’m sure
that Sir will agree, he really took a liking to you after your internship.”

“Nezu wants me to spend part of my work study with Recovery Girl again,” the greenette
mentioned, the two walking back to the dorms after class had ended, “but I’m hoping to spend the
rest of it with Sir Nighteye; he had a lot of interesting ideas for my quirk, and I think I can learn a
lot from him.”
“You’ll have to come talk to him yourself this weekend,” Mirio told him, “but I can’t imagine he’d
say no. Oh man, this is gonna be so much fun!”

When the weekend finally came, Izuku sat in the lobby of Sir Nighteye’s agency, fully in costume.

“Sir and Bubble Girl are in a meeting right now,” Mirio told him, standing from his seat next to the
healer. “I’ll go check to see if they’re finished; sit tight!”

The blond left, and Izuku turned to stare out the window. Nighteye will probably say yes, but I
should think of some backups, just in case. Gunhead wasn’t on the list of approved agencies,
Jeanist could be an option, though he and Aoyama together might be a bit much…Endeavor likely
won’t take anyone since Shochan doesn’t have his license, and he’s not the nicest person
anyways…

Izuku was pulled from his musings as he spied a small crowd gathered outside on the street, some
people looking to be holding up their phones, recording something.

Protestors, maybe? I wonder what’s going on…

Against his better judgement, the greenette swiftly stood and made for the exit, heading out onto
the street. The crowd was clearly harassing someone, a hunched over figure hiding their face
behind their hoodie. There was a woman screaming at them, her face red from exertion.

“Monsters like you shouldn’t be allowed out during the day,” she spat, her eyes burning. “Normal
people like us shouldn’t have to look at you!”

The healer caught a glimpse of the figure’s hand, covered in scales, and guessed them to be a
heteromorph.

Those people are harassing them for their mutation, Izuku realized, clenching his teeth. He
marched over to the crowd, putting on his hero persona as he did.

“Hi there!” He said brightly, wiggling his fingers at the crowd. “Is everything okay here? I saw a
commotion from my agency over there.”

The crowd turned to look at him, some recognizing him before casting a glance to the agency
building just behind him.

“Whatever’s going on, I’m sure I can help make things right,” the healer continued, moving closer
to the hooded figure. “Are there any injuries?”

The woman in front of the figure sneered. “This thing deserved it, he tried to hurt my daughter!”

“That’s not true!” The man said harshly, keeping his head down. “She just bumped into me, that’s
all, then this hag started screaming at me.”

“Bite your tongue, you freak!” She screeched, others in the crowd voicing their agreement.

“Excuse me, ma’am, but I’m afraid you need to take a step back,” Izuku told her, eyes glinting as
he moved in front of the man. “Neither you nor your daughter appear to be injured, so it’s in the
interest of your safety to remove yourself from the situation. There’s a police station at the end of
the block, if you need to file a report.”

The woman made to argue, so Izuku pressed on. “My mentor, Sir Nighteye, will be down in a
moment to check on the situation, so anyone not directly involved should continue about their
day.”

The mention of the hero’s name had the crowd dispersing immediately, the woman frowning as
she stomped away, daughter in tow. She was heading in the opposite direction of the police station,
so Izuku assumed he’d been right in thinking she started the altercation. He turned to the man. “Are
you alright? That lady made it sound like you might be hurt…”

The man slowly raised his head and, now able to see underneath his hood, Izuku let out a small
gasp of recognition.

“Spinner?”
 Every Little Kiss
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter!

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Spinner had spent his whole life hidden away. In school he’d been picked on for his appearance,
the other students throwing things and calling him names until, eventually, he’d decided to be
homeschooled. His parents had pitied him, but done little to help. In the years that followed he’d
become a recluse, venturing out only at night and when strictly necessary.

It was through Stain’s ideology that he’d found his purpose, and through Shigaraki he’d found his
place in the world. He owed a lot to the League of Villains, which is how he’d ended up recruiting
so close to Nighteye’s agency, looking for new members to join their cause.

He’d been on his way back to the hideout when a little girl bumped into him. She’d looked up to
apologize, and began screaming once she’d seen his face. Her mother had been incensed, and soon
there was a small crowd gathered to humiliate and taunt him for his reptilian appearance.

He’d grit his teeth through their insults, and was tempted to simply attack the woman and make his
escape, when none other than Izuku Midoriya appeared to handle the situation.

When they’d managed to capture the boy and bring him to their old hideout in Kamino he’d stayed
mostly silent, unless prompted to speak by Shigaraki or Dabi. Spinner didn’t have much interest in
their captive, aside from Stain’s choosing to spare him, and thus did not bother trying to converse
with him. He’d learned fairly quickly that the healer was compassionate, volunteering to heal
Compress despite his criminal affiliations. It had been a surprising sight to Spinner; not only had
Midoriya offered to heal Compress, he’d done so with only a peck on the cheek. He could
understand why Shigaraki would think the boy useful, but Spinner hadn’t believed him to be the
type to aid villains.

The greenette had gotten the crowd to disperse with a few choice words, before turning to help
him. Spinner caught the surprise on his face as he recognized the villain. “Spinner?”

“I haven’t done anything wrong,” he said, glaring at the aspiring hero. “I’m just on my way home.”

Midoriya frowned, assessing him. “You’re hurt.”

The villain poked at his temple, where a sizable cut had formed after someone in the crowd threw a
rock at him. There would probably be some bruises on his arms and shoulders from being grabbed
and shoved, the healer likely sensing those as well. “It’s fine,” he muttered.

The boy stared at him. “I should probably call the pros or the police, and have them take you in for
questioning…”

Spinner sneered. “So what are you waiting for, then? Huh?”
Midoriya looked conflicted. “I- I’m sorry about what those people were saying to you. You may
not be a good person, but you don’t deserve to be treated like that.”

The villain paused, staring at the greenette. Spinner wasn’t stupid; he knew that there were some in
their society who saw the way that heteromorphs were treated was wrong, but he’d yet to see
someone step in to help one the way Midoriya just had.

“I don’t have any authority here, not really,” Midoriya continued. “So the best thing I can do is tell
the pros I spotted you here. That’s the heroic thing to do.”

Spinner was about to retort when the healer leaned in, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. The
villain turned bright red as his wounds healed, his head feeling light.

“I left my phone inside, so I’ll have to go in to make the call… I- if you’re smart, you’ll run as soon
as I turn my back.”

Spinner couldn’t comprehend what was happening. “Why? Why heal me, why help me at all?”

Midoriya frowned. “Because that’s what heroes are supposed to do.”

And with that he turned heel, walking slowly but purposefully back to the agency building. Spinner
heeded the freckled boy’s words and ran, putting as much distance between himself and the spot
he’d previously been in as possible.

As he entered the nearest train station, careful to avoid any cameras and using his fake train pass to
get aboard, he thought of Midoriya. He thought of him all the way back to the hideout. Any other
hero would have captured him immediately, no matter the situation, yet Midoriya had not only let
him go, but healed him as well.

Was it pity? No, I think… I think he genuinely wanted to help me.

Spinner was beginning to understand why Stain had chosen to spare the healer; he too was hoping
to reshape the world and perhaps, in time, he’d be willing to do so with the League.

He informed Shigaraki of the encounter immediately, the tale bringing a smile to the villain’s face.
“Just as I thought, Izuku has more in common with us than he realizes.”

“Are you going to go after him?” Spinner asked. They knew his location now, and could easily
wait outside the agency to grab him.

But Shigaraki shook his head. “That area will likely be crawling with cops for the foreseeable
future; besides, I’m willing to let the little healer have his freedom, for now. We’ll bring him back
to us when the time is right.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku turned back to check the street as he phoned the police, not seeing Spinner anywhere nearby.

It had been a tough decision, healing the villain and giving him time to escape, and the greenette
still wasn’t sure he’d made the right one.

Spinner helped the League to kidnap me, he thought as he spoke with the police, giving them what
little information he had, and hurt Pixie-Bob and the others. I shouldn’t have let him get away,
but…
Izuku had never seen much quirk discrimination before. He’d lived his life in a bubble of people
who had no outward mutations, and none of which had anything bad to say about those who did.
He thought about Shoji, who despite his size was a very gentle person, and Tokoyami, who had
become a good friend and a great mind to bounce ideas off of. The thought of either of them in the
middle of that crowd made his stomach churn. Spinner deserved to go to jail for his crimes, but the
way that woman had screamed at him, they way the crowd had egged her on, had thrown things
and jeered...

Mirio came downstairs to look for him, giving the healer a puzzled look. “Is everything okay?”

He told the older boy what had transpired, the police arriving just as he’d finished.

“Man, you sure are a trouble magnet, huh Midoriya?” Mirio said with a grin as Izuku gave his
statement to the police.

The greenette huffed. “I don’t mean to be, it just…happens…”

“Either way, it was cool of you to step in like that! Most people would’ve just let that crowd do
what they want to him.”

Izuku frowned. “I would never let that happen, even if I’d known he was a villain before I went
over there. It’s just not right…”

“Agreed. Anyway, if you’re all finished with the police, Sir is waiting to see you!”

“Oh, right!”

In all the excitement, Izuku had nearly forgotten why he was there. The two made their way
upstairs, Mirio giving him some advice. “Sir’s probably going to approve your work study, but he
wants to talk to you first. This is really important, so pay attention. If you want this meeting to go
well, you have to do one thing: make him laugh.”

“Laugh?”

“Yep! I’m sure you remember from the internships that Sir loves to laugh, so he’ll want you to
make him laugh!”

“I see…” Izuku wasn’t exactly known for being funny, and the boy was beginning to feel nervous.

The two reached Sir Nighteye’s office, entering the spacious room. Izuku had seen a glimpse of it
the last time he’d been there, though he hadn’t had the time to really appreciate just how much All
Might merchandise the hero had. The greenette spied more than a few ultra rare items, feeling a
twinge of envy at the sight.

Sir Nighteye was waiting impatiently for their arrival, his legs crossed and his foot bouncing with
irritation. “What took so long?”

Mirio told him what had happened, the hero’s eyes narrowing. “So, before you’d even been
accepted to my agency, you decided to act on behalf of it; is that right, Midoriya?”

He had an intense, scary look on his face, and Izuku cowed slightly. “N-no, sir! I had only meant to
see what was happening, I didn’t mean to assume any authority, honest!”

Nighteye’s expression remained the same, though his foot stopped bouncing. “Very well. I suppose
it wasn’t your fault to begin with, and you didn’t violate any Commission rules, so I’ll let it slide.
Onto your work study, I’m guessing you chose my agency because of your love of All Might?”

Izuku shook his head. “Actually, I picked your agency because of the talk we had during my
internship here.”

Nighteye motioned for him to continue. “Well, when we spoke it sounded like you had a lot of
theories as to how I could use my quirk more efficiently, and I’ve even tested some of them out
since then. Like you and Mirio, I don’t necessarily have a combative quirk, so I’m sure I could
learn a lot about overcoming that by working with you, sir.”

Nighteye regarded him. “I think I made it quite plain last time you were here that I wanted you to
come work for my agency, though I must admit I didn’t expect you to get your license so quickly;
you’re still green to heroics, and there’s a great deal for you to learn. I’m willing to teach you, but
first…”

The hero stood, looming over both students. “First, you must make me laugh. The world is in
desperate need of joy and laughter, and I want you to prove to me that you can provide it.”

Izuku gulped, desperately trying to think of a joke, or a funny face, anything that might make the
stern man in front of him laugh.

Just then, Bubble Girl reentered the office, a clipboard in hand. “Sir, I was looking over the reports
and-“

She froze as she took in the other two in the office, eyes locked onto Izuku. Her cheeks darkened as
she blushed. “You!”

“Oh, Bubble Girl! Listen, about-“

“Sir, you can’t take on Midoriya, too! I caught him and Mirio making out on the break room couch
last time he was here!”

Izuku’s face turned bright red. “I t-told you that wasn’t what it looked like!”

“Lies! Bald faced lies! I saw it with my own eyes, Sir! These two were canoodling like a couple of
hormonal teenagers!”

“It was just quirk practice, and we are teenagers!”

Sir Nighteye watched the scene with a look of shock on his face, eyes as wide as dinner plates. “Is
this true, Mirio?”

“Kind of,” he replied sheepishly. “Midoriya and I were kissing on the couch, but it was just to test
his quirk. Bubble Girl happened to walk in at the wrong time and, well…”

Sir Nighteye blinked once, then twice, then proceeded to chuckle, which turned into a laugh,
which turned into loud guffaws, the man doubled over. His whole body shook from the force of the
laughter, tears pricking the corners of his golden eyes.

Izuku and Bubble Girl watched the display with confusion, Mirio smiling at the two.

“Wow Midoriya, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Sir laugh that hard! You and Bubble Girl should
make that an act.”
“How is my indignation at you defiling our break room couch a comedy act?” The sidekick
muttered, Izuku putting his face in his hands at her words.

When Sir Nighteye finally calmed down, he had a wide, genuine smile on his face. It made him
look younger and softer than he normally did, and distantly Izuku wondered why the man didn’t
smile like that more often.

“Well, I’d say that counts as making me laugh,” he said, wiping a stray tear from his cheek.
“Consider your work study approved, I look forward to working with you Midoriya.”

Izuku’s face lit up with his own grin, the boy thanking the hero profusely.

And so, as Sir Nighteye stamped his work study form and Mirio congratulated him, Izuku took his
next big step towards becoming a hero.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mirio and Izuku turned to campus later that evening, both boys exhausted.

Once Izuku had finished filling out his paperwork with Nighteye’s agency, the hero had Mirio take
him out on patrol, then had him organizing in the filing room, then pulled him into his office for a
lesson in strategy. Nighteye had been no nonsense through most of the day, but every so often his
eyes would flit between the greenette and Mirio, and a toothy grin would make its way to his face.

Mirio had laughed it off, but Izuku was mortified.

“I’m surprised he’s let us be alone together at all, considering what he and Bubble Girl think is
going on now,” Izuku huffed as the two walked to the dorms.

“Maybe he’s hoping it’ll happen again,” Mirio teased, leaning in. “I know I am!”

Izuku scrunched up his nose. “Stop teasing me!”

Soon they parted ways, Izuku headed to the 1-A dorms, Mirio to the 3-B dorms. The healer waved
to his other classmates, some lounging in the Common Room, others in the kitchen.

Momo, Asui and Uraraka were gather around the kitchen counter eating dinner when he entered,
the girls giving him a bright smile.

“Ryukyu has a beautiful agency,” Momo told Izuku as he made himself a plate. “And there’s so
much to do! We looked over at least three active cases she and Nejire have been working on, to see
what we could find.”

“Oh? Anything interesting?”

“There seems to be some new drug circulating on the streets,” Asui told him between bites of her
dinner. “They haven’t been able to get their hands on a sample yet, just empty cartridges.”

“We probably won’t get to see any of the action,” Uraraka added. “But we can be Ryukyu’s think
tank, and keep an eye out during patrols!”

The others girls nodded, as Shinso and Kirishima entered, back from their own work study.

“Fatgum is such a cool dude!” Kirishima chirped, leaning against the counter. “He’s got all these
great stories, and I think he really liked us!”
“He was certainly talkative,” Shinso added, taking the plate Izuku handed him. “He and Amajiki
make a funny pair.”

“Fatgum always looks so happy and friendly on camera,” Uraraka mentioned. “It’s hard to picture
Amajiki working well with someone so outgoing.”

“Well, Mirio is probably the most upbeat person I know,” Izuku said, pushing his food around.
“And those two are best friends, so I guess he’s used to it.”

“Yeah! That’s why me and Shinbro will make a good team up for this work study! We’ll have the
brains and the brawn!”

The purple haired boy side eyed the redhead, his expression suspiciously similar to their homeroom
teacher. “What about you, Izuku? I can only imagine the trouble you managed to get into at Sir
Nighteye’s.”

“Well, actually…”

Iida, who had been coming into the kitchen for a cup of tea, caught the tail end of their
conversation, turning swiftly back around. “Nope; I won’t listen. Midoriya’s constant involvement
with life threatening situations is aging me prematurely.”

“Actually, I think that night cap you wear to bed is what’s doing it,” Uraraka teased, Shinso
chuckling as the class rep spluttered at the girl’s comment.

The healer smiled. It was nice seeing his friends so happy, especially after the danger they’d all
been in over summer. He thought back to Spinner, and once again was torn; was he better off
acting like the pro heroes, or acting like a healer? Either way, he hoped he’d made the right
decision.

“Uh, Izuku? You’ve got a weird look on your face,” Uraraka commented, poking his cheek.

“Huh? Oh, I was just thinking about something…”

“Was it your work study? You gotta tell us how it went!”

“Uhm…” He could tell them about his interaction with Spinner, but something in the back of his
mind kept him from saying it. “Sir Nighteye wanted me to make him laugh, and somehow Bubble
Girl accusing me of making out with Mirio on the couch did the trick. Then I went on patrol and
did some paperwork.”

Not a sound could be heard in the kitchen as the other students stared at him.

Shinso blinked. “I’m sorry, you did what?”

“I didn’t actually make out with him!” Izuku defended, his cheeks turning red. “I practiced my
quirk with Mirio months ago during the internships and Sir Nighteye’s sidekick walked in on us.
Now she thinks Mirio and I are gonna start making out every time we’re left alone together.”

“Midoriya, do me a favor,” Asui said, patting his shoulder. “When you tell Bakugo and Todoroki
about this, do it in the Common Room so the rest of us can watch.”

“There’s nothing to tell,” he insisted. “It was just a misunderstanding.”

The others looked like they didn’t believe him, and the greenette let out an exasperated sigh.
 Some days, having a kissing quirk was more trouble than it was worth.

Chapter End Notes

The beginning of this chapter came out a little angsty, but I'm trying to keep the story
fairly lighthearted overall.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter!

 Carolina Kiss
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter!

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Izuku was happy to be back in the infirmary, having missed spending his days there helping the
other students. Though there were a good portion of hero students gone due to their work studies,
there were still plenty left for Izuku to treat after training sessions, as well as Support students who
fell victim to mishaps in the lab. Recovery Girl had planned out extensive training sessions for her
student to do in between healing the cuts and bruises that regularly came through, starting with
emergency aid.

“A quirk like yours is incredible for healing all kinds of wounds,” she told him, “but can you think
of any instances where it may not be wise to use it?”

Izuku paused for a moment, pondering the question. “I guess it wouldn’t be a good idea to use it if
someone were shot, at least not until I knew for certain the bullet was no longer inside the person’s
body.”

Recovery Girl nodded. “Foreign objects should be removed before healing your patient, if possible.
I myself have had to perform surgery many times throughout my career; everything from bullet
extractions to amputations.”

Izuku balked, and the woman chuckled. “Not to worry, dear; I doubt you’ll have to resort to it very
often, and you’re still plenty of years away from that kind of work anyways. For now, we’ll
continue working on the basics.”

Monoma ambled in with a sprained wrist, and Izuku made sure to tell him about his meeting with
Nezu. “So you see, the principal thinks that it was your lack of medical knowledge that caused the
problem with my quirk, so you shouldn’t feel guilty about what happened at the exam.”

Monoma’s face pinched in thought. “So in order for me to use your quirk safely, I’ll have to at
least learn some basics before I copy it next… very well! I accept your challenge, Midoriya!”

“That wasn’t-“

But Monoma was already leaving, vowing to become the leading authority on anatomy in UA and
declaring the superiority of class 1-B as he did. Izuku just sighed, shaking his head.

The greenette and Recovery Girl continued to work together, until All Might came in after lunch
for his regular healing session. After the Kamino incident, Recovery Girl had been the only healer
tending to the hero, the older woman having grown accustomed to the hero’s frequent injuries
throughout the years. Once he’d received his provisional license, Izuku had been given permission
to care for All Might’s injuries, doing his best to heal the damage he found. The injuries from his
fight in Kamino were relatively straightforward, but the deep nerve and muscle damage from One
For All was much more difficult to treat.
“It’s like the recoil of a shotgun,” Izuku muttered, scribbling down notes. “Use your quirk
improperly, and the kick back will cause serious damage.”

All Might nodded. “I’ve held this power longer than the other holders did; I’m not exactly sure
why my body’s lasted as long as it has, but I’m starting to feel the toll it’s taking on me.”

“You said last time we met that the other holders died pretty young,” Izuku mentioned, flipping to
a new section in his notebook. “You called them ‘Vestiges?’”

“Yes; the vestiges are the imprints left of the former holders of One For All. As it gets passed from
person to person, the previous holders leave a piece of themselves with the power, making it
stronger with each transference.”

“I see… maybe we need to look at this a different way. What was your original quirk, before One
For All?”

“I didn’t have one.”

Izuku blinked. All Might, the number one hero and the Symbol of Peace was…quirkless? It was a
bit hard to process: quirkless people were relatively uncommon, with each generation pushing them
closer to being a rarity. All Might’s generation likely had more quirkless people than his own, but
it was still a surprise to hear that his childhood favorite hero had been born without any powers.

“Oh… and the other users, were they quirkless too?”

The blond shook his head. “My mentor had a quirk, and I believe all the others did as well.”

“Then maybe that’s the correlation,” the greenette mused. “This power on it’s own is hurting you,
so to add it on top of an existing quirk-“

“Would mean the damage would be worse,” All Might finished, looking grim. “And to think, I’ve
been looking to pass it on to kids who already have strong quirks; they wouldn’t have lived to see
thirty, if I had.”

“We don’t know that to be completely true,” Izuku argued. “As of now, it’s just a theory…”

Izuku knew it was likely that there wouldn’t be a successor strong enough to withstand the number
one hero’s power. All Might’s muscle form seemed to be necessary in mitigating the damage his
actual body took, but more than a decade’s worth of dangerous fights and extreme power output
had taken its toll.

“Maybe I should ask Sir Nighteye what he thinks; he knows about One For All, right?”

All Might’s head snapped up to stare at him. “Nighteye? Wait, that’s who your work study is
with??”

The healer nodded. “I interned with him for a day last semester; he must’ve liked me, because he
agreed to take me on.”

Noticing the thoughtful look on his teacher’s face, Izuku added, “You should stop by the agency
sometime, I’m sure he’d love to see you.”

The hero looked to his feet, his expression nervous. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea; we sort of
had a falling out a few years back… I- I haven’t seen or heard from him in about six years.”
“Really? But he was your sidekick! You guys were the perfect superhero team!”

“It was a big fight, kid,” All Might mumbled. “He- he used his Foresight on me and saw… a lot of
bad things that have already started to come true. I refused to listen to him then, and now I can’t
help but feel responsible for every bad thing that’s happened since. I’m sorry, Young Midoriya,
but I just don’t think I can face him.”

Izuku frowned. From the staggering amount of All Might merchandise the man had plastered about
his office, it was clear to him that Nighteye still cared about his old teammate. It may be painful or
awkward, but the greenette was sure something good could come from the two reuniting. He
shook his head. It wasn’t his place to force the issue; after all, Nezu was perfectly capable of
meddling where he couldn’t. He placed a kiss to the hero’s cheek, putting extra power into it to
help with the nerve damage.

“Our sessions are helping,” Izuku told him, sensing a slight improvement to the nervous system.
“But I’m not sure if I’ll be able to completely reverse the damage One For All has done to you.
Power like that…I’m not sure it’s even safe to pass on anymore.”

All Might shrugged, but said nothing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Katsuki scowled as he returned to the dorms, Shoto keeping pace with him as they walked. The two
had been in remedial lessons the entire weekend, focusing on rescue tactics, first aid and proper
disaster relief.

Aizawa was the one teaching the remedial course, their homeroom teacher’s usual sadism
intensified due to the loss of his own weekend plans. Katsuki had wanted to scream as he’d been
forced to run fucking lines on rescue etiquette with the monotoned boy next to him.

“I can’t believe I got stuck spending my weekend with you, Icyhot.” The blond growled, the other
boy glaring at him.

“Believe me, it wasn’t my idea of a good time either,” he sneered, heterochromatic eyes burning.
“But we have to give it our all; we’re falling further and further behind our classmates, and if we
don’t get our licenses soon we’ll be bottom of the class in no time.”

“THINK I DON’T KNOW THAT, YOU BASTARD?!”

Shoto ignored the outburst, entering the empty Common Room. Katsuki suspected those without
work studies had chosen to spend their free time off campus, now that the lockdown had been
lifted. He threw his book bag onto the couch, stomping over to the kitchen.

“Quit following me!” The blond snapped as Shoto entered as well, preparing a cup of tea.

Shoto rolled his eyes. “I don’t know what Bunny sees in you.”

“Princess sees the future number one hero,” Katsuki sneered, before a malicious smile spread
across his face. “And the guy who’s gonna kick your ass at this dating crap once the makeup exam
is over.”

Shoto frowned. “It may be out of our hands by then. You heard that Izuku’s doing part of his work
study with Nighteye’s agency, the same one Mirio works at?”

The blond grit his teeth; he’d of course heard that the healer had begun his work study with All
Might’s former sidekick, and he wasn’t happy about it.

Mirio had been a thorn in Katsuki’s side ever since the hot head had reconnected with Izuku, the
older boy constantly hanging around the infirmary and drooling over the oblivious nurse aide.
He’d been pleased when Izuku had joined their class, because it came with the additional benefit of
his time spent with Mirio reducing significantly. He’d disliked him before, but after hearing his
princess talk about the smiley bastard stealing his first kiss, Katsuki had come to loathe him.

The worst part of it was Izuku’s inability to recognize the older boy’s intentions. Katsuki had
thought if even Icyhot’s repressed, socially inept ass could see it, then surely his childhood friend
could as well.

“There’s nothing we can do about it,” Katsuki growled, the words bitter on his tongue. “Deku’s
there because of Nighteye, not Togata, and he’s too damn blind to see what’s in front of him.
Nothing we say will convince him that plain faced bastard is interested in him, and we don’t have
the luxury of interfering. We have to get our licenses; then, I can make Deku mine and you and
Togata can cry into each other’s dumb shoulders.”

Shoto’s face remained impassive as he flipped off Katsuki, the hot head returning the gesture
immediately.

“Eraser said we failed because we weren’t being team players,” Katsuki mumbled, taking a seat at
the dining table and kicking a chair out for Shoto. The other boy narrowed his eyes, but sat down
as well. “So you and me are gonna be the best damn team players those lame ass examiners have
ever seen, or I’ll blast that scar right off that pretty boy face, got it Icyhot?”

Shoto rolled his eyes once more, but nodded. “Then I guess we better start studying together, even
if it’s hard to be around you.”

“Fuck off, I’m delightful!”

They’d play nice through their remedial course; then, once they’d passed, they’d be at war once
again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Toga stifled a yawn from he place on the stairs, her chin resting on her palm.

She as well as the others had been called to one of their hideouts for a meeting, presumably to
judge whether or not the newcomer Twice had found was worth their time. Toga herself hadn’t
managed to find any new recruits, but truthfully she hadn’t been trying that hard.

What’s the point in collecting a bunch of newbies that are just gonna die in the first fight they get
into? She thought, blowing a strand of hair from her face. What a waste of blood…

Seated on a crate nearby, Shigaraki looked like he was beginning to grow bored. Toga hadn’t seen
the man take part in much outside of planning and strategizing with Kurogiri, her boss having sent
the mist villain on a solo mission somewhere else. Spinner was seated near Magne, the two
bickering over Stain’s ideology.

Mr. Stainy was inspiring, sure, but being a villain is about more than just killing false heroes.
Toga’s eyes flitted to the door as it swung open. It’s about taking what you want, and destroying
anyone who tries to stop you!

Twice came in with his usual amount of pep, a quiet man in a bird mask joining him.
“Everyone, this is Overhaul, head of the Shie Hassaikai!”
 Serpent’s Kiss
Chapter Notes

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As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Twice looked on in horror as Chisaki unleashed his quirk on Magne, viciously bisecting her and
reducing her upper body to a splattering of blood.

Time seemed to slow down for the man as Compress leapt forward; he desperately tried to call out
to him, to tell him not to go anywhere near the Hassaikai leader, but his voice caught in his throat.
Compress’ arm met the same fate as Magne did, the man’s quirk not activating as his arm was
disintegrated.

Twice finally managed to move, rushing over to his fallen friend. He cursed as he assessed the
damage. Twice had been the one to contact Chisaki and arrange the meeting between the Shie
Hassaikai and the League of Villains. He’d known that the young Yakuza head was looking to
expand, and had presumed he’d agreed to the meeting in hopes of joining the League, not expecting
them to submit to him. Guilt simmered in his stomach, twisting as he gingerly lifted Compress,
trying to stymie the bleeding from what remained of his arm.

Shigaraki shot forward and reached out to Chisaki, one of the gang boss’ underlings taking the hit
as Shigaraki used his quirk, reducing the man to ash. More Hassaikai members flooded in, Toga
and Spinner now flanking their boss.

“It’s a shame we weren’t able to work this out.” Chisaki commented, pulling his glove from his
pocket. “I’m sorry about the damage, honest; we both lost people, so let’s call it a draw. Here, I’ll
even give you a peace offering.”

He crouched down, touching a spot on the ground with his uncovered hand. Blood began pooling
together as Compress’ severed arm rematerialized, the flesh laying limply on the ground.

“Hey wait, aren’t you going to reattach it?!” Twice called out, panicked. Magne was dead because
of him, was Compress going to be disabled as well?

“I’m sure the big bad League of Villains can handle it,” Chisaki commented, no doubt smirking
under his ornate bird mask. “In the meantime, reconsider my offer, won’t you?”

Twice held onto Compress as Shigaraki stopped the others from following after Chisaki, a frown
forming on the blue-haired villain’s face. “Guys, we need to do something, Atsuhiro is losing a lot
of blood!”

“I’ll get some ice,” Toga offered, hurrying from the room.

“I don’t think we can move him,” Spinner muttered, eyes flicking to their leader. “Any ideas?”

Shigaraki removed the hand from his face, a small frown forming as he assessed his options. Twice
noticed there were cracks appearing around the blue haired villain’s eyes from using his quirk,
something he hadn’t done since Kamino.

Twice’s eyes widened. Kamino-

“What about Midoriya?” He said, all eyes now turning to him. “He’s a healer, right? He could fix
this!”

Dabi scoffed. “I don’t know, we did kidnap him last time, would he really help us?”

“I- I think he would,” Spinner spoke up, touching the side of his face. “But…”

He turned to Shigaraki, who shrugged. “If he’s willing to help, I’ll let him leave once he’s done.”

Dabi cut his eyes over to him. “Really?” He asked dryly.

Shigaraki gave him a wicked grin. “He’ll come to me willingly, once he sees what the hero world
is truly like. Let him have his fun, and when All Might and the others inevitably fail him, he’ll be
mine.”

It was an unsettling statement, but Twice couldn’t find it in himself to care; he needed to fix this,
needed to help his friend. Midoriya was the key to that.

“I’ll have Kurogiri warp you and Spinner to Nighteye’s agency,” Shigaraki addressed him, pulling
out his phone. “If you can convince Izuku to help Compress, send me a signal and we’ll warp you
back with him.”

Twice nodded frantically, watching as Toga reappeared with a cooler, throwing Compress’ arm
inside. He handed his friend off to her, moving over to Spinner as Kurogiri warped to them, closing
the gate and opening another.

I really hope this works, the villain thought, stepping through the warp gate.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku let out a sigh as he exited Nighteye’s agency, rolling his shoulders.

It had been a long day of patrols and paperwork, with the last few hours of his time spent in the
hero’s office, discussing his quirk.

“In order to better understand your quirk,” Nighteye had said, “we must pay attention to the
fundamentals. We know your quirk is activated by your lips, but what are the limitations of that?
Could kissing your fingers and pressing them to another work sufficiently? And what about when
your opponent is completely covered: will there be a diminished effect, or none at all? You must
find these things out Midoriya, so that we can continue to make progress.”

The greenette bit his lip. He’d of course need to find someone to practice with, but wasn’t sure
who to ask. Normally, Kaachan or Shochan would be his first choice, but they were busy with their
remedial work. Most of his other close friends had their own work studies to deal with, and Mirio
had other responsibilities at the agency besides babysitting Izuku.

He also doubted Bubble Girl would let him live it down if she caught he and Mirio kissing again.

He rounded the corner of the street, heading for the train station when a gloved hand grabbed him
from behind, covering his mouth.

“Please, don’t scream and don’t try to fight,” a voice muttered lowly. “We just want to talk.”
Izuku kissed the covered hand anyways, waiting for a reaction. The hand fell, and the greenette
leapt away, turning to face his attacker. His eyes widened as he saw Twice, looking disoriented but
still conscious, and Spinner, both holding their hands up.

“We’re not here to hurt you, Midoriya,” Twice said, his words slurred. “We need your help. It’s
Compress, he’s been hurt, badly.”

Izuku blinked. “So take him to a hospital? Why are you wasting time hunting me down?!”

“You know why we can’t do that,” Spinner said, eyes cast to the ground. “Same reason I couldn’t
go to the police when that crowd attacked me.”

“They would’ve helped you if you weren’t a wanted criminal,” the freckled boy muttered, cursing
the traitorous twinge he felt in his heart.

“Compress is dying,” Spinner continued. “Or at least, he will be if he doesn’t get help soon. We-
we thought you might come with us, since you were willing to help me.”

Maybe that really was a mistake, Izuku thought, frowning. The logical side of him wanted to
disengage, to leave immediately and hope the villains didn’t try to stop him, but the compassionate
side…

“I- I can’t,” he finally said, arms crossed, “you’ll just kidnap me again.”

“We won’t; Shigaraki agreed to let you go, once Compress is better.”

“And I’m supposed to just, what, take his word for it? Trust him?”

“Trust me,” Spinner insisted. “Even if he doesn’t keep his word, I swear I’ll get you out of there.”

“Me too,” Twice said, shaking off Izuku’s sedative. The healer would have to make a note of that
later. He debated it; he’d meant it when he told Aizawa that healers had to be willing to help
anyone who needed it, but these were dangerous people. He wasn’t sure of Spinner or Twice’s
history, but Dabi, Toga, Shigaraki and likely Kurogiri were all murderers. From the little intel the
police and Nighteye’s agency had on him, Compress was merely a thief before joining the League,
attempting to carry on his family’s legacy. His potential patient likely hadn’t killed anyone, but
Izuku thought it a hollow justification.

Feelings and logic aside, he had to ask himself: Would he let someone die if he could help it?

I think this might be a gray area, he decided, agreeing to go with the villains. They looked
genuinely relieved, making the greenette wonder just how close the group was, to be so concerned
for their teammate. I don’t trust any of them, but now that I have my license I can fight back if I
need to, and I might be able to find out what they’re planning, if I’m careful…

The trio entered the warp gate Kurogiri opened for them, stepping into the warehouse. There was a
large hole in the wall, and Izuku was at once reminded of the fight at Kamino that All Might had
nearly lost. Compress was being tended to by Toga, her expression fearful. Next to the pair was a
cooler, and not too far away he could see multiple blood splatters.

The greenette turned to Twice and Spinner, his eyes wide. “What on earth happened here?”

“That’s none of your concern,” Came Dabi’s clipped tone, the man entering alongside Shigaraki.
“You’re here to help Compress, nothing else.”
Shigaraki stared him down, a sickly sweet smile on his face. “Izuku.”

The healer shuddered, before scurrying over to Compress. He did a double take. “Where’s his
arm?”

“It’s in the cooler,” Toga replied, nodding to the container. “We put it on ice.”

Izuku gulped, but put on a brave face, reaching for the cooler and opening it. There was indeed an
arm inside. He felt faint.

There’s something strange about this, the healer thought as he sensed the appendage. The cells are
mostly intact, all the nerves and tissue in the right spots, but… they’re different then they should
be, somehow.

He sensed the wounded villain, noting the only damage to be the severed arm, as well as
substantial blood loss. It looked like the others had fashioned a tourniquet and bandages out of a
belt and some cloth, but it was clearly a temporary fix.

He weighed his options. He could maybe heal both the arm and the man if they reattached it, but it
was also possible necrosis would set in if the body judged the altered appendage incompatible. He
supposed he had to try; if nothing else, it would be a learning exercise for the greenette.

He had left his costume in the locker room at Nighteye’s agency, so he couldn’t use the stitching
thread he usually carried with him, and he only had bandaids in his backpack. He turned to the
others, “Do you have a needle and some thread? I might be able to reattach the arm, but I need
something to hold it together while I do.”

Dabi and Shigaraki shared a look, before Dabi retreated to the back. Izuku moved the cooler closer,
spying something sticking out from the sleeve. When Toga turned back to her injured friend, Izuku
plucked the object out of the arm, pocketing it.

Next to the boy, Compress stirred. “Thank you for agreeing to help, Midoriya…” he muttered, his
expression pained.

Izuku gave him a thin smile. “I’m going to use my quirk to help with the pain now, okay?”

He blew a puff of mist into the villain’s face, sedating him just as Dabi returned with a fish hook
and fishing line. “This is all I could find,” he said with a shrug, blue eyes dull.

“It’ll work; can you hold his arm in place for me?”

“Fine.”

They worked quickly, Izuku trying not to gag as he sewed the man’s flesh together. He was
thankful his quirk didn’t often require him to perform the more gruesome procedures that medical
professionals did, and distantly he wondered how he was going to make it through the training
Recovery Girl had planned. The job was haphazard and the sewing shoddy, but it would hold. Dabi
held the appendage tight to Compress’ body as Izuku leaned in, kissing the villain’s cheek and
activating his quirk.

Flesh molded together and muscle and nerve fibers reattached as Compress healed, a thick ring of
scarring present as the arm completely reattached. Izuku scribbled a few notes into his notebook as
he had the man move the appendage around, clenching and unclenching his fist and poking spots
with the needle to check the sensation.
“My- my quirk,” Compress muttered, still groggy from the sedative, “will it come back?”

Izuku blinked. “Come back?”

Twice stepped forward. “Yeah, it just-“

“That’s enough,” Dabi cut in tersely, glaring at Twice, then the healer. “Just tell us whether or not
the arm will work.”

Izuku frowned. “It seems to be okay,” he said, turning to Compress, “but you lost a ton of blood,
and I can only regenerate so much, so fast. You may need a transfusion.”

“We can handle that,” Kurogiri said. “Thank you for your service, Midoriya.”

“You- you saved him,” Toga breathed, a wide smile stretching across her face. “You’re amazing,
ZuZu!”

The greenette stilled. He’d been called that before, by that Shiketsu girl…

No, he thought to himself, not her, but someone pretending to be her. Toga must be the
shapeshifter!

Izuku stood on shaky legs, clutching his bag to his chest. “You said you’d let me go,” he said to
Shigaraki, green eyes nervous but determined. “I’m finished now, so I’d like to leave.”

Shigaraki stared at him for a moment, a small smile creeping onto his face. “I’m a man of my
word, Izuku; Kurogiri, send him back where we found him.”

Kurogiri nodded, bowing to the two as he opened the warp gate. Izuku was about to enter it, when
a hand grabbed his elbow. He looked up to see Shigaraki holding onto him, careful not to activate
his quirk. He was still smiling.

“Is there any way I could convince you to fix this?” He asked, pointing to the cracks in his face.

Izuku’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve been using your quirk again, no doubt to hurt people; you did this
to yourself, so I don’t see why I should help you.”

“Awfully mouthy, for a glorified nurse,” Dabi snarked, crossing his arms. “Give it up, Shigaraki.
The kid did his part, now we need him out of our hair.”

As the healer and the villain stared one another down, Izuku thought back to Nighteye’s
suggestions for practicing his quirk. He knew now there was potential for his quirk to cause harm,
and he couldn't be sure he wouldn't accidentally hurt the villain who'd caused him so much strife.
He supposed that if something were to go wrong, he wouldn’t be hurting someone he cared about
in the process. “I wanna try something; it might not work, but it’s the only way I’ll help you.”

After a brief moment Shigaraki nodded, and Izuku gently kissed the tips of his index and middle
finger, concentrating his power there before placing them on the villain’s mouth. Shigaraki’s
wounds began to fade as his quirk took hold, slower than Izuku’s normal kisses but still clearly
effective.

Shigaraki’s stunned expression quickly darkened, the villain leaning in. “Leave now,” he muttered
lowly, eyes flashing, “before I change my mind.”

Izuku scrambled through the warp gate, hearing Dabi say something to Shigaraki as he did. He ran
onto the street he’d been on thirty minutes prior and towards the train station, his heart beating out
of his chest.

Dabi said something, just as I was leaving, Izuku thought as he found a seat on the train, forcing
himself to calm down. He pulled out his notebook, jotting down the results of his quirk practice
and the strange events he’d just participated in.

He’d have to notify Sir Nighteye about the interaction, as well as Mr. Aizawa and Nezu. They’d
likely be upset with him for willingly aiding the villains, but he hoped the information he’d
managed to gather would prove worth the risk he took. He bit the inside of his cheek, the strange
object he’d swiped from Compress’ arm heavy in his pocket.

At the bottom of the page, he wrote down the name he’d heard Dabi mention: Overhaul.
 Kiss Kiss And Smile
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

“Explain.”

Izuku shifted nervously in his seat as Aizawa gave him a stern look. After he’d returned to campus,
he’d gone straight to his teacher’s room to tell him what happened with the League. To the man’s
credit, he didn’t yell or lecture or threaten expulsion; instead, he had his student sit down, offering
him some tea before taking the seat opposite him. Aizawa was already in his pajamas, a plain gray
set with a small, iron on patch of a cat on the front. His hair was tied in a bun, and he looked more
tired than usual.

As Izuku recounted the events, his teacher’s frown deepening as he did, the greenette thought back
to their conversation in the Hosu Hospital after Stain’s arrest.

Mr. Aizawa knows my being a healer sometimes means helping those who don’t deserve it , he
reasoned as he finished speaking, the room growing heavy with silence. Aizawa pulled out his
phone, tapping at the screen. He’ll understand why I had to help them, I know he will.

“Come with me.”

Izuku blinked. “Uh, sir?”

But Aizawa was already on his feet, moving to the door. Izuku scrambled to follow the man, his
nerves growing worse and worse as they walked through the faculty dorm and up the stairs to a
large suite, which Izuku figured must belong to UA’s principal. Once inside, Izuku couldn’t help
but stare.

It was the size of a studio apartment, the room airy and spacious with a row of large windows on
the far wall. The room was lightly colored with cream walls and light gray carpet, the furnishings a
rich brown. There was a small kitchen in the corner, and farther in Izuku could see an alcove for
the bedroom, as well as doors that likely led to a bathroom and a closet, respectively.

Nezu was waiting for them, a fresh pot of tea in the sitting area alongside Recovery Girl, the nurse
wrapped in a fluffy pink robe.

“Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Eraser,” Nezu chirped happily as he took a seat,
gesturing for the others to do the same. “Midoriya, would you please repeat everything you told
your teacher?”

And so the greenette told the story once more, Nezu and Recovery Girl sharing a look as he
finished. Izuku looked between the two, sparing a glance to Aizawa who had kept silent
throughout. “Am I in trouble?”

It was quiet for a moment, the student’s anxiety beginning to climb.

“I believe that’s up to your teacher,” Nezu said gently, all eyes turning to the underground hero.

Aizawa grunted. “You’re grounded.”

Izuku blinked. “Grounded?”

“For the next few days, until Nezu and I decide what to do about all this.”

“But- but my work study-“

“Are you seriously bringing up your work study right now?” Aizawa asked sharply, his eyes
narrowing. “Have you already forgotten what I said just a few weeks ago? Hmm? I told all of you
that you would have to be model students in order to stay in the program, and in just a few short
days, you’ve had not one but two encounters with the League of Villains, and that’s without
counting one of their own infiltrating the licensing exam.”

“I know, but-“

“I was willing to overlook your run in with Spinner,” the man continued, “because it technically
wasn’t your fault and you acted appropriately, but this time? This time you went with the villains of
your own volition and aided them. That’s an entirely different issue, Midoriya.”

“I was helping a dying man!” Izuku insisted. “As a healer, I-”

“Don’t give me the healer spiel right now,” Aizawa snapped, eyes gleaming. “My job is to protect
you, and I can’t do that when you pull stunts like this! Damnit Midoriya, I can’t lose you to them
again!”

Izuku sat in stunned silence as his teacher slumped in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Recovery Girl shifted uncomfortably.

“Oh dear,” she mumbled, setting down her tea. “I’m afraid this issue is a bit beyond both of you.
It’s true that healers have certain protections when it comes to aiding villains, and often have to
take advantage of those protections in order to help those in need; however, you’re still a student
Midoriya. Your safety is what matters most to us.”

“I understand your situation is complicated,” Aizawa told his student after a moment, tired brown
eyes meeting concerned green ones, “and that you will continually find yourself in morally grey
positions because of your quirk, I know that; but please, try to understand where I’m coming from.
My negligence led to your kidnapping this summer, and I couldn’t even help to bring you back. I
don’t want to punish you for doing the right thing, and I don’t want to end the work study program
over this, but…”

It got quiet again, and Izuku was having a hard time breathing as his eyes welled with tears. He had
known his teacher was concerned about him, but he hadn’t understood just how much he’d put the
man through when he was taken. Telling Aizawa that he’d willingly helped the very same people
who had hurt so many of his students must have been hard to hear, and the greenette instantly felt
guilty.

“I’m really sorry, sir,” Izuku muttered, his voice small. “I understand if you have to cancel my
work study, but please, don’t cancel everyone else’s; this was my fault, not theirs. They shouldn’t
have to suffer because of me…”

“I don’t think that will be necessary, Midoriya,” Nezu chimed in. “After all, it’s not all bad news;
you’ve brought us quite a bit of useful information in regards to two different criminal
organizations, and managed to do so without any dire consequences.”

Aizawa glared at the creature. “So his foolhardy behavior should be lauded, because he got some
dirt on the enemy?”

“I’d call it strategic,” Nezu continued as Izuku shrank into his seat. “After all, Midoriya correctly
assessed their need for aid to be genuine, and managed to perform his duties as a healer and a hero
by helping the injured, gathering information and bringing the entire situation to a peaceful
resolution.”

“I have to agree with Nezu,” Recovery Girl added, her eyes flitting between the teacher and
student. “I don’t like what you did, Midoriya, but I know better than anyone what being put in that
position is like. The Hero Commission will likely deem this a success, aside from your acting
without your mentor, and so we should as well.”

“But,” she added, noticing how the freckled boy perked slightly, “that doesn’t mean you’re beyond
punishment. If Eraser thinks you should be grounded, then I support him.”

Izuku sighed, but nodded. “I understand…”

The greenette left with his punishment, the adults regarding one another after he’d gone.

“It seems we’re in quite the predicament,” Nezu commented. “As educators, it’s our duty to ensure
the safety of our students, so naturally the most obvious decision to make is to end the work study
program this semester.”

Recovery Girl looked unhappy, but nodded in agreement.

Aizawa shot the cunning principal a look. “You’re not actually going to cancel them, are you?”

“I don’t believe so… after all, had we never done them, Midoriya wouldn’t have been able to
gather necessary intelligence on the enemy.”

“You give him too much credit.”

“And you don’t give him enough.”

Aizawa continued to glare, before letting out a sigh. “It’s not that I don’t trust Midoriya or his
judgement; to be honest, I think he may have the best judgement in the hero course, apart from
Yaoyorozu. I don’t, however, trust the villains to keep their word and leave him be. I- his parents
told me that they trust me to take care of their son, and I’ve failed to do so every single time there’s
been a crisis. I don’t want to keep letting him down, or them, or any of my students. I don’t want to
punish Midoriya, but I don’t want the League taking him again, either.”

Nezu hummed. “I don’t believe them to be finished with Midoriya either, but they kept their
promise and let him go once his job was done. I’m not sure what that means, but I have a few
ideas…”

The small creature shook his head. “But now’s not the time; For the work study students, I believe
the best course of action would simply be to have the students escorted home, by either their
mentor or by one of the Big Three. Midoriya has Mirio, Kirishima and Shinso have Amajiki,
Yaoyorozu, Asui and Uraraka have Nejire… Aoyama and Tokoyami can either be escorted home
by their mentors or by one of their agencies’ sidekicks, and the other work study students can do
something similar. I believe this to be a safe and practical way to allow our students to continue to
get the experience they need to become heroes without endangering them further.”
Recovery Girl hummed. “It’s not a bad solution; in fact, we probably should have had a policy like
that implemented from the beginning.”

Nezu smiled at the underground hero. “Does this compromise satisfy you, Eraser?”

Aizawa let out a sigh. It was far from perfect, but it was the best possible solution that didn’t
involve cutting off the learning experience from his students. “It’ll do, for now.”

“Splendid.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once he’d returned to his own dorm, Izuku shot a quick text to Shinso to see if he was still up.
Once he’d gotten the affirmative, Izuku asked him to come to the greenette’s room, the other boy
already lounging inside by the time he opened the door.

“Alright, what did you do this time?” Shinso’s tone was teasing, but he was well aware that
something had to have happened for his friend to reach out so late in the evening.

Izuku’s eyes began to water, and the purple haired boy balked immediately. Once he’d calmed
down, Izuku told him everything that had happened that night, omitting the possible cancellation of
the work studies. Nezu hadn’t seemed all that willing to cancel them, so the healer figured it safe
not to raise any alarm over the issue.

When he was done, he peeked over to Shinso. “Well, what do you think, Toshi?”

Shinso was perhaps the only friend he had that would give him an unbiased answer. The rest of 1-
A would only hear the dangerous parts of his recent experience and would fret over him, Kaachan
and Shochan especially, Momo could be impartial and logical, but she too was given to being
overprotective at times. Hatsume was the wild card; either she’d completely approve of his
adventure or scold him for being so reckless.

Which left the only sound opinion on the matter Shinso’s, the purple haired boy contemplating
what he’d just heard. Eventually, he let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. “As your friend,
I’d really like to smack you upside the head. As your classmate and fellow hero student, I have to
commend you. It seems you managed to pull off this little side mission perfectly.”

Izuku nodded. He’d expected that kind of answer from his friend.

“I don’t like that you feel obligated to heal everyone, even villains,” Shinso continued, “but I’ll
never be able to understand what being a healer is like; nobody else here will either, except
Recovery Girl. Aizawa might be mad, and I’m sure Nighteye won’t be happy about it either, but
the only person who’s opinion really matters here is Recovery Girl’s. If she can understand your
situation, then I can, too.”

Izuku began to tear up again, his friend letting out another sigh as the healer cried into his shoulder.
The next morning, Shinso left for his own room to get ready for his work study, happy to see the
greenette sleeping soundly after a long and stressful evening.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku spent the rest of his weekend on house arrest, cleaning the dorms and catching up on his
missed assignments. He’d even gotten up early to pack lunches for the work study students, as well
as Shoto and Katsuki, who had more supplementary lessons with Aizawa.
Shoto had given him a strange look when he handed him an extra lunch for the teacher, Izuku
muttering about needing to apologize.

“Thank you, Bunny,” he’d said with a smile, Izuku blushing but smiling up at him. Katsuki had to
forcibly drag the other boy away for their lesson, but not before grunting his own thanks to the
greenette.

Izuku missed his time with the other two, as well as with his other classmates and Hatsume.
Aizawa and Mirio hadn’t been kidding when they’d said that work studies took up a lot of free
time, and the greenette decided to use his two days of house arrest to reconnect with his friends.

Which is how he’d ended up in the Common Room with Ashido, Kaminari, Iida and Jirou, the
group playing Monopoly. Hatsume had joined them, but she was fiddling with some component or
other for her latest baby.

“Aw, come on Izu!” Ashido wheedled for the third time that day, passing GO and collecting her
fake bills. “You can tell us why you’re in trouble, we won’t tell anyone!”

Jirou eyed her critically. “Ashido, you gossip so much it’s a wonder it isn’t your actual quirk.”

Hatsume snickered at the comment, and Kaminari glanced up from reorganizing his property
cards. “You could at least tell us how badly you screwed up, Midoriya; it’d be like a learning
exercise, you know, so we don’t screw up like you did!”

Iida began furiously chopping the air with his arm. “Midoriya’s behavior shouldn’t be taken
lightly! As UA students, it is our duty-“

Ashido threw one of the small, plastic property pieces at the class rep, cutting off his tirade. “We
get it, jeez.”

Izuku frowned as he rolled the dice, moving his shoe piece three spaces and landing on one of
Jirou’s properties. “All I’ll say is that I may have bent the rules slightly to use my quirk to help
someone, and I don’t regret it.”

That may or may not have been true; the greenette wasn’t entirely sure he’d done the right thing,
aiding the villains. It was obvious the League valued his abilities, and had no qualms seeking him
out when they deemed it necessary. He was happy that he’d been able to save a man’s life, but
would he be able to do so again and still consider himself a hero? Would the others think him a
villain, if they knew?

The healer paid Jirou her rent fees, the brightly colored paper whisked off to her disorganized pile
on the other end of the coffee table. He’d worry about the ethics of his quirk later; at the moment,
he had a monopoly to build.

From the couch, Hatsume let out a snort. “You’re always bending some rule or other, Izu, it’s why
we get along so great!”

“That, and you’re both a little crazy,” Jirou teased, her thimble piece landing in jail at the end of
her turn.

Iida sighed. “I suppose if you were helping someone, it should be considered heroic. I probably
shouldn’t, but I trust your judgement, Midoriya.”

“I do, too!” Hatsume said brightly. “At least, when it comes to kissing total strangers.”
The others turned to look at Ashido, the gossip hungry girl pouting. “Alright, I won’t pry about it
anymore.”

Izuku would’ve felt relieved, but he knew his friend well enough to know she wasn’t relenting, but
rather switching her focus.

“So instead, I’ll pry into your love life!” Ashido chirped. “When are you and the remedial boys
getting back together? Ooh! Or are you on the market for a new man?”

Izuku groaned, his head hitting the table as the others laughed at him.
 Rooftop Kiss
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

On his second day of house arrest, Izuku was surprised when Aizawa came to collect him
alongside Shoto and Katsuki, taking them to the remedial lesson.

“Midnight thinks you’ll be able to help with this particular lesson,” the teacher said, refusing to
elaborate further. He did, however, accept the lunch his student had packed for him, taking secret
delight in the jelly pouch he found inside.

When they’d arrived at the training grounds, Izuku procured a lunch for the R-rated hero as well,
the woman’s eyes lighting up as she spied a few cherry candies in her bag.

“Cherries aren’t in season, so I grabbed the next best thing,” Izuku told her, the teacher thanking
him with a bright grin.

The healer moved to stand between Shoto and Katsuki, waiting for the lesson to begin. He was
curious as to what Midnight thought he’d be able to bring to the lesson, noting the mischievous
glint in her eye.

“During the exam, you two lost points for your lack of teamwork, but also your lack of heroic
presence,” Midnight told the remedial students, her hand on her hip. “Bakugo, the examiners
deemed you harsh and temperamental.” Midnight caught Shoto smirking, and she rounded on him
next. “As for you, Todoroki, the examiners noted a lack of empathy shown to those hurt; in fact,
they noted a lack of outward emotion period.”

“Hah! She means you’re dead inside, Icyhot!”

“Kaachan,” Izuku admonished him, the blond begrudgingly ending his teasing.

Midnight blinked. We should have Midoriya come to mediate all of these make up sessions…

“The point is,” Midnight continued, “both of you need to work on your hero personas. As heroes,
you’ll need to be able to make civilians feel safe when you arrive on the scene, instead of scaring
them further.” She shot Katsuki a pointed look, earning a glare in return.

“Out of everyone in your class, Midoriya, Asui and Kirishima have the most realized hero
personas,” Aizawa added, tired eyes poking out from his yellow sleeping bag. “Their movements,
the way they speak, all of it modified to meet the needs of the job, be it combat or rescue.”

Midnight nodded, before her smile turned wicked. “Midoriya, would you mind giving a
demonstration?”

Izuku blinked, before a sweet smile appeared on his face, the healer giggling as he said, “Pucker
up, villains! The kissing hero is here!”
“Fantastic!” Midnight praised, brandishing her whip. When she and Midoriya had first begun
training together, the freckled boy had only a vague idea about what kind of hero he wanted to be.
It had been heartening for the R-rated hero to see a promising hero student with an attitude similar
to hers: Midoriya may not have gone the seductive route, but he played into his strengths as an
indisputable sweetheart, learning to use his charm to his advantage. After several acting sessions,
Midnight had looked on with pride as Pucker Up took shape, shifting from just a costume and a
kiss to a fully developed persona.

Now, she aimed to do the same for Shoto and Katsuki.

She first had them practice their hero name call outs, a difficult thing when one used his first name
and the other still hadn’t picked one. Next, the two boys took turns pretending to rescue Izuku from
a ‘burning’ building, Midnight watching with glee as they attempted to outdo one another.

“Remember Bakugo, your explosions could scare the person you’re saving,” the hero had told the
blond, who looked a bit too pleased about carrying the greenette bridal style. “And be sure to speak
softly when asking about their injuries!”

Katsuki grunted, but softened his expression as he muttered in Izuku’s ear. “Are you hurt?”

Izuku flushed bright red, forgetting what his injuries were supposed to be. From the side, Shoto
was beginning to ice the ground under his right foot as he took in the scene.

When it was his turn, Shoto used his ice to skate gracefully over to Izuku, the movement creating
small sparkles as bits of ice glinted in the sunlight. He cradled the healer just as gently, muttering
to him just like Katsuki had.

“I’ll protect you,” he’d promised, squeezing him gently. Izuku’s face was now burning as Shoto
happily carried him over to the teachers.

Midnight’s grin stretched from ear to ear as she watched, Aizawa simply rolling to face the other
way in his sleeping bag.

During their lunch break, Izuku sat with Shoto and Katsuki on top of one of the fake buildings,
looking out onto the rest of the campus as they ate the lunches the freckled boy had packed for
them.

“Thank you for helping us today, Bunny,” Shoto said, smiling warmly at the shorter boy.

Izuku shrugged. “I really didn’t help that much; honestly, I think Mr. Aizawa and Miss Midnight
only invited me along so they could keep an eye on me.”

“Either way, I’m glad you could come.”

On his other side, Katsuki grunted in agreement, bumping his shoulder against Izuku’s. “So, how’s
Nighteye’s dumb agency?”

Shoto gave the blond a look, knowing the other boy wasn’t actually interested in the agency, but
who else was working there. Izuku immediately began telling the other two about his work study,
praising his coworkers and mentor.

“Nighteye is always joking around, it’s been really nice getting to see him happy and smiling. He
always looks so serious in interviews… Nobody can make him laugh like Mirio does, and I'm
pretty sure Nighteye thinks of him as a son."
Shoto stilled at the mention of the upperclassman, sharing another meaningful look with Katsuki.
“Listen, Izuku-“

“Don’t forget about us, Princess,” Katsuki cut in, staring down the greenette. “We’ll be done with
this shitty remedial class before you know it, and then we’ll be going on real dates and sweeping
you off your feet!”

Izuku didn’t catch the shift from ‘I’ to ‘we,’ but Shoto did, and it made the dual toned boy’s
stomach twist in a funny way.

“I- of course I haven’t forgotten about you, Kaacha!” Izuku assured him. "I haven't forgotten about
either of you, it's just..."

He stared out at the horizon, contemplating his words. “Being away from everybody because of the
work studies has been hard, but being away from you two is even worse. I’ve been trying to give
you guys space, since you both wanted to focus on getting your licenses, but that’s because I care
about you, not because I wanna forget...”

He bit his lip, debating it, before turning towards Katsuki, surging forward and giving the blond a
quick kiss. He turned to do the same to Shoto, the taller boy accepting the kiss graciously.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen next,” Izuku muttered, snuggling into Katsuki’s shoulder,
"but I want to find out, and I'm willing to wait.”

He felt Shoto’s arm wrap around his waist, the taller boy resting his head atop the healer’s curls.
The three stayed that way until their lunch ended, basking in one another’s presence.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Wow, only two days of suspension? Eraser Head must be getting nicer with age.”

Izuku stifled a laugh at Mirio’s words, the two walking to Nighteye’s agency together. “He’s not
that old; he’s younger than my parents, at least.”

Mirio smiled brightly. “In any case, I’m glad you’re back! It was really boring at the agency
without you.”

They went inside, changing into their costumes before heading upstairs to Sir Nighteye’s office.

“You know, I don’t think I ever asked you,” Mirio said as he opened the door for them, “what’s
your hero name?”

“Pucker Up.”

Mirio blinked, before grinning.

“Whatever you say, Midoriya!” He chirped, leaning in.

“No, Mirio, my hero name… it’s Pucker Up…”

The sound of snickering could be heard as Izuku realized Nighteye had seen the whole encounter,
his mentor’s eyes glimmering with ill concealed mirth.

“I never would have guessed you’d be able to bring so much humor to my office, Midoriya,” the
hero said, chuckling.
Izuku’s face burned as Mirio continued to smile. By this point, Izuku had almost come to expect
Nighteye’s teasing, despite the healer’s repeated attempts to convince the hero there wasn’t
anything between he and Mirio. Sir Nighteye laughed a few moments more, before sobering.
“Now, onto business. We have a new case to work on, this time surveillance.”

The two work study students drew closer as Nighteye showed them the contents of the folder on
his desk. “This is Kai Chisaki, leader of the Shie Hassaikai.”

Mirio looked to him. “Hassaikai? He’s yakuza?”

The hero nodded. “He’s known on the streets by another name: Overhaul.”

Izuku stilled at the mention of the name. So, this is who the League went up against. Weird, he
looks pretty normal, apart from the bird mask…

“We believe he’s attempting to rebuild the yakuza, and may be forming a partnership with the
League of Villains.”

Izuku shook his head. “I don’t think so; at least, it didn’t seem like it when I was with them.”

Sir Nighteye had been informed of Izuku’s time with the League of Villains before the healer had
been allowed back at the agency, the hero promising to make sure he was never alone outside of
the building. Mirio had been especially gung-ho about the new protection plan, keeping close to
the greenette during their commute.

Nighteye motioned for him to continue. “There looked to be a fight before I got there; there was
lots of fresh blood on the walls and floor. If that was how their meeting ended, I’d be surprised if
the League decided to work with the Hassaikai.”

Nighteye seemed to agree, as he thanked him and finished his brief. “We want to survey their
compound, keep track of who and what is going in and out of it. Bubble Girl is there now,
gathering intel. Thanks to that bullet you collected from Compress, we know the Hassaikai is
experimenting with some new kind of weapon, as opposed to relying on regular guns or quirks. If
we can find out more about it, we may be able to build a strong enough case against them for an
indictment.”

The greenette nodded; he’d heard Nighteye mention how difficult building a case against the
Hassaikai had been, given how well they were able to cover up their criminal activity. Attacking
the League of Villains was a bold move, but the authorities would have next to no information on it
had Izuku not gotten caught up in the aftermath. The bullet he’d retrieved and given to Nezu had
been sent to a lab for analysis, though given the contents of the cartridge had been spent, there
wasn't much to analyze.

The hero’s golden eyes locked onto Izuku’s green ones. “I want you on this case, but given
everything that’s happened-“

The greenette wanted to assure his mentor that he was fine and that he could handle it, but if
Nighteye was even half as protective as Mr. Aizawa, then it would be a losing argument. Instead,
he thought of a better strategy.

“Maybe Mirio and I can help you in a different way.” Nighteye motioned for him to continue.
“Well, thanks to the Sports Fest and… being kidnapped… my face is pretty well known right now;
we can use that. Me and- I’m sorry Mirio, I don’t know your hero name, either.”

“It’s Lemillion!” Mirio said brightly. “‘Cuz I want to save at least a million people!”
Izuku smiled at him. “Right. Me and Lemillion can patrol a few blocks away, maybe try and draw
a crowd, to keep attention away from the compound. That way, the Hassaikai will think the agency
is too busy grandstanding to pay attention to them, and they might lower their guard enough for
you to find out something useful.”

Nighteye studied him for a moment. “It’s not a perfect plan, but it could work. Smart thinking,
Midoriya; Lemillion, you and Pucker Up,” the hero grinned as he said the name, eyes flitting
between the two, “will patrol nearby, and hopefully will be able to keep attention on yourselves
long enough for Bubble Girl and I to gather intel. Keep in mind you’ll be acting as pros out there,
so don’t take any unnecessary risks. Got that, Pucker Up?”

Izuku nodded, his expression determined. “Yes, sir!”

 Kissed It
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

When they’d returned to the agency, Izuku was summoned to Nigheye’s office to give the report,
while Mirio worked with Bubble Girl and Centipeder to analyze the surveillance information
they’d obtained.

It had been a standard patrol, with Mirio and Izuku doing their best to draw attention to themselves.
They had been lucky enough to stumble across a man using his quirk to steal money from an
ATM, and Izuku took the spotlight, using his mist to slow the villain while Mirio knocked him out
with a strong punch, securing him for the police using one of the healer’s capture bandaids.

The villain had a syringe in his pocket that he’d been reaching for when Mirio had hit him, the
chamber filled with a strange liquid that had been handed over to the police, along with the
criminal.

“As I’m sure you’ve noticed,” Nighteye spoke as Izuku finished his report, “there’s been a surge in
illicit substances found on criminals and at crime scenes in the area. So far, we’ve mostly found the
black market quirk booster ‘Trigger’ on low level criminals; why do you think that is?”

Izuku thought about it: It was likely there was a distributor selling the product to lesser criminals to
make them more dangerous, as well as to turn a profit. Most quirk boosting drugs were a mix of
stimulants and steroids, fine tuned to push the body’s quirk well beyond it’s normal limit. For
most, the effects wouldn’t be enough to cause serious damage to them, but a more powerful person
like Momo or Katsuki could easily destroy their bodies using a drug like that.

“Someone is trying to create a new market,” he finally said, turning to his mentor. “By starting
with lesser criminals, the supplier is providing the opportunity for more people with weaker quirks
to turn to crime, while simultaneously getting them hooked on the product. The heroes have done a
good job apprehending these criminals, but if one or two manage to escape, the stronger criminals
will take notice and start buying the product for themselves.”

“Precisely; We don’t know for certain, but we can’t rule out the possibility Chisaki is part of this,
given the evidence you found at the league’s hideout. The information we’ve gathered so far is a
good start, but not incriminating enough to bring him in for questioning. We’ll have to continue as
we are for now, and hopefully we’ll be able to strike soon.”

Izuku was about to leave for the evening, when Nighteye stopped him. “I had one more question
for you, Midoriya; since obtaining your license, you’ve been All Might’s primary healer, yes?” At
the greenette’s nod, Nighteye pursed his lips. “And- and how is he doing, with the healing…”

“I’ve managed to heal all of the injuries he sustained at Kamino; right now, we’re working on,
well-“
“The damage from One For All, I presume,” Nighteye muttered, casting his eyes downward. “He
was handling it poorly last I saw him, after another six years I can only imagine…”

Izuku blinked; he should’ve known All Might’s only sidekick would know about his quirk, given
the close relationship the two had when they were working together. He noted the sadness in his
mentor’s eyes, taking a hesitant step forward.

“Sir? I- I know it’s not my business, but maybe you should reach out to him.”

Nighteye’s head snapped up as the man stared at him, and Izuku continued. “I was talking to All
Might about coming to see you, and I can tell he wants to, but he’s scared; I think he thinks you
don’t want to see him anymore.”

The hero was silent for several minutes, before letting out a weary sigh. “What all has he told
you?”

“Not much,” Izuku muttered softly. “Just that you saw a lot of bad things in his future, and that
they’re starting to come true.”

Nighteye let out a humorless chuckle. “That’s one way of putting it; I- I saw him die, Midoriya. I
saw All Might take on a monstrous villain, and lose his life in the process.”

The healer had to slap a hand over his mouth to keep the startled cry threatening to bubble out of
him at bay. Like Nighteye, Izuku had a complicated relationship with the number one hero. He
admired and respected All Might, had favored him above all other heroes as a child and now
worried deeply about the man’s fading strength. Izuku also couldn’t stand how the ‘Symbol of
Peace’ title kept his teacher from living a normal life, and how One For All had chipped away at
him for decades.

To hear that All Might, who had seemed invincible up until the battle at Kamino would suffer a
terrible death was devastating, and Izuku couldn’t help the tears that sprang from his eyes.

Nighteye didn’t look much better; the man must not have had anyone else to talk to about his
vision, as he began pouring his heart out. “I tried my best to get him to slow down, to stop letting
One For All destroy him, but he- he just wouldn’t listen! All these years, I’ve searched for a way to
help him, to make sure his power could be safely passed on before it killed him, but…”

Izuku felt that familiar churning in his stomach, like when he’d fought Shoto in the Sports Festival,
and rescued Kota from Muscular; it was equal parts fear and determination, and he knew it to mean
that someone needed his help. He moved over to the desk, sitting back down. “His body is healing,
if only a little bit each time we meet, and his vitals are improving. I think I can keep him healthy
for a little while longer and, in the meantime, you and I can keep looking for a solution.”

Nighteye looked to his student, his expression broken. “You don’t understand, my vision, I- I’ve
never been wrong before…”

Izuku gave the man a small smile. “Aren’t you the one who’s always telling Mirio and me that
nothing is absolute? That there’s always a solution? I know things may look grim right now, but I
believe the two of us can find a way to save him; after all, I’ve yet to meet someone I couldn’t
heal!”

The hero took in the greenette’s smile, his hero persona firmly affixed to his face. It was a cute
smile, unlike All Might’s brave one, but Nighteye could see the inspiration. “Midoriya… in that
press conference, did you mean it when you said you wanted to become the Symbol of Love?”
Izuku nodded. “I- I used to want to be the number one hero, to be just like All Might. When I
started working with Recovery Girl, and then got into the hero course, I realized that I would never
be All Might because I’m something different; something the world doesn’t have yet, but
desperately needs.

“When I think about all the people I’ve healed, it’s easy to think about all the horrible things that
have happened to them, and about what could have happened to them if I wasn’t there to help.
Sometimes, those are the only things I can think about, and it always makes me freeze up. I want to
be a Symbol of Love because I believe I can use my quirk to save people and bring more love into
the world, even if it means I have to kiss criminals sometimes.”

By the time Izuku finished speaking, his mentor was genuinely smiling again. “Thank you,
Midoriya; I think I needed to hear that.”

“Anytime, sir.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Momo let out a grunt as she smashed her opponent’s side with a metal bat, the creation
reintegrating with her body as the villain hit the ground. She materialized a pair of handcuffs and
secured him, just as Uraraka and Asui joined her.

“Wow, that was amazing Yaomomo!” Uraraka chirped, smiling brightly despite her black eye.
Next to her, Asui was holding their villains in place with her tongue, and Momo handcuffed them
as well.

“I’m just glad we were able to apprehend them before any civilians got hurt,” the taller girl told
them. “Thank goodness Ryukyu changed our patrol route.”

“I had a feeling something might happen in this part of the city tonight,” the dragon hero
commented, she and Nejire joining the girls. “We’re not far from where Nighteye’s agency took
down a few criminals carrying quirk boosting drugs, and this time of night is perfect for
committing crimes.”

Momo checked her fallen opponent’s pocket, finding a few small, red bullets with needles
protruding from them. She carefully handed them off to her mentor. “What do you think they are,
ma’am?”

“Just Ryukyu is fine, Creati, and I’m not sure… they don’t look like the syringes we’ve been
finding.”

Momo created a bag for Ryukyu to place the bullets in, the hero passing them off to the police
when they arrived, along with the villains. “We should get back to the agency; you girls have a
curfew to make, after all.”

As the group walked back to the agency, their patrol coming to an end, Ryukyu commended her
work study students for their efforts. “Each of you girls has shown incredible promise, despite only
being first years; you’ve been a big help with this drug case, and I think you might be ready for a
bigger role in it.”

Uraraka cocked her head, “Oh?”

“Sir Nighteye’s agency has been working this same case in his part of the city,” Ryukyu informed
them. “He believes the yakuza might be behind the distribution of the quirk boosting drugs. Given
the connection, they might be behind the strange bullets we found today as well.”
“Our friend Izu is doing his work study with Sir Nighteye,” Uraraka told her. “Maybe we should
work together with him to figure this out! He’s really smart, so I know he and Momo can find the
answer.”

Ryukyu gave the girl a knowing look. “I see… and, am I correct in assuming this ‘Izu’ is important
to you?”

Uraraka flushed slightly, but shook her head. “He’s just my friend, and he’s sort of dating another
one of my friends, so it’s not what you think.”

“He’s our school’s Sweetheart!” Nejire chirped, smiling brightly. “He’s almost as popular as me,
Tama and Mirio, because he's super cute and his quirk is kisses!”

Ryukyu hid her smirk behind her hand. “In any case, if you think he can be an asset, I suggest you
speak with him. Nighteye has already requested a team up with our agency, so the more
information we can gather and share, the better.”

Momo and the others nodded. “We won’t let you down, Ryukyu!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day, the girls met Izuku in the infirmary.

“So you guys have been finding the syringes on criminals too,” Izuku muttered, dressing a wound
on Tetsutetsu’s arm as he did. Recovery Girl had forbade him from using his quirk on minor
injuries, for the time being, to test his first aid skills. If the nurse happened to get a kick out of the
disappointed students leaving the infirmary without any kisses, Izuku hadn’t noticed.

Asui nodded. “We think it’s the same quirk booster that the other agencies have been finding, and
Ryukyu wanted us to pick your brain about it.”

“Me?”

“Well, yeah!” Uraraka said, moving aside as Tetsutetsu left the infirmary. “You’re the one with the
biology quirk, so of course we’d think to ask you about it.”

Izuku hummed. He had been wondering how his quirk would affect someone who had taken one of
the drugs, but hadn’t been presented with the opportunity to experiment. Suddenly, an idea came to
him. He turned to Recovery Girl. “Recovery Girl, do we have any samples of Trigger in the lab?”

The nurse looked to him. “I believe we do, but you’ll have to ask Nezu before tampering with
anything; why do you ask?”

“Well, instead of waiting to see how my quirk affects someone high on Trigger, I think we should
study the composition of the drug samples we have after it’s been introduced to my mist,” he told
her. “It’s safer than trying to take down a criminal who’s been abusing it, at least.”

Recovery Girl mulled the idea over, before nodding. “I’ll request permission from Nezu to give
you all access to the lab.”

“Hatsume too, please,” Izuku added. “She may be more of an engineer, but I’m sure she’ll be able
to help.”

The nurse agreed, before moving over to the phone. Nezu happily agreed to allow them access to
the lab, after making sure Recovery Girl could be there to supervise. Hatsume was summoned from
her class to join them, the girl’s eyes lighting up when they entered.

“Look at all of this!” She squealed, eyeing the different pieces of lab equipment hungrily. “I bet I
could make a lot of useful upgrades to this tech; ohh! I have the perfect baby to add to this!!”

“Mei, please try to calm down,” Izuku said wearily, while Momo laughed at her girlfriend’s
antics.

They gathered around a table, where Recovery Girl was setting up a few instruments to aid with
their experiment. “These sensors should be able to detect any changes to the composition of the
drug, once you’ve used your quirk. We only have a few viable samples, so make them count.”

Izuku nodded, before turning to the others. “Momo, you’ve done the most research into chemistry,
and Hatsume knows a fair bit as well, so I think you two should take the notes this time. I’ll see if I
can sense anything once my mist is introduced, and we can analyze the results once we’ve noted
any changes.”

“And what should Ochaco and I do?” Asui asked dryly, knowing they likely wouldn’t be much
help in this exercise.

“Oh! Actually, if you wouldn’t mind, we could use some blood from both of you.”

Uraraka blinked. “Blood?”

Izuku nodded. “We have enough samples of Trigger to run a few different tests: One, to see how it
affects the user, two, to see how my mist affects just the drug, and three, to see how my mist
affects the drug after it’s already been introduced to the user. By using samples of your blood, we
can gauge the effects safely; and by using some of Tsu’s blood, we can gauge whether there’s a
difference in efficacy when the drug is taken by someone with a mutant-type quirk.”

Asui looked between Izuku and Uraraka, before shrugging. “I trust you, Midoriya; if you need
some blood from me, you can have it.”

“Thanks, Tsu! Uraraka?”

The brunette contemplated it, before nodding. “Of course, I’m happy to help Izu!”

And so the group got to work, Hatsume tweaking the sensors while Izuku drew blood from both
Asui and Uraraka. Recovery Girl had refused to do so, stating, “it’s your experiment, Midoriya,
and you know how to draw blood; time to put that extra training to good use.”

They first took a small amount of Trigger, placing it in a test tube and handing it to Izuku, who
blew a puff of mist into it before placing it in the machine.

“It doesn’t look like anything has changed compositionally,” Momo remarked, jotting down a few
notes. “There’s a clear separation between the drug and your mist.”

Izuku nodded, adding the results to his own notebook before continuing. They took Uraraka’s
blood sample, adding Trigger to it and placing it in the machine. This time, there was a reaction.

“There’s an increase in cellular activity, but it’s difficult to tell why,” Momo muttered, looking to
Izuku.

“It could be that there’s a component in the drug that’s increasing cell proliferation,” the greenette
muttered. “Which would increase the likelihood of cell instability and mutation, if it’s taken
regularly.”

“That’s if the major power boost doesn’t kill the person first,” Asui commented bluntly.

Izuku nodded in agreement. They found no difference when studying Asui’s blood when combined
with Trigger, so the group moved on to their last test.

Taking the last of Uraraka and Asui’s blood, Momo added Trigger to the samples, while Izuku
added his mist. As the mist swirled about the tube, mixing with the blood, the machine gave them
new results.

“It looks like your mist is canceling out the effects of the drug,” Hatsume muttered, going over the
readings. “All that cell activity that was happening a moment ago is decreasing rapidly.”

“So my mist will affect the drug, so long as it’s already been introduced to the body in some
way…”

Uraraka watched as Izuku, Momo and Hatsume began theorizing, furiously scribbling down notes
and talking over one another. “This is kind of freaky,” she told Asui, who nodded.

“Maybe we should look into synthesizing you mist,” Momo suggested. “I don’t know if it’s
possible; but if we could, we’d be able to make a neutralizing agent that the police and other
heroes could use against drugged villains!”

“You’re right, but my mist is just air that’s been activated by my quirk; in order to make it work,
you’d essentially have to bottle my kisses.”

Momo and Hatsume looked to one another.

“We could make so much money if we did that,” the pink haired girl muttered, Momo giggling as
Izuku gave them a bemused look.

From the side, Asui piped up. “Maybe we tested the wrong person’s blood.”

All eyes turned to her incredulously.

“Oh my god, it was right in front of us!” Izuku exclaimed. “Tsu, you’re a genius!”

“I have my moments. Well, what are you waiting for?”

The group quickly set about extracting some of the healer’s blood and introducing sample of
Trigger, gauging the results.

“It’s…it’s not doing anything,” Hatsume marveled. “Izu, your blood isn’t being affected by the
drug at all!”

“Either that, or Izu’s blood is undoing the changes faster than the drug can take hold,” Momo
suggesting, writing down both hypotheses.

“Still, using his blood is a much more viable option than, how did you put it dear? Bottling
kisses?” Recovery Girl chirped from her seat, smiling at the students. “I have to say, if this is what
you can accomplish as just work study students, then I can’t wait to see you all as pro heroes.”

The group beamed at the nurse, taking pride in their achievement. They had a new goal to reach
for: rendering Trigger useless, before it could do any more harm.
 The Sweeter the Kiss
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Izuku spent the next few days at a lab in Tokyo, working with Momo to synthesize a counter drug
to Trigger with his blood.

Once Nezu, Nighteye and Ryukyu had been informed of the discovery the students had made with
Hatsume and the others, Izuku and Momo had been sent to one of the labs under contract with
Nighteye’s agency, the scientists there aiding them in their research.

Izuku was grateful; he and Momo had made decent progress, but it paled in comparison to the
knowledge and experience the specialists assigned to them possessed. The healer had donated quite
a bit of blood, the group working to create a working counter drug using as little of it as possible
without reducing the efficacy.

“For now, the counter drug is only viable if half of it is made out of your blood,” Momo told him,
handing the healer their latest version. “It’s progress, but we still have a lot of work to do.”

Izuku nodded, “Right.”

It was stressful and complicated, but Izuku couldn’t deny that he liked the challenge. It was
completely out of his field of study, but having Momo and the lab’s scientists there was reassuring.
They would figure this out, he was sure of it.

At one point, Sir Nighteye and Ryukyu came to check on them.

“We’re heading in the right direction,” Izuku told them, showing the heroes the notes he, Momo
and the other scientists had created. “If we could lower the amount of my blood needed to even
thirty percent, we’d have a reasonable product.”

“I see; and how do you plan to administer this counter drug to villains who have been abusing
Trigger?” Ryukyu questioned.

“Our friend Hatsume created a prototype bullet based off the one I found at the League’s hideout;
she also fashioned an updated muzzle for the standard issue police pistols, so that the bullets can be
used without the need for a whole new weapon.”

Nighteye smiled at the two students. “It seems as though you have everything under control here;
I’m impressed. It’s not often in an investigation that I feel like I’m in the way.”

Izuku shook his head fervently. “You’re not in the way at all, sir! In fact, you’ve helped with this a
great deal! All the lessons I’ve had with you about using my quirk in different ways is what gave
me the idea to try counteracting the drug with my mist; so in some ways, you’re just as important
to this process.”
Ryukyu was grinning. “I think I understand now, why Nejire referred to you as UA’s Sweetheart.”

The greenette had heard the term so many times within the past few months, he barely blushed.
“It’s all Present Mic’s fault,” Izuku huffed, “he started it.”

“In any case, you and Creati are doing an incredible job,” the dragon hero told him. “Keep up the
good work.”

The two smiled brightly at the heroes. “We will!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A few days later, the work study students joined their classmates for basic training, something they
hadn’t the time to do since their work studies began.

“It’s time to see if you’ve learned anything useful at those pro hero agencies,” Aizawa said,
grinning behind his capture weapon. “We’ll be sparring today: once with your quirks, and once
without.”

Shoto and Katsuki looked ready to argue over who got to spar with the greenette, but Aizawa
assigned him to Aoyama, rolling his eyes as he did.

“You changed your costume,” Izuku noted, eyeing the blond’s new attire. “It looks great!”

Aoyama had forgone his old, bulky armor for a slim fitting, motorcycle-style suit, with silver
accents laced into the lighter padding. He’d kept the red visor from his original costume, and his
signature support belt had been upgraded to a slimmer version that matched the new outfit. It had a
sleek look about it, the white leather and the silver accents giving the masculine outfit all the flair
and sparkle one would expect from the blond, the style complimenting him while staying true to
his identity.

“Merci, Izuku! Best Jeanist helped me design it, and taught me some new fighting moves to go
with my increased mobility.”

Izuku nodded, smiling at his friend before the two entered the ring. Aizawa began the match, and
Aoyama shot forward immediately, firing off his lasers.

He’s so much faster now, Izuku realized, dodging the attacks as best he could. And he’s gotten
much better at using his quirk with his hands, too. This won’t be like our match at the Sports
Festival…

Izuku blew out a stream of mist, blanketing the area in shimmering pink.

“You sparkle as brightly as ever,” Aoyama called out, and Izuku could make out twin beams
charging on the other side of his mist, “but today, I will shine brighter!”

Izuku concentrated his mist to around Aoyama’s body, strengthening its power as the blond
unleashed his quirk. The lasers were weaker than they’d ordinarily be, but the impact of them still
sent Izuku sprawling to the ground. Quickly recovering, the greenette just barely dodged a punch
from the other boy, countering with an axe kick to break through his defense. Izuku seized his
chance as Aoyama stumbled, surging forward and planting a soft kiss to the other boy’s cheek.

Aoyama fell, and Izuku won the match. The greenette revived his opponent, Aizawa giving them a
moment to catch their breath before starting their second match, this time without quirks.
No longer able to use his abilities, Izuku was overwhelmed by Aoyama, the taller boy moving
quickly to overpower him. Izuku’s gymnastics helped him evade his opponent, but Aoyama
must’ve been paying close attention to the healer’s matches in previous training sessions, as he was
able to predict his moves fairly well. The blond, despite being in the same category as Izuku in
terms of physical prowess, seemed to have gotten much stronger thanks to his work study, as he
managed to pin the greenette minutes after their match had begun.

“That was amazing, Yuga!” The healer gushed. “You’ve gotten so much stronger, and you’re faster
now that your costume is lighter, too!”

The blond preened, and the two moved to the side as the next pair sparred. Shinso ended the fight
immediately, managing to activate his quirk simply by getting Uraraka to react to his taunting.

“She didn’t even have to verbally respond for Toshi to activate his quirk,” Izuku muttered, pulling
out his notebook. “He hypnotized her just by getting her to listen to what he was saying! He’s
gotten stronger, too…”

Izuku’s mind drifted away as the two moved on to their quirkless sparring, a frown on his face.
The others had gotten so much better with using their quirks, and had developed their signature
moves more as well. The healer had been using his quirk a lot, but not much differently than he
had been since the summer. He hadn’t created any new signature moves since before the licensing
exam, and the ones he had created were woefully underdeveloped.

I need to spend more time developing my quirk, he decided, applauding with the others as Uraraka
performed an incredible take down using the martial arts she’d learned from Gunhead. The things
I've learned from Nighteye have been helpful, but not in regards to combat. I'll have to work on
that, which means finding someone to practice with as soon as possible…

“Good work, you two,” Aizawa complimented, his bored expression becoming amused as he spied
Uraraka still pinning Shinso down. “Are you going to let him up any time soon, Uraraka?”

The brunette blinked, before realizing her position on top of her opponent. She blushed furiously as
she let him up, apologizing profusely. Shinso waved her off, but Izuku could see the pink tint on
his cheeks as well.

The rest of the sparring matches were relatively uneventful, with the exception of Tokoyami and
Asui showing off some new moves they’d picked up at their work studies.

It was near the end of Shoji’s match against Ojiro that All Might entered the gym, sporting his
muscular form. “I am here!”

“Looking good, sir!” Ashido called out.

“Man, I haven’t seen your hero form since Kamino,” Kirishima added, smiling at his teacher.

“Hah! As if that could ever be enough to defeat me! I’m back to being fighting fit, young heroes!”

“Really,” Aizawa commented dryly, sparing a glance to Izuku. “And what does your healer have to
say about all of this?”

All eyes turned to the freckled boy as he scanned the number one hero, sensing his injuries. There
was still plenty of damage leftover from One For All, but the hero was technically recovered
enough to fight, if need be. His classmates weren’t aware of the severity of All Might’s injuries,
and probably believed that the healer would be able to return the Symbol of Peace to his prime.
Izuku wasn’t so sure.
“You seem to be doing much better,” Izuku replied instead, “but I wouldn’t push it just yet.”

Aizawa and All Might shared a look, but neither commented. All Might stayed to watch the rest of
the sparring matches, his voice booming as he cheered his students on. Once they’d been released
for the day, All Might asked the healer to stay behind for a moment.

“I heard you had another run in with the League a few days ago,” the hero said with a frown. “I’m
glad you weren’t hurt; but Young Midoriya, what could have possibly possessed you to willingly
help those criminals?”

“Compress was dying,” Izuku frowned in response. “I had to help him if I could, and we got some
useful information from them as well.”

“But still, aiding villains-“

“Midoriya and I have already discussed this,” Aizawa said curtly. “There’s no need to make him
rehash it again.”

Izuku was silently grateful for his teacher’s intervention; It wasn’t an argument he wished to have
again, especially knowing that most pro heroes wouldn’t understand his reasoning. It was upsetting
to think that those entrusted with protecting their society held little to no empathy for the criminals
they defeated. Most were likely beyond salvation, but surely the pros could see the difference
between a common thief and a mass murderer.

All Might looked as though he wanted to say something, but thought better of it. Izuku frowned.

Maybe I’m just being naive…

“You did fine today,” Aizawa told him after All Might had left, “but you’re not as far along as I’d
like you to be; I understand that you’ve been occupied with a different kind of hero work in your
work study, but don’t let yourself fall behind in combat training, or you’ll pay for it later.”

"Yes sir; I'll get back to strengthening my quirk as soon as possible!"

Aizawa regarded him. "It's not just your quirk that needs practicing, you should also work on your
strength and physical defense. I don't mean to come off rude, but you're not as...sturdy as the
others. Finding ways to increase your defense will be vital to making significant progress."

Izuku nodded, assuring the man he’d keep up. As he walked back to the dorms, the greenette ran
through the list of potential practice partners once again, groaning in frustration as he realized how
few options he had.

It’d be so much easier if I could practice on my own, he thought, beginning to feel grumpy. Having
to rely on others to practice my quirk is becoming a burden, on both myself and everyone else
involved.

Izuku felt his phone buzz, pulling it out to see a text from Hatsume. It was a photo of the bullet
prototype she’d been working on, the metal cartridge a light pink color likely to reflect the healer’s
mist.

Already sent a few of these babies out to local police, the text read, serum is about 45% blood
now, but should still work great!

Izuku smiled, grateful to see Hatsume’s genius being recognized. He debated quirk practice again,
but shook his head, thinking back to Aizawa's words; he could worry about strengthening his quirk
later, when there were more people that could help him with it. For the time being he could focus
on his physical strength, and maybe getting a partner for practicing combat. He supposed Nighteye
wouldn’t mind if he and Mirio took an hour of their shift to work on their skills, and it made the
most sense to ask the blond since he saw him more than anyone else.

He shot a quick text to the upperclassman about it, getting an enthusiastic ‘Heck Yeah!’ in
response.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once Izuku and Momo were back in the lab, they got their first promising report.

“The officer on the scene fired the prototype counter drug at the villain, nullifying the effects of
the Trigger drug taken moments prior,” Izuku read aloud, his eyes scanning the page he’d been
handed.

“That’s great news, Izu!” Momo said brightly, smiling at him. “We did it!”

“Actually, I’d say you did most of it,” he said sheepishly. “I mostly just gave blood.”

“And that was literally half the project,” Hatsume said, walking into the lab with as much grace as
an elephant. “Stop selling yourself short, Izu, we did a great job!”

The healer took in the girls’ cheerful expressions, smiling brightly. “We really did.”
 Kisses Don’t Lie P. I
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

“Alright, come at me!”

Izuku shot forward, sending a kick Mirio’s way which the upperclassman easily blocked,
countering with a punch. Izuku dodged the hit, landing two quick jabs before leaping away. He
moved to attack again when the taller boy lunged, knocking the greenette to the mat and pinning
him.

“I gotta say, that was pretty terrible Midoriya,” Mirio chirped, smiling down at him. “When your
opponent is a lot bigger than you, they can reach out a lot farther to grab you, so be sure to keep
your distance. Also, jabs like that may be good against scrawny guys, but if your opponent has
enough muscle or fat they likely won’t feel ‘em.”

“I’ll be sure to remember that,” Izuku huffed. “Can you let me up now?”

“Nope! In a real fight, you have to be able to free yourself, or else you’re dead!”

Izuku tried wriggling and squirming, even managing to free his leg to knee Mirio in his side, but
nothing worked.

He was about to give up when Bubble Girl entered the gym, pausing as she took in the scene.

“SIR!” She screamed out into the hall. “IT’S HAPPENING AGAIN, I TOLD YOU SO!”

“We were just sparring!” Izuku groaned, Mirio finally letting him up. “Mirio’s been helping me
build up my stamina.“

Bubble Girl let out a choked sound, and Izuku flushed as he caught the double meaning in his
words. “T-That’s not what I meant!! I need to work on strengthening my body and-”

“Well, that’s not the way to do it, Midoriya!” Bubble Girl squeaked, her expression thoroughly
scandalized. “When they say strenuous exercise, they don’t mean-“

“Did you need something, Bubble Girl?” Mirio asked, cutting the woman’s rant off with his cheery
tone. Next to him, Izuku was trying his best to ignore the look the sidekick was giving him.

Next time, perhaps they’d practice in UA’s gym instead.

Bubble Girl scoffed, but continued. “Sir wants you two out on patrol again; you know the drill, do
some showboating, make a scene, whatever you can do to keep eyes off of us.”

The two nodded. “Got it!”

Not ten minutes later they were in costume, ready to begin their patrol.
“I hope I wasn’t being too harsh earlier,” Mirio said, waving to a few civilians as they patrolled.
“You’re getting better, but you have to remember that you can’t always rely on your quirk, and you
need to have a plan in case that happens.”

The healer nodded. “Later I can show you the techniques I learned at Gunhead’s agency, if you
want; maybe we can find a way to incorporate them into my training.”

“I’d like that!”

The street was relatively quiet, with only a few civilians milling about. Midday on a weekday,
Izuku didn’t expect to see many people, but it was the perfect time for the Hassaikai to mobilize.

Since the introduction of the counter drug, cases of Trigger abuse had begun to decrease, though
the numbers were still far too high. They weren’t yet at a point where the counter drug could be
mass produced, and so Izuku was stopping by the lab each evening after work or class to donate
more blood for production.

The Hassaikai didn’t seem to have put the pieces together yet, hopefully not realizing who was
behind the new product threatening their drug ring. The patrols Izuku did with Mirio were often
uneventful, but the occasional robbery or public disturbance allowed them to do their part in the
investigation.

They rounded the corner, continuing on their path. Izuku was about to ask Mirio about using his
gymnastics in their training, when he felt something collide with his leg.

It was a little girl, no higher than his hip, clutching his costume tightly. She had long, matted hair
and crimson eyes, wide and frightened. She looked to be wearing a dingy dress, the hem caked in
grime, and her arms and legs were covered in poorly wrapped bandages. The most striking thing
about her was a horn protruding from the right side of her forehead, just shy of her temple.

“Oh, hi there,” Izuku said, once he’d recovered from his surprise. “Are you okay? Are you lost?”

“Please…please help me,” she said, her voice quiet and shaky.

Izuku felt a chill run down his spine at the sound, quickly dropping down to her level. “Of course
I’ll help you,” he replied gently, giving her a small smile. “My name’s Izuku, what’s yours?”

Before she could reply, a voice called out from the alley behind her. “There you are, Eri!”

Eri froze at the sound, clutching Izuku tighter. The healer looked up to see a tall man approaching,
wearing a long coat with a hood. Underneath it, Izuku could see tufts of white hair and cold grey
eyes.

“Forgive me,” the man said, “I looked away for just a moment and she was gone, thank goodness
you two found her.”

Mirio tensed beside them, but continued to smile. “It’s no trouble; kids, am I right? Are you her
father?”

“A friend of the family,” the man corrected, his own tight smile showing as he lowered his hood.
“And really, I must be getting her back now. Come along, Eri.”

“Please, don’t let him take me,” she whispered, and Izuku snapped his gaze back to her, sensing her
injuries.
It was enough to nearly make him sick; the girl’s arms and legs were littered with puncture
wounds; but it was her cellular structure, the way everything fit together but not quite right, just
like Compress’ arm, that made his stomach drop.

This can’t be… Chisaki has a child?

“Let me guess,” Izuku ground out, glaring up at the still advancing stranger. “Her ‘father’ is Kai
Chisaki, right? Overhaul?”

Eri tensed at the name, and his suspicions were confirmed. Izuku gently picked her up, holding her
tightly. “This girl clearly needs a hospital, so that’s where I’ll be taking her. You can follow along,
if you wish.”

Mirio was glancing between the two, assessing his options. “What my partner means to say is,
we’d be happy to escort you both there!”

“That’s Hari Kurono, one of the Eight Bullets,” the blond muttered in Izuku’s ear, “Chisaki’s inner
circle. If he figures out who we work for, Sir’s mission could be ruined.”

“I don’t care,” Izuku hissed back, staring at the other incredulously. “This girl needs our help, and
I’m not going to refuse to offer it just for the mission!”

“An escort won’t be necessary,” Kurono insisted, glowering at the two. “I’ll simply take my
friend’s daughter back, and be on my way. Eri, get back here. Now.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Izuku said defiantly, mist curling from his lips. “I’m going to protect
Eri, whether you like it or not!”

Kurono sighed, “Suit yourself.”

Izuku had expected an attack, and was thus prepared for the projectile that shot from Kurono’s
hood, tearing through the fabric. He dodged it easily, firing back with a steady stream of mist that
swirled throughout the alleyway.

Kurono hadn’t anticipated the counter, which led Izuku to believe he hadn’t known who the healer
was when he attacked. The villain began to stumble, Izuku’s sedative taking hold as more mist
reached him, his limbs growing numb and his eyelids heavy.

“Lemillion,” Izuku prompted, popping his hip out. Mirio took the hint, reaching into the utility belt
pouch and retrieving one of the healer’s capture bandaids. He moved over to Kurono, who was
fighting the effects of Izuku’s mist as best he could. With a final puff of mist, the man succumbed
to the sedative and hit the ground, Mirio quickly apprehending him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The two made their way to the nearest police station, Izuku carrying Eri and Mirio carrying the
Hassaikai member. Izuku did his best to distract the girl, asking her questions about her favorite
food, her favorite color, her favorite toy...

The fact that she didn’t have a favorite of almost anything made Izuku’s stomach churn, and he felt
vindicated in his decision.

The police were, understandably, gobsmacked at the two hero students’ appearance, as well as the
figures they had with them. They took Kurono into custody, but any attempts made to take Eri as
well were met with a fierce glare from the greenette.
“I’m taking her to a hospital,” Izuku informed them, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I can
heal her properly there.”

He turned heel and left without another word, Mirio scrambling to catch up. Balancing Eri on his
hip, Izuku pulled out his phone and sent out a quick text as they walked, the three reaching the
hospital as quickly as possible.

“We’ll be able to take care of you here,” he assured the frightened girl, standing off to the side as
Mirio spoke to the receptionist. A small team of doctors and nurses came to meet them shortly
after, crowding around them.

“We can take things from here,” the head doctor insisted, “she’ll be safe with us.”

“Please don’t go,” Eri mumbled as Izuku placed her on the ground.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he promised, taking her hand and shooting the doctor a pointed look.
The man eyed him warily, but sighed, allowing him to join them. The two were led to a room as
Mirio waited in the lobby for Nighteye; it was fairly small, but had a good view of the city from
the far window.

Izuku held Eri’s hand as the doctors began checking her vitals. Though the greenette thought it a
waste of time, as he could simply tell them what her injuries and vitals were, he understood there
was protocol and kept quiet. Eri became nervous when one nurse pulled out a needle for a blood
sample, and Izuku soothed her as best he could, trying desperately to remember how his own
mother made him feel better when at the doctor’s.

Almost as soon as their room emptied of doctors, it filled up with heroes. Nighteye, Mirio, Aizawa
and Nezu appeared, each one’s expression ranging from anger to concern.

“Just what do you think you’re doing,” Nighteye hissed, his yellow eyes gleaming.

Izuku gave the man a reproachful look as Eri flinched at his tone, turning to smile at the girl. “I’m
going to step outside for a minute, okay? Mirio is gonna stay with you while I’m gone.”

Mirio quickly took the greenette’s place, putting on a bright grin as he chatted away happily with
the girl. Aizawa, Nezu and Nighteye followed Izuku out into the hall, the group keeping their
voices low.

“You’ve completely jeopardized this entire mission!” Nighteye snapped, his expression stern.
“After all the hard work we’ve done, after all the time you spent creating that counter drug with
Ryukyu’s students, you decided to throw it all away by acting recklessly.”

“Recklessly?” Izuku repeated incredulously. “A little girl has been abused, and you’re worried
about your mission?!”

Nighteye’s nostrils flared, but Izuku pushed on. “For your information, sir, I haven’t done anything
recklessly. I sensed Eri’s injuries and found them substantial enough to bring her to seek treatment,
and when the man attempting to take her attacked, I used my quirk to subdue him.”

“But you had no authority to take the girl, Midoriya,” Nighteye argued. “You’re still only a work
study student, you can’t just do as you see fit, there’s protocol!”

“There is,” Izuku conceded. “But my protocol and Mirio’s differ greatly; in instances of child
endangerment, it is a healer’s job to assess whether or not the child needs to be removed from a
parent or guardian and act accordingly. I may not be licensed to do so yet, but my mentor is.”
Nighteye looked confused, until he spotted Recovery Girl coming down the hall, a young doctor
escorting her.

“I came as soon as I could,” she told the greenette, before casting her eyes to the door. “I’m
guessing she’s in there?”

Izuku nodded. “Her name is Eri.”

“Alright, thank you Midoriya.”

The hero tottered inside, and Izuku turned back to Nighteye. The man faltered, but his expression
remained. “I reported to Recovery Girl as soon as I was able; she’ll be able to fill out all of the
necessary forms for us to keep her here.”

“What about her parents?” Aizawa piped up, having been content to watch his student admonish
the other hero up to that point.

“I’m not sure who her biological parents are; but Kurono, the Eight Bullets member who tried to
take her, said Chisaki is her father, which is a lie.”

Nighteye quirked a brow. “And how do you know that?”

“Simple: I sensed her blood type earlier, it’s type O. From the file you showed me, Chisaki is
listed as AB. Even if her mother was type O, there’s no way Chisaki could be her biological father.
I’d also be willing to bet there’s no documentation supporting his adopting her, which leaves only
one other option.”

“He took her from someone,” Nighteye concluded, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. “I-
I’m sorry, Midoriya; it seems you thought this out more than I gave you credit for, forgive me.”

Izuku smiled weakly. “It’s alright, and I think this might actually help with our investigation. The
doctors recorded all of Eri’s injuries and, with Recovery Girl’s assessment filled out, there’s more
than enough evidence here for a judge to issue a warrant to search their compound.”

“My, my,” Nezu chirped, smiling at the boy. “It seems we weren’t needed here at all, Eraser!
Midoriya’s knack for finding trouble has paid off, once again.”

Aizawa gave the man a harsh look, but didn’t disagree with him. “You did good kid, but we both
know this isn’t over yet. Chisaki will likely come for the girl, or his lackey, which means we’ll
need people to guard them both.”

“I’ll put in a request to the other agencies,” Nighteye offered. “For now, Centipeder can keep watch
here.”

“I’m staying too,” Izuku said firmly. “Once Recovery Girl has finished her report, I’ll heal Eri and
keep her company until we can sort this out.”

Aizawa looked like he wanted to say something, but sighed instead. “I guess there’s no arguing
with you on this, huh Midoriya?” He took in the healer’s determined expression, chuckling. “You
alright with this, Nezu?”

“Of course! It fills my heart with such joy to see young heroes living up to their potential!”

Aizawa rolled his eyes. “Right. Nighteye?”

The hero stared down at the freckled boy, before giving him a small smile. “I was wrong to
underestimate you, Mid- Pucker Up, I won’t make that same mistake again. You have my
permission to stay.”

Nezu grinned. “Splendid!”

 Kisses Don’t Lie P. II
Chapter Notes

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As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Recovery Girl made quick work of her assessment, doing her best to comfort the scared girl. Eri
had calmed down once the other heroes had left, leaving only the nurse, Izuku and Mirio by her
side.

“Eri was telling me how much she likes apples,” Mirio had said once the greenette rejoined them,
“so I’m going to go see if I can find any. Want anything?”

Izuku demurred, but the blond returned with an assortment of snacks anyways, dropping the haul
onto a small table near the bed. Izuku peeked at the options, realizing most were fairly unhealthy.
He’d have to make sure the hospital refrained from giving Eri dessert with so many sweets already
available to her.

“I’ll leave her healing up to you, dear,” Recovery Girl told him, smiling as Mirio presented the girl
with a plate of apples, the girl’s eyes wide as she took in the multi-colored slices. “My hugs might
be too draining for her.”

Izuku nodded; He was concerned about the oddity in her cellular structure. Like with Compress,
everything was technically where it should be, just… different. Chisaki’s file listed his quirk as
Overhaul: the ability to take things apart and put them back together.

I’m guessing nothing Chisaki puts back together is the same as it was before he took it apart, the
healer mused. If Eri’s whole body has that anomaly, then that means…

He grit his teeth. The girl had endured untold horrors, and Mirio had almost let Kurono take her
back to that hell for the sake of the mission. Watching the blond interact with Eri, telling horrible
jokes and pulling funny faces in an attempt to get her to laugh, Izuku had to remind himself that
Mirio couldn’t possibly have known, that he was only following protocol.

But what kind of system would let protocol come before protecting someone? The other part of him
whispered. It was clear to Izuku that there were serious issues in their current system, ones that he
would be sure were addressed once their current situation was resolved.

Eventually, Recovery Girl and Mirio both had to leave to return to their own duties, and Izuku set
about healing Eri once she’d had enough to eat.

“My quirk lets me heal people,” he told her, making sure to give her space as he sat down beside
her, “so if it’s okay with you, I’d like to heal your injuries.”

She gave him a wary look. “But that stuff you made, in the alley…”

“That’s my mist, I can use it to make bad people fall asleep, so they can’t hurt anyone. It doesn’t
hurt, just makes people sleepy.”
“Are you gonna use it on me?”

He shook his head. “I heal people a different way, but I want to make sure you’re okay with it
first.”

Eri chewed the inside of her cheek, nervously playing with her fingers, before giving the greenette
a hesitant nod. Izuku smiled, before kissing the tips of his fingers and placing them against the
girl’s temple.

He made sure to power his quirk just enough to kick start the healing process, but not enough to
knock her out. He sensed her injuries healing, slower than normal but still as effective as ever.

Eri stared in shock as Izuku removed her bandages, revealing only a few faint scars on otherwise
fully restored limbs. Izuku just smiled. He could still sense the cellular anomalies, and distantly he
wondered if he’d ever be able to set them right again, or if Overhaul had done his damage and
there was nothing to be done about it.

He shook his head. Now that she’d been healed, the greenette had the nurses grab Eri a clean
hospital gown and some socks, fetching a spray bottle and a comb and returning once the girl had
changed. He set about combing out her hair, the silver locks matted and unkempt.

Aoyama or Ashido would probably have an easier time with this, he thought, working as carefully
as possible so as not to tug on the girl’s scalp. It took a long while, and it wasn’t perfect, but it
would do for the time being.

Eri looked absolutely exhausted as the sun began to set, no doubt the day’s traumatic events finally
catching up to her. Izuku tried to tell her a bed time story, but couldn’t remember any off the top of
his head, so he made up a nonsensical tale about a princess and her white knight that may or may
not have been based off a game he’d played with Katsuki as children.

As Eri drifted off to sleep, Izuku pulled out his phone, making note of her injuries and her response
to his healing, as well as a list of things to bring to the girl’s room for her stay there. He wanted to
plan ahead, but there was only so much he’d be able to do for her. Eri’s stay in the hospital would
likely only be for a day or so, until the heroes could find a more secure location to keep her in. He
supposed, once Chisaki had been taken into custody, Eri would be put up for adoption or foster
care. He turned to look at the sleeping girl, making a silent promise to find her a safe and loving
home.

He’d only added story books and apples to his list when Centipeder entered the room, sparing a
glance to the sleeping girl before addressing Izuku. “Midoriya, I came to relieve you, in case you
wanted to shower or get some food. Mirio dropped off a change of clothes for you a moment ago.”

It had only just occurred to the greenette that he was still in his hero costume, and he smiled
gratefully at Centipeder, taking the bag of clothes and moving to the room’s en-suite bathroom.
Inside the bag was an oversized sweatshirt, likely Mirio’s, and the spare pair of sweatpants he kept
in his locker at the agency.

Ashido would be scandalized if she saw the unfashionable ensemble, but the clothes were clean
and would suit his needs just fine.

Izuku felt the toll of the day weighing on him as he showered, biting his lip as silent tears streamed
down his cheeks. There weren’t many things the soft hearted healer considered to be absolutely
unforgivable, but what Chisaki had done to Eri…
He bit down harder.

~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

At the police station, Gran Torino scowled at Kurono’s impassive face.

After Midoriya had made the connection between the League and the Shie Hassaikai, Gran Torino
had been called in alongside All Might and Tsukauchi to investigate the case, as well as being the
first asked to interrogate the recently apprehended member of the Eight Bullets.

“That kid runs into almost as much trouble as you do, Toshinori,” Torino muttered, shooting the
blond an amused look.

Tsukauchi was in the room with Kurono, unsuccessfully trying to garner information from him.
Torino figured the criminal’s loyalty to Chisaki would prevent them from getting anything useful
out of him, but they had to try.

“We know Eri isn’t Chisaki’s biological daughter,” Tsukauchi said, leaning forward, “so who is
she really?”

Kurono shook his head. “This is pointless; I won’t answer any of your questions.”

Tsukauchi pressed on anyways, asking his questions and getting silence in response.

“You don’t suppose Midoriya could use that mist to make a truth serum, do ya?” Gran Torino
asked All Might, only half joking.

All Might gave him a wry smile. “Knowing him, Young Midoriya would probably lecture us both
on the ethics of truth serums if we asked him, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he could do it; he and
Yaoyorozu did manage to make that counter drug, after all…”

Torino shook his head. “Doesn’t matter; from what Nighteye has told me, it sounds like he’ll have
his hands full with the kid they rescued for the time being.”

All Might’s muscle form didn’t show his surprise at his mentor’s words, but Torino had known
him long enough to recognize it regardless. “You- you’ve been in touch with Nighteye?“

Torino rolled his eyes. “As a matter of fact, I have; unlike you, I’m not a big scaredy cat who runs
from the things that make me uncomfortable.”

All Might frowned. “That’s not-“

“You and Mirai have known each other for years,” Torino pushed forward, ignoring the look the
hero gave him, “and to be frank, you’re both being incredibly stupid about this. He shouldn’t have
used his quirk on you, and you shouldn’t have pushed him away when he tried to help you. Now
the two of you are letting guilt and pride stop you from reconciling, even though it’s obvious to
anyone with eyes that you both want to.”

All Might looked to the ground, avoiding his mentor’s piercing gaze. “I- I know I should talk to
him, okay? I just… don’t know what to say…”

“It’ll come to you,” Torino said wisely, softening his expression.

The two continued to watch the interrogation in silence, their minds far away from the police
station.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Momo let out a weary sigh as she organized her notes, ready to leave the lab for the evening.

She’d been given a message from Nighteye’s agency telling her Izuku wouldn’t be able to join her,
so she’d asked Hatsume to come instead, more so for the company than anything else.

The inventor had spent the day chatting with her whilst fine tuning the muzzle she’d been
developing for the counter drug bullets, which the scientists at the lab had ever so creatively
named ‘Counter.’ Hatsume had joked that she couldn’t fault them for the lack of originality, but
still thought they could’ve come up with a better name.

“I wonder what Izu was up to today,” Momo wondered aloud. “Sir Nighteye didn’t say in his
message, but it must’ve been something important for him to skip out on us.”

Hatsume shrugged. “You guys have the unfortunate burden of being smart heroes, so you’ll have
to juggle more duties than the dumb ones.”

Momo wanted to argue that there weren’t any dumb heroes, but secretly she could think of one or
two fairly quickly.

Just as Momo finished cleaning up for the evening, one of the lab’s scientists rushed forward.
“Creati, Hatsume, great news!”

The man, Makino if Momo remembered correctly, handed them the latest results on the counter
drug. “We’ve managed to create a viable sample that’s only thirty-eight percent blood from Pucker
Up,” Makino told them. “Each bullet only requires about four or five drops of blood now.”

“That’s wonderful,” Momo said, adding the results to her folder.

“We also got the results on the analysis of the bullets you and Ryukyu obtained,” Makino pulled
out another stack of papers. “It seems these bullets are made the same way our counter drug is, as
we discovered traces of blood and cells in this serum as well.”

Hatsume snorted. “I guess there really aren’t any new ideas, huh? Well, was there enough DNA to
run through the system?”

Makino shook his head, and Hatsume scanned the results. “In any case, this is good; now that we
know what these are made of, we can possibly reverse engineer a counter drug for these as well.”

“We still don’t know what those bullets are meant to do,” Momo argued. “We don’t have any
reports of them being used, save for Izu finding one with the League, but even then he’s not sure
what it actually did to Compress.”

“Then we’ll have to run some tests, just like we did with Trigger.”

Momo nodded, filing the papers away. “Right; tomorrow, we’ll begin our research.”

As the two waited outside for Nejire to escort them, Uraraka and Asui back to the dorms, Momo
nudged her girlfriend.

“I was wondering,” she began nervously, fiddling with her hands as the pink haired girl looked to
her. “My parents are coming back from their annual trip to Florence tomorrow and, well… would
you like to come to dinner this weekend, to meet them?”
Momo flushed as Hatsume stared at her, about to apologize for moving too fast when the other girl
grinned, throwing her arms around Momo and giving her a chaste kiss.

“I’d love to,” Hatsume chirped, and the bright smile on her face was enough to make Momo melt.
 A Thousand Kisses Deep
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

It was late in the evening when Mirio arrived at the hospital to take Izuku back to campus. After
he’d showered and eaten, Izuku stayed with Eri while Centipeder left to trade shifts with another
hero.

Eri had woken shortly after, Izuku keeping her company for a few hours before the girl fell asleep
once again. She was still wary of him, but seemed to be growing more comfortable around the
healer, which warmed his heart.

“I had no idea you were so good with kids, Midoriya,” Mirio said quietly, the two exiting Eri’s
room.

Izuku gave him a soft smile. “Over the summer, there was this boy named Kota at the training
camp we went to. I saved him during the villain attack, and he called me his hero. He still writes
me every now and then.”

“That’s so awesome! Man, just when I thought you couldn’t get any cooler.”

Izuku blushed, but before he could reply he caught sight of a familiar face. “Kiri?”

“Midoriya!” Kirishima called out, rushing over to him. He had been standing just outside the lobby,
waiting alongside Shinso, Amajiki and the BMI Hero: Fatgum.

“What are you guys doing here? Oh, you’re injured!”

Izuku sensed quite a few cuts and scrapes on Kirishima, as well as a small puncture wound on
Amajiki. Like with Eri, Izuku sensed something strange in the older boy, but wasn’t quite sure
what it could be.

“We had a pretty nasty run in with some villains,” the redhead told him, “and Amajiki got shot up
with something.”

The greenette leaned up to kiss his cheek, causing Kirishima to blush as Fatgum looked between
the two. “Woah Red Riot, you didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend!”

Kirishima blushed even harder as Izuku turned pink, the healer shaking his head. “It’s not like that;
my quirk lets me heal people with kisses. I have a boyfriend, well two, I mean we’re kind of on a
break right now, but…”

Fatgum chuckled as Izuku continued to ramble, the greenette unaware of the way Mirio’s eyes lit
up at the information.

Shinso smirked as he took in the scene, before sobering. “Amajiki can’t use his quirk, thanks to
whatever those guys did to him, so we came here to get him checked out.”

Izuku assessed the older boy. So that’s what’s so weird; somehow, I can sense that his quirk isn’t
there… He suddenly remembered Compress, and how he’d said something about his quirk when
Izuku had healed him. “Maybe that’s what the bullets do,” he muttered to himself.

The healer placed a swift kiss to Amajiki’s cheek, gauging the results. His puncture wound healed,
but his quirk didn’t return.

“I’ll never get my quirk back,” Amajiki said with a groan, turning to face the wall. “I’ll be
powerless for the rest of my life.”

“Aw, cheer up Suneater!” Fatgum said, clapping the boy on the back hard enough to make him
stumble. “I’m sure you’ll get your quirk back in no time!”

Izuku turned to the hero. “Do you happen to have the bullet Amajiki was shot with?” Fatgum
handed a small plastic baggy over to the healer, the contents confirming his suspicions.

“This looks exactly like the bullet I found with the League,” he told them. “The Hassaikai used it
on Compress, and Momo and the others found more of these bullets on some minor criminals a few
nights ago.”

He inspected the cartridge, the needle protruding from it bent at an angle, before handing it back to
Fatgum. “I can check with the lab tomorrow to see if they have the results of the analysis yet; even
if the drug doesn’t wear off, we might be able to make a counter drug, like we did with Trigger.
Don’t worry Amajiki, we’ll get your quirk back!”

“You’re so bright, all of you,” Amajiki said morosely. “Just leave me here; I can’t go back to the
hero dorms if I’m not a real hero…”

Shinso blinked. “And I thought Tokoyami was depressing…”

Eventually, the students left the hospital, Fatgum waving goodbye as Mirio and Amajiki escorted
the first years back to campus.

“You never told us what you were doing at the hospital,” Shinso said, taking the seat next to Izuku
on the train back to UA.

The healer frowned, gnawing at his lip. “Mirio and I were on patrol earlier, and this little girl ran
into me… she was being held prisoner by the Hassaikai, and was running from one of Chisaki’s
men when she found us. We were able to save her from him and get her to the hospital, so that
Recovery Girl could make an official report and so that I could heal her. She had all these
wounds…”

Shinso’s expression darkened. “Those bastards,” he spat, “as if the drugs weren’t bad enough.”

“I hope she’s not upset when she wakes up and I’m not there,” Izuku fretted. “I know the heroes
are keeping an eye on her, but- she’s just so scared, Toshi; she’s terrified and I don’t know how to
help her!”

Shinso placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder, trying to hide his concern. It was commonplace to
see the healer worrying over somebody, and he did so much to care for others that he often didn’t
take the time to care for himself. “You did everything right, Izuku; take a deep breath and stop
worrying so much.”
The freckled boy didn’t look convinced, but did as he was told, taking a deep breath in and out. He
wasn’t completely unburdened, but his shoulders lost some of their tension, so Shinso counted it a
win.

I’ll have to be better about checking on him, the purple haired boy thought, watching as Izuku
began to doze off in the seat next to him. He’s working himself too hard, and he won’t stop unless
someone makes him.

Shinso frowned. His friend had been through so much, and he hadn’t been able to help at all. This
time would be different, he promised himself; this time, when Izuku needed help, he’d be there.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day, Izuku was called into the agency as opposed to going to the lab. Mirio had woken
him up early so the two could head over there, stopping at the hospital to check on Eri on the way.

“Her vitals are good, and she slept through the night,” Eri’s doctor told them.

Mirio smiled. “Hey, that’s great!”

Izuku peeked into the girl’s room, quietly exiting after seeing she was still asleep.

Once they’d reached Nighteye’s agency, Izuku fixed himself and Mirio coffee before meeting with
their boss.

“We’ll be holding a meeting later today with Fatgum and Ryukyu’s agencies,” the man informed
them, “as well as a few other heroes. We’ve received a warrant to search the Hassaikai compound,
so we’ll need to strategize a plan of attack.”

Mirio nodded. “What should we do, sir?”

“You two will be giving your report on yesterday’s incident regarding Eri,” Nighteye instructed,
turning to Izuku. “And you and Creati will likely have to explain your counter drug as well. The
more information we can share, the better.”

“Right.”

Nighteye had Izuku stay behind as Mirio left to prepare, the hero looking uncomfortable.

“I- I invited All Might to come,” he said quietly, his eyes cast downwards. “I mean he’ll obviously
play a vital part in this mission, but… you were right Midoriya, I need to speak to him. After all
these years, after everything that’s happened, I owe him that much.”

Izuku smiled softly. “I’m happy to hear it, sir.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once the other heroes and their work study students had arrived, Nighteye called the meeting to
order. Izuku was pleasantly surprised to see Ingenium amongst the pros, the hero having recovered
from his engine damage and returned to his agency just a few days prior.

What a time to come back to work, Izuku thought, glancing over to the hero.

“For the past several weeks, my agency has been running surveillance on the yakuza group known
as the Shie Hassaikai,” Nighteye began his brief. “Efforts to uncover their operations were largely
unsuccessful, until one of my work study students discovered a connection between the Hassaikai
and the League of Villains, as well as recovered one of two drugs the Hassaikai have been
producing from the League.”

“Now, wait just a minute,” the hero Rock Lock interjected. “You mean to tell me that a kid
managed to swipe something off the League of Villains without them noticing?”

Izuku shifted in his seat. “I had been brought to them to heal one of their injured; the bullet was in
his arm, so I removed it and stashed it in my pocket when the others weren’t looking. There had
clearly been a fight before I arrived, so I don’t think the two groups are working together.”

“In any case,” Nighteye continued, “Pucker Up not only brought us the first of these bullets, but he
and Creati of Ryukyu’s agency were able to synthesize a counter drug for the black market
‘Trigger.’”

Momo stood to report their progress, trying not to appear too flustered as all eyes turned to her.
“Currently, ‘Counter’ can be made using just thirty-eight percent of Izuku’s blood, and has already
been sent out to various police departments throughout the city.”

She paused, before continuing. “We’ve also recently received the analysis of the other drug the
Hassaikai has been producing; like Counter, its key ingredient is blood, which means the effects of
it are likely a distilled version of someone’s quirk.”

The room fell silent as several heroes looked to one another in horror. Izuku supposed it would’ve
shocked him as well, had he not spent several days doing essentially the same thing as the
Hassaikai.

“Suneater was shot with one of those bullets last night,” Fatgum said. “And up until this morning,
he wasn’t able to use his quirk. It was just…gone.”

Nighteye had opened the floor to Aizawa, who was seated with All Might and Gran Torino at the
far end of the table. As his teacher explained quirk genes and their expression, Izuku came to a
startling revelation.

Eri was covered in puncture wounds when we found her, and these quirk destroying bullets have
human blood in them…

“Uhm, excuse me,” Izuku piped up, standing from his seat. All eyes turned to him, and the
greenette felt his stage fright hit him full force. “I think I know how they’ve been making this
drug.”

Nighteye motioned for him to continue. “Yesterday, while out on patrol, Lemillion and I ran into
one of Chisaki’s right hands, as well as a little girl named Eri. She was frightened of him, and she
had puncture wounds all over her arms and legs. It’s possible she has some kind of erasure quirk,
and the Hassaikai have been experimenting on her to create their new drug.”

The room was in an immediate uproar, and Izuku shrank back down in his seat.

“Alright, enough talk!” Rock Lock snapped. “We need to go get this Chisaki bastard, pronto!”

“Agreed,” Nighteye said, his expression steely, “but we have to plan out our attack first. After they
healed the girl, Pucker Up and Recovery Girl managed to secure us a warrant to search the
compound, but our intel suggests the real headquarters is an underground labyrinth that stretches
for miles in every direction. We can’t possibly cover every inch of it before Chisaki manages to
escape.”
All Might rose from his seat. “Gran Torino, Ingenium and I can cover the other entrances to the
underground compound, sealing off their exits before moving on to the rest. That way, they’ll have
no outlet to use except the one the rest of you will be entering.”

Gran Torino nodded in agreement, and Nighteye stared at the number one hero. “Are you sure
you’ll be able to handle it? You and Ingenium have only just recently come out of recovery.”

Ingenium insisted he’d be alright, and All Might gave the group his signature smile. “I’m more
than ready to go Plus Ultra, just ask my healer!”

He pointed dramatically to Izuku, who once again shrank under the weight of everyone’s stares.

Rock Lock scoffed. “Somebody needs to put this kid on the payroll; sounds to me like he’s done
more for this investigation than the pros have.”

“He helped take down the Hero Killer a few months ago,” Ingenium said proudly, “and he saved
my life, too.”

Nighteye smiled. “Pucker Up has certainly been the heart of this case. He’s risked a lot to do
what’s right, and we can’t thank him enough.”

Izuku flushed, but put on his hero persona, smiling sweetly at the group. “Everyone here has been
important to stopping the Hassaikai, or is going to be. Together, I know we can bring these villains
to justice!”

“That’s right!” Mirio whooped, pumping his fist in the air. “We’ve got this!”

Nighteye smiled fondly at his students, before his expression turned serious.

“Alright, if we’re going to pull this off, we need to prepare. Let’s begin.”
 Whammy Kiss P. I
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

After the meeting came to an end, Mirio pulled Izuku to the side. “So listen, about what you said in
there, about Eri…”

The blond frowned. “I should’ve backed you up from the beginning. Eri needed our help, and I was
more worried about Sir’s mission. After hearing what Chisaki did to her…”

“I get it,” Izuku told him, “but I don’t blame you; you had orders to follow, and it can be hard to
figure out when it’s okay to bend the rules and when it isn’t. Since the my very first run in with the
League, it feels like I’m always toeing that line. What’s important is that Eri is safe, and Chisaki
can’t get to her anymore.”

Mirio nodded, his expression determined. “Right.”

On the other side of the room, Izuku could see All Might and Nighteye huddled together, speaking
in low voices. Izuku nudged Mirio, pointing to them.

“Man, it’s so good to see them together,” Mirio commented. “It’s just like the news footage I’d
watch as a kid!”

The healer agreed, remembering when he and Katsuki would watch that very same footage
standing outside the electronics store in their old neighborhood. All Might said something that
made Nighteye chuckle, and Izuku couldn’t help but grin.

Next came Aizawa, the teacher gathering all of his students for a chat. “I trust that you all know to
do as you’re told on this mission. That means no going off on your own or acting without the
permission of your mentor.”

He was speaking to them as a group, but Izuku caught the way the teacher glanced at him, and the
greenette felt guilty. “We‘ll be good, Mr. Aizawa.”

“You better be.”

In the end, the 1-A students’ roles would be fairly limited: Asui and Uraraka were to assist
Ryukyu, while Kirishima and Shinso assisted Fatgum. Momo would be sticking close to Nighteye,
her intelligence and quirk would offer good coverage as they raided the compound. Izuku was
meant to stay mostly with Nighteye, but would keep his senses up to make sure anyone hurt during
the operation received immediate treatment. Aizawa would be with Nighteye’s group but would
move around as necessary, keeping an eye on his students and dealing with any of the Eight Bullets
they were sure to encounter.

All Might, Gran Torino and Ingenium would be their big guns: the three were to seal off as many
escape routes as possible before going after Chisaki, while Nighteye’s group worked to recover the
Hassaikai’s notes on their drugs. The hero was certain that they hadn’t perfected their quirk
destroying bullets just yet, and the research on it had to be confiscated before they could.

Izuku was more than comfortable taking a passive, supporting role in the raid now that Eri was
safe. He’d let the pros worry about Chisaki and his inner circle, and would focus instead on
keeping everyone healthy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The day of the raid was nerve wracking for the 1-A students, the group huddled close together as
heroes and police officers readied themselves to mobilize. They had gathered a few blocks away
from the compound just before sunrise, the sky painted in deep blues and purples with quickly
growing streaks of pink. It was a chilly morning, and Izuku was coming to regret shortening his
costume as he moved closer to Shinso and Uraraka. “How are you not freezing, Kiri?”

The redhead just grinned. “I like the cold! Makes me feel energized and ready to fight!”

Izuku shook his head, taking a sip of his rapidly cooling coffee. If Kaachan or Shochan were here,
they could use their quirks to keep me warm.

Izuku had so very badly wanted to tell them about the raid, but he and the others were sworn to
secrecy. The remedial students could tell something was amiss with their friends, but didn’t push
the issue. The others seemed to know something was up as well and Iida, having heard everything
from his older brother, gave the group a concerned look the night before.

“We’re almost ready to move out,” Aizawa said as he approached his students. “Go find your
mentors and stick close to them; remember, your job here today is to assist only.”

The students nodded, splitting off to join their respective hero groups. The teacher walked with
Izuku, a few steps behind Momo as they moved over to Nighteye.

“I heard you donated extra blood so the cops would have enough Counter bullets,” he muttered to
the freckled boy. “Are you feeling okay?”

Izuku nodded. “I made sure to eat breakfast, and took a quick nap on the train ride here, so I’ll be
fine. Have you heard from the hospital about Eri?”

The girl had been moved to a more secure wing of the hospital a few days after her admittance,
with heroes stationed nearby for protection. Both Mirio and Izuku visited frequently to keep her
company and, though she was still quiet and didn’t smile, Eri’s eyes would always light up when
they arrived.

“Yeah, Bubble Girl and Centipeder are guarding her room; Midoriya, I- I know I was harsh with
you about your run in with the League, but… I don’t know if we’d have been able to rescue Eri, or
get the warrant we needed for this raid without your help. I’m proud of you, kid.”

The greenette’s eyes welled with tears as he thanked his teacher, Aizawa holding back a snort at
the sensitive boy’s expression. Nighteye gave the group a small smile before addressing them.

“The police will be our first line of defense,” he told them. “They’ll take care of any resistance we
encounter while the hero groups search the underground areas. Chisaki and most of the Eight
Bullets will likely be down there, and may even be prepared for an attack, so keep on your guard.”

The police chief gave the signal, and the policemen, heroes and hero students began their march to
the Hassaikai headquarters, the raid officially begun.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“We’ve got this, just go!”

Ryukyu let out a terrifying roar as she took her dragon form; she, Nejire, Uraraka and Asui staying
with the police outside the compound to take on the Hassaikai members swarming them. Rikiya,
one of the Eight Bullets had charged them, taking down several cops at once before facing off
against the dragon hero.

Izuku unleashed his mist on those guarding the entrance to the compound, with Mirio, Kirishima
and Amajiki taking them down.

The two agencies moved through the building quickly, looking for an entrance to the underground.
Nighteye grabbed an underling attempting to flee, using his quirk to see the man’s future before
letting him go.

“He’s going to run down the hall, make a right, then stop at an alcove with a vase of flowers in it,”
he told the others. “I can see the combination he’ll use to open the secret door there.”

Mirio nodded before giving chase, catching the crook just as he finished entering the combination
and knocking him out.

The group heard gunfire and yelling outside, and Nighteye winced. “We’ve lost the element of
surprise; Chisaki and his inner circle likely know we’re here now, so we must move quickly.”

“Yes, sir!”

They traversed the underground, Izuku keeping his senses up to detect any other people that might
be nearby. The hallways were long and winding, and many of the doors they found led to rooms of
little import, most appearing to be training rooms. Izuku could sense multiple people both above
them and somewhere ahead, though it wasn’t until they’d rounded the third or fourth corner on
their journey that he sensed someone nearby. “There's a group heading our way; there's maybe ten
of them."

Sure enough, nine goons appeared alongside a small figure in a bird mask; a clear marker of
Chisaki’s Eight Bullets. The heroes took cover as the goons began firing upon them, Momo
creating large shields to protect them.

Izuku sensed one of the villain’s vitals spiking, peeking out just in time to see the small figure
disappear around a corner. “They’re using Trigger!”

“Can you stop them?” Aizawa called out, using his capture scarf to take down one of their
opponents.

“Only the ones still here; the one in the mask disappeared.”

Izuku blew out a stream of mist, concentrating it on the villains. Most fell immediately, but those
who were fully covered were less effected. The healer’s team made short work of the stragglers,
the group now searching for the man who’d disappeared.

“I can’t sense him nearby,” Izuku told them. “Either he’s fled, or he’s gone to gather
reinforcements.”

Aizawa shook his head. “Regardless, we have to keep moving; he’ll show himself eventually.”
The group moved forward, coming upon a fork in the hall. “Fatgum, your team will take the left
hallway,” Nighteye instructed. “We’ll take the right.”

“Got it!”

Aizawa turned to Nighteye. “I’ll go with them; let me know if you find anything. Yaoyorozu?”

In a flash, Momo created two communicators, handing one to their teacher and the other to
Nighteye. “These should work down here, at least on the first few floors.”

The two men thanked her before the groups split, Izuku racing to keep up with his team.

“The layout is more complex than I had anticipated,” Nighteye muttered. “We may not be able to
find their lab without a performing a thorough sweep later, but keep your eyes open for now.”

Several minutes later, their group encountered two more of the Eight Bullets.

“Deidoro Sakaki, Yu Hojo,” Nighteye identified the two as his team readied themselves. “We’ll be
taking you in for questioning.”

“Not so fast!” Sakaki cried out, taking a swig from a bottle of sake and activating his quirk, causing
the others to stumble. “We want revenge for Kurono!”

Hojo barreled toward them, slamming into Mirio while he was still reeling from Sakaki’s quirk.
Izuku turned to the drunkard, ready to unleash his mist when the ground began to tremble and the
walls began to move.

“Irinaka must be here as well,” Nighteye called out, throwing one of his seals at Sakaki and
missing. “He’s controlling the room around us!”

He must be the one who disappeared earlier, Izuku realized. If he’s hiding in the walls, I can’t use
my mist to deactivate the Trigger dose he took. I’ll have to deal with the others first.

Izuku released his mist, blowing a thick cloud of it over to Sakaki. He concentrated it around the
villain only, doing his best not to hit his teammates with it. Sakaki began to stumble, and Izuku
seized his chance, fighting the inertia and striking his opponent. Sakaki’s mask shifted, and Izuku
swooped in to plant a quick kiss on his cheek, knocking the villain unconscious. He’d moved to
apprehend Sakaki with a capture bandaid when the ground opened from underneath the greenette,
sending him plummeting several floors below.

“Izu!” Momo cried out, rushing over to where her friend had fallen. The hole closed with a snap,
effectively cutting the healer off from them. Mirio let out a yell, slamming into Hojo’s crystals full
force as he took on the villain.

Momo moved over to Sakaki, apprehending him. She tried to think of a way to remove Irinaka
from the wall when Mirio landed another strong punch to Hojo, turning her attention back to the
fight.

“Don’t think you’ve won yet, heroes!” Came Irinaka’s voice from the wall, the group now
focusing their efforts on Hojo. “This is only the beginning!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Several miles away, All Might used his Detroit Smash to block off another exit to the Hassaikai’s
underground, before speeding off to the next.
He, Gran Torino and Ingenium were making quick work of their task, wanting to finish as soon as
possible so they could join the others.

The blond was grateful to have been invited to join this mission, and was even happier to know
Nighteye had wanted him there as a friend, and not just as the number one hero. Their reunion had
been awkward and bittersweet, but it was a good first start.

Maybe someday, I’ll be able to earn his trust again, All Might thought to himself as he destroyed
another exit point, moving to regroup with Ingenium and Torino.

“This is the last exit Nighteye had listed,” the older hero told him as he arrived, the two standing in
front of a sewage tunnel. “Let’s get this over with and move on.”

All Might nodded, and was about to smash the tunnel closed when a figure shot out from it,
tackling the hero as it bellowed, “For Overhaul!”

All Might shoved the figure off of him, eyes widening in horror as he assessed it.

The villain looked to be three or so people fused together, multiple limbs and eyes jutting out from
its impressive height. Ingenium shuddered. “What is this, a Nomu?”

“Doesn’t look like any Nomu I’ve seen,” Torino muttered, moving closer as All Might began
fighting the creature. “Nomu can’t talk, and they usually have an exposed brain. This looks like a
mad science experiment, but in a different from the ones the League makes.”

The brief we got the other day said Chisaki can take things apart and put them back together,
Torino thought, and Midoriya had said he thought Chisaki had done something like that to Eri as
well. Maybe the crazy bastard took inspiration from the Nomu and tried to make his own…

Torino activated his quirk, shooting forward to assist All Might as Ingenium destroyed the tunnel’s
opening. The older man grit his teeth as the creature shrugged off his attacks, a feeling of dread
pooling in his stomach.

All Might took a strong hit to his side, stumbling as the creature advanced. Torino had seen All
Might at his best and his worst, but he'd never seen the number one hero look so tired when in his
muscle form.

He swore.
 Whammy Kiss P. II
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Izuku groaned as he sat up, his head pounding and his body aching. He’d taken a considerable fall,
his healing the only reason he’d managed to avoid shattering any bones. The healer looked around,
the hallway he’d fallen into appearing much like the one he’d just been in. He assessed his options.

Mr. Aizawa told me not to go off on my own, but I couldn’t exactly help what happened, he
thought, activating his quirk and sensing for other people. I’m not sure which way to go to get back
to the others; there’s someone on the floor above me, but no one else on this floor. I guess I just
have to start checking doors…

Izuku picked a direction and started walking, checking each door he found to look for either a
stairwell or the lab they’d been searching for. He found a door in a dead end section of hallway,
hoping to find an exit as he opened it.

Instead, Izuku found a dimly lit, barren room, containing only a small dresser, a bed with a rusted,
wrought iron frame and an old wooden chair. The sheets on the bed were rumpled, and next to the
single pillow was a doll. Izuku picked up the toy, his stomach churning as he realized he was
standing in what was likely Eri’s room when the Hassaikai had still held her captive.

This isn’t a bedroom, it’s a prison. Eri…

The healer was overcome with emotion at the thought of the shy girl he’d rescued being locked in
this small, windowless room, forced to grow up tortured and alone. He could feel the anger
burning in his gut, tears of frustration prickling his eyes.

It’s okay, he told himself, brushing away the tears and putting the doll back on the bed. Eri’s safe
now, and they’ll never hurt her again!

Izuku left the room, making note of the direction he’d taken to get there. He wasn’t sure how many
more hallways there’d be on this floor, so he’d have to pay close attention so he didn’t end up
walking in circles.

He sighed, picking up his pace.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Time seemed to slow for Aizawa as he watched the ceiling come down on Shinso, large chunks of
concrete falling as the room caved in.

The group had been following the alternate path in the underground labyrinth, chasing down more
Hassaikai members they’d come across. Irinaka had found them, using his quirk to separate
Fatgum and Kirishima from the others. The Eight Bullets member Rappa had gone after them,
while Tengai had been hypnotized by Shinso.
Shinso had been about to apprehend the villain when Irinaka brought the ceiling down on him,
accidentally hitting Tengai in the process.

Aizawa didn’t hesitate as he lunged forward, frantically pushing away concrete and rubble from
the large pile on top of his student.

“Eraser, calm down,” Amajiki told him, the older boy using his tentacles to remove the debris as
well. “If you’re not careful, you could drop even more on him.”

But Aizawa didn’t hear him, couldn’t hear him; not when he saw so much debris and flashes of
blue hair and it was just like last time-

They heard a groan coming from the rubble as Amajiki pulled off another large chunk of concrete,
revealing a bruised but otherwise healthy Shinso.

“I think my arm might be busted,” he told them as the two made an opening to reach him. “But
other than that I’m okay.”

His words didn’t assure Aizawa at all as the teacher checked him over. When he was satisfied the
boy wasn’t mortally wounded, he let out a heavy sigh of relief. “We need to get you out of here,”
he muttered, pulling his student up and tapping his communicator. “I’ll see if Pucker Up is
available to heal you.”

The communicator crackled to life, but nothing could be heard on the other end.

Yaoyorozu rarely makes a faulty creation, the man thought to himself, guiding Shinso back to the
exit while Amajiki searched for Fatgum and Kirishima, so it’s likely the others ran into some
trouble.

He quickened his step, determined to get his student to safety.

He’d lost Oboro, but he wouldn’t lose anyone else.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Momo took a deep breath as she fired, her aim true and her bullet striking Hojo square in the chest.

After Irinaka had fled, Hojo had injected himself with Trigger before attacking Mirio, Nighteye
and Momo with a renewed vigor.

Mirio and Nighteye had kept the villain distracted while Momo created a gun complete with
Hatsume’s special muzzle, pulling a Counter bullet from her belt. It was a last resort item; the girl
had hoped that Izuku could handle any villains abusing Trigger they’d come across, but she was
thankful she’d thought to bring it.

Izu will be just fine, she told herself, reloading the gun with another bullet just in case. He can heal
himself, and that fall hopefully was lethal.

She didn’t want to think about the alternative.

Hojo fell to his knees as the Trigger in his system was nullified, sending him into immediate
withdrawal. Mirio knocked him out with a final, brutal punch, before taking the capture tool Momo
handed him to secure the villain. The blond ran a hand through his messy hair, his face pinched.

“Sir, we have to- Pucker Up, he’s-“

“Go on ahead, Lemillion,” Nighteye told him, understanding his student’s frustration. “We’ll catch
up to you when we can.”

Mirio nodded before activating his quirk, ducking through the ground and to the floors below.
Momo helped Nighteye secure the two villains they’d apprehended, and the two continued on their
way.

“We have to assume All Might and the others were successful in blocking the exits,” Nighteye told
her. “Which means Chisaki and the rest of the Eight Bullets are still here somewhere. Tell me,
Creati; if you were a villain, and you had been boxed in by your opponents, what would you do?”

Momo thought about it: Knowing what Chisaki and his inner circle could do made the exercise a
little easier, but she debated the likelihood of a successful escape before answering. “Chisaki could
easily break through the walls and barricades, given enough time. The question is whether or not
he’d be willing to leave his research behind. If they’d uploaded it elsewhere, then odds are we
wouldn’t have run into any of the Eight Bullets; they would have simply fled with their data and
left the underlings to buy them some time. My guess is, at this moment, they’re moving what data
they can and will attempt their escape once they’ve finished.”

Nighteye nodded. “That would be my guess as well. Come, if we hurry we might be able to catch
up to Lemillion.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku winced as he spotted a rat scurrying across the floor, no doubt having escaped on of the
cages on the far wall.

He’d managed to find the Hassaikai’s lab, the room a few hallways off of where he’d fallen. It was
fairly large, with an examination table, a medical chair and several cabinets filled with chemicals,
DNA samples and other miscellaneous apparatuses.

Izuku pointedly ignored the vials of blood, already knowing to whom it belonged. Instead, Izuku
moved over to a file cabinet, searching for any data on the quirk destroying bullets. Most of the
files had already been picked over, and out of the corner of his eye the healer could see a
wastebasket full of shredded papers.

He frowned, before moving to the lab’s computer. He wasn’t a hacker by any means, but Jirou had
taught him a few tricks over the summer. Once he’d gained access, he began searching through
files, finding nothing important.

Izuku scoffed. So much for gathering intelligence; unless we can arrest every villain here, both the
drug ring and the Hassaikai will find a way to endure.

He was about to give up, when he spied a video clip left behind. It contained footage of an
experiment Chisaki had performed on lab rats using Eri’s blood.

“Their bodies are regressing at an unprecedented rate,” came Chisaki’s voice, the man’s cold
tone making the healer shudder. “Eri’s Rewind quirk seems to be able to revert organisms to a
previously held state. More tests will need to be conducted using Rewind to only affect a single
part of the body-“

“So that’s what her power is,” Izuku muttered, copying the file to a flash drive Momo had given
him earlier. “It’s not erasure, it’s a rewind quirk… It’s not much, but at least I found something.”

Izuku removed the flash drive, glancing around the room once again. There likely wasn’t anything
else to find, so the greenette grabbed a nearby beaker, emptying its contents onto the computer
tower.

“The fewer people who know about Eri’s power, the better,” he told himself, gingerly placing the
flash drive back into his utility belt.

As he left the lab, Izuku’s senses perked up just in time for him to duck back behind the door as
someone shot at him.

“I must commend you on finding this place so quickly,” came the voice of Nemoto, another of the
Eight Bullets. “But whatever you may have found, I’ll be confiscating.”

“Not gonna happen,” Izuku ground out, readying his mist.

There was a flash of light and heat from the other side of the door, Nemoto letting out a scream
before hitting the floor with a thud. Izuku peeked out from behind the door, eyes narrowing as he
took in a familiar face.

“We just have to stop running into each other like this, Midoriya.” Came the man’s bored, taunting
voice.

“Dabi.”

The villain gave him a nasty smile. “In the flesh; well, what’s left of it.”

Izuku stepped back into the hall. Nemoto was on the floor, but Izuku sensed only some burns on
the man’s face and side, so he knocked him out with a kiss before securing him. “So, are you here
to help the Hassaikai or destroy them? I’m guessing the latter, given what they did to Compress.”

Dabi shrugged. “They killed Magne too,” the villain said casually, as though he were speaking of
the weather. “Twice and Toga were real broken up about it, even Shigaraki was a little upset, so we
decided to play nice with the yakuza, all while planning our revenge.”

He kicked Nemoto. “These idiots all scattered when the heroes showed up, so I’ve been having to
play cat and mouse trying to hunt them down.”

Intense blue eyes bore into him. “You and your brat friends weren’t part of the plan, but I guess I
shouldn’t be surprised; you have an annoying habit of constantly getting in my way.”

Izuku grit his teeth. “I won’t let you kill anyone!”

This is bad, the healer thought, sizing up his opponent. I don’t know how many of the League are
here, and I have no way of contacting the others to warn them. Dabi’s quirk lets him make flames,
and in a space this cramped it’d be hard to dodge them. I need a plan…

Across from him, Dabi cracked his neck. “We all received orders from the boss to leave you be if
we saw you in public, but what the hell; what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Might hurt you,
though.”

Izuku put on his hero persona, kissing his knuckles as he readying his stance. Before Dabi could
strike, Izuku blew out a stream of mist, hitting the villain squarely in the face.

Dabi’s strong, so the best I can do is dampen his powers, Izuku assessed, moving forward and
striking his opponent. I’ll have to be careful, and use the techniques Mirio showed me to win.
He landed a strong kick to the side before flipping away, blowing out more mist to slow the villain.
Dabi staggered, and Izuku lunged forward once again, throwing out quick punches and arced kicks
to disarm his opponent.

Dabi’s strength and superior fighting experience gave him the upper hand, however, the man using
his whole body to slam Izuku into the wall before he could do anymore damage. The greenette let
out a cry, his mist dispelling as his head began to throb.

“I ought to finish you off right here, make it look like Chisaki did it,” Dabi muttered, his grip on
his opponent firm. “Maybe then Shigaraki would get his head out of his ass…”

Izuku gave the villain a searching look. “He’ll be furious when he finds out; about who your father
is, I mean.”

It had been obvious to the healer that Dabi had some relation to Endeavor when they’d met at
Kamino, his intense eyes a dead give away, but he wasn’t yet sure how the hero was related to him.
It could be the villain was an illegitimate child, and harbored resentment for the number two hero’s
negligence. Distantly, he tried to remember if Shoto had any older brothers besides Nastuo, and
made a note to ask him later. Either way, there was no denying the connection.

Dabi narrowed his eyes, his hands smoking dangerously. “Mention my father again.”

“I know you don’t care about the League,” Izuku continued. “From what I saw at that warehouse,
they seem to be forming genuine bonds with one another, but you… all you care about is your
revenge.”

“It keeps me motivated,” Dabi said with a shrug. He leaned in, his words coming out harsh as he
spat, “Endeavor is the reason I have these scars, and I won’t rest until he’s either dead or has
matching ones.”

Oh, Izuku thought, ignoring the stab of sympathy he felt. So that explains it. Endeavor must’ve
pushed him to be the best, just like he had with Shochan, but it went horribly wrong…

The two stared each other down, the hall falling eerily silent.

“Speaking of my scars, where’s my kiss?” Dabi taunted, nodding to the unconscious Nemoto.
“Since you’re in the habit of healing villains, when is it my turn?”

Izuku scrunched his nose, biting back a sound of disgust. “If I thought for a moment that you
possessed a single redeeming quality, I would. We both already know the truth, though; I could
heal you, but there’s no saving you.”

Dabi’s eyes widened, and Izuku seized his chance, trusting his weight to the villain’s hold and
swinging his foot up to land a hard kick to his chin, catching himself as Dabi stumbled. Before he
could retaliate, Izuku kissed his knuckle dusters once more, powering his quirk there and slamming
them into the villain’s jaw.

The force of the punch combined with his sedative was enough to do the trick, Dabi hitting the
floor with a thud.

The greenette let out a shaky breath. He’d beaten him, but the fight was far from over.
 Whammy Kiss P. III
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

“SMASH!”

All Might finished off the mutated villain with a final punch, slamming it into ground. He let out a
huff as he stood, his muscles beginning to ache.

That fight was tough, but it shouldn’t have left me feeling so drained, the hero thought, frowning. I
can’t deny it any more, I’m getting weaker…

“Nice work Toshinori,” Gran Torino said, pulling out his phone. “Now you go on ahead to the
compound; Ingenium and I will stay here until the police arrive, though I don’t know what can be
done about this poor bastard.”

All Might nodded. “I’ll let the others know what happened here, in case there are more of these
things down there. Don’t you worry, I’ll take down Chisaki if it’s the last thing I do!”

Torino scoffed. “Do I look worried to you?”

Despite his words, the older hero couldn’t help the gnawing feeling in his gut as he watched the
number one hero shoot off into the distance.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Izuku!”

The greenette turned away from Dabi’s still figure to see Mirio running towards him. There was
blood trickling from his hairline, and there was fear and something else in his expression.

“Lemillion, how did you-“

Izuku was cut off as the blond grabbed him, hands finding their way to either side of his face as
Mirio smashed their lips together. Recovering from the shock, Izuku activated his quirk before
pulling away, wrinkling his nose. “Mirio, next time just ask me to heal you.”

But Mirio wasn’t listening, checking the greenette for signs of injury. “Are you hurt?”

It was a stupid question, given Izuku’s power, but the healer understood his friend was worried
about him. “I’m fine; I took down these two right before you got here. We should probably-“

Izuku turned back to see only Nemoto laying in the hall, Dabi nowhere to be seen. “He’s gone!”
Izuku frowned, the other villain must’ve slipped away when Mirio had grabbed him. The healer
ran to the end of the hall, searching for the scarred man. There was no sign of him. Izuku moved
back over to Mirio, angry ith himself for falling for Dabi’s feint.
“He got away, but one of the League members was just here. I don’t know how many more there
are, but keep an eye out.”

Mirio’s expression hardened. “You know them better than I do; what are the chances they’re loyal
to the Hassaikai?”

“Dabi told me they’re here for revenge; he was planning to kill this guy before I stopped him,”
Izuku told him, pulling a kerchief from his utility belt and using it to wipe the blood off the blond’s
face. “We should keep our focus on Chisaki, he’s the big target. He destroyed most of the
information they had on Trigger and the quirk destroying bullets, but I’m willing to bet he’s got a
backup of the data with him.”

He pulled the flash drive from his utility belt. “I managed to find one of the videos on Chisaki’s
experiments. We- we were right, about what they were doing to Eri…”

Mirio‘s eyes flashed, before he straightened. “I’m going after Chisaki; you go find Sir and give him
that flash drive, the stairs are that way.”

The taller boy took off without another word, not responding as Izuku called out to him.

It’s too dangerous for him to go off on his own, he thought, speeding off in the direction Mirio had
pointed him. I have to find the others fast; Nighteye and the other heroes can provide backup, and
I can heal anyone who got injured during the fighting.

Izuku found Nighteye and Momo on the landing of the third flight of stairs, the healer nearly
colliding with them.

“I’m so glad we found you,” Momo said, checking her friend for injuries much like Mirio had.

“Where’s Lemillion?” Nighteye asked, frowning. “I would’ve thought he’d be able to find you by
now.”

“He did,” Izuku told him, handing over the flash drive. He explained what he’d found to the hero,
as well as his run in with Dabi. “Lemillion went after Chisaki alone, he’ll need backup.”

“Can you sense him?”

Izuku’s eyes fluttered shut as he activated his senses, focusing them. “There’s still so many people
down here… I feel someone much farther down, but they’re moving away from us… It might be
him? I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t tell you for sure.”

Nighteye nodded. “It’s alright, I’ll find him; in the meantime, you two return to the surface, and
send any available heroes down after us. We’ll do what we cn to apprehend Chisaki.”

“Yes sir!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Dabi glared as he blasted through the wall, eyes blazing.

Midoriya’s sedative was strong, the villain still fighting it as he stumbled through the Hassaikai
underground. He and Toga had established a meeting point just outside the compound, though he
had expected to have finished off most of Chisaki’s men before meeting her.

He sneered. Once again, their plans were interrupted by a little brat with a healing quirk and a
smart mouth.

“Next time, I’ll kill him,” Dabi muttered to himself.

But that’s not what you really want, a traitorous voice in his head whispered. You want the quick
fix, the answer to your scars…

He shook his head; he didn’t want his scars gone, he wanted Endeavor dead and the age of heroes
destroyed!

He ducked behind the corner as he heard footsteps, watching as a spindly man with glasses and
yellow streaks in his hair thundered down the stairs, bypassing him completely.

Dabi continued his journey, trying to convince himself that he didn’t want to be healed.

Midoriya’s words echoed in his ears.

“I could heal you, but there’s no saving you.”

Dabi frowned. He already knew he was beyond redemption, and didn’t want it regardless.

So why were the healer’s words still nagging at him? Why was the look of disgust on his face
seared into his memory?

He made his way through the compound’s secret exit, using his flames to seal the door from the
outside. Toga was waiting for him in the alley, a bored expression on her face. “Jeez, what took
you so long?”

He sneered at her. “Shut up. Let’s just go.”

He wouldn’t allow himself to be concerned over the brat’s words anymore. The next time he saw
Midoriya, he’d kill him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku and Momo met with Aizawa and Shinso at the entrance to the compound, the healer
immediately sensing their injuries.

“Suneater went after Red Riot and Fatgum,” Shinso told them, accepting the kiss from Izuku.
“They were attacked by one of the Eight Bullets, but there’s three of them so they should be okay.”

Aizawa made a face as Izuku neared. “I’m fine, Midoriya; go smooch someone your own size.”

Despite the situation, Izuku smiled at him before rushing off to inspect Asui and Uraraka,
muttering to himself as he did. Momo watched him go, before turning to her teacher.

“Sir Nighteye needs help down below with Chisaki,” she told him. “I’ll see if Ryukyu or any of the
others can help as well.”

Aizawa nodded, and was about to reenter the compound when a flash of red, yellow and blue
landed beside him. “I AM HERE!”

Aizawa rolled his eyes. “About time, old man,” he grumbled, the number one hero smiling brightly
at the three.

Momo gave All Might the same report, before urging the two back inside. The adults took off,
leaving their students to stare after them.

“They’ll be okay…right?” Momo asked Shinso, giving him a worried look.

The purple haired boy shrugged. “Probably? I mean, unless they actually die they won’t be
physically hurt for long.”

Momo frowned. “I don’t like that Izu is constantly having to heal others; I understand that it’ll be
his job someday, but he’s still just a student, like us. We’re the same age, but some days it feels
like he’s already an adult, forced to take on life’s burdens while the rest of us get to keep playing
heroes because we know he’ll fix anything we break.”

Shinso looked to her. “That’s a bit dramatic, but you’re right: Izuku needs a day off. When this is
over, you and I will be sure he gets one, hm?”

The girl nodded, her expression determined. “Right!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thankfully, both Asui and Uraraka were fine; tired from their fight, but otherwise healthy. Ryukyu
had only minor injuries, and had taken off to assist the other heroes in the underground. Nejire had
a nasty cut, but a quick peck to her cheek fixed it instantly.

“Thanks, Sweetheart!” The girl chirped, the healer shaking his head at the term of endearment. He
was about to make the rounds to assess the police officers when the ground began to tremble.

Several officers as well as the UA students were thrown off balance as a giant crater formed in the
street, the hole going down several stories. Izuku heard yelling around him, but couldn’t
concentrate as his senses lit up from sensing multiple injuries.

This is impossible, he thought, clutching his head. These wounds, they’re all from the same
person…

He focused his senses, letting out a gasp as he sensed muscle and nerve damage accompanying the
other injuries.

Oh no, All Might!

Against his better judgement, Izuku moved closer to the hole, peeking down into it. He could see
All Might, locked in a heated battle with some kind of monstrous creature with multiple arms. He
could just make out a bird mask, and guessed the hero’s opponent to be Chisaki.

Pushing his senses, Izuku tried to find Nighteye or the others, freezing as he sensed even more
injuries. There were several people injured down there, and some of their vitals felt faint. They
were dying…

Feeling panicked, the boy rushing over to Asui. “Froppy, do you think you could lower me down
that hole with your tongue?”

Asui cocked her head. “Technically yes, but I don’t think-“

“There’s no time to argue,” he insisted, moving closer. “There are mortally wounded heroes down
there; they could die if they aren’t healed soon!”

Asui debated for a second longer, before nodding. “Okay, I can do it.”
The two moved over to the hole, Asui using her tongue to lower the healer down. All Might was
still fighting Chisaki, the greenette going unnoticed by the two as hit hit the ground softly.

Untangling himself from Asui’s tongue the healer let his senses guide him though the dimly lit
area, searching for the injured. He first found Ryukyu, the dragon hero’s legs twisted at odd
angles.

“It’s going to be okay,” he told her, kissing her cheek. “When you catch your breath, I may need
your help getting to the others.”

The woman looked to him, nodding as her legs snapped into place. He helped her up, and the two
went searching for the others. Mirio was on the ground, his entire body bruised and bloody.

“Izuku…” the blond muttered, his eyes unfocused.

“I’m here,” Izuku said, gently cradling his head. “I’m going to fix this, don’t worry.”

Ryukyu watched with fascination as Izuku’s kiss healed the older boy, his wounds closing as skin
knitted itself back together. “Incredible,” she breathed, her eyes wide.

Izuku stood. “His body was heavily damaged, so unfortunately he’ll be unconscious for awhile. Do
you think you could fly him up to the surface? I can’t carry him, and it would take me too long to
get him to safety anyways.”

The woman nodded, taking on her dragon form and flying the blond to safety. Chisaki had paused
to look at her, but was hit with a strong punch from All Might before he could attack her.

Izuku tore his eyes away from the fight, continuing his search. Aizawa was trapped underneath
some rubble, and Izuku had to strain to get it all off of him.

“We really need to work on your physical strength,” the man muttered, begrudgingly accepting his
cheek kiss before helping the greenette look for Nighteye.

They found the man close to where Chisaki and All Might were fighting, and Izuku had to bite
back a scream.

His mentor was impaled on a large spike, the tip of it protruding from the man’s stomach and
holding his body aloft. His long limbs were hanging limply in the air, and his pulse was just barely
present.

“Oh no oh no oh no,” Izuku said, his breaths becoming fast and shallow. He had seen terrible
injuries before, but he’d only seen something so graphic once or twice since he’d become a healer.
He could feel the tears streaming down his cheeks as Aizawa moved over to Nighteye, trying to
find a way to remove him from the spike.

“We may have to pull him off from above it,” Aizawa said, giving the healer a firm shake.
“Midoriya, focus! We have to move fast, or he won’t be alive long enough for you to heal him.”

Izuku nodded, his lip trembling. The two worked together to break the tip of the spike, pulling
Nighteye’s body through the now blunt end of it. They laid him carefully on the ground, the man’s
vitals dropping rapidly. Izuku tugged at Aizawa’s scarf. “Can you use this to stop the bleeding?”

The man nodded, quickly unfurling the capture weapon and holding it to Nighteye’s gaping
stomach. Izuku powered his quirk as much as he could, firmly kissing the hero’s cheek.
It wasn’t enough, and so Izuku gave him another kiss, and then another, until finally the man’s
stomach began to heal itself, the hole becoming smaller and smaller.

“He lost a lot of blood,” Izuku told his teacher. “He’ll still need a hospital, but he should be able to
hold out for a little bit longer.”

Aizawa nodded, lifting the injured hero and carrying him to a nearby hallway. Izuku made to
follow, when a smash from All Might shook the walls around them, causing the opening to the
hallway to crumble and sealing him off from the other two.

The freckled boy turned back to the fight, watching in equal parts fascination and horror as both All
Might and Chisaki collapsed, their bodies falling into the dirt. Izuku rushed over to his teacher,
sensing his injuries.

He's in pretty bad shape, the healer thought, green eyes flitting over the man. He went too far using
One For All, and now his body is just barely holding onto it. If I hadn't spent so much time healing
him these past few months, this might've killed him.

Dimly, Izuku realized that this might very well have been the fight that Nighteye had predicted,
where he'd seen All Might's death.

The thought made him sick.

Powering up his quirk to its maximum, Izuku puckered up and leaned forward.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Up in the sky, the Hero News Network helicopter circled the scene, the camera man zooming in on
the chaos below.

“As you can see, the heroes’ raid on the Shie Hassaikai headquarters has resulted in widespread
damage to pubic property,” the reporter spoke, her voice clear and strong despite the noise from
the aircraft. “There appears to be several villains in custody, and- wait, we’re seeing something! It
looks like All Might is down in that crater, and- he’s not moving!”

The camera man zoomed in, both his and the reporter’s eyes widening.

“What’s this? It looks like- it is! There’s someone down there with him and- they’re kissing him?!
All Might is being kissed by someone!”

The camera man held his equipment steady, getting clear footage of Izuku’s lips meeting All
Might’s cheek.
 Kisses On the Wind
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

The hours after the raid had ended were hectic, with heroes and police racing to organize. The
police handled transporting the apprehended villains, while the heroes assisted with the bigger
villains and with the cleanup efforts. Uraraka and Asui used their quirks to move debris while
Shinso and Momo helped the heroes bring the villains left in the underground up to the surface.

Izuku was running back and forth between the injured and the heroes still recovering, handing out
kisses to anyone who needed them. Once they’d resurfaced from their own fight, the greenette
healed a battered Kirishima and Amajiki, and a surprisingly thin Fatgum.

Why did his head get smaller along with the rest of him? Izuku wondered, before dismissing the
thought to help the others.

Chisaki had apparently used his quirk to fuse with Irinaka during his fight with the heroes, All
Might’s final punch separating the two bodies from one another. Irinaka was mostly fine, but
Chisaki’s condition was more serious. Izuku sensed his vitals.

“He’ll be okay,” Izuku told the paramedics who’d arrived on the scene. He kissed the tips of his
fingers and gingerly placed them against Chisaki’s temple, powering his quirk to both heal and
sedate him. The villain was unconscious, but Izuku didn’t want to take any chances. Once he’d
finished, the healer watched as the heroes locked Chisaki’s arms into a quirk nullifying device,
placing both he and Irinaka into an armored van and driving off.

All Might and Nighteye weren’t dead, but they were far from stable and, while he was physically
healed, Mirio was still unconscious. Once Izuku had finished checking on the other heroes and
police, he rode in one of the ambulances headed for the hospital, keeping a wary eye on his
patients.

Once at the hospital, Izuku had the two heroes put in the same room, so that he could monitor them
at the same time. Mirio was placed in a room down the hall to sleep off the sedative, and Izuku
checked on him one more time before returning to the adults. Nighteye was given a blood
transfusion, the color returning to his cheeks as his vitals improved. All Might’s condition was a
little more complex, the hero’s body ragged on the inside.

It’s like he’s been chewed up and spit back out, the healer thought as he gave the hero another
quick kiss, frowning as his body healed at a glacial pace. Most of the healing I did for him at
school was ruined by that fight. It’s awful, but I don’t think All Might can use One For All
anymore…

He heard the door open, and turned to see Recovery Girl, Aizawa and Nezu enter. Recovery Girl
tottered over to All Might’s bed.
“How is he?” She asked the freckled boy, scanning the muscular man’s chart.

“He’s healing, but very slowly,” he told her. “His muscles are shredded, and there’s only so much I
can do for him…”

Aizawa looked to him. “I thought you could heal any injury, no matter how bad it was.”

Izuku shrugged, chewing on his lip. “Usually, yes; but you have to understand, from what All
Might has told me about One For All, it should have killed him years ago. It’s just too much power
for his body to handle now.”

“Do you think he’ll be able to live with One For All, even if he never uses it again?” Nezu asked,
his beady eyes thoughtful.

“I- I don’t know,” the greenette admitted, scratching the back of his head. “Hypothetically yes,
but…”

Izuku turned back to All Might, concern lacing his voice. “I’m worried that he wouldn’t let his
own death stop him from fighting if he thought he had to; All Might would gladly sacrifice himself
in order to uphold his ‘Symbol of Peace’ ideology.”

“He’s already tried,” a voice croaked out, and Izuku whirled around to see Nighteye peeking at him
through half-lidded eyes, the man smiling faintly.

“Nighteye!” Izuku rushed over to him, scanning for injuries. His mentor’s vitals were much better,
the life glimmering behind his eyes filling the healer with relief.

Izuku parted the hero’s bandaids, peeking at his stomach. There was a prominent scar on his
abdomen, a giant circle of mottled skin where his wound had been.

“I’m sorry about that,” Izuku apologized sheepishly. “If I hadn’t been so busy with the others, the
scar might not have been as bad…”

“You saved me, Midoriya,” Nighteye insisted. “I can live with a scar.”

The healer smiled at him, his eyes welling with tears. “I- I was so worried that I hadn’t gotten to
you in time…”

Nighteye chuckled softly. “You’re going to make a great hero one day, Pucker Up. You didn’t just
save me, you saved All Might from fate.”

“So- so the future you saw, that was-“

“I didn’t realize it was Chisaki until after he’d fused with Irinaka,” Nighteye told him, his eyes
drifting over to the other hero. “Once I had, I tried my best to get All Might to leave, but he
wouldn’t. Even knowing what was to come, he still fought. We’ll never have another Symbol of
Peace like him.”

“We don’t need another one,” Izuku argued. “Even if he can’t fight anymore, All Might’s legacy
lives on in the heroes he’s inspired. Half of my class wants to be like him, and I did too, once. He’s
done his duty, and now he needs to rest.”

“That’s a very mature way to think, Midoriya!” Nezu chirped. “I suggest you take your own
advice.”
The healer turned to frown at him. “I’m fine, sir.”

“You’re exhausted,” Aizawa corrected, eyes narrowing as he noted the tired slump in the boy’s
shoulders. “You’ve been burning the candle at both ends with your hero work and your healer
work, and now you can barely stand.”

Izuku wanted to argue with the teacher, but a stern look from all the adults present stopped him. He
let out a sigh. “Alright, I see your point; I’ll take a break, I promise, but I want to see Eri first.”

Aizawa escorted him to Eri’s room, while Nezu and Recovery Girl stayed with Nighteye and All
Might.

“I mean it, Midoriya,” Aizawa said firmly as they walked through the halls. “After you give the
police your statement, you’re going right back to campus.”

Izuku nodded. “Yes, sir.”

They reached Eri’s room, the girl’s eyes lighting up as she spotted him. “Izuku!”

“Hi Eri!” The boy said, smiling brightly at the girl. Her skin had a healthy glow, her eyes clear and
bright. Her hair was messy, but looked better than it had in recent days, and she was almost smiling
as the two entered.

Izuku scanned her, noting that the horn on her head looked a bit bigger than it had the last time
he’d seen her.

That must be where her power comes from, he deduced. He doubted Eri understood her power,
likely didn’t even know the name of it, and he made a silent promise to help her learn to control it.

Eri looked behind him. “Where’s Mirio?” She spotted Aizawa, and immediately dropped her eyes
to the floor, looking nervous.

“He’s sleeping right now,” Izuku told her, motioning for Aizawa to come closer, “but I’m sure
he’ll come to see you once he’s awake.”

He tugged on Aizawa’s arm, his teacher taking the hint and kneeling by the bed. “This is Mr.
Aizawa, he’s my teacher at school.”

Eri cocked her head. “School?”

“Yep! I got to a school called UA, and so does Mirio! Anyways, Mr. Aizawa is really nice!”

Aizawa smiled softly at the girl. “It’s nice to meet you, Eri.”

Eri gave him a wary look, but greeted him in return. Izuku took a peek at the girl’s chart as the two
got to know one another, seeing that the doctors had noted the same change in her horn that he
had.

She seems to be stable, the freckled boy thought, so they likely won’t keep her here much longer.
That means she’ll probably be put up for adoption…

His stomach clenched at the thought of never seeing her again, and had to remind himself that her
safety and happiness came first.

Still, the thought of sending her to an orphanage, after all she’d been through-
He shook his head. There had to be another way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When All Might finally opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of Recovery Girl and Nezu
speaking softly in the corner.

He jolted upright, hissing as his body screamed in protest. He switched to his skinny form, feeling
some of his tension ease as he did.

“Ah, All Might!” Nezu said brightly. “Midoriya said you’d be awake soon, how wonderful to see
that he was right!”

“Young Midoriya… is he here?”

Recovery Girl shook her head. “He’s gone back to the dorms.” All Might made to speak, and she
cut him off. “He’s perfectly fine. In fact, once again, everyone involved is fine because of him.”

All Might nodded, turning his head to see Nighteye looking at him from his bed. “Mirai…”

“I’ll be fine, Toshinori,” he said softly, giving his old friend a soft smile. “I just need to rest awhile
longer.”

All Might looked down at his arms. The faded scars he saw were of no concern to him, but
underneath them, hiding below the skin, he could feel the damage he’d taken from the fight. “I’m
guessing I wasn’t so lucky…”

Nezu nodded, the small creature moving to his bedside. “Midoriya believes your body is no longer
a viable holder for One For All; If you use it again, you’ll most likely die.”

A few years ago, he would’ve ignored the principal’s words and kept on fighting. Now, having
come so close to death and still not being able to save his friend on his own-

He glanced over to Nighteye, his stomach churning. “I guess it’s time, then.”

“Yes; we need to find you a successor.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chisaki sat in silence as the armored van took him to Tartarus. He and Irinaka had been moved to a
maximum security hospital to be assessed by a doctor, before they were split up: Irinaka taken to a
lesser prison, and Chisaki to Tartarus.

The villain contemplated his actions, the missteps he’d made in his planning that led to this
outcome. Perhaps if he’d gone after Eri when she’d escaped, instead of sending Kurono, he’d have
been able to recover her from the heroes. Perhaps he’d have been able to continue his experiments,
and could’ve perfected his quirk destroying bullets before the heroes raided his compound.

The flash drive containing all of his notes and research on Eri’s quirk and his formula for the
bullets had been destroyed in the fight, leaving nothing of his work left to salvage. He had nothing
left.

Sorry Pops, Chisaki thought, staring at the ceiling. Guess you were right; going against the heroes
was too much for the yakuza...

The van screeched to a stop, the guard in the van with him tensing as yelling could be heard from
outside.

“Don’t move,” the man warned the villain, cocking his gun before heading outside.

There was a commotion followed by a loud thud and, for a brief moment, Chisaki wondered if
some of his Eight Bullets had managed to escape custody and had come for him.

The hope was quickly dashed as Shigaraki entered the van, followed by Compress and Dabi.

“Well, would you look at this,” Shigaraki sneered, red eyes trained on the Hassaikai leader. “And
here I thought you’d actually be a match for those heroes.”

Chisaki gave him a deadpan look. “I take it you’re not here to free me, so hurry up and kill me
already.”

Shigaraki grinned, the expression causing a shiver to run down Chisaki’s spine. “Killing you would
be too easy, too much of a mercy.”

The villain turned to his comrades. “Compress, care to list Overhaul’s crimes?”

“You killed Big Sis Mag,” Compress began as Dabi and Shigaraki moved closer to the yakuza
head, “Severed my arm, and spat in the face of the League as a whole. And you nearly killed All
Might, which is our job.”

Shigaraki nodded. “Don’t forget, Dabi said his pathetic little gang fired upon one of our own.”

Chisaki frowned. “Who-“

“Your man Nemoto shot at Midoriya,” Dabi told him, gripping the villain’s right arm. “I doubt any
of you were aware, but one of the UA hero students who was at the raid is under our protection.”

The blue eyed man didn’t look happy about that, and Chisaki quirked his brow. “Are you talking
about the kid you kidnapped this summer? The one that got away from you in less than forty-eight
hours?”

Shigaraki gripped his other arm, leaning in. “The very same. He’ll join us one day, and until then
we’ll protect him from afar.”

Shigaraki’s grip tightened, the villain activating his quirk as he snarled in Chisaki’s ear. “You
could’ve joined us as well, but instead your pride led to your downfall.”

Shigaraki’s eyes were wild as he destroyed Chisaki’s arm, the appendage decaying rapidly.
“Maybe after I’ve taken over this country, I’ll be merciful and kill you; but for now, I want you to
suffer.”

Dabi destroyed Chisaki’s other arm, the light from his blue flames reflecting off the sides of the
van. Chisaki bit the inside of his cheek hard enough to draw blood to keep from crying out, the pain
overwhelming.

Shigaraki appraised his and Dabi’s work proudly, stepping aside as Compress finished the job and
compressed what remained of both arms into marbles.

“Should we leave him our card, in case he wants to rethink our offer?” Dabi taunted, remembering
the Hassaikai leader’s words from their first encounter.

“Nah, we don’t need help from a broken, useless mobster with no gang left to follow him,”
Shigaraki said, casting Chisaki one final look of disgust. “Let’s get out of here.”

The villains turned and left, exiting the van and racing to the getaway car, Spinner speeding off
down the highway with his team.

Chisaki stared down at where his arms used to be, thinking back to his adoptive father, the former
head of the Hassaikai. He was still in the coma Chisaki had put him in, and he’d never be able to
fix him.

He screamed.
 Kiss At Dawn
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

It was late in the afternoon when Izuku finally returned to the dorms, the sun setting behind him as
his feet dragged against the pavement.

The police had far more questions for him than he’d expected, his report double then triple
checked by the chief of police. Details were repeated ad nausuem, and the healer nearly walked out
after being asked to go over the report a fourth time. He was happy to help, but after the long day
he just wanted to be back in the dorms.

“Izuku!” The freckled boy turned to see Kirishima, Shinso, Momo, Uraraka and Asui speeding
towards him.

“Hey guys,” he greeted, accepting a hug from each of them, “so you guys are getting back late too,
huh?”

Kirishima groaned. “There was so much paperwork to fill out at the agency, and then we had to
talk to the police!”

Shinso nodded. “Fatgum stress ate the entire time, and now he’s almost back to his normal size.”

Izuku huffed out a laugh, “That’s good to hear.” He filled them in on the conditions of those still at
the hospital, omitting the details of All Might’s impending retirement.

He still wasn’t sure if the hero would actually take his advice, given Nighteye and Recovery Girl
had been trying for years to get him to see reason and failed each time, but it wasn’t Izuku’s place
to tell the others about it regardless.

The group entered the dorms, where the rest of 1-A was waiting for them. Izuku bit back a startled
noise as Shoto and Katsuki flanked him immediately, the others pouncing on the rest of the work
study students.

“Why didn’t you guys tell us you were doing something so dangerous!” Ashido cried, her grip on
Momo and Uraraka crushing. “Seriously, the news made it look so scary!!”

“News?” Shinso asked, grunting as Kaminari tackled him.

“Yeah, some reporters got a bunch of footage of the cleanup,” the blond told him, releasing him so
he could jump on Kirishima next.

Jirou shot a look over to Izuku, Ashido and Iida trying in vain to pull the healer from a growling
Katsuki and a glaring Shoto. “You guys haven’t seen it? You, uh… you probably should…”

The greenette peeked out from the hug battle happening around him, eyeing the TV as Hagakure
turned it to the news. The footage showed the aftermath of their fight, Izuku noting that the hole in
the street was already present.

The camera zoomed in, All Might’s limp body onscreen. “-We can see that All Might is down there
and- he’s not moving!”

Seeing his teacher hurt from the camera’s perspective made his wounds look even worse, and the
healer was reminded of their sessions in the infirmary, the number one hero putting on a brave face
even in his skinny form. He watched with wide eyes as he appeared on the screen next, the kiss
marks on his costume shimmering in the sunlight.

“-All Might is being kissed by someone!”

Izuku wrinkled his nose as he watched himself kiss All Might’s cheek. There was nothing indecent
about the footage, but the freckled boy knew how irrational other people could get about his quirk.

This could end up just like the Sports Festival, he thought with a frown.

The reporter was in front of the camera, her hair whipping about behind her from the wind as she
spoke. “-Received reports that the person kissing All Might below is Izuku Midoriya, UA High’s
Sweetheart! Midoriya was the victim of a kidnapping perpetrated by the League of Villains just
three months ago, and this reporter has to wonder: Why is this defenseless child in the throes of
such chaos?”

Katsuki grit his teeth at her words, and Shinso snorted.

“She clearly doesn’t know you very well if she thinks you’re defenseless,” The purple haired boy
muttered to his friend.

The reporter continued her rant, the camera man turning his attention back to Izuku as he healed
more of the injured.

“Wow, I didn’t realize you kissed so many people today, ribbit,” Asui said, her finger resting on
her chin.

Izuku could feel himself blushing as Katsuki and Shoto turned to the other work study students,
glaring at their cheeks.

“Stop that,” Izuku muttered, “It was just because of my quirk, you know that.”

“Exactly,” Katsuki ground out. “You look like you’re about to pass out because these shitty losers
needed saving.”

The others looked a little ashamed, Shinso shooting the healer an apologetic look.

“That’s not true,” Izuku defended. “Toshi and Kiri were hurt saving other people, and Tsu, Momo
and Uraraka weren’t even hurt at all!”

“And the Big Three? Did they need your help?” Shoto asked evenly. “And what about the pros, the
police?”

“I- well yes, but…”

“Izu…it sounds like you need a break, sweetie,” Ashido said gently, the others nodding behind her.
“We’re super grateful for everything you do for us, but we don’t want you to overwork yourself
just to help us.”

“I don’t,” Izuku insisted. “Not usually, at least! Today was hard, but it was a big day for all of us. I
didn’t even do that much fighting, to be honest. Mostly I just searched the compound and healed
people, so technically I was in less danger than the others.”

He left out nearly being shot and running into Dabi, not wanting to upset his friends further.

“Either way, you need to relax Midoriya!” Kaminari chimed in, giving the greenette a wide grin.
“And that’s why we’re having a sleepover tonight! We’ve finally got all of you pesky work
studiers together, so we gotta make the most of it!”

Izuku gave him a matching grin. “That sounds great, Kaminari!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The sleepover had gone as it always had, with plenty of food, games and movies to keep the
students entertained for most of the night. Shoto and Katsuki had retired from the party early,
going back to their respective rooms right after dinner.

“We have training off campus in the morning,” Shoto had told Izuku with an apologetic smile,
Katsuki already having stomped off. “Sorry, Bunny.”

The greenette had assured him it was alright, despite the pang of longing he felt watching the two
leave. He wanted to be supportive, but secretly hoped their extra training would be over with soon.

As the party died down, Izuku found it hard to rest after his classmates had fallen asleep. He tossed
and turned as he tried to settle in, but was unfortunately wide awake for most of the night.

From the little sleep he did get, he had nightmares. He dreamt he was at the Hassaikai compound,
running down the sterile halls of the underground. Flashes of bird masks and moving walls and
piercing blue eyes plagued him until he’d woken abruptly, his heart hammering in his chest.

He shook his head. It’s just a dream, it can’t hurt me…

The sky outside was dark, but there was a purple hue to it that suggested the sun would be rising
soon. He looked up to see a light on in the kitchen, and he wondered who could be up, given that
Shinso was sound asleep nearby. The greenette rose from his spot carefully, tip toeing over to the
kitchen to investigate.

Inside he found Aoyama, busying himself in front of a pot on the stove. He turned as Izuku entered,
the blond’s smile radiant despite the early hour. “Oh, good morning Izuku!”

“Good morning; what are you doing up so early?” The healer asked, taking a seat at the counter.

“I got used to waking up early to go to Best Jeanist’s agency, so now I rise before the sun even
when I have nowhere to be,” Aoyama said casually, stirring the pot in front of him. “I’m making
chocolat chaud for everyone to go with breakfast; I’m not much of a cook, but this I can manage.”

The scent of chocolate wafted through the kitchen, making Izuku’s mouth water. Aoyama poured a
mug for each of them, setting the stove on low to keep the drink warm without scalding it.

Izuku cooed at the first sip. “This is delicious, Yuga! Way better than the mix we usually have.”

“Oui, it’s a favorite of mine, and perfect for lazy days like today.”
Izuku looked to him. “It’s French, right? Did your dad teach you the recipe?”

“My mother, actually; I get my French heritage from her, my Japanese heritage from my father.”
Aoyama had a soft smile on his face as he spoke. “My mother grew up in Lyon, in a part of the city
known as Saint-Fons. My father was visiting from Paris, where he'd taken a job, and they happened
upon one another just outside my mother’s favorite café. Naturally, it was love at first sight, and
the two spent an entire year blissfully in love. Eventually they married, and moved back to Japan
and had me.”

Izuku didn’t know much about France, but was content to let his friend tell him stories of their
family vacations to the country, Aoyama’s natural theatrics painting a vivid picture for each tale.
“That sounds amazing.”

Aoyama nodded, his smile turning sad. “We used to go every year, but the last four years or so,
mon pere has been too busy… to be honest, my father spends more time away on business than he
does with us.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry…”

Aoyama shrugged. “It’s one of the reasons I’ve embraced my French side so much, because I know
my mother misses her home terribly. I do what I can to cheer her up, but some days I’m afraid it’s
not enough. And since coming to UA, I worry so much about her living alone, without me or my
father to keep her company.”

Izuku felt a pang of sympathy for his friend, remembering the days when his own father was away
on business. “My dad was gone a lot too, back when I was really young. That’s how Kaachan and I
know each other; my mom and I lived in an apartment near his house because she couldn’t afford
anything bigger by herself. When my dad moved back our family got a house in Hosu, and I had to
say goodbye to Kaachan…”

The kitchen fell silent, Aoyama studying him. “That must have been hard.”

He nodded. “It was, but then I met Mei and we became friends, so I wasn’t alone for long. And
now I’ve got both of them with me, plus all of you guys, so it worked out okay.”

The blond gave him a smile. “I’m so happy we became friends, mon ami; I knew we were kindred
spirits from the moment we met, and now we’re close enough to share cocoa on a cold morning,
telling each other stories to chase away the bad dreams.”

Izuku gave him a surprised look, Aoyama letting out a giggle. “Oh sweet Izuku, you may be a
genius like Hatsume or YaoMomo, but your face is an open book.”

The greenette just laughed, enjoying his drink and the other boy’s company.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Across campus, Nezu had called a staff meeting in the early morning hours, Aizawa slouched
irritably in his seat.

“I thank you all for coming!” Nezu chirped, sounding far too chipper to be awake so early. “I know
many of you would rather still be in bed, so I’ll make this brief:

“Yesterday, several of our students and two of our staff were involved in the raid on the Hassaikai
compound, the results of which led to the arrest of Kai Chisaki and his entire inner circle;
unfortunately, we were not without our losses. All Might defeated Chisaki, but the damage done to
his body was severe. Even with Midoriya’s healing, All Might’s body is no longer able to support
his quirk, and so he has decided to retire from his hero work to focus on teaching.”

The other teachers, save Aizawa, looked to one other with concern.

“But, he’s the Symbol of Peace,” Snipe interjected. “The crime rate has been growing since his
fight at Kamino; if All Might retires publicly, it’ll shoot up even higher!”

Aizawa gave the man a look. “It was bound to happen eventually. All Might may be the number
one hero, but he’s still human. The pros have been doing their best to transition to a post-All Might
hero society, so they should be ready to handle any new threats that emerge.”

The principal nodded. “That’s very true, but unfortunately it isn’t very reassuring. Things will no
doubt be very tumultuous in the coming months, and so I think it best to end the students’ work
studies for the time being. Snipe is wise to be concerned about the backlash of All Might’s
retirement, which is why we must be proactive in protecting our students.”

Aizawa grunted in agreement. Nezu hadn’t mentioned All Might’s plan to train a successor to
replace him, given how few of the adults present knew that the number one hero could transfer his
power, but it was something that would eventually have to be addressed.

Power like that doesn’t just appear overnight, he thought, glancing out the window at the rising
sun. It’ll be hard to keep things under wraps, especially if he hurts himself as much as I think he
will…

Now halfway over the horizon, the sun’s radiance was beginning to burn the teacher’s eyes. He
looked away.

Mirio… I hope you can handle this…

 Kissing in Cars
Chapter Notes

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Shoto rolled his eyes as his father yelled out from the stands, the man’s fiery beard blazing.

He and Katsuki were at their remedial training with the rest of the failed license examinees, Gang
Orca presiding over the lesson. It would be their first time working together, as opposed to the
lessons the two UA students had on campus, and the dual toned boy was not looking forward to
working with Inasa.

That discomfort was only compounded by the flirtations of Camie, as well as the presence of the
number two hero. Endeavor had called Shoto the night before to inform him of his attendance,
which only served to make him more agitated.

He’s making a fool of himself, Shoto thought bitterly as the other remedial students turned to stare
at Endeavor, and making a fool of me as well.

Next to him, Katsuki quirked his brow at the man raging overhead. “Your dad’s an ass, Icyhot.”

Shoto gave him a look, but nodded. They had a few minutes before the training began, and the dual
toned boy pulled out his phone to check his messages.

He had two from Ashido, one a picture of their class at the training grounds, the other a video of
the group playing tag, Iida speeding off frame as Izuku, the ‘it’ person, chased after him. The
greenette pouted, before turning to race after Uraraka, who had begun to float away.

Shoto smiled, showing the video to an impassive Katsuki. Iida had folded the day before, telling
the class about the work study students’ mission a few hours after they had left. He hadn’t known
any details, and none of them could have known how bad the fight would be until they had seen
the news footage, but it was enough to make the students worry for their friends.

“What we need is a self care day!” Ashido had said, standing tall and proud in front of her
classmates. “We gotta make those work studiers relax, by having fun and just chilling!”

The others had thought it a great idea, and had begun preparing at once. Shoto and Katsuki offered
suggestions, but knew they wouldn’t be able to participate given their extra training. It made the
dual toned boy sad, knowing he’d once again be separated from Izuku due to his own mistakes.
The healer had said he was fine waiting for him, but it didn’t stop Shoto from missing him terribly.

He knew it was his insecurities bubbling to the surface, but Shoto couldn’t help but feel a widening
gap between he and the boy he liked. He knew it wasn’t right to be so upset about how much time
Izuku spent with Mirio, given they worked at the same agency, but Shoto couldn’t help but
compare himself to the older boy. Shoto had never been the friendly, smiling type, and wondered if
Izuku would prefer someone more vibrant, more like his own bubbly personality.
“Looks like Pinky’s plan is working,” Katsuki said gruffly, but there was a softness in his eyes as
he watched the video play.

Shoto’s stomach lurched, the boy quickly putting his phone away as Gang Orca addressed them,
beginning their training for the day.

Things between he and Katsuki were different as well, though in a much more confusing way.
Initially, the two boys couldn’t stand one another, given their competitive nature and their
respective crushes on Izuku. They came to tolerate one another after they’d rescued Izuku from
Kamino, settling into a less aggressive competition for the greenette’s heart.

When they’d failed the licensing exam, Shoto and Katsuki had been more than comfortable taking
their anger out on one another, their old habit of fighting resurfacing after weeks of near docile
behavior. Shoto’s pride had been wounded by the results of the exam, and both he and Katsuki
were humbled by them. They’d agreed to work together for the sake of the makeup exam, but their
interactions had begun to feel less and less forced as time went on. The day Izuku had joined their
training, Katsuki had almost made it sound like they would all be dating one another once the
makeup exam was over, as opposed to going back to fighting over the greenette, and Shoto wasn’t
sure what to make of the idea.

There were times when Katsuki would be standing close to him or calling him one of his colorful
nicknames that would make Shoto’s stomach churn, which confused the dual toned boy greatly. He
knew he didn’t want to freeze the other boy solid any longer, but he also didn’t want to lose
Izuku’s favor to him. There was something about the hot head that intrigued him, but infuriated
him in equal measure. Shoto returned his attention to Gang Orca, willing his confusing thoughts
away.

“Since none of you have shown you can be caring when the situation calls for it,” the hero said, his
eyes flicking between Shoto, Katsuki, Camie and Inasa, “we prepared a special training exercise
for you.”

The door to the arena opened, and a gaggle of children rushed inside. They were screaming and
laughing and running about, and Shoto could feel the color drain from his face. He didn’t know
anything about kids and, judging by the looks on his teammates’ faces, neither did they.

He swore.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku’s footsteps echoed as he walked through the halls of the hospital, Mirio by his side.

The two had gone to visit Eri after stopping by Nighteye’s agency, the hero having called them in a
few days after the raid. Izuku was happy to see his mentor healthy, but was more than a little
disappointed to find out their work studies had been cancelled.

“I’m really gonna miss working with Sir,” Mirio told him as they made their way to Eri’s room,
“but I can’t wait to learn all about One For All from All Might!”

Izuku frowned. The number one hero had told him of the power transference earlier that morning,
after Mirio had already inherited One For All. The healer had hoped to be involved with the
selection process for All Might’s successor, if for no other reason than to ensure the new holder’s
body could handle the extra power. Someone born quirkless would have been ideal, but finding
such a person was admittedly a long shot.
Mirio wasn’t a bad candidate; in fact, the low power his original quirk had likely meant he’d be
able to hold One For All with reasonable safety for quite a long time. Izuku had to hope that All
Might would take Mirio’s health far more seriously than the hero had taken his own during his
career, and would train the sometimes brash student to be a bit more restrained with One For All.

When they reached Eri’s room, the girl gave them a small smile. Izuku would later learn from one
of the nurses that Eri had practiced the gesture in the mirror all morning after being informed of
their visit, hoping to have a genuine smile for the two when they arrived. It made the greenette’s
heart melt and, looking over to his side, he could see it did Mirio’s as well.

“I’m getting better at writing,” she told the two boys proudly, waving a paper in front of them. She
had written a short letter to them, thanking them for saving her. The handwriting was messy, and
more than a few words were misspelled, but the hero students applauded her regardless.

“Wow Eri, you’re so smart!” Mirio praised, smiling at the girl. “I bet you’re smart enough to get
into UA, when you get older!”

Eri blinked. “That’s the school you and Izuku go to, right?”

Mirio nodded, and Eri cast her eyes downward. “I wish I could go there now… I heard the doctors
say I can’t stay here much longer, but I don’t know where I’m s’posed to go…”

“Eri…” Izuku grimaced at the lack of tact the girls doctors had, to be discussing something so
delicate within earshot. It was a problem he’d been thinking over the last few days; he knew
logically that Eri needed a family, parents who could care for her and perhaps even a sibling or two
to keep her company, but one wouldn’t appear overnight. It was likely she’d be waiting for the
right family for some time, battling her demons alone all the while.

Izuku put on a smile despite his troubling thoughts, taking a seat next to Eri on the bed. “Well, how
would you feel about coming to school with us, at least for a while?”

Mirio whipped his head to look at the greenette, his eyes almost as wide as Eri’s. The girl was
looking at him with an unsure expression, as if she didn’t know where or not she should have hope.
“Could- could I really?”

“I’ll have to talk to the principal, he’s the person who’s in charge, but I think he’ll say yes.” Izuku
was almost certain of it; Nezu had a sadistic streak, but he cared deeply for kids and would likely
sympathize with the girl who’d been treated as a science experiment, much like he had. “I promise
I’ll try my best to convince him!”

Mirio’s grin was wide and bright. “That’s a great idea, Izuku! Oh man, you’re gonna have so much
fun there, Eri! The food is really good, and there’s all sorts of cool places to hang out on campus! I
can even show you the secret garden we have, it’s hidden inside the forest on campus.”

Izuku turned to him. “Secret garden?”

Mirio winked at him. “It’s supposed to be a third year secret, but for you two cuties I think we can
make an exception.”

Izuku rolled his eyes at Mirio’s antics, while Eri began to look more and more hopeful. “I’d- I’d
really like that!”

She was smiling again, this time a little bigger, and Izuku was motivated by the expression on her
face. He’d get Nezu to agree, he just had to make his argument convincing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Nezu smiled as Izuku sat down in front of him, the boy having requested to speak with him after
returning to campus. “Midoriya! To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Nezu watched as the boy took a deep breath, trying not to laugh. It was painfully obvious to the
small creature what he wanted to ask him; after all, the clues were all there, and Nezu prided
himself on always being ten steps ahead.

“Sir, I’d like to request Eri be brought here after she’s discharged from the hospital,” Izuku began,
doing his best to sound confident. “She has nowhere else to go, and we can provide better
protection for her than an orphanage can.”

Nez bit back a grin; just as he’d expected. “I see… Midoriya, you are aware that this is a high
school, yes? I understand Young Eri’s plight, but I fear we don’t have the right resources to care
for her here.”

Izuku made to argue, and Nezu cut him off. “While we have the basic necessities covered for
caring for a child, we lack plenty of the bigger items: she’d need a tutor, a full time guardian… did
you have someone in mind for these roles?”

“I, well…”

“There’s also the issue of cost,” Nezu continued, feeling only slightly guilty as he looked at the
boy’s face. “We’d have to find a way to raise money to pay for a tutor, for clothing and for
anything else she might need.”

Izuku sat in silence as he contemplated the principal’s words, Nezu letting him stew for a moment
before putting his offer on the table. “How about this, Midoriya: I’ll agree to allowing Eri to stay
here at UA, as well as securing those necessities I mentioned, if you help with a little fundraising
idea I’ve had.” Check.

Izuk looked to him. “Of course, sir! Whatever you need!”

Nezu’s grin sharpened. Checkmate. “Splendid; I’ll inform you of the details once I’ve gotten
everything prepared. We’ll have Eri brought to us within a few days.”

“Thank you so much, sir!”

After Midoriya had gone, Nezu called Aizawa into his office. The man was eyeing the principal
warily. “I passed Midoriya on the way here; care to explain what the two of you are planning?”

“I wouldn’t worry about that just now, Eraser,” Nezu chirped. “We have more pressing things to
discuss. You still wish to foster Eri once she’s been discharged, yes? We’ll have to move you both
into one of the family suites in the faculty dorms if you do.”

Aizawa nodded. He had come to the principal after the raid, wanting to make sure the girl had a
safe, stable home. The rise in crime they were expecting in the coming months would no doubt
have an impact on Eri if she were to end up at an orphanage, and Aizawa wanted avoid that if
possible. “I have no problem with that.”

“Excellent, we’ll have her moved here within the next few days.”

The room fell silent for a beat, until Aizawa spoke. “You’ve roped Midoriya into this somehow,
haven’t you?”
Nezu’s sharp grin returned. “Actually, Midoriya was the one to approach me on the subject. He
had the same idea you did about bringing Eri here and, after pointing out the expenses of caring for
her, he agreed to aiding with the fundraising efforts.”

Aizawa raised a brow. “Our school’s budget rivals that of the Hero Commission’s, there won’t be
any need for fundraising.”

“Oh? I suppose you’re right; Midoriya will simply have to hold onto the money he collects then,
perhaps he can put it towards a college fund for the girl?”

Aizawa stared at the principal, assessing him. “Just what exactly are you going to have him do to
raise money, Nezu?”

“Oh, don’t you worry about that. Trust me when I say this plan will benefit everyone involved!”

Aizawa looked uneasy, and Nezu continued to grin.

 Champagne Kisses
Chapter Notes

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The class of 1-A was waiting patiently for first period to begin, happy to be all together again after
weeks of the work study students being in and out of class. Izuku had been listening to Katsuki tell
him about his latest remedial training session (“You should have heard it, Deku! The little brats
kept calling him ‘Five Weenies!’”) when Aizawa shuffled in, just as the bell rang.

“I want to begin by addressing the changes happening at UA,” their teacher said, eyes flitting about
the room. “As some of you already know, a young girl was rescued from the Hassaikai a few days
before the compound was raided. She has no family and no one to care for her, so she’ll be coming
to stay here at UA.”

Several students made to interrupt, and Aizawa silenced them with a flash of his eyes. “It’s not
going to impact day to day life on campus, just remember to be gentle with her if you see her, she’s
still not used to people.”

Mina raised her hand. “What’s her name?”

“Eri,” Izuku told her.

“That’s right. Additionally, I’m sure most of you have seen the news footage regarding All Might’s
retirement.”

The class nodded. All Might had given a press statement the day before, announcing to the world
that he had officially retired.

“We will all have to put our faith in the heroes still fighting for a better world,” he had said, his
blue eyes gleaming as he spoke, “as well as in one another. We can all make a difference by being
the best people we can be, and standing up to corruption and injustice!”

Izuku had watched the footage with a heavy heart, already missing the number one hero despite
knowing he’d still get to see him at UA. With All Might now in retirement, Endeavor had become
the de facto number one hero which concerned many. He was by no means a warm or kind hero,
and the news had already begun speculating whether or not he would live up to the title.

“I want you all to understand that UA is still as safe as it ever was,” Aizawa continued, “and that
All Might will continue to be your teacher despite retiring as a pro.”

Izuku could see the relief on some of his classmates’ faces, their expressions making him smile.
The Symbol of Peace title aside, the hero students had come to love All Might and his goofy,
occasionally ill conceived lessons. To class A and B, the hero was part of their lives, and they were
thankful they’d get to keep him.
“Lastly, we have a big event coming up soon: the School Festival. It’s a chance for the other
courses to showcase their talents, the way the hero courses do for the Sports Festival. Each class
has to come up with some kind of attraction for the other students to enjoy. You’ll have a few
weeks to prepare, but you need to decide what you want to do by tomorrow.”

The students began arguing amongst themselves as Aizawa shuffled to his desk, plopping down
into his seat with a weary sigh. Iida and Momo were organizing the ideas, and had already nixed
Izuku’s hero quiz suggestion, so the greenette shuffled over to his teacher.

“Can I help you, Midoriya?” The man asked, not bothering to open his eyes.

“I just wanted to thank you for agreeing to take Eri in,” Izuku said lowly. “I’ll feel a lot better
knowing she’s safe with us than alone at some orphanage.”

Aizawa did crack an eye open at that. “You do realize there are still plenty of children who are
stuck in that situation you just described, right?”

Izuku nodded. “I know. I wish I could help them too; but I can’t, at least not right now. Right now,
all I can focus on is helping Eri.”

Aizawa studied him. “By making deals with the principal? I hope you know that we don’t have any
budget issues; Nezu just wanted you to do his bidding.”

Izuku flushed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I kind of figured it out after I left his office…
do you know what he’s going to have me doing?”

The teacher shrugged; he didn’t know for certain, but he could make an educated guess. “It’s likely
you’ll have to put in extra work at the School Festival, so make sure you don’t take on too much
with our class’ attraction.”

“Right.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Eri took in the large buildings on UA’s campus with wide eyes, unsure of where to look first.

Mirio and Aizawa had gone to retrieve her from the hospital, packing away the books and toys
they and Izuku had brought for her during her stay there as well as obtaining copies of her charts
for Recovery Girl to keep in the infirmary.

She’d be moving into one of the family suites with Aizawa, a small apartment in the faculty dorms
built for teachers with families to reside in. None of the pro hero teachers had any need for them up
until that point, so it was only a matter of having one cleaned and furnished before it could be
used.

Nezu had also arranged for a tutor to be hired for Eri, a short, soft faced woman who reminded
Izuku a bit of his own mother. Miss Hagimoto had been extensively researched before getting the
job, the added pressure of salvaging the school’s tarnished reputation along with protecting the
students resulting in a thorough background check.

Mirio had readily agreed to babysitting Eri when necessary, the upperclassman on a brief
sabbatical from class while he trained with All Might to control his new power. With the extra time
afforded him, he could make sure Eri always had a friendly face to help her get used to the new
surroundings.
Mirio and Eri went to the 1-A dorms while Aizawa finished moving his and Eri’s things to their
new home, determined to find Izuku.

The greenette was in the kitchen when the two arrived, his face lighting up as he spotted them.
“Eri!”

“Izuku!”

He rushed over to them, kneeling down to give the girl a gentle hug. Eri’s eyes were watery as she
hugged him back. “You kept your promise…”

Izuku pulled back, placing his hands on her shoulders. “I did. By the way, I like your dress!”

Eri looked down at her outfit. It was a simple, long sleeved red dress, with light grey tights and
fuzzy boots to ward off the autumnal weather. She hadn’t thought much of it, but both Mirio and
Izuku had said they liked it, and she trusted their judgement. “Thank you.”

By that point some of the other class 1-A students had heard the commotion, with Ashido,
Kirishima, Kaminari, Momo and Shinso joining them.

“Oh wow, you must be Eri!” Ashido gushed, leaning forward. “My name’s Mina, it’s a pleasure to
meet you!”

Eri ducked behind Izuku, peeking out at the girl and mumbling a hello in return. The others were a
bit calmer in their introductions, not wanting to spook the girl further.

Mirio sat Eri on the couch in the Common Room, the others sitting nearby and chatting with the
pair. Izuku returned to the kitchen, Shinso close behind.

“They have good timing, the apple cider should be done in a moment,” he told the purple haired
boy.

Shinso nodded, grabbing mugs and a serving tray to put them on. He turned to look at the healer.
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”

“Hm?” Izuku hummed, not looking up from the pot on the stove.

“It’s about the raid… Momo told me you ran into the League again in the underground.”

Izuku checked to make sure the others weren’t listening in, before turning back to Shinso. “I did;
well actually, Dabi ran into me. I wasn’t the target, I just happened to be in the way.”

Shinso gave him a concerned look. “It worries me just how often you seem to run into them, even
when it’s by accident… did- did you heal him?”

Izuku shook his head. “He didn’t have any injuries, despite some bruises from our fight. He had
wanted me to heal his scars for him, but…”

The greenette bit his lip. He hadn’t been lying when he’d told Dabi he didn’t think he could be
saved, though he’d mostly said it to catch the villain off guard. Dabi didn’t seem to want
redemption and, unless he could prove himself capable of change, Izuku wouldn’t be offering the
villain any help unless his life was in danger.

“He’s a violent sociopath,” the freckled boy finally said, spooning steaming cider into the assorted
mugs, “and all he cares about is revenge. I… I can sympathize with his pain, but I can’t help him
seek justice when he actively works against it.”

Shinso didn’t look totally convinced, but dropped the subject as they returned to the Common
Room, handing out the drinks.

“Have you ever had apple cider before, Eri?” Mirio asked, watching as the girl took a sip. “It’s the
best thing to drink on cold days like today.”

“I don’t know, Aoyama’s fancy hot chocolate is pretty good too,” Kirishima added.

Eri stared at her mug, before giving the group a small smile. “It’s very good,” she decided, taking
another sip. Izuku preened at the compliment.

The group continued to talk, trading stories and jokes to keep Eri entertained. As the sun began to
set, Aizawa entered the 1-A dorms to find Eri asleep on the couch, her head on Izuku’s lap. The
healer was reading something on his phone, careful not to disturb the girl as he turned to his
teacher.

“She hasn’t had dinner yet,” he whispered to the man, gently lifting Eri and handing her over to
him. Aizawa nodded, casting a glance around the room. Most of the others had left once Eri had
fallen asleep, with Momo and Shinso tucked away in the dining area doing homework and
Kirishima, Kaminari and Ashido somewhere upstairs. Mirio had stayed on the couch with Izuku
and Eri, his expression soft as he watched Aizawa carry the girl from the room.

“Man, I’d never thought about it before but, after meeting Eri, I think I want a bunch of kids when
I’m older!” Mirio said brightly, his usual volume returning after Aizawa had gone.

Izuku just laughed. “I think it’s Kirishima’s turn to cook dinner, did you want to stay?”

“Nah, Tamaki’s cooking for 3-B tonight,” Mirio told him. “He’s got some serious skills in the
kitchen, and I don’t wanna miss it!”

The blond left shortly after, and Izuku joined Shinso and Momo at the dining table, reaching for his
own notebooks. Momo gave him a knowing look.

“You seem rather attached to Eri,” she said lightly. “And she’s very attached to you.”

Izuku shrugged, a sad smile on his face. “That’s true; but then again, Mirio and I were probably the
first kind people she’d seen in a long time. She’s attached to me, but she doesn’t really know
anybody else. I’m hoping that she can at least make friends with our class, and I was thinking of
seeing if the Pussycats wouldn’t mind bringing Kota for a play date, since he’s close to her age.”

Shinso snickered. “You’re such a mom, Midoriya.”

Izuku wrinkled his nose. “Am not!”

“Are too.”

Momo rolled her eyes. “My point is that you’ve really made a good impression on her, despite her
past. I’m proud of you, Izu.”

Izuku flushed, but gave the girl a pleased smile. “Now you sound like a mom, Momo.”

She threw a pencil at him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Eventually, Class 1-A decided on an attraction for the School Festival: a live concert.

It had taken some work convincing Jirou to take the lead in their band, but once she’d gotten used
to the idea her passion sprang forth.

The class split into different groups, with a band, dance team and effects team compiled to make
their performance all the more memorable.

“We need something that’s going to wow the audience,” Ashido said, eyeing Aoyama. “Twinkles
here will make a good disco ball, but it might not be enough.”

Izuku gave her a bright smile. “I can help with that!”

He turned to where the others were gathered in the Common Room before blowing them a kiss,
think pink fog tumbling from his lips and curling around his classmates’ feet.

Ashido squealed. “That’s amazing! We have our very own fog machine!”

“I can make it so that there aren’t any sedative effects to my mist now,” Izuku told them proudly.
“So I can keep it concentrated on the crowd without anyone passing out!”

Aoyama held his palm out, firing a weak laser beam through the mist, causing it to sparkle. “ Trés
bien! With this, we can make our concert an unforgettable experience for our school!”

And so 1-A began to prepare for the School Festival in earnest, eager to enjoy a rare moment of
peace.
 Apple Kisses P. I
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

The weeks leading up to the School Festival seemed to fly by, Izuku constantly running between
classes, performance rehearsals, training with Recovery Girl and spending time with Eri.

The girl had settled into life at UA well, given the circumstances. She spent most of her day with
her tutor, studying various general subjects as well as getting to spend an hour of her lesson time
drawing, a hobby that was quickly developing now that she had the freedom to do so. Miss
Hagimoto was proud of the effort Eri put into her studies, the timid girl clearly bright and curious.
When she was finished with her lessons, she liked to join either Mirio or Izuku for their hero
training, watching with wide eyes as they would practice their quirks. Aizawa wouldn’t let her stay
for the sparring, wanting to spare her any traumatic memories that might be triggered from the
violence, but was happy to let her watch the rescue drills.

She was also present for a few of the class’ concert practices, taking particular interest in the
effects team.

“I’m going to be making my mist into little shapes,” Izuku told her, blowing out a puff of pink mist
and concentrating it into a star. “During the last song, there should be lots of them floating in the
air.”

He’d originally thought to do clouds overhead, but Shoto had a plan to create a mezzanine of ice
for the dancers to perform on towards the end of the show, so instead the healer would use the little
stars and hearts to direct the audience’s eyes upwards once the dancers were in place. It had taken
several hours of planning and would require just as much time rehearsing it, but Izuku was positive
they could pull it off.

Eri poked at the star, giggling as it burst. “I’m really excited to see the show. Mirio says he’ll hold
me up high so I can see better.”

Jirou, who had been taking a break from song practice, turned to her. “We’re gonna do our very
best to make this concert special for you, Eri,” she told the girl, smiling brightly. “We want you to
have lots of fun watching us play!”

Jirou had truly found her voice throughout the rehearsals, the girl showing a side of herself that
most of 1-A had yet to see. She had always been quick to fire off a snarky comment or joke, but
only the other 1-A girls had gotten to see Jirou’s passion for music up to that point. Izuku was
thrilled to see Jirou so open and excited, and hoped to see more of it in the future.

Eri returned the gesture, the shy girl’s smile getting bigger and bigger with each passing day.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The day before the festival, Nezu pulled Izuku from the preparations to talk to him about his
‘fundraising’ project.

“I thought this might be a sufficient way to raise money,” Nezu said cheerfully, handing the
greenette a copy of the flyer he’d made. Izuku scanned the page, his brows scrunched together in
confusion.

“Win a date with UA’s Sweetheart… sir, your idea was to auction me?”

“In a sense; about a month ago, I received two tickets to attend a hero convention in Tokyo but
unfortunately don’t have the time to. I had planned to simply raffle them off after the beauty
pageant, but then you came into my office and gave me an even better idea!”

Izuku’s head was spinning as he tried to follow the principal’s train of thought. “So you have these
free tickets that you can’t use, and decided to use them as part of a date auction with me as the
date? Why?”

“I figured the idea of getting to go on a date with UA’s Sweetheart would bring in a bigger crowd,”
Nezu chirped. “In the past, these sorts of raffles have never gotten much fanfare; I’m hoping you’ll
bring a bigger turnout and, since we don’t need the money and the tickets were free, all the money
earned can be put towards Eri, as promised.”

Izuku wrinkled his nose as he processed the information, Nezu trying to hide his grin. While it
would be amusing to see who managed to win the date with the healer, it would be far more
entertaining to mess with Aizawa, who the principal had already chosen as one of the two
chaperones. Midnight, the second chaperone, had promised to give the small creature all the gossip
after the outing had ended.

“I suppose it’s for a good cause…” Izuku mumbled to himself. The prospect of getting to attend a
hero convention was exciting, though he wasn’t sold on the idea of going with a stranger.

“Think of it as a new way to make new friends,” Nezu told him, the principal’s smile just a tad too
sharp. “If nothing else, you’ll get to spend a day off campus in a secure environment, and will have
made a bit of money to put towards Eri’s schooling.”

The greenette didn’t have much choice in the matter, as Ectoplasm had already begun hanging the
flyers around campus, and so Izuku accepted his fate.

When he returned to rehearsals, he noticed the others gathered together, staring at one of the flyers.
All heads turned in his direction as he neared, and Izuku flushed.

“It was Nezu’s idea,” he defended, “he asked me to help with a fundraiser to help Eri, and he came
up with this date idea. I didn’t even know about it until just now.”

Katsuki and Shoto were frowning.

“That little weasel,” Katsuki growled, and Kaminari turned to Jirou to ask if the principal was,
perhaps, an actual weasel.

“I don’t think that many people will want to enter,” Izuku said, missing the eye rolls from some of
the others. “Honestly, it would’ve made more sense to raffle off the two tickets by themselves, so
that the winner could take anyone they wanted.”

“Doesn’t matter, cuz I’m winning and you’ll be going with me,” Katsuki said arrogantly.
“Unlikely, since I’ll be the one winning,” Shoto fired back.

The two began to bicker, and Ashido broke up the argument by ordering everyone back to practice.

As they were heading back to the dorms, a group of General Studies students looked their way,
pointing to the greenette and giggling.

Katsuki and Shoto’s expressions darkened, and Izuku gulped.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The morning of the festival, 1-A scrambled as they finished last minute preparations for their
concert.

The band had matching t-shirts, which Katsuki had to nearly be forced into, while the dance team
had matching suit jackets and dresses. Since he’d be making an appearance onstage to use his
quirk, Izuku was given an orange band shirt as well, the freckled boy too polite to complain about
looking like a pumpkin as it clashed with his hair.

The gym they’d be performing in was nearly finished, the stage having been created with help
from Cementoss. Overhead, the rafters had been secured so that the effects team could comfortably
stand and move about without fear of falling.

“We’re going to nail this, we’re going to nail this,” Ashido muttered to herself as she fluffed
Izuku’s curls. Some of the other looked to be nervous as well, Aoyama giving his friends a
dazzling smile.

“Not to worry, mes amis; we’ll show our school just how brightly we shine, and they’ll have no
choice but to love us!”

Sero shot him a look. “That’s not much of a pep talk…”

“Aoyama’s right,” Uraraka said, adjust the ruffles in her dress, “we worked really hard these last
few weeks, and put together an amazing show! We can do this.”

The tension in the room seemed to dissipate, and the brunette counted it as a win.

Ashido checked her phone. “Alright people, places! We’re about to go on!!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Eri watched with wonder as the concert played, taking in the performance with wide eyes.

She was held above the crowd by sitting on Mirio’s shoulder, the older boy taking care not to let
her get jostled by the other students dancing nearby. Izuku’s mist was swirling about the
audience’s feet, shimmering as Aoyama’s lasers lit up the gym.

Sero’s tape and Todoroki’s ice were released in time with the music, adding flair to the key
changes and solo performances. Eri liked seeing the colored confetti rain down, and the dancers
managed to hold her attention for most of the concert.

During the last song, at the beginning of the first chorus, Izuku appeared onstage. He rushed to the
front, winking at the audience before blowing them a kiss, mist billowing out from his lips.

The pink wisps began forming into stars and hearts, floating lazily through the gym. Eri let out a
small squeal, reaching out to grab one of the hearts that had floated over to her.
The band gave it their all as the dancers finished their routine with a flourish, the gym erupting in
applause as tape, ice, light and mist came together to create a show stopping finale.

Eri cheered with the others, her smile wide and bright.

Once the gym had cleared out, Eri rushed over to the 1-A students, talking animatedly about the
performance.

“I saw all the dancers and then the music got really loud and then there were lots of pretty lights
and then Izuku blew hearts out and-“

The hero students simply watched as the young girl gushed about the concert, their hearts melting
at the sight.

Izuku was nearly in tears as Eri hugged his leg, telling him all her favorite parts of the show.

She’s healing, the greenette thought to himself, picking up the girl and settling her on his hip. After
everything she’s gone through, she’s able to be happy again.

Mirio must have been thinking the same, as the two shared a fond look over Eri’s head. They’d
saved her physically a month ago, but now they knew for certain they’d saved her heart as well.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After cleaning up the gym, Izuku joined Eri and Mirio as they toured the Festival, marveling at the
work the other students had put in.

The greenette bit back a laugh as he took in class 1-B’s attraction: A carnival style dunk tank with
Monoma perched in the seat. He was in his hero costume and was thoroughly drenched, the
blond’s usual smarmy look completely gone.

“He’s always being such a pain to the other classes, we thought this would be a nice way to give
back,” Tetsutetsu told them, his grin sharp.

Eri got to throw a ball at the target and Yanagi, who had been collecting the stray balls, used her
quirk to make sure the object stuck true, the blond falling into the tank with a splash.

“As if the pathetic class of 1-A could withstand such conditions!” Monoma crowed as he returned
to his seat, looking uneasy as more and more 1-A students lined up for a turn.

Hatsume was showing off a new invention of hers: A high powered tech suit that could
(theoretically) fight on par with All Might. The pink haired girl hopped into her machine, a manic
grin on her face as she powered it on and moved through her demonstration.

Izuku decided to move himself and Eri away when Momo, who had readily agreed to be her
girlfriend’s assistant, began firing a cannon at the suit to showcase its durability.

The trio made their way to a table set up outside, their arms laden with food from the various stalls
set up.

“Today’s been a lot of fun, huh Eri?” Mirio asked, a bright smile on his face.

Eri nodded, taking small bites of her food. “I’m excited to see the beauty pageant.”

“Me too! I just know Nejire’s gonna win this year. And speaking of winning, the raffle to win a
date with you is this afternoon, right Izuku?”
 The greenette let out a weary sigh. “Yeah, but my guess is not a lot of people will enter.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself! I bet they’ll run out of tickets before everyone has a chance to buy
one. I know I’m gonna be first in line!”

Eri looked at the blond. “What’s a date?”

“A date is when two people who like each other go out and do something fun together!”

She looked between the two boys. “Do you two go on dates?”

Izuku wrinkled his nose, saying, “no” just as Mirio said, “not yet.”

The healer gave the upperclassman a confused look. “What do you mean-“

“Oops, look at the time! We have to hurry if we want to see the pageant!”

Mirio shot up from his seat, clearing the table and rushing off before Izuku could finish his
sentence. He frowned.

Mirio’s always flirting and joking around, he thought to himself as he helped Eri from her seat,
brushing a few crumbs from her dress, but just now, he almost sounded serious…

He shook his head, he must’ve heard his friend wrong.

Chapter End Notes

I think Nezu would love to subject Aizawa to chaperoning a date or a school dance,
and Midnight and Present Mic would enjoy teasing him about it.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter!

 Apple Kisses P. II
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

The audience cheered as Nejire completed her dance, a golden rose sparkling in the sky from her
quirk. From her spot on Izuku’s hip, Eri watched the display with eyes wide as saucers, completely
entranced.

“She looked so pretty!” She told Izuku and Mirio enthusiastically, the three casting their votes for
the Big Three member.

The freckled boy nodded. “After seeing that, I’m positive she’ll win this year.”

As the trio continued exploring the festival, they were stopped by a grinning Ashido and Midnight
and a sour faced Aizawa.

“Midoriya, the raffle will be starting in an hour,” his teacher told him, looking slightly irritated.
“Nezu wants you to dress up for when we call the winning ticket.”

“Where are they selling the tickets?” Mirio asked.

“Over by class B’s dunk tank!” Midnight cut in enthusiastically. “That area’s been getting the most
foot traffic, so we decided to set up over there. The actual raffle will be held on the pageant stage,
after the winner has been crowned.”

“Nezu wants me to dress up?” Izuku asked bemusedly. “What exactly does that mean, like a suit?”

“Don’t worry Izu!” Ashido said brightly. “I’m here to make sure you look absolutely ravishing.”

“Please don’t,” Aizawa muttered. “This is going to be painful enough as it is.”

“Sorry sir, principal’s orders!”

Aizawa suppressed a groan, turning to the healer. “Just make sure you’re at the stage by five
thirty.”

With that, the man turned heel and sped away as fast as he could. Midnight watched him go, letting
out a cackle as she did. Poor Shota, she thought to herself, turning back to the students, I’m sure it
won’t be easy watching half the school lose their minds over his favorite student.

“Midoriya,” she cried out, brandishing her whip, “make sure to be as cutesy as possible, just like
you were at the Sports Festival! The better the act, the better the outcome!”

Izuku blinked, before a sweet smile spread across his face. “Will do, Miss Midnight!” He chirped,
giggling.

Next to the healer, Mirio’s expression was enough to make both Ashido and Midnight laugh, Eri
looking between the four in confusion.

“Come on, Izu!” Ashido commanded, her grip on the greenette’s wrist tight. “We’ve gotta get you
ready for your adoring fans!”

As the pink skinned girl dragged him away, Izuku felt his stomach churn anxiously.

He had no idea what he’d gotten himself into, but knew it could only end in trouble.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aoyama, Momo and Hatsume joined Ashido in her mission to make Izuku presentable for the
auction. Countless outfits were laid out in the dressing room, the greenette forced to change into
each one behind a privacy partition.

“Some of these are too tight,” he complained, tugging at the form fitting fabric of the sweater
Aoyama had selected.

Ashido grinned. “The tighter the better! We wanna show off your assets!”

Momo shot the girl a look. “Remember this is a school event; we don’t need to dress him up like
Midnight for this.”

Ashido’s eyes lit up at the suggestion, and Izuku stomped back behind the partition, quickly
changing out of the near suffocating ensemble.

Eventually, they settled on a light blue, oversized sweater, along with shorts in a matching color
and chunky white shoes. His hair had been styled and clipped with multiple barrettes, Izuku fixing
it the way Best Jeanist had shown him, and he applied a small amount of lip oil to finish the look.

Ashido studied him. “Hmm, it’s not the look I was envisioning, but it’ll do.”

The pink skinned girl spared a wistful glance to the skirt she had brought as the students left for the
stage, letting out a sigh. One day, she’d get him to wear it.

“Nejire won the pageant,” Momo told the group as they walked, showing them the picture of
Nejire being crowned that Uraraka had sent her.

Izuku beamed. “I knew she would!”

The girls and Aoyama hid Izuku behind the stage, going out to help Midnight set up for the raffle.
Izuku checked his phone: he had ten minutes until he needed to be on stage.

The sun was sitting low on the horizon, but wasn’t quite ready to set for the evening, the sky just
beginning to turn a light orange. Izuku supposed it would make for a romantic setting, and dimly
realized that likely crossed Nezu’s mind as well when scheduling the raffle.

Hatsume rejoined him a few moments later, grinning from ear to ear.

“They sold out of tickets half an hour after they opened the booth,” she told him proudly.
“Apparently, they had to set a limit on how many tickets one person could buy, since everyone
wanted to buy multiples. Your class bought the most.”

She had heard from an amused Hagakure and Uraraka that both Todoroki and Bakugo had tried to
buy all of the available tickets to no avail, but managed to make off with several tickets anyways.
She’d spotted a few others with multiple tickets fanned out in front of them, eyeing the numbers
hopefully.

Izuku smiled beatifically. “That’s so sweet! I’m glad everyone wants to help out Eri as much as I
do.”

The inventor shot him a look, but didn’t comment. Soon Ashido reappeared, urging the freckled
boy to the stage. “Come on, you’re up!”

Fighting the anxiety, Izuku took a deep breath, putting on his hero persona as he stepped onto the
stage.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Midnight gave the crowd a wicked grin, holding the microphone steady as she started the raffle.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience! We’re ready to begin this year’s raffle, an
exciting trip to the Tokyo HeroCon! But that’s not all; the winner will be going on this adventure
with one of UA’s most treasured students: the beautiful, the dazzling, the heroic sweetheart, Izuku
Midoriya!”

Izuku moved onto the stage, a light bounce in his step as he wiggled his fingers at the crowd. He
blew the other students a kiss, a few pink hearts made of mist floating from his lips as he did. The
crowd cheered in response.

Midnight chuckled to herself, before moving over to the raffle drum. “In just a moment, we will
draw the lucky winner’s name!” She turned to the greenette. “Any words for our participants,
Sweetheart?”

Izuku gave the audience a sweet smile, winking as he said, “I’m very excited to meet my date, so
good luck everyone!”

Midnight began turning the drum, the green tickets fluttering inside as she did. After a few
moments she stopped, opening the drum and pulling the winning ticket out with a flourish. She
handed it to Izuku, who took a dramatic pause before reading off the numbers.

“Two…seven…five…one…three…”

The students began frantically checking their tickets, scanning their numbers. After a moment of
silence, a voice boomed out.

“I won!”

Izuku stared in bewilderment as a tall man moved through the crowd, climbing onto the stage. He
had white hair and blue eyes, and was wearing some kind of old fashioned suit pared with a cape.
He was clearly too old to be a student, and distantly Izuku wondered how he’d managed to buy a
ticket at all.

The man pulled Izuku to him, staring at a spot in the distance as he said, “Good evening, viewers!
‘Tis I, Gentle Criminal!”

There were murmurs among the crowd.

“Gentle Who?”

“Who is this geezer?”

“This isn’t fair, he’s not even a student!”

“I snuck into the prestigious UA’s School Festival, bypassing their security systems with ease and
have located their very own Sweetheart!” Gentle was grinning off into the distance, the healer
guessing he had a camera hidden somewhere. “This is a monumental day, dear viewers! I have
finally proven myself the pinnacle of gentle villainy!”

Izuku vaguely remembered seeing a video or two of the man; he committed petty crimes and
recorded them to post online, garnering a small following for his misdeeds. He didn’t seem to be
all that dangerous, so Izuku leaned up as the man continued his monologue, planting a swift kiss on
his cheek.

Gentle was immediately knocked out, Izuku stepping to the side as the man fell to the ground with
a thud.

Midnight blinked, before hurrying over and securing the villain. Moments later, Hound Dog and
Ectoplasm appeared, carrying with them a small woman with long magenta hair, dressed just like
Gentle.

“Gentle, no!” She screeched, struggling to escape Ectoplasm’s hold. “What did you do to him?!”

Hound Dog hoisted the unconscious man over his shoulder, growling at Midnight and Izuku to
“hurry up and finish the damn raffle.”

Midnight looked to the greenette, then the crowd. Nobody appeared frightened or concerned about
what had just transpired; in fact, they looked more confused than anything else. The woman
shrugged. It was the end of the day, and nothing bad had happened, so she supposed the other
faculty members simply wanted to wrap up the Festival and be done with it.

“Alright then, I guess we’re drawing another ticket!”

This garnered a bigger reaction, the crowd cheering and scrambling to pick up tickets that were
dropped after the first pull. Midnight turned the drum once more, pulling out another ticker and
reading the numbers herself.

“Six…nine…four…eight…six…”

A hand shot up from the crowd, and the healer bit back a grin as Shoto appeared, smiling softly at
him. The dual toned boy climbed onto the stage, pulling the healer to him.

“I told you I’d win,” he murmured, causing Izuku to giggle.

Midnight watched the scene with a sharp grin. “Don’t be shy, lovers! Give us a kiss!”

There were whoops coming from the audience and, with flushed cheeks, Izuku acquiesced,
standing on his tip toes to give Shoto a soft kiss. He pulled away and smiled at the crowd as Shoto
accepted the tickets from a smug Midnight.

The taller boy took Izuku’s hand and pulled him offstage, and thus the last event of the School
Festival came to an end.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

At the police station, Detective Tsukauchi looked on in bemusement as Gentle Criminal was sat in
the interrogation room, his hair disheveled and his expression dopey.
“He snuck into the School Festival and entered the date auction,” Aizawa told the detective
wearily. “We found his accomplice filming everything nearby.”

Tsukauchi nodded, heading into the room. He took the seat opposite Gentle, eyeing the man
carefully. “Danjuro Tobita, villain name: Gentle Criminal. Quirk: Elasticity. Your file says you
faced hefty fines after interfering in a hero’s rescue mission and severely injuring the victim nearly
ten years ago. For the past six years you’ve operated as a petty criminal, but often leave behind
money and other valuables at the crime scene. It seems you’ve never intentionally committed any
crime more serious than petty theft and assault, so why kidnap a student?”

Gentle, who had kept his eyes firmly glued to the table up to that point, whipped his head up in
alarm. “Kidnap? I wasn’t going to kidnap anyone!”

The detective raised a brow. “You entered the date auction and climbed onto the stage to grab
Midoriya; seems an awful lot like the beginnings of a kidnapping.”

Gentle made an affronted sound. “Oh please, I am a gentleman! And far above such boorish
behavior! I only stole a ticket as a means to get myself onto the stage without a fuss; in fact, had
they not called my ticket, I would have simply climbed onto the stage anyways. It was all about the
symbolism, the statement it makes! I, Gentle Criminal, sneaking into the country’s most
prestigious school and gaining access to its favorite student!”

Gentle leaned forward. “I wanted to pull of a scheme so elaborate and daring that I’d be
remembered for all time…”

Tsukauchi blinked. It was quite possibly the dumbest reason he’d heard of to commit a crime, yet
the other man hadn’t lied once. He truly believed he would be remembered forever for this stunt.

Interrogating his partner La Brava garnered the same results, and the detective had them both taken
to cells for the time being.

“I guess Midoriya really can’t stay out of trouble,” Tsukauchi joked as he walked Aizawa to the
station’s exit.

The teacher rolled his eyes. “It was a stupid move, not only breaking into a school festival of all
things, but getting close enough for Midoriya to activate his quirk. He clearly hadn’t done his
homework on what our Sweetheart can do.”

Tsukauchi gave him a knowing look. “So you’ve accepted Midoriya’s title, hm? I thought you said
it was ridiculous.”

“It is ridiculous,” Aizawa insisted, frowning. “And it’s not a real title, more like a nickname.”

The detective shook his head, smiling. “Nemuri’s right, the nepotism is really obvious now.”

The hero glared at him, but there was no heat behind it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Aizawa entered the 1-A Common Room to take Eri to the faculty dorms, he noted that the
girl was in the same position as the last time he’d come to collect her, sleeping soundly in
Midoriya’s lap. She was already in her pajamas, and Aizawa was willing to bet the healer had
made her brush her teeth as well.

The greenette passed Eri off to him gently, smiling at the teacher.
“Today was a good day for her,” he said, his expression soft. “She’s really starting to think of UA
as her home now.”

Aizawa grunted in agreement, wishing the boy and the rest of his class a good night as he took Eri
back to their family suite.

Once he’d tucked his foster daughter into bed, surrounded by the stuffed animals he and his
students had bought for her, Aizawa smiled softly at Eri, making sure to turn on her night light
before shutting the door.

As he prepared for bed himself, the teacher thought back to Midoriya’s words.

“She’s really starting to think of UA as her home now.”

He let out a thoughtful hum. Perhaps it could be her home, her forever home…

Distantly, he realized that was likely Nezu’s plan from the start, but couldn’t find it in himself to
care.

If it meant making Eri happy, he'd do just about anything.

 Tender Kiss
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

A few days after the School Festival, the hero students were hard at work training once again.

Izuku had been paired with Shinso for sparring, Aizawa assessing the progress they’d made since
their internships. The other students were scattered about the gym practicing their ultimate moves,
some in pairs or groups and some working solo. The greenette showcased the new combat moves
he’d learned from Mirio, executing a low sweep that sent the purple haired boy to the ground.

“You’ve improved,” Aizawa said, his voice as toneless as ever. “Your physical strength is much
better than before, and your reflexes are sharper. Good work.”

Izuku beamed at him. “Thank you, sir!”

“I assume neither of you has worked much on your signature moves these past few weeks,” the
teacher continued, “so I’d recommend spending the rest of your time today doing so. Remember,
finals are coming up soon and you’ll want to be prepared.”

He gave the two one last look before leaving to check on the other students, settling next to
Uraraka, Iida and Aoyama. Shinso turned to Izuku.

“I have this idea for a move, but I need someone to practice it on; wanna stick around?”

The greenette agreed, and Shinso explained his idea. He had practiced his quirk enough to figure
out that, so long as the person he’s using it on has some kind of reaction to his voice, he can
hypnotize them. The purple haired boy wanted to try using his quirk on someone with noises
instead of words, to test the efficacy of it.

Whistling, tongue clicking and coughing yielded no results, Izuku jotting the information down in
his notebook for his friend. Finally, Shinso moved on to humming, the sound deep and foreboding.
The greenette felt his mind fog over, coming to a few moments later. He smiled. “It worked!”

Shinso was trying to hide his pleased smile as his friend congratulated him. “Guess now all I gotta
do is name it.”

Izuku nodded, closing his notebook as Midnight appeared, walking over to the pair. “Midoriya, do
you have a minute?”

Shinso waved him off, and the healer followed as Midnight led him outside. The air was crisp and
chilly, and Izuku rubbed his arms to keep warm.

I guess shortening my costume was only a good idea for the summer months, he thought, eyes
flickering between the trees that had begun to change color.
Midnight turned to him. “I wanted to let you know that the criminals we apprehended at the School
Festival weren’t able to upload their footage anywhere before we caught them, and the press hasn’t
been made aware of your involvement with them.”

“That’s good.”

The hero nodded. “I also wanted to talk to you about the news coverage that has been about you;
you’ve been mentioned quite a lot recently.”

Izuku wrinkled his nose. All Might’s retirement had been the most popular topic as of late, but
there were still some articles and news segments about the footage of him healing All Might and
the others during the raid. Almost all of it was positive, anchors gushing about his cutesy persona
and his healing abilities, but some had taken the opportunity to criticize both UA and the Hero
Commission for allowing him to be present for such a dangerous mission.

The greenette frowned. He wasn’t the only student involved in the raid, yet he was the one who
was expected to not be allowed to participate. He couldn’t help but wonder if the cutesy act made
some people underestimate him, or if they believed a healing quirk wasn’t suited for any sort of
fighting.

As if she could hear his thoughts, Midnight spoke again. “You and I are quite similar in terms of
our hero work, Midoriya. I’m not a healer, but I understand better than anyone how it feels to have
others judge you based on your hero identity.”

He looked to her. “I- I’ve seen some of your interviews, the reporters aren’t always very nice to
you…”

She shrugged. “I’ve learned to live with it, but I don’t want you going into the world unprepared
like I did. Having a quirk that requires exposed skin or some degree of intimacy with your
opponent will always come with criticism, no matter how noble your actions are. I fear your friend
Yaoyorozu will be subjected to much of the same backlash I was during my debut. My hope is that,
because of how chaste you can be with your quirk, you won’t face the same level of scrutiny; after
all, you already have a reputation for being a sweetheart.”

“True, but you’re not wrong either… there will be plenty of people who look down on me because
of how I have to use my quirk. I can’t avoid it, but I promise I’ll do my best to rise above it. And
I'll do my best to protect Momo, too!"

Midnight smiled. “I know you will, and if you ever feel like talking, I’m here for you.”

The two stood in silence for a few moments, enjoying the peaceful setting. After a moment,
Midnight gave him a devious smile.

“So, how skimpy are you dressing for your date? Remember Eraser Head and I are chaperoning, so
nothing too extreme!”

Izuku groaned, his face heating up as he covered it with his hands.

Midnight cackled.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Saturday morning finally arrived, Izuku was dragged from the kitchen upstairs to his room
by Ashido and Aoyama, the two insisting on helping him choose an outfit.
“You’ll want something that’s comfortable but chic,” Ashido told him, ripping garments from the
greenette’s closet and throwing them on the bed with alarming speed. “You don’t want to go too
dressy for a convention, but you also don’t want to look like you don’t care about the date.”

Izuku just stared as the pink skinned girl rummaged through his things, deciding to let her take the
lead in deciding his outfit. He checked his phone. “Midnight and Mr. Aizawa should be be here in
an hour, so we don’t have a lot of time to figure this out.”

Aoyama waved him off. “Don’t worry mon ami, Mina and I will choose the perfect outfit for you!”

He shooed the healer off to the bathroom to shower, before turning to the clothes pile. “Alright,
how are we doing this? Are we dressing our sweetheart like so? Or are we going for spicy?”

Ashido gave him a shark like grin. “I bet Todoroki would prefer something spicy, but I'm pretty
sure Mr. Aizawa would expel us if we did that. I'm sure you and I can figure soemthing out.”

"Oui, Todoroki will be dazzled by our choice, I'm sure of it!"

When Aoyama delivered the clothes to Izuku’s stall in the bathroom, politely averting his eyes, the
greenette peeked at the outfit. “Uhm, Yuga? You did make sure Mina picked something
appropriate, right?”

“But of course! We can’t have you giving our poor homeroom teacher a coronary, now can we?”

Izuku watched him go, before gingerly picking up the top they’d picked. It looked to be the right
size, but he made sure it wasn’t sheer or cropped or full of cutouts before putting it on. Once he
was dressed, he quickly fixed his hair before going back to his room to grab his shoes.

Downstairs, Shoto was waiting alongside Ashido and Aoyama, the dual toned boy dressed in a
button down, jacket and jeans. Ashido appraised him.

“It’s not bad, but maybe I should’ve picked your outfit, too.”

Shoto was about to respond, when he caught sight of his date. Izuku was wearing a green
turtleneck sweater and black jeans, his usual red sneakers swapped for a pair of black ones. There
were no barrettes in his hair this time, his curls fluffed and styled just so. His cheeks were flushed,
and he had a shy smile on his face.

Shoto stared at him, his hair beginning to smoke. “You look amazing, Bunny.”

Izuku’s cheeks darkened, but he smiled at his date. “Thank you, Shochan! You do, too.”

Just then, Midnight and Aizawa entered the Common Room, ready to chaperone.

“Don’t you two look adorable,” Midnight teased, her grin wide. “I’m guessing Ashido picked the
outfit, Midoriya?”

The greenette wrinkled his nose, but nodded.

“I still think the skirt would’ve been cuter,” Ashido interjected, causing Shoto’s eyes to widen.
“But, there’s always next time!”

From the couch, Katsuki smirked. “Next time is gonna be you and me, Deku! And you’ll definitely
be wearing the skirt.”

Aizawa let out a strangled sound. “Let’s just get this over with. Todoroki, Midoriya, keep it PG
today or you’re getting detention.”

With that the man turned and stalked out of the room, Midnight and the two boys trailing behind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The hero convention was everything Izuku could’ve hoped for: there were tons of booths and
vendors to browse, as well as panels and lectures to attend. The boys started with a panel
discussing the environmental effects caused by flame quirk users, Shoto glancing at his left hand.
Next, they took a hero fan quiz, Izuku easily getting the highest score.

Through it all, Aizawa and Midnight watched from a comfortable distance, allowing the boys their
space without losing track of them.

“Why did both of us have to come,”Aizawa muttered, his arms crossed and his expression grumpy.
“One would’ve been more than enough.”

“Don’t be so dour, Shota!” Midnight chirped, sipping on the bubble tea she bought from a nearby
stand. “Today’s meant to be fun, so enjoy yourself!”

Aizawa huffed, but his expression smoothed out, and Midnight counted it as a win.

The boys continued to explore the convention, stopping for a quick lunch before finding more
things to do. Aizawa narrowed his eyes as he approached them, Izuku trying to hide something
from the teacher behind his back. “Midoriya, what do you have there?”

“N-nothing, sir!”

Aizawa’s glare intensified. “Midoriya…”

Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, sheepishly producing two small Eraser Head plushies. “I bought
it for Eri; she says you’re her favorite hero.”

Aizawa refused to let his students see the pleased look on his face, turning from them. “Okay, but
why do you have two of them?”

“Um… you might be one of my favorite heroes, too…”

The teacher could not let them see his face, or they’d lose all respect for him. He turned to
Midnight, who was hugging a plushie of herself and grinning. “Shota, look! Isn’t it adorable?”

“Ooh, where did you find that one?”

Shoto just smiled as Izuku collected a few more plushies, some for Eri, some for himself. He took
the greenette’s free hand in his own, enjoying the warmth from his date’s palm.

“I’m having fun,” he muttered in Izuku’s ear, the healer giving him a pleased grin.

“Me too,” he said earnestly, squeezing the dual toned boy’s hand.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After they left the convention, the group stopped for dinner at a small restaurant, Midnight pulling
Aizawa over to a separate table.

“This is our first proper date,” Shoto reminded Izuku, “so we should do something romantic.”
Izuku cocked his head. “Like what?”

Shoto grinned, before ordering a large plate of spaghetti. “I saw this once in a cartoon Fuyumi
showed me.”

Across the restaurant, Midnight cackled and Aizawa groaned as the two boys shared the spaghetti,
Shoto desperately trying to find a connecting piece. “Kill me now.”

Midnight giggled. “It’s so sweet! Do you think Todoroki will put his jacket over a puddle for
Midoriya to walk over?”

“If he does, he’ll have to carry the dirty jacket back to campus himself.”

After the meal, the group waited for the car to pick them up, the chaperones standing a little ways
off from the boys.

Izuku, feeling bold, gave Shoto a sweet kiss, snuggling into his arm. “Today was a lot of fun.”

Shoto nodded, a warm smile on his face. “I’m glad I got to spend it with you.”

The two were silent for a moment, simply enjoying each other’s presence, when Izuku shifted.
“Um, Shochan… there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

The taller boy looked to him, and Izuku continued. “I was wondering if you had any older brothers;
besides Natsuo, I mean.”

Shoto blinked, before a sad look crossed his face. “I do… I did. His name was Touya, he- he died a
long time ago.”

“Shoto, I’m so sor-“

“It’s okay; I don’t really remember him that well. I- I told you how my father, how Endeavor kept
me away from my siblings growing up. He wanted to make me his ‘masterpiece,’ so I couldn’t
play with the others. Touya, he was Endeavor’s prodigy before me; when my quirk developed,
Endeavor completely ignored him, which really upset him. Apparently, Touya’s quirk wasn’t
compatible with his body, and as he kept trying to win Endeavor’s approval back, he lost control
and-“

Shoto cut himself off, squeezing his eyes shut. Izuku rubbed his back. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t
have brought it up.”

Shoto gazed down at him, his eyes intense in a way Izuku hadn’t seen from him since the Sports
Festival.

That’s the look Endeavor always has… that Dabi has…

He couldn’t prove it for certain, but Izuku was willing to bet whatever horrible thing happened to
Touya didn’t actually kill him. He was alive, and hungry for revenge.

Dabi said he wanted Endeavor to have matching scars, but does he hate the rest of his family too?

The healer bit his lip. He wouldn’t bring it up to Shoto until he was sure; he didn’t want to hurt the
other boy any further.

Instead, he hugged Shoto just a little tighter, the two staying that way until the car arrived.
“So!” Midnight’s cheery voice cut in, dissolving some of the tension. “I’d say the date was a
success, hm? Now, I hope I don’t have to lecture you two on the importance of staying safe when
becoming intimate-“

“Nemuri, one more word and I’ll throw you out of this car,” Aizawa growled, his cheeks red from
embarrassment. Midnight cackled as she noted her students’ faces matched her friend’s, and made
a note to tell Nezu all about it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After the car had puled away from the restaurant and driven off, Dabi stepped out from the alley
next to the building, his fists clenched and his eyes blazing.
 Kissability
Chapter Notes

Hello everyone, here's the latest chapter.

Side note, for everyone who was hoping for a kissing booth at the School Festival, I
wrote a special chapter for it in my first work of this series, and it's up now if you want
to check it out.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Izuku smiled brightly as he entered the kitchen, a stark contrast to Katsuki’s tired, grumpy
expression. Since his date with Shoto, both boys had been in great spirits, constantly smiling at one
another from across classrooms and training grounds. The dual toned boy unfortunately still had
plenty of work to do for the upcoming makeup exam, both he and Katsuki spending hours
practicing the rescue drills they’d learned.

Shoto’s impatience to be finished with the remedial lessons paled in comparison to Katsuki’s,
however. The hot head was more irritable than usual, snapping at anyone who wasn’t Izuku or
Kirishima, though they too were subjected to his moodiness from time to time.

“Good morning, Kaachan!” Izuku chirped, his sunny disposition lighting up the room.

Katsuki grunted in response, taking a long sip from his mug. “There’s coffee if you want some,
nerd.”

The blond watched as the other boy flitted about the kitchen, his crimson eyes thoughtful.

“What is it you see in Icyhot, Deku?”

Izuku turned to look at him. Katsuki’s tone wasn’t demanding, nor was it aggressive; rather, it was
curious, as though he’d asked him about his hobbies or favorite foods.

The healer thought about it for a moment, before responding. “I guess… I like how sweet and
earnest he is, I like the way he talks to me… he can be kind of intense sometimes, but other times
he’s really romantic, in a corny way.”

The greenette smiled at his mug, his eyes far away. “I guess what I like most though is how patient
and calm he can be, especially when I’m feeling nervous about something.”

When he looked back up, he noticed Katsuki’s slight frown. “B-but there’s plenty of stuff I like
about you too, Kaachan!”

The blond quirked a brow. “Oh?”

Izuku nodded fervently. “I like how passionate you are, and how you never give up. You can be
pretty blunt sometimes, but I like it. You always inspire me to do my best, and to work hard to
achieve my dreams. You can be really sweet too, even when you're being grumpy."
Izuku had seen the similarities between the two often enough, but it was the differences they had
that intrigued him the most. Both were handsome and brave, and were working so hard to achieve
their goals. He knew they'd pass the makeup exam, and that with the work studies on hold they’d
have more time for one another, but he wondered if they’d really be okay with dating him at the
same time again. It had worked for a time, but that didn’t mean it would forever. Izuku wouldn’t be
surprised if they still expected him to choose, but he could worry about that later.

The greenette’s smile turned shy. “And… I like when you call me Princess…”

Katsuki gave him a wicked grin. “I knew it.”

He stood from his seat, moving over to the shorter boy. He gave him a quick but firm kiss, winding
an arm around his waist. “Just two more weeks,” he muttered, his nose brushing against Izuku’s.
“Two more weeks before I’ll have my license, and I’ll be taking you on the best damn date of your
life.”

Despite his concerns for the future, Izuku allowed himself to enjoy the moment, giggling.
“Looking forward to it, Kaachan.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“All Might, there you are!”

All Might turned to see Izuku running over to him, a small frown on his face. “Young Midoriya!
What brings you out here?”

The two were at the training grounds, All Might there to train Mirio in using One For All. The
upperclassman had started out small, attempting to summon a small percentage of power to his
hand. Once he’d gotten more comfortable with it, Mirio began testing out the enhanced speed and
strength, fighting against battle robots at Ground Beta while All Might watched. The former hero
was supposed to have left already for his healing session with the freckled boy in the infirmary, but
he’d gotten distracted.

All Might directed Izuku’s attention to the grounds, where Mirio was fighting. The air around him
was pulsing as he moved, a golden aura surrounding him. Izuku’s eyes widened. “Is- is that from
One For All?”

All Might nodded, grinning. “It started happening yesterday, but wasn’t nearly as visible as it is
now.”

The healer watched with rapt attention as Mirio took down the robot, letting out a cry as his fist
smashed through the metal. The machine fell, and Mirio paused to catch his breath before jogging
over to the two. “Oh man, talk about a workout! Those things can be pretty nasty, even with all this
extra strength. Oh, hey Izuku! Came by to see the show, did ya?”

Izuku sensed him. There was some strain on his muscles, but nothing like what he’d sensed on All
Might before. Mirio would likely be in want of some ice later, but overall he was fine.
“Incredible…”

Mirio’s chest puffed up. “Glad you think so! I’ve been working hard to master All Might’s quirk,
so that I can prove myself worthy of it.”

“There’s nothing to prove,” All Might interjected. “I chose you because I already think you worthy;
our priority now is teaching you to use One For All safely, so Young Midoriya doesn’t maim me
for letting you get hurt.”
Mirio’s smile widened. “Aww, you worry about me Izuku?”

The healer blinked. “You were my most frequent patient in the infirmary before you inherited a
super dangerous quirk, of course I’m worried.”

Mirio’s face twisted in a weird way, before a cough from All Might pulled the greenette’s focus.
“Listen, I need you both to understand how serious this is: not many people know the secret of One
For All, and we have to make sure it stays secret. Once Mirio makes his pro hero debut next year,
the likelihood of someone figuring it out will increase.”

Izuku nodded. “I won’t tell anyone.”

“I know you won’t, but…there’s something else you should know. Something I kept from you
when I shouldn’t have.” All Might told the two everything from his conversation with All For One,
from the villain guessing he’d have a successor to Shigaraki’s obsession with Izuku.

“He won’t stop until he get what he wants,” the teacher insisted, noting the concern on Izuku’s
face and the determination on Mirio’s, “which is why I need you to protect him, Mirio. You’re now
the only person with enough power to take on the League.”

Mirio nodded, his expression serious as he put a hand on the healer's shoulder. “Got it! Don’t worry
Izuku, I’ll keep you safe.”

Izuku wrinkled his nose. “I appreciate that, but it's not like I’m defenseless; in fact, I've managed to
beat the League every time I’ve faced them.”

“Because Shigaraki still has hope for you,” All Might argued. “If the little fantasy of you he’s built
up in his head shatters, there’s no telling what he’ll do to you.”

“I’ve got a pretty good idea,” the greenette mumbled, Mirio’s hand on his shoulder tightening. He
shook it off, before moving over to All Might and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Next time
I won’t chase you down, so don’t be late for our sessions anymore.”

With that the boy retreated, a frown on his face. He liked All Might, and respected him greatly, but
he was beginning to grow tired of the way the former hero seemed to belittle his capabilities. He
thought back to the reporters, who acted as though a healer had no business working as a hero, and
couldn’t help but wonder if his teacher shared that sentiment.

I may not be the strongest or the fastest, he thought, making his way back to the infirmary, but I’ve
done plenty of heroic things with my quirk. I wouldn’t go out of my way to pick a fight with the
League, but I’m not afraid of them.

Recovery Girl could see something was bothering her protégé, the nurse giving him a sympathetic
look. “I take it you found All Might?”

The boy let out a huff, plopping onto one of the beds. “Has he always been so, so-“

“Frustrating?” Recovery Girl finished. “Stubborn? Pig headed? Yes dear, I’m afraid so.”

Izuku stared at his shoes. “I- I don’t think All Might sees me as a real hero; doesn’t seem like it, at
least.”

The nurse hummed. “I don’t know for certain, since he’s never mentioned it to me, but I believe he
does. You have to remember that All Might is used to handling every problem by himself, and it
can be hard to get him to see what’s right in front of him. He’ll come to recognize your strength in
time, now that he’s retired, but what’s important is whether or not you see yourself as a hero.”

She reached for a folder on the table, opening it and handing it to the boy. Izuku scanned its
contents. “This is Eri’s medical chart.”

Recovery Girl nodded. “Her power is growing inside her, and we need to find a way for her to
safely let it out before it becomes unstable.”

She had talked to the girl earlier that day, after the quirk specialist had confirmed her quirk allowed
her to rewind living things.

Thanks to Overhaul, Eri believed her abilities were a ‘curse,’ and that she was to blame for every
bad thing that had happened to her. “I think I’d like to train her, with your help of course.”

Izuku looked to her. “You mean as a healer; that makes sense… if her chart is correct, and she
really can rewind living beings, she’ll be able to reverse a patient’s injuries, just like I do.”

“Exactly. We can show her that her powers are special, and can be used for good. But none of that
would be at all possible if it weren’t for you, Midoriya. You saved that girl in ways that other
heroes never could, and that’s what sets you apart from them.”

The greenette felt his eyes well with tears as he took in her words. He looked over to the last bed in
the row, remembering his first heroic act in saving Mr. Aizawa. He’d saved plenty of people since
then, physically, mentally and emotionally, and he’d continue to save people in the future. He
turned back to Recovery Girl, giving the woman a watery smile. “I think you might be right.”

“I usually am, dear.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Hey Midoriya, come quick! That guy from the School Festival is on TV!”

Izuku looked up from his textbook at the sound of Kaminari’s voice, rising from his seat at the
dining table. He and the rest of the Study Buddies were working on a project when the blond had
called out, everyone’s attention now directed towards the television.

“-Reporting live from the courthouse where low ranking villain ‘Gentle Criminal’ has been
sentenced, along with his accomplice ‘La Brava.’ The two were apprehended-“

Katsuki let out a snort as he, Shoto and Izuku approached the couch, crimson eyes trained on the
screen. “That guy was such a loser; all he did was make a dumb speech, then fall flat on his face!”

“They did manage to hack our school’s security system,” Iida reminded him, “and eluded the
teachers long enough to pull off their stunt.”

“Whatever, they’re still stupid!”

Izuku tuned out their conversation, focusing as the camera zoomed in on Gentle, who was being
escorted into an armored police vehicle.
“-anything you’d like to say, Gentle?”

The man turned to face the camera, his blue eyes shining. “I’d like to take this moment to assure
my viewers that this is not the end of me. I’ll be back before you know it!”

Izuku very much doubted that; He and La Brava may not have committed any serious crimes (at
least, not intentionally), but they were villains, and as such would likely not be released any time
soon.

“-and to the student who managed to strike me down, I wish to apologize: ‘Twas never my
intention to kidnap you, and I’m deeply sorry to have troubled you so. I hope you can find it in your
heart to forgive me.”

The healer blinked as all eyes turned to him. Kaminari snickered. “You really can’t stay out of
trouble, can you Midoriya?”

“Actually, it seems like I’m putting a stop to the trouble more often than not,” he said with a huff,
his mind whirring. From the videos he’d seen, Gentle Criminal wasn’t the sort to apologize, nor
even acknowledge his mistakes. He wasn’t necessarily malicious, but rather fame hungry and
deeply misguided.

Maybe there’s hope for him after all, Izuku considered, his heart lightening at the thought.
 Innocent Kiss
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

“Tada! Well, what do you guys think?”

Izuku looked about the area, trying to think of something nice to say. The ‘secret garden’ Mirio
had been telling he and Eri about was little more than a small clearing in the wooded area of
campus, with a few bushes surrounding it and dried wildflowers littering the ground. Eri was
poking at the dead flowers, the hem of her dress getting dirty as she crouched down.

Mirio was giving the healer an expectant look, and so Izuku finally managed to say, “I’m sure it’s
much prettier in the spring…”

“Yeah, it’s a bad time of year to visit, but I was just so pumped to show you guys!”

Izuku was about to reply, when he spotted the horn on Eri’s head glowing. The wildflowers under
her palms began to rewind, regaining their vibrancy as the girl returned them to the state they were
likely in over the summer. Izuku stared in shock.

Eri had grown up afraid of her quirk, believing it to be a curse. Izuku and Recovery Girl had been
hoping to teach her to love her quirk, as well as to control it, as they worked in the infirmary
together. The girl had thus far only been allowed to give patients bandaids for small cuts and
scrapes, but would always watch in awe as Izuku or Recovery Girl used their powers to heal the
injured.

She’d never tried to use her power until that moment, and Izuku couldn’t help but let out an amazed
sound as the small patch of flowers rejuvenated before his eyes. “Eri, that’s incredible! Your quirk
is so cool!”

She looked up from the flowers, the horn on her head shrinking as its glow faded. “Really?”

Mirio nodded his head fervently. “Totally! Man, I was ready to give up on making you guys see
how awesome this place is, but you really pulled through for me, Eri. You saved the day!”

The girl flushed, a small smile on her face. “Did not.”

“Did too!” Mirio plopped down beside her, motioning for Izuku to join them. “And now that we’ve
got some healthy flowers, we can make flower crowns!”

Eri tilted her head. “Flower crowns?“

“Yeah! You pick some flowers, then braid them into a crown! Here, I’ll show you… it’s real
easy…”

Izuku bit back a smirk as he took the mangled bunch of flowers from a pouting Mirio, deftly
braiding the stems and creating a small crown, placing it on Eri’s head. “There you go! It looks
very pretty on you.”

Eri giggled, grabbing a handful of flowers and making a crown with Izuku’s guidance. Mirio
looked to him. “You’re really good at this.”

He shrugged. “Aoyama’s a lot better at it than I am, but I used to make them with Kaachan when
we were kids. Well, I made them; Kaachan usually blew up his flowers and gave up halfway
through.”

Eri finished her crown, which was a bit lopsided but nowhere near the catastrophe Mirio’s had
been, and placed it gingerly on the blond’s head. Izuku fashioned a third crown for himself, before
the three stood to leave.

“All Might’s got me booked for training the rest of the day,” he told the healer, “so I won’t be
there when the Pussycats show up.”

Izuku had reached out to the team to schedule a play date between Kota and Eri, pleasantly
surprised to find out they’d be coming to town for the Hero Billboard Charts ceremony. He’d
promised Mandalay that it would be no trouble babysitting Kota for them, and the hero had agreed
to drop him off on campus around noon. As they walked, Izuku checked his phone, noting they had
about half an hour before the team would arrive.

Before Mirio left to join All Might at the training grounds, he stopped the greenette. “Listen, about
the other day… All Might just worries about you, ya know? After everything that’s happened, and
knowing what Shigaraki wants from you, I’m worried too.”

Izuku huffed. “I get that, but I don’t want either of you forgetting that I’m a hero too, not just a
healer.”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Mirio insisted, moving closer. “Izuku, I-“

Izuku’s phone chirped as he got a text from Mandalay, informing him they’d be arriving early. He
turned back to Mirio, who was already backing away. “Mirio?”

The blond shook his head. “I’ll tell you later. Have fun with Kota, Eri!”

“I will!”

And with that the older boy left, leaving a confused healer in his wake.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When the Pussycats reached the 1-A dorms, they were greeted by most of the class, along with Eri.

“It’s good to see you Kota,” Izuku greeted him, accepting a hug from the boy. “This is Eri, she’s
been living here at the school with us.”

Eri muttered a quiet hello from behind the greenette, Kota giving her a polite greeting in return.

“This is the Wild, Wild Pussycats,” he told her, gesturing to the heroes behind him. “They’re my
family.”

Mandalay and the others began to tear up at the boy’s statement, causing Kota to roll his eyes. Eri
looked back at class 1-A.
“Are- are you guys my family?”

“Of course we are!” Uraraka chirped, giving the girl a big smile. “You’re like a little sister to us,
Eri!”

“So, you guys are like my brothers and sisters?”

“Yep,” Asui chimed in, “and I have lots of siblings, so I should know, ribbit.”

Eri’s smile lit up the room, and she grabbed Kota’s hand to show him her toys. Izuku watched the
two fondly, Pixie-Bob giving him a mischievous grin. “Motherhood suits you, Munchkin! Though
I gotta say, you’re a bit young to have a litter of your own.”

Izuku flushed, wrinkling his nose. “Mr. Aizawa is her parent, not me.”

Mandalay chuckled. “In any case, we’re grateful to you for watching Kota. He’s promised to be on
his best behavior, so hold him to it.”

“He left his slingshot at home, right?” Izuku asked warily, remembering the welts he’d had from
training. The others just laughed, before the Pussycats departed for the Hero Billboard ceremony.

The healer turned to the Common Room, where Kota and Eri were playing with some of the girl’s
toys. They’d switched hats, Eri wearing the horned baseball cap while Kota sported the flower
crown Izuku had made. They were in the throes of some make believe game, using dolls and hero
figures as their characters.

It reminded Izuku of when he and Katsuki would play together as kids, or he and Mei a few years
later, and he smiled at the thought.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As Class 1-A waited for their homeroom period to begin, they discussed the Hero Billboard Charts
results.

“I mean it was totally obvious that your dad would take number one,” Kaminari said to Shoto,
leaning on Tokoyami’s desk, “and the numbers two and three were easy guesses too, but I never
thought a hero like Sir Nighteye would make top ten, since he’s more of a brains kind of hero.”

Izuku smiled. He had been thrilled to see his mentor take the number eight spot, the man’s calm
and rational demeanor a welcome presence onstage. The greenette suspected that his, Ryukyu and
Fatgum’s heavy involvement in the Hassaikai raid helped to skew the numbers in their favor, with
Fatgum taking the seventh spot and Ryukyu taking sixth, Kamui Woods taking her old spot as
number nine.

“Hawks was so handsome up there!” Ashido gushed, a dreamy sigh escaping her lips. “He’s
number one in the looks department for sure!”

Kirishima looked to her. “Can you believe all that stuff he was saying? About changing the way
heroes do their jobs?”

“It’s not a bad idea in theory,” Iida said, adjusting his glasses, “but changing hero society means
changing all of society, which could prove to be difficult. Hawks has the number two approval
rating, so I guess if anyone could make an impact, it’s him.”

Izuku nodded in agreement. The healer had been concerned about the current state of heroics in
their country, and the way governance was structured around them. Laws concerning heroes were
often complex, messy affairs, one of which would have prevented Izuku from saving Eri if not for
Recovery Girl’s help.

He stared at his desk. Nezu believed that the hero students at UA would be the ones to change hero
society, but the freckled boy was having a hard time picturing it.

“Don’t forget about Best Jeanist,” Aoyama commented, the blond fiddling with the buttons on his
jacket. “My mentor ranked number one in the approval ratings, thanks to his dazzling sense of
style.”

Katsuki let out a derisive snort. “That bastard’s ‘style’ is complete crap,” he muttered, and Izuku
had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing as he remembered the blond’s helmet hair
and crisp polo shirt.

When Aizawa finally arrived, the students scrambled to their seats as the bell rang. The teacher’s
tired eyes swept across the room, assessing his class.

“Final exams will be coming up soon,” he told them, “so make sure to stay on top of your studies.”

Predictably, Iida’s hand shot into the air. “Sir, are we allowed to know in advance what the exam
will consist of?”

“No. Just know that some of you will be at a disadvantage.”

With that, the teacher turned his attention to the chalkboard, beginning the day’s lecture. Izuku
frowned as he opened his notebook. That could mean anything, or anyone… the work study
students might be at a disadvantage due to our absences, or those who didn’t do work studies could
be at a disadvantage due to the lack of practical experience...

A hard look from the teacher let him know that he was muttering aloud, and Katsuki smirked as
the greenette apologized, his face turning red.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku watched with the others in horror at the footage on screen.

There was a large scale battle raging in Kyushu, with Endeavor and Hawks tackling the enemy
themselves. Buildings had been destroyed by the flame hero’s blasts, and many of the people
evacuated were injured. Endeavor was fighting a giant Nomu and, despite his efforts, he looked to
be losing.

Next to him, Shoto was gripping the greenette’s hand tightly, his eyes wide. Katsuki was standing
on Shoto’s other side, not touching him but trying to provide silent comfort.

The class was so focused on what they were witnessing they didn’t hear the door to the dorms
open, several people jumping as it slammed shut. Aizawa moved over to them, eyeing the screen.
“So, you already know; at least I won't have to explain anything to you.”

He turned to the three boys standing near the couch. “Midoriya, you’ve been summoned by the
Commission to help out with this. It’s likely there will be several people in need of healing, and the
heroes will no doubt need your help as well.”

Izuku nodded, his expression determined. “Of course, sir.”

“Get into your hero costume as quick as you can; the sooner we leave, the better.”

He was about to leave to do just that, when Shoto’s grip on his hand stopped him. Izuku gave the
taller boy a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Shochan, your dad is gonna be okay.”

Shoto nodded, heterochromatic eyes trained on the floor. “I know, I just- please be careful, and…
don’t let him do anything stupid.”

“I won’t,” he promised, giving both boys a quick kiss before racing upstairs to change.

As he followed Aizawa out of the dorms, the healer couldn’t help but think back to Dabi’s words at
the Hassaikai compound.

“Endeavor is the reason I have these scars, and I won’t rest until he’s either dead or has matching
ones.”

He bit his lip; Nomu were a sign of League activity and, given Endeavor’s new spot as number one
hero, it was too much of a coincidence to rule out Dabi’s possible involvement.

He shook his head. His priority wasn’t the League, it was saving those injured in the fighting. He’d
focus on that, and the rest would have to wait.
 Heathen’s Kiss P. I
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Aizawa led Izuku away from the dorms and over to the training grounds, where a sleek black
helicopter was waiting for them.

“It was a matter of urgency,” the teacher explained as the greenette stared at the machine with wide
eyes. “Kyushu’s pretty far from here by car and, though we don’t expect anyone to be fatally
injured, the Commission thought it best to waste as little time as possible.”

Izuku just nodded, feeling queasy as they neared the helicopter. He didn’t think he had a fear of
heights, though he supposed he’d find out. He was surprised to see Mirio in the helicopter, already
buckled in and smiling at the two. “Mirio? What are you doing here?”

The blond smiled. “The Commission asked for me, too! Said they might need the extra muscle
while you’re out kissing strangers!”

“You could phrase it a little better than that,” Izuku huffed, his nose scrunched up. It was obvious
they’d called the upperclassman to pose as his protection, and the healer couldn’t help the twinge
of bitterness he felt at the thought.

Aizawa seemed to understand his irritation, the man taking the seat between the two boys. “It’ll be
good to have you, Lemillion; you can assist with the clean up efforts with your newly enhanced
strength.”

“You got it, sir!”

The helicopter took off, rising into the sky and heading for Kyushu. Izuku did indeed begin to feel
queasy, subtly leaning against his teacher for support. The man shot him a look, but made no
comment.

As they neared their destination, Izuku chanced a look outside, and marveled at the sight.

The sun had already begun to set, the sky painted in pink and orange hues. Fluffy clouds sotted the
horizon, and the buildings glimmered as the fading light reflected off of them. It was beautiful,
until Izuku caught sight of the smoke and damaged buildings. The area where the Nomu had
attacked contrasted the beauty of the surrounding areas, thick smoke billowing out and obscuring
the sunset. The greenette could make out debris and crowds of people filling the streets below,
with emergency vehicles caught amongst the chaos. As they began their descent Izuku noticed a
flash of light in the sky, guessing it to be Endeavor, still locked in the throes of battle.

Once they’d landed, Aizawa turned to the two students. “The area where the fighting is occurring
has been mostly sectioned off,” he briefed them, the three moving quickly over to where the
paramedics had set up. “Lemillion, you and I are on search and rescue, Pucker Up, you’ll be
helping the paramedics. We’ll contact you if we need any assistance. Remember, we’re only here
to support the pros; keep away from the fighting as best you can.”

The two students nodded. “Yes, sir!”

Izuku rushed to the medical tents as the group split up, the greenette searching for someone in
charge. A man wearing a lab coat and carrying a clipboard approached him. “You’re the healer,
right? The one the Commission sent for?”

He put on his hero persona, giving the man a bright smile. “Yes, sir! I’m Pucker Up, nice to meet
you.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Genji. We’ve got quite a few people injured here, but most are minor
injuries. The severely injured are in the far tent over there.”

Genji lead Izuku over to the tent, lifting the flap and motioning him inside. The healer let his
senses take over, scanning the patients he saw. There were some with broken bones, others with
internal bleeding and ecchymosis covering their extremities.

It was simple stuff, compared to the injuries he’d seen at Kamino and the Hassaikai raid, and Izuku
was grateful to see the extent of the injuries were well below fatal. He introduced himself to each
patient, explaining his quirk and waiting for approval before using it. Once he’d tended to
everyone in the tent, he moved on to the next, providing mostly traditional methods of first aid
treatment to the injured.

Genji watched appreciatively as he finished bandaging a man’s arm, tying off the wrappings
expertly. “You really know your stuff, Pucker Up.”

Izuku grinned. “Thank you, sir! I learned everything I know from Recovery Girl.”

The man looked impressed, and was about to inquire further when his radio went off. Genji
muttered to the person on the other end before turning back to the healer. “We just got a report of a
woman injured a few blocks away. The paramedics can’t move her without exacerbating her
wounds.”

The greenette gave him a determined expression. “Don’t worry, you can count on me!”

He activated his quirk, following his senses to the injured woman and using his zip lines to
maneuver around the large chunks of debris littering the streets. He waved off the paramedics
when he arrived, urging them to continue searching for survivors as he scanned the woman. Her
injuries were bad, but he could manage them easily.

Izuku’s lips had only just made contact with the woman’s cheek when a Nomu appeared, the
creature ambling towards them. Izuku quickly righted himself, turning to face the monster as he
stood protectively over the civilian.

This isn’t good, he thought, gritting his teeth. My quirk doesn’t affect the Nomu, and I’m not
physically strong enough to fight it off on my own. Maybe I can stall long enough for this lady to
get away, or have it chase me over to where Mr. Aizawa and Mirio went…

He stared the Nomu down.

It stared back.

For a few tense moments, nothing happened, the creature’s unblinking eyes focused on the healer.
The woman behind him shifted, and Izuku hissed out, “don’t move!”
What’s happening, why isn’t it attacking us?

The Nomu stayed for a moment longer, before shuffling away, its lumbering steps fading with
distance. The woman behind him gave the greenette an incredulous look.

“What- how on Earth did you stop it?!”

“I- I don’t know,” Izuku muttered, his mind racing. He helped the woman to her feet, escorting her
to the medical area. Mirio and Aizawa were waiting for him when they arrived.

“The head doctor says everyone left here has minor injuries,” Aizawa told him. “We should move
to the next area, make sure no one got left behind.”

Before Izuku could respond, a flash in the sky caught his attention. There looked to be a comet
plummeting from above, but the healer knew it to be the flame hero, burning through the
atmosphere as he fought the large Nomu. The air grew warmer and warmer as Endeavor’s hellfire
drew closer, the heat causing sweat to form on the back of the healer’s neck.

The ground trembled as the two made contact with it, the force of the impact creating a thunderous
crack. Almost immediately the greenette’s senses lit up, Endeavor’s injuries prominent even from a
distance. Izuku took off in the direction he sensed the hero, weaving through police and medics and
bystanders as he did. When he finally found Endeavor, his eyes widened at the sight.

The hero was bruised and bloodied, his entire body covered in cuts and burns. He looked to be just
barely conscious, but he was standing proud, a fist raised to the air. Around him, Izuku heard the
crowd cheer, applauding the efforts of their new number one.

They’re rallying behind him, Izuku realized, taking in the fervor of the crowd. They may not have
chosen him, but they accept him as their protector. The new number one…

Endeavor stumbled and, breaking from his reverie, the healer rushed to him. Izuku struggled under
the weight of the large man, eventually managing to seat him on a large chunk of debris. Endeavor
gave him a wary look, but made no comment as Izuku assessed him. Most of his injuries, while
substantial, were fairly straightforward. The biggest concerns were the third degree burns, some
areas closer to fourth degree, as well as the damage done to the man’s left eye, a wide strip of flesh
torn apart and the eyeball itself crushed inside the socket.

He vaguely registered the multiple bystanders and reporters watching him, no doubt documenting
the scene, and the freckled boy knew he’d have to handle Endeavor’s condition carefully.

I need to heal him in one kiss, he deduced, powering up his quirk. It’ll be about optics, like Nezu’s
always saying. The world has to believe in someone, now that All Might is retired; they need to
believe that the number one will always win, and that UA’s Sweetheart can heal anything.

"I'm going to heal you now," Izuku muttered, but Endeavor was already losing consciousness.

He placed a gentle kiss to the man’s jaw and, though his fiery beard was no longer active,
Endeavor’s skin was hot to the touch. He used a considerable amount of power, nearly as much as
he’d needed for Nighteye, but it paid off as Endeavor’s body healed rapidly, burns fading away
and cuts disappearing in an instant.

The hero’s eye took longer to heal, Izuku looking away as the flesh molded itself together. It was a
miraculous thing, but it made the greenette queasy none the less. After a few moments, the flame
hero was fully healed, the only evidence of his prior condition a thin scar streaking down the left
side of his face.
Izuku stood as Endeavor fell under his sedative, the man slumping forward. The greenette turned to
the crowd.

“Endeavor’s gonna be okay!” He said brightly, giving the audience a sweet smile.

The crowd roared in response, their cheers nearly drowning out the sounds of the sirens and the
helicopters overhead. Izuku winked at a nearby camera, wiggling his fingers as he did.

I healed him because it was the right thing to do, he thought, stepping aside as a group of
paramedics lifted Endeavor onto a stretcher, but mostly I did it for you, Shochan.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After contacting Aizawa and Mirio, Izuku joined Endeavor in the ambulance on the way to the
hospital, the hero having lost consciousness due to the healer’s sedative.

I couldn’t control my output earlier, the greenette thought, glancing at the man next to him, so he
could be out for awhile. I could try to wake him, but he probably needs the sleep.

Endeavor was taken to a private room on one of the upper floors, Izuku joining him to give his
doctor the report. Thankfully, Izuku couldn’t sense any damage in the hero’s eye, the organ fully
functional once again.

"You kids these days have some pretty incredible quirks," the doctor commented, scribbling down
Endeavor's vitals. "We get any more heroes like you, and I might be out of a job."

After the doctor left, Izuku stood awkwardly by the man’s bedside. He wasn’t sure if he should
leave or not; the nurturing side of him was fretting over Endeavor's safety, while the rest of him
wanted to be as far away from the awful man as possible.

After a moment, the hero’s eyes slowly opened, blinking against the harsh lighting. “Where am I?”

“A hospital in Kyushu,” Izuku told him, moving away from the man. “You sustained a lot of
injuries during your fight; I healed you, but you’ll need to rest to build your energy back up.”

Endeavor grunted, eyeing him. “You’re that boy from Kamino, and from the Sports Festival. You
fought against Shoto.”

“I did.”

“You lost.”

Izuku rolled his eyes. He should’ve expected the comment, knowing what he did about the hero.
He was about to make his leave, when Endeavor spoke up again.

“Thank you. I- I was in pretty rough shape back there.”

Izuku turned back to the hero. “You were. Honestly, you’re lucky you only have the one scar,
some people end up with more.”

Endeavor gave him a confused look, and the greenette handed him a mirror. He studied his face for
a moment, before shrugging. “Occupational hazard; besides, I don’t care what I look like.”

All that gel in your hair says otherwise, Izuku thought dryly, crossing his arms. “So, you’re the
number one hero now.”
“I am.”

“Has it made you happy yet?”

Endeavor gave him a hard look, but the healer continued. “When we first met, you told me it was
Shoto’s destiny to surpass All Might and become the number one hero. Now that you’re number
one, do you still want that for him? Do you even care what he wants?”

Endeavor continued to glare, but there was an obvious discomfort in his expression. Izuku made for
the door again.

“I should check on the others,” he muttered, not looking back. “You weren't the only hero injured
in the fight, and I'm sure they could use my help. I’m glad I was able to heal you, and I'm grateful
you were able to stop the Nomu, but I think you'll have to do a lot more to earn the trust of the
people who matter."

And with that he left, missing the look on the new number one’s face.
 Heathen’s Kiss P. II
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

As Izuku left Endeavor’s room, he ran into the new number two hero.

“Oh, hey there!” Hawks said, giving the boy a smile. “It’s the hero of the day! Well, one of them.
I’m Hawks; it’s a pleasure to meet you, Pucker Up.”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” he replied, shaking the man’s hand. “Wait, what do you mean, ‘hero of
the day?’”

Hawks pulled out his phone, showing the freckled boy the news footage of him healing Endeavor.
“It’s all anyone can talk about, along with the big guy taking down that Nomu. You’ve become a
real media darling.”

Izuku listened as the reporter praised his efforts, the camera man capturing his wink and zooming
in. “I guess Midnight taught me a little too well,” he muttered, Hawks chuckling at the comment.
The man turned to look through the window, peeking in on the number one hero.

“He’s gonna be okay, right?”

Izuku nodded. “He needs to rest, but other than that he’s made a full recovery.” He turned back to
the hero, sensing his injuries. “You’re not too hurt, but I can help regenerate your feathers, if you
like.”

Hawks shook his head. “Nah, I’m all good. Save your strength for the others, they’re just down
here.”

Izuku followed the hero down the hall to where the sidekicks were being treated, Hawks
maintaining a steady dialogue throughout. He was a lot like Mirio, Izuku noted as he healed the
others, with his outgoing personality and easy smile.

“Must be exhausting, healing so many people,” the winged hero commented, leading Izuku to the
next room. He shrugged.

“It can be; I’ve built up a pretty good endurance since joining the hero course, but every now and
then I overdo it and need a break.”

“Well, make sure you take them. You gotta think of yourself every now and then, ya know?”

The greenette gave him a smile. “I know.”

Before they’d reached the next room, Izuku felt something heavy drape itself over his shoulder,
turning to see Mirio sidling up to him. “Hey, Izuku! Man, talk about a busy day, and it’s only been
a few hours!”
Hawks looked between the two, zeroing in on the blond’s arm wrapped around the healer’s
shoulders. “You must be Lemillion, the Commission called you in as well, right?”

“Yep! I’m here to keep an eye on UA’s Sweetheart, and make sure he doesn’t get into too much
trouble.”

Izuku frowned, scrunching his nose at Mirio’s comment. The other boy didn’t seem to notice, but
Hawks caught the expression, turning to Izuku. “I see. Well, there’s a few more people that need
treating, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Of course.”

The three made their way to the next room, Mirio a looming presence as Izuku worked. The healer
made short work of the others’ injuries, wanting to be done as soon as possible. Hawks checked his
phone.

“Ten people in less than five minutes,” he said, chuckling. “And they say I’m too fast for my own
good.”

Mirio snorted. “I don’t have that problem,” he muttered, Izuku giving him a bewildered look.

Hawks either didn’t hear or chose not to comment, turning and leading the two boys back down to
the lobby. “One of the Commission guys is in a room down the hall with Eraser Head; I think he
wants to talk to you too, Lemillion.”

Izuku waved the blond off as he gave him an expectant look. “I’ll just wait out here for you to
finish.”

Mirio turned and left, following the path the hero had pointed out. Once he was out of earshot,
Hawks laughed, muttering to Izuku. “Sorry; it looked like you needed a minute, so I might have
fibbed. Eraser is technically giving his report, but they shouldn’t need anything from you guys.”

Izuku gave him a weary, grateful smile. “Thanks; he’s a good friend, but sometimes he’s a bit
overbearing.”

Hawks smirked. “Friend, huh?” At the healer’s confused look, he shook his head. “It’s nothing. I’ll
leave you to it, then. I’ll be outside if you need anything.”

Izuku watched him go, taking a seat and peering at the sky through the large lobby windows. The
sun had already set, leaving the horizon dark. He couldn’t see any stars, unlike the ones visible on
campus, and the greenette suddenly wished to be back at the dorms, away from all the chaos of the
day.

He gazed outside for a moment longer, when he felt his senses light up. Someone had been hurt.
He leapt from his chair, looking around. Whoever was hurt was outside, and his eyes widened.
Hawks had stepped out, and would be vulnerable with so few feathers at his disposal. He moved
out of the building quickly, following his senses to a nearby alley where two figures awaited him.

Hawks was on the ground, the hero’s side burned by the villain above him. Izuku tensed as a
familiar, taunting voice rang out.

“I gotta say, at this point it feels like you want to be around me,” Dabi said, eyes glinting as he
appraised the healer.

Izuku grit his teeth. “Let me guess, you came to finish the job? Your Nomu couldn’t kill Endeavor,
and I undid a lot of your hard work.”

“You assume it was my idea to unleash the Nomu; I admit, I was itching to see what the High-End
could do, but we both know I’m not the one calling the shots here.”

“It seems awfully convenient for you, though,” Izuku pressed, moving slowly as he drew closer to
Hawks. “Endeavor, the person you hate the most, is almost defeated by one of your monsters just
days after becoming number one? And how could you possibly know he’d be here today?
Kyushu’s not exactly close to his agency.”

Dabi smirked. “I don’t give out secrets for free, kid.” He activated his quirk, blue flames licking
his palm as he pointed it at the hero. “Ah, ah, come any closer and I’ll incinerate him.”

Izuku stopped, glaring as the villain continued. “I really can’t stand heroes, you know? Always
sticking their noses where they don’t belong. First this idiot tracks me down, now you; but for
once, I think this has worked in my favor.”

He extended his flames, Hawks letting out a hiss as they singed his cheek.

“Stop!” Izuku cried out.

“I will, if you heal me.”

Izuku blinked. “What?”

“You heard me. Heal my scars, and I’ll let this pathetic excuse for a hero live.”

“Don’t do it!” Hawks said, letting out a yelp as Dabi’s boot connected with one of his wings.

Izuku clenched his fists. “You’re a monster.”

“Oh stop, you’re making me blush.”

I have no choice, Izuku thought sadly. I don’t want to heal him, but I can’t let him keep hurting
Hawks. No one knows where we are, and help might not come in time. I have to do this.

The greenette put his hands up, eyes fixed on the ground as he moved towards the villain. Dabi’s
flames didn’t let up. “Try anything funny, and the bird gets it.”

Izuku just nodded, raising his head to look at the villain. Dabi’s scars were severe, and he couldn’t
know for certain how many the man had. It would take a lot of power, and more precision than he
may be capable of. “I- I’ve never done this before, so I can’t guarantee how well it’ll work.”

“Quit stalling and just do it.”

The healer gave him a heated glare, but leaned upward and kissed Dabi, powering his quirk as
much as he could. Full lip contact and most of my power should do the trick, as long as I focus on
altering the scar tissue as opposed to healing a wound.

Dabi’s flames died in his palm as his scars began to twist and fade. They didn’t disappear, but lost
much of their dark, purplish hue, fading into a color that was deep, but closer to Dabi’s skin tone.
There was still texture in certain areas, particularly under the eyes and around the jaw, but it was an
improvement none the less.

The villain could feel his skin tingling, his head light but not foggy as Izuku’s quirk took hold. “I
get it now,” he muttered, eyes far away. “I still hate you, but I get it.”
Izuku pulled away, his face twisted in disgust. “You really are just like him, Touya.”

Dabi’s eyes snapped to him, darkening. “Call me that again.”

But Izuku was already moving away, quickly joining Hawks and healing him as well. Dabi,
regaining his senses, bisected the alley with his flames. They were much weaker than usual, but it
was enough to separate him from the heroes. “This has been fun, but unfortunately I have places to
be.”

“Wait!” Izuku called out, surprised when the villain halted. “Earlier, there was a Nomu that found
me when I was healing someone. It just… it just stood there, staring. Why didn’t it attack me?”

Dabi turned back to face him, eyes glowing from the flames around him. “The Nomu are mindless
beasts; they don’t think for themselves, but follow basic instructions. Recently, each Nomu created
has been ordered to leave you be if it sees you.”

“But why?”

Dabi smirked. “You know why. Until next time, Midoriya.”

Izuku readied his mist, but it was too late. Dabi had vanished. He helped Hawks to his feet, biting
back the tears as he berated himself.

I played right into his hands, he thought bitterly. I rushed out to save the day, and just made things
worse.

They were soon joined by a frantic Aizawa and Mirio, as well as the man Izuku recognized from
the licensing exam.

“My, my, it seems there was a bit of a situation here,” the man commented, tired eyes sweeping
across the alley.

“What happened to no going off on your own?” Aizawa said sharply, watching as Hawks’ feathers
regenerated, filling out his crimson wings until they were full once again.

Izuku just shook his head. He had no defense, no rebuttal. He’d tried to play the hero, and it
backfired.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku was taken into a room to speak with the tired man, introducing himself as Mera. He gave the
man the report of his work during Endeavor’s battle with the Nomu, as well as detailing his
altercation with Dabi.

“I’m not sure what to say at this point,” Mera began, eyeing him critically. “The incident reports
involving you these past few months are all over the map. One minute you’re helping the heroes,
the next you’re helping the villains.”

“I didn’t want to help Dabi,” Izuku muttered, eyes fixed on the table, “he was threatening to kill
Hawks.”

Mera stared him down, the seconds ticking by in an awkward silence. “Tell me something,
Midoriya: Are you aware of the guidelines in place for healers when it comes to aiding villains?”

Izuku nodded. “Healers are able to assist villains in the event of being taken hostage, ensuring the
safety of another or if the villain has sustained a fatal wound. It’s up to the healer’s discretion if
any of these circumstances apply.”

“Precisely; technically, you’ve broken no laws, but the League’s heavy reliance on you is
concerning. We’re at a crucial junction for hero society, and the public has to believe we can deal
with these villains. Your healing has saved many heroes, there’s no denying that, but you’ve saved
villains as well. You’re resetting the chess pieces, as it were. We can’t gain any leverage if no
one’s removed from the board.”

Izuku narrowed his eyes. “So you’d rather I let people die?”

“That’s not up to me to decide. As you said, tonight you were given no choice; but had you not
gone off on your own, perhaps the situation could’ve been resolved with Dabi’s arrest, rather than
him escaping with exactly what he wanted.”

Izuku said nothing, and Mera continued. “We asked Lemillion to join you today to act as your
protection. He was supposed to keep something like this from happening, but clearly he failed.
He’ll need to be reprimanded for it.”

“It wasn’t his fault,” Izuku mumbled. “And he shouldn’t have to babysit me.”

“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. As the current holder of One For All, he’ll hold the same level
of responsibility All Might had, and that starts with keeping his healer safe.”

Izuku started. “His healer?”

“Yes, Midoriya; Once Lemillion debuts as a pro hero, he’ll no doubt be injured often. Given your
incredible abilities, we’ve decided to assign you to him as his healer. Once you’ve graduated,
you’ll become a duo.”

“But, I want to be my own hero,” Izuku argued, feeling panicked. “I don’t mind healing Mirio, but
I won’t be his exclusively!”

Mera gave him a look. “Actually, if you want to be a hero at all, you’ll do as we say. The
Commission was not given any choice in who All Might chose as his successor, a regrettable thing
but unfortunately out of our hands. Lemillion will be the next number one hero, whether we like it
or not, and as such the Commission has a vested interest in maintaining his health and safety.”

“Endeavor is the number one hero, he’s not going to just give the title up once Mirio graduates.”

The man huffed out a laugh. “Endeavor may be strong, but he’s not the number one this country
needs. He’s brutal, callous, and there are rumors circulating about him that are troubling to say the
least. He’s the number one out of necessity, but he won’t stay that way for long. Anyways, that’s
not important; what’s important is that you understand your place amongst the pros. We certainly
won’t stop you from healing those in need, but Lemillion will always come first. You’ll work
together once you’ve graduated, and if you refuse your license will be revoked.”

Izuku slumped in his chair, his eyes wide and his mouth dry. He had no words.

Mera stood, back straightening as he made his way to the door. He stopped a few steps short,
turning his head as he called over his shoulder. “It’s a difficult situation, and I certainly don’t envy
your position, but try to see this is a positive. It’ll make life a lot easier for all of us.”

With that the Commission rep left, and Izuku burst into tears.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hawks flapped his wings impatiently as he entered the warehouse, eyes scanning for his target.
When he finally found him he unleashed his feathers, pinning the villain to the wall in a blur of
crimson.

“What the hell was that?” He ground out, yellow eyes piercing. “What’s going on with you and
Midoriya?”

Dabi chuckled. “And what makes you think you’re privy to that information, rat? One successful
mission does not a partner make.”

“Two successful missions,” Hawks insisted. “I brought you a hero to test your new Nomu on, and
my plan to get Midoriya to heal you worked perfectly.”

Internally, Hawks winced. He hadn’t wanted to involve the kid, especially now that he knew there
was some strange connection between he and Dabi, but he had to win the League’s trust, or his
cover would be blown.

Damn the Commission and their schemes, he thought, releasing the villain and returning his
feathers to their spots on his back, and damn these villains, too.

“I believe I’m owed some explanation,” the hero said, watching as Dabi righted himself. “You told
me your only connection to Midoriya was from the incident at Kamino, but it sounds like you’ve
run into him more recently than that.”

“Fine, Midoriya’s helped us out once or twice in the last few months. Personally, I can’t stand the
little brat, but he has his uses. He refused to heal me last time we met, so your plan to force him to
help turned out to be necessary. Good thing it worked.” Dabi pulled out his phone, studying his
reflection. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than it had been in years.

Hawks glared at him. “You should’ve warned me; if Midoriya ever sees me with any of you again,
he might put the pieces together and expose me to the Commission.”

“That’s not really my problem.” Dabi turned to walk away, before a thought came to him. “Here’s
a warning for you: Keep away from that kid as much as you can. Shigaraki won’t tolerate anything
happening to him.”

The hero tilted his head. “Because he wants to recruit him?”

“Because he wants to own him, like a little pet,” Dabi responded, rolling his eyes. “And he won’t
listen to reason, so best to just stay out of it.”

Hawks felt his blood run cold at the villain’s statement, cursing himself even more for risking
Midoriya’s safety. He took off quickly, exiting the warehouse and soaring through the night sky.

Stay safe out there, kid, he thought, his yellow eyes troubled, until I can take these bastards down.
 Kiss the Bottle
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Izuku trudged into the 1-A dorms, feeling hollow.

After Mera had left, the healer pulled himself together and met Aizawa and Mirio in the lobby,
ignoring their concerned looks as they called a car and returned to campus. It had been a long,
uncomfortable ride, with Aizawa in the passenger seat and the two students in the back. Despite
knowing it wasn’t his fault, Izuku couldn’t bear to look at Mirio, and had instead stared blankly out
the window until they’d arrived at UA.

It was late, and the greenette wasn’t expecting anyone to be up, so he was surprised to see Katsuki
in the Common Room, half asleep on the couch.

He stirred as Izuku approached, the healer trying not to coo at the sleepy look on his face. “What
took you so damn long, Deku?”

He sounded irritated, but Izuku knew better: he’d been worried. “Sorry Kaachan, I should’ve called
to let you all know I’d be late. Endeavor’s fully healed, but he’s resting at the hospital tonight.”

Katsuki grunted, standing up before giving him a searching look. “You’ve been crying.”

Izuku sighed, too tired to deny it. “How could you tell?”

“I can always tell.”

He felt the blond’s arms wrap around him, Izuku melting into the embrace as a few more tears fell.
He grabbed Katsuki’s shirt, twisting the fabric between his fingers.

He couldn't keep it to himself anymore; the secret of One For All had been weighing on him for a
while, but now that he was expected to devote his future career to it and its holder it was
unbearable.

“I- I have something to tell you,” he whispered.

The two sat on the couch, Katsuki maneuvering them so that they were pressed together, and Izuku
told him everything: The secret of All Might’s power, Mirio inheriting it, the Commission’s plans
for him and his run ins with Dabi.

Izuku could see Katsuki valiantly keeping his temper at bay, restraining his usual angry screams to
a muted scowl that only grew deeper the more the healer spoke.

“Those goddamn bastards,” he growled quietly, and Izuku wasn’t sure if the volume control was
for his benefit or those sleeping upstairs. “I’ll make ‘em all fucking pay for this.”
“There’s nothing we can do,” the greenette murmured into Katsuki’s shoulder. “The Commission
handles all hero protocols, and anyone else we try to involve in this will likely side with them. My
happiness doesn’t matter when it comes to the new Symbol of Peace.”

“The hell it doesn’t! I’m not letting that smiley bastard use you like a fucking personal servant just
because some dicks wearing suits say he can!”

Izuku shook his head. “I don’t think Mirio will do that; he’s been a bit overbearing lately, probably
because the Commission told him he had to be, but he’s still my friend. If I talk to him about it
maybe he can help out, since the Commission is counting on him to be the next All Might.”

Katsuki let out a scoff, rolling his eyes. “That asshole is probably over the moon about this,” he
muttered, too low for Izuku to make out. He turned to look at the freckled boy, his expression
softening. “Look, graduation’s a few years off for us, so we have time to figure this out. Aizawa
hates the Commission too, so maybe he’s got some ideas.”

The greenette mulled it over. It was true their teacher wasn’t fond of bureaucracy and, come to
think of it, neither was their principal. They could perhaps form a think tank, and find a way to
circumvent the Commission’s meddling. It was dubious at best, but the idea offered some small
comfort to him.

Izuku nodded. “You’re right; we can still fight this, if we’re smart about it… thanks, Kaachan.”

Katsuki held him tighter. “You don’t have to thank me, Princess.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning, Izuku stood bleary eyed outside of the 1-A classroom, idly sipping his coffee
before homeroom began. Aizawa had yet to arrive, but the ever diligent class rep was quick to
remind him of the ‘no food or drinks in class’ rule, shooing the greenette and his caffeine out the
door.

He and Katsuki had both been up late the night before, the two falling asleep on the couch
somewhere around four in the morning. Shinso had been the one to find them there a few hours
later, the insomniac gently waking them so they wouldn’t be late for class.

Izuku had never felt so tired, both physically and mentally, and took another large gulp from his
thermos.

“Midoriya,” Izuku turned to see Aizawa coming towards him, the teacher’s yellow sleeping bag
bunched in his arms. The healer gazed at him. “Good morning, Mr. Aizawa.”

“I’m glad I caught you before class started,” Aizawa said, a small smile on his face. “I figured
you’d want to be the first to know: I’m adopting Eri.”

Izuku’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yep. Nezu got all the necessary paperwork for me to sign this morning; hopefully, everything will
be finalized before the new year.”

Izuku beamed at the teacher, throwing his arms around him as he let out a joyous laugh. “That’s
incredible, congratulations!! Does she know yet?”

“Not yet,” Aizawa said, gently untangling himself from the giddy student. “I’ll tell her today after
class.”
“I’ll keep it a secret till then, I promise.”

The man chuckled, adjusting the sleeping bag in his arms. “I have you to thank, Midoriya; Not
only would I not have her in my life if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even be alive. It seems I owe a
lot to you.”

“You don’t owe me anything! All I’ve ever wanted is to help people, and I’m glad I could help
you both.”

“Still, you have my thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” he chirped, before looking at the thermos in his hands. “Does this mean I can
take my coffee inside?”

Aizawa shot him a look. “If you spill so much as a drop, you’re cleaning the whole classroom.”

“Thank you, sir!”

Once back at his desk, proudly drinking his coffee while Iida stared incredulously at the disregard
for school policy, Izuku’s good mood began to fade. He’d intended to speak to his teacher about
what the Commission expected of him, but if Aizawa was in the process of adopting Eri, there was
no way he could involve him.

I don’t know much about the Commission, he thought, Aizawa beginning the day’s introduction,
but if Mr. Aizawa defies them on my behalf, they might prevent the adoption from going through; in
fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if they try to use Eri’s well being against me if I don’t do as they ask.

As the alarm for the emergency drill sounded, Izuku followed his classmates to the changing
rooms without a sound, to engrossed in his own thoughts. I can’t take the chance of anything
getting in the way of Eri’s adoption, they both deserve better than that. I’ll have to figure this out
myself…

At the training grounds, Iida assessed the different areas that needed attention, from scouting to
rescuing to fighting. He turned to Izuku. “Pucker Up, can you sense where the villains are?”

The healer closed his eyes, activating his quirk as he scanned the area. He could sense three
distinct heartbeats, each in a different section of the training grounds. “There’s one person three
miles East of us, one four miles north and one about four miles West. There could be more people
farther out, but it’s not likely.”

Iida nodded. “Right, then: We need three teams to deal with the villains, one to put out the fires and
one to keep an eye out for more threats or hazards.”

Izuku had correctly guessed he’d be grouped with Jirou and Shoji for surveillance, the greenette
smiling at the two as the others branched off. He used his senses to check where the others were,
keeping tabs on them as they neared their targets.

Things had been going well, the class staying in contact through their communicators and
efficiently handling both the fires and the villains, until a large explosion sounded off from the
North.

“What was that?” Jirou barked into her earpiece.

“It’s Bakubro,” Kirishima responded, his voice crackling through the communicator. “He and
Togata are really going at it.”
Izuku frowned. “Mirio’s down there?”

“The Big Three must be playing the villains we’re here to stop,” Shoji commented, glancing to the
healer.

Another explosion bigger than the last went off, and Izuku turned to the others. “Can you two keep
watch? I- I have to stop Kaachan from ruining the mission.”

Jirou and Shoji shared a look. “Yeah, we got this.”

He thanked them, before swinging between the buildings using his zip lines. He followed his
senses to where the fight was taking place, Kirishima and Kaminari watching awkwardly from the
sides.

Both boys were covered in blood, Katsuki clearly having found a way to circumvent Mirio’s
permeation and getting several good hits in. The golden aura around Mirio intensified, and Izuku
immediately began to worry.

Mirio doesn’t have full control of One For All; if he uses too much power, he could seriously hurt
Kaachan.

The healer moved closer as the two continued to fight, now abandoning their quirks and fist
fighting as they yelled at each another.

“-just stay the fuck away from him, you bastard!” Katsuki spat, his fist connecting with the older
boy’s jaw.

Mirio was smirking, wiping the blood from his nose as he punched the hot head in the stomach.
“Don’t get mad at me just cuz you screwed up. You couldn’t get your license or the school
sweetheart!”

Katsuki roared, his palms smoking as he lunged forward.

Izuku released his mist, bringing the two combatants to a stop as his sedative hit them full force.
He rushed over to them, securing Mirio with a capture bandaid before tapping his communicator.
“The Northbound villain has been apprehended. Let us know when you’ve got the other two.”

He turned back to Kaminari and Kirishima, his mist clearing as Katsuki and Mirio fell unconscious.
“What was that all about?”

“We found Togata knocking down buildings, which I didn’t even know he could do, and then
Bakugo started yelling at him, and the next thing I know they’re kicking the crap out of each
other!”

Kirishima nodded. “What they were saying didn’t make any sense; I think… I think they might’ve
been fighting over you, Midobabe.”

Izuku frowned at them. Knowing Katsuki, the hot head probably let his anger from their
conversation the night before take over. If he let slip to Mirio what he knew, then it was likely the
older boy had been pushing Katsuki’s buttons to get him to act recklessly, thereby endangering the
mission.

The healer shook his head. “Nejire and Tamaki haven’t been stopped yet, so we need to deal with
them. All of…this… will have to wait.”
Kaminari and Kirishima looked at each other with concern, but took off in the direction the healer
pointed them in. Izuku looked at the two unconscious students. He could wake them and ask them
himself what was going on, but it might not be a conversation he wanted to have with the rest of his
class nearby. Instead, he stood watch over them until Nejire and Amajiki were captured, before
waking the two and swiftly healing their injuries. He used his zip lines to swing away from them,
ignoring their calling out to him.

I don’t regret telling Kaachan about All Might’s power or the Commission, Izuku thought,
swinging back over to the rest of the class, but I wish he would control his temper. All Might’s
going to be mad that I told someone about One For All, and that’ll just make this whole situation
worse.

He spent the rest of the day in a sluggish daze, the thought of Eri’s adoption the only thing keeping
the exhaustion and pain at bay.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Dabi smirked as he entered Shigaraki’s apartment, heavy boots thudding against the wood floors.
He’d been called in for a strategy meeting, as the boss had apparently decided what their next
move would be.

Twice, Toga and Spinner stared at him as he entered the meeting room, and Compress let out a
small gasp.

The villain had forgone his usual trench coat, instead wearing a simple short sleeve shirt, and jeans.
He was feeling confident, now that his scars had faded and given him some of his old complexion
back. Toga eyed his freshly healed scars, tempted to poke at them. Shigaraki gave him a look, but
chose not to comment.

“We’re going to the mountains,” Shigaraki rasped out, red eyes boring into the others. “Kurogiri
found who we’re looking for.”

“Wait a minute, didn’t the cops arrest him up there?” Twice interjected. “They’re probably waiting
to ambush us!”

“Unlikely,” Compress told him, fiddling with one of his marbles, “most of the police and the hero
Gran Torino were bested by our target; had they not already secured Kurogiri, it’s doubtful they
would’ve been able to take him.”

“Kurogiri will be fine,” Shigaraki continued. “The cops won't get anything useful out of him, and
we can release him from prison once we’ve got all of our pieces on the board.”

He outlined a few of the particulars of their upcoming mission, the others sharing concerned looks
but ultimately keeping quiet. Once he’d dismissed them, he met the eyes of Dabi, who had stayed
behind. “I see you’ve had a run in with our healer.”

“I did; the newest recruit staged a little scene to trick Midoriya into healing me. I’m honestly
surprised it worked, I had thought he would see right through us.” It was almost suspect, how easy
it had been to trick the greenette. Dabi had thought him smarter than that.

“You really are just like him, Touya.” He grit his teeth. The little brat was definitely clever enough
to know which nerve to hit.

The villain shrugged. “His compassion seems to be his greatest fault. Hmm, the new recruit, eh?
There might be some potential there…”
 Dabi looked to him. “He’s digging up some intel on the Commission as we speak; says they’ve got
plans for Midoriya.”

Shigaraki grinned. “Then everything is working out just as All For One predicted: Izuku will soon
see the corruption in his beloved hero society and, once they destroy his spirit, he’ll have no one to
turn to but us.”

Dabi fell silent, a contemplative look on his face. Having the healer join them would be beneficial
for multiple reasons: for one, he’d no longer have to run surveillance on the boy for Shigaraki (the
blue haired villain likely wouldn’t let him out of his sight again), and if Dabi’s flames were to
damage his body again, he’d be able to get it reversed immediately and, perhaps, have his faded
scars removed completely.

“I’ve never seen you look so pensive,” Shigaraki taunted, red eyes glimmering with mirth. “Don’t
tell me our Sweetheart has finally gotten through to you.”

The other man glared. “I’m not interested in grooming high schoolers,” he sneered. “I have my own
goals, and as long as I still get what I want you’ll have my loyalty.”

“Oh? And what is it you want, Dabi?”

I want these scars gone, permanently…

Blue eyes flashed. “I want Endeavor’s head on a spike.”

Shigaraki’s grin widened.

Chapter End Notes

I know adoption is a lengthy process, but I imagine that, given his pro hero status and
steady job at the nation's top school, Aizawa could get his case expedited fairly easily.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter!

 Kissing A Fool
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

“So, Bakugo and Todoroki have their makeup test tonight?”

Izuku nodded to Hatsume, taking a bite of his sandwich. The two were in the infirmary along with
Shinso, eating lunch. Recovery Girl had asked the healer to watch the infirmary for her while she
tended to some business off campus, and the trio seized the opportunity to spend time together, like
they had done so many months before.

“I think they’re going to pass with flying colors this time,” Izuku told her. “They really worked
hard the last few months, and I can see how much better they’ve gotten at rescue work.”

Shinso nodded. “Some days, Bakugo’s almost nice to the rest of us; it’s kind of freaky.”

“Ooh, does that mean the battle for your heart will continue after tonight?” Hatsume teased, her
grin wide.

Shinso gave the healer a look. “Actually, Izuku’s been avoiding them.”

It had been a few days since the emergency drill, and the subsequent fist fight between Katsuki and
Mirio. Izuku had indeed been avoiding the two, as well as Shoto, but truthfully he’d been avoiding
almost everyone. He was still trying to process the role the Commission had chosen for him, and
didn’t want the others prying. He couldn’t tell them the real reason Mirio would need a healer, and
didn’t want to lie either, so instead he’d kept to himself.

The greenette wrinkled his nose, using his napkin to wipe a few crumbs from Hatsume’s cheek.
“I’m still mad at Kaachan for picking that fight with Mirio, and I haven’t even explained to
Shochan the reason behind it. After tonight we’ll be able to have that discussion, but they need to
pass the makeup exam first.”

Shinso rolled his eyes. “I’m pretty sure he knows the reason, Izuku; we all do.”

“You- you do?”

“It’s kind of obvious; I mean, even you figured it out.”

Izuku gave him a confused look. “I didn’t figure it out so much as All Might told me, but given that
I sort of helped him choose someone new, I likely would have put the pieces together.”

The two stared at one another for a beat, the room silent.

“Izu, what exactly are you talking about?” Hatsume asked carefully, giving Shinso a warning look.

“I- that Mirio, he… you know…”

The other two just stared, so Izuku tried a different tactic. He wasn’t supposed to say anything, but
if his clever friends happened to figure it out on their own…

He turned to Shinso. “Toshi, remember that secret you told me, after I was rescued from Kamino?”

The purple haired boy thought for a moment, before his eyes widened. “Oh, so then Togata-“

“Exactly,” Izuku cut in, smiling. Shinso turned to explain to Hatsume, the pink haired girl looking
at the healer incredulously.

“Wait, All Might can just give people his power?”

“Not exactly; we were going to work together to find someone whose body could withstand its
power, but after the Hassaikai raid All Might couldn’t hold onto it any longer. I guess he chose
Mirio sometime after that.”

“I see…”

Izuku turned back to Shinso. “What were you talking about? Why else do you think Mirio and
Kaachan were fighting?”

Shinso let out a sigh. “Because it’s pretty obvious Togata has a cru-“

“Hey guys!” Came a chipper voice from the infirmary entrance, Mirio and Amajiki entering.

Izuku stilled. Logically he knew that eventually he’d have to face the upperclassman, but hadn’t
really wanted to. “Oh, hey… uhm, did you guys need some help?”

Amajiki nodded. “I sprained my wrist during combat training, and since Mirio is on a break from
classes he decided to join me.”

Shinso and Hatsume shared a look that went unnoticed by the healer as he moved over to the older
boys, scanning Amajiki. “Looks like the sprained wrist is the only injury you have, aside from
some bruises.” Izuku gave him a swift peck on the cheek, making a note about the visit in the
patient log. “You’re clear to go back to class.”

Amajiki gave him a small smile. “Thanks, Midoriya.”

Before the two left, Izuku stopped Mirio, tugging on his sleeve. “Uh, do you think we could talk;
after school, I mean?”

Mirio blinked, before his face split into a grin. “Sure thing, ‘Zuku! Text me later?”

The healer nodded, waving the two away and rejoining his friends, pointedly ignoring their looks
of concern.

I have to talk to him about the Commission, he decided, his appetite gone as he picked at his food,
and about his behavior. If I explain to him why I’m so upset, I’m sure he’ll understand.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku paced back and forth as he waited for Mirio to arrive, his stomach in knots. Mirio had agreed
to meet him, choosing the small clearing they’d taken Eri to as the location. The sky was painted in
deep blues and purples as the sun set, the star almost completely engulfed by the mountains as
night fell.
Izuku shivered, bundling himself in his hoodie as he continued to pace. The flowers Eri had
rejuvenated with her quirk were dead once more, their brittle stems snapping under Izuku’s boots.
Mirio arrived not long after, the blond jogging over to him. “Oh, hey! I hope you weren’t waiting
too long.”

He shook his head, and Mirio continued. “So, what did ya want to talk about? Gossip? Secrets?
Ooh, maybe a confession?”

The healer wrinkled his nose. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that fight you had with
Kaachan earlier this week. What was that all about?”

Mirio shrugged. “It was nothing, really. I was playing the part of an evil villain, so of course I had
to say some mean stuff to get him to fight me.”

“Okay, but why were you using One For All against him? You know you don’t have full control
over it, and you could’ve seriously hurt him!”

The blond smiled, moving closer. “I promise, I had everything under control. Besides, it’s not like
Bakugo was entirely innocent; he threw in his fair share of nasty comments.”

Izuku didn’t doubt it, remembering how the hot head had become well versed in swear words and
insults by the age of five. “You still should’ve pulled your punches, but that’s not all I wanted to
talk to you about.”

Mirio grinned. “Oh?”

“Uhm, this is kind of awkward, but… I need you to help me deal with the Commission. They want
me to just be your personal healer once I’ve graduated, and I can’t accept that. Please, tell them that
I can be a hero too.”

Mirio’s smile fell slightly. “Oh, wow. I knew they wanted you to be my healer, but they want you
to only be my healer? That’s messed up. Don’t worry ‘Zuku, once we’re working together, we’ll
save lots of people! We’ll both be heroes!”

Izuku blinked. “Uhm, no… I was actually hoping you’d convince them to let me be my own hero,
not just a healer who helps heroes.”

“Oh… I don’t think I can help you there, ‘Zuku; the Commission wants us together, for your safety
just as much for my health. You need a protector.”

The healer’s eyes narrowed. “I can protect myself just fine, thank you.”

“The villains keep getting to you,” Mirio insisted, taking the greenette’s hands, “and I’ve never
been fast enough to save you from them. With this new power, I can be the protector you deserve. I
can keep you safe!”

“What’s gotten into you?” Izuku asked him incredulously. “Ever since you inherited All Might’s
power, you’ve changed so much! Picking fights with Kaachan, insisting I can’t defend myself, you
were even being weird around Hawks at the hospital!”

“He was the one being weird,” the blond muttered, tightening his grip.

“You’ve been so overbearing and refuse to listen to me when I tell you that I don’t need protecting,
and I want to know why. Has One For All gone to your head? Is the Commission forcing you to be
my bodyguard? What is it?”
Mirio looked conflicted, and Izuku lowered his voice. “I’m sorry for yelling, it’s just- you’re my
friend, and I don’t want you to change who you are just to become the symbol the Commission
wants you to be.”

“Izuku… the Commission is putting some pressure on me, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this new
power is influencing me in some weird ways, but… I’m being protective because I care about you,
because I’ve come so close to losing you and the thought alone is making me nuts. I- I love you.”

He kissed the greenette’s knuckles, giving him a soft smile as he did.

Izuku’s eyes widened and, suddenly, it all made sense.

He’d been so stupid.

“Uhm, you mean like a platonic love, right?” He tried weakly, pulling his hands away from the
other boy.

Mirio shook his head. “I mean I love you, love you. I thought you knew; I’ve only had the biggest
crush on you forever! Even Sir and Bubble Girl have brought it up.”

“But- but they were just teasing, about the-“

About the break room, when he’d practiced his quirk with Mirio. Mirio, who had offered to kiss
him, who flirted and teased and stood a bit too close to him sometimes.

The day of the School Festival, Izuku realized, he was so set on buying a ticket for the raffle. And
he’d run away after telling Eri that he and I weren’t dating ‘yet.’

Izuku felt his stomach clench as he remembered the Hassaikai raid, when Mirio had found him and
had looked so distraught. How he’d held him and kissed him like his life depended on it. Izuku had
thought he was worried about his injuries, that he needed to be healed-

Stupid. He’d been so stupid.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shoto trudged over to the changing rooms, ready to put on his costume and retake the licensing
exam.

He and the others had been told it would be a special rescue mission, the examinees working
together to save the survivors and take down the villains in near total darkness. The dual toned boy
wasn’t particularly worried; after all, he had his flames to light the way, and he, Katsuki, Camie
and Inasa had come to form a strong team during their many training sessions.

There’s no way I could fail again, he thought, changing into his costume quickly and waiting
outside for Katsuki. I’ll have my license before the night is through.

When Katsuki finally emerged, the two looked at each other. Things had been going well for them,
both boys getting along better than Shoto had expected, until the day after Izuku had come back
from healing Endeavor. The hot head had gotten into a fight with Mirio, which Izuku had to break
up, and the greenette had avoided them like the plague in the days following.

Shoto had been confused and upset, especially when Katsuki refused to tell him what had
happened, merely grunting in response and ignoring the question.
They had a few minutes before they were meant to begin, and Shoto tried asking him about that
day once more.

“Ask Deku yourself,” Katsuki growled. “He told me what happened, but I’m not going to break his
trust by telling someone who doesn’t already know.”

Shoto narrowed his eyes. “And why would Bunny trust you over me?”

The blond looked at him like he’d grown a second head. “Your dumb ass was asleep when he got
home! Did you want him to wake you up?”

“I don’t believe for a moment he wouldn’t trust me with what’s bothering him; I think you want
him to keep it from me.”

Shoto tried to ignore the flash of hurt on Katsuki’s face, guilt bubbling in his stomach. Some days it
felt like he couldn’t breathe when the other boy was around. It was in some ways just like how
he’d felt around Izuku when they’d first met, and totally different in others. Katsuki wasn’t sweet
or nurturing, but was loyal and caring in his own way. He could handle Shoto’s moodiness,
enjoyed their arguing and matched his competitive spirit in a way that no one else ever had. To
Shoto, it almost felt like a crush, and that terrified him.

Katsuki narrowed his eyed. “Alright IcyHot, cards on the table; say whatever it is you’ve been
itching to say since we failed this stupid test the first time, and don’t you dare hold back!”

Shoto had wanted to tell him he had nothing else to say, but instead his words got away from him.
“I think I’m the better choice for Izuku. Your infatuation with him is based off of nostalgia and a
childhood fantasy that has no place in the present, and I think myself the better boyfriend for him.”

Katsuki gave him a sharp grin, moving closer to the other boy. “And your crush on him is just
admiration for the first person who was nice to you that wasn’t trying to appease your dickhead
father. You wouldn’t know romance if it bit you on the ass! I’m the better boyfriend.”

Shoto glared at him, dimly aware that the blond had backed him into a wall. Katsuki was only an
inch taller, but his spiky hair made it seem like more.

“There,” Katsuki muttered, the low sound causing a shiver to run down Shoto’s spine, “feel better
yet, Pretty Boy?”

“I- I don’t know why I said that…”

The hot head scoffed. “Cuz you meant it; at least, you meant it all those weeks ago. But now I’m
thinking you feel differently about me, don’t you?”

Before Shoto could respond, and the boy wasn’t sure if he’d intended to confirm or deny the
statement, Katsuki leaned in and smashed their lips together.

It was nothing like kissing Izuku, Shoto thought dimly. Izuku’s kisses were always soft and sweet,
and more often than not a little bit shy. The kiss with Katsuki was passionate, and Shoto returned
that passion with equal fervor, kissing him back.

When the two finally broke apart, Shoto blurted out, “I still love Izuku.”

Katsuki huffed out a laugh, blond strands falling in front of his face and making Shoto’s heart skip
a beat. “You idiot; I still love him, too. I meant what I said on that rooftop: we’ll all be going on
dates, you, me and Deku.”
Shoto smiled at him. “I- I’d like that, Katsuki.”

Katsuki gave him a wicked grin. “Good; we’ve still got a few minutes before we destroy this stupid
makeup test, and I know just how I want to spend it.”

At the end of the hall, Camie and Inasa watched as the two boys began to kiss once more. Camie
turned to Inasa. “A bet’s a bet, now pay up.”

Inasa just laughed. “Alright, you win! Man, I coulda sworn they hated each other.”

“It’s all about reading between the lines,” she told him sagely, taking the yen he handed her and
tucking it in her pocket. “It’s kind of unfair though; I was hoping to at least get Shoto’s number.”
 Kiss of Steel P. I
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Izuku let out a sigh, poking at his dinner with little enthusiasm.

He was at the dining table in the 1-A dorms, sat between Shinso and Momo as the rest of his class
enjoyed their meal around him, laughing and talking amongst themselves. After Mirio’s
confession, Izuku had done his best to let the other boy down gently, insisting that while he cared
very much for the blond, they were only friends.

The greenette had been fairly upset about having to reject him, his mind going back to Uraraka’s
broken hearted look at the training camp. He didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but he also
didn’t want to lead anyone on.

Mirio took the rejection much better than Uraraka had, he mused, taking a small bite of his dinner.
Hopefully, things can go back to normal now.

Still, the greenette couldn’t help but wonder what their normal would even look like; if Mirio’s
behavior had been that of a boy smitten for as long as he’d claimed, then Izuku had no idea how a
platonic Mirio would act around him.

“Things are probably going to be awkward for the two of you for awhile,” Momo had told them
once the meal was over, the girl dissatisfied with how little her friend had eaten. “It’s unfortunate,
but I’m sure you’ll be able to remain friends.”

Izuku just sighed, eyeing both her and Shinso. “Why didn’t any of you tell me sooner? I had always
assumed Mirio was just a tactile person; if I’d known about his crush, I never would have let him
hang off of me like he did.”

Violet eyes bore into him. “Would you have believed us, if we told you?”

The healer made to say yes, then paused. Izuku wouldn’t have believed it, would have made
excuses on the blond’s behalf, just as he’d done the past few weeks. He’d believed so
wholeheartedly that Mirio couldn’t possibly like him that he’d missed what was right in front of
him. He sighed again. “No, I probably wouldn’t have. It just seemed so unlikely to me that he’d
feel that way.”

Momo gave him a look, but made no comment as she poured him some tea. Shinso nudged his
shoulder. “He’ll get over it, don’t worry.”

“I know, I just have to get through the awkward bits, now.”

After all, he and Uraraka were great friends now, the girl happily calling him by his nickname and
no longer blushing whenever he needed to heal her. Asui had even let slip that Uraraka had a new
crush, though the froggy girl wouldn’t say who. The thought made Izuku smile; if he and Uraraka
could move forward, so could he and Mirio.

The front door slammed open, the class of 1-A jumping in surprise as it did. Izuku readied his mist,
until he spotted Shoto and Katsuki sauntering in.

“Suck it, shitty extras!” Katsuki yelled out, holding his provisional license up for all to see. “We’re
finally caught up to you losers!”

Aizawa, who had taken them to and from the exam, shot the boy a look. “Take it down a notch,
Bakugo; remember, the rest of your class managed to pass the first time.”

Izuku rushed forward immediately, smiling brightly as Shoto caught him around the waist, lifting
him into the air and spinning him. The healer just giggled, accepting a kiss from the dual toned boy
with a smile.

Katsuki watched the scene with a look that could almost be described as fond before cutting in,
pulling Izuku close. “I told you I’d get my license,” he said smugly, brushing their noses together.

“I didn’t doubt you for a second,” the healer fired back, kissing him softly. There was a whoop
from behind them, and with flushed cheeks Izuku remembered their whole class was watching.

“Don’t mind us,” Ashido teased, a wicked grin on her face. “By all means, continue!”

“I’ll give you both detention if you do,” Aizawa said, eyes glowing. Katsuki begrudgingly released
the greenette, their teacher satisfied with the appropriate amount of distance between them. “I
suggest you all get some rest, the written portion of your final exams start tomorrow.”

The class groaned at the reminder, and Aizawa smirked.

They’ll be begging to do written work, once the practical exam begins.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tamaki watched as Mirio entered the 3-A dorms, the blond’s smile as bright and happy as ever. “I
take it things with Midoriya went well?”

The pointy eared boy had been concerned when Midoriya had asked to speak to Mirio alone. While
everyone else had caught on to the blond’s feelings for the healer, Midoriya himself had seemed
oblivious to them. Tamaki wasn’t sure what outcome he’d expected, or even hoped for, but he was
curious to find out.

“Not at all! I confessed to him, and ‘Zuku totally rejected me. Man, talk about a bummer!”

Tamaki blinked. Mirio was known for his overwhelming positivity, but he couldn’t imagine his
friend being so happy about getting his heart broken. “I don’t understand; if he rejected you, why
are you so happy?”

Mirio took the seat next to Tamaki on the couch, Nejire joining them as she entered the Common
Room. “Wait a minute, you told Midoriya about your crush?”

“Yep! He said he’s still dating Bakugo and Todoroki, and that he wants to still be friends, but that
he just wants us to be friends.”

“Again, why are you so happy? I would’ve thought you’d be crushed.” Tamaki certainly would’ve
felt crushed in that kind of situation and, in some ways, had been crushed before when his feelings
were unrequited.

It’s not like he even noticed how I felt, Tamaki thought sadly, sharing a look with Nejire, how either
of us felt about him. I guess he and Midoriya have that oblivious nature in common, at least.

“I’m happy because I have hope, silly!” Mirio’s smile became wistful, the blond glancing out the
window and at the stars in the sky. “Midoriya and I are going to be a duo once we’ve both
graduated, so we’ll have plenty of time to fall in love with each other in the future.”

Tamaki balked. “But- but that could take years, Mirio! You’re just going to wait around, hoping
that Midoriya one day returns your affections?”

The blond gave his friend a small smirk. “I wouldn’t say that: Izuku does like me, I can see it
whenever Sir teases him about us, or I say something flirty to him. His face gets flushed and his
cute little nose scrunches up, and he gets really flustered. I’m sure he likes Bakugo and Todoroki as
well, but I’m the one the Commission chose to protect him. I just can’t help but feel like we’re
meant to be, ya know? He’s my healer, and I’m his protector.”

Tamaki bit the inside of his cheek, his expression concerned. “Mirio…the Commission didn’t
choose you, they chose One For All. You just happen to be the one who inherited it.”

Mirio was supposed to keep his power a secret, but it was obvious to the other two members of the
Big Three what had transpired, given their friend’s increased power and the amount of time he
spent training with All Might. It worried Tamaki how much Mirio had come to rely on his new
power, favoring it over his original quirk.

He put in so much hard work to make Permeation a strong, combative quirk, he thought. To throw
all that effort away for a new power he can’t even control yet seems kind of disrespectful to
himself.

“Maybe, maybe not; All I know is, ‘Zuku and I are going to be tied at the hip once we’re both
pros,” Mirio continued, pointedly ignoring the looks his friends gave him. He stood, making his
way to the door to leave for the 3-B dorms. “I plan to be the best protector in the world for him,
and no villain is ever going to get their hands on him again.”

As he left, Nejire and Tamaki moved closer together, the girl comforting her boyfriend.

“I’m really sorry, Tama,” she whispered, running her fingers through his dark hair.

Tamaki shrugged. “I gave up on him liking me back awhile ago; now I’m just worried he’s going
to get himself or Midoriya hurt.”

Tamaki believed his friend when he’d said he would be the best protector in the world, but he
feared that protectiveness would only serve to make Midoriya miserable. The freckled boy wanted
so badly to prove himself a hero, not just a healer, and if Mirio tried to prevent him from doing
so…

He shook his head. He wouldn’t allow himself to get involved. The Big Three were the best of
friends, and Tamaki and Nejire a happy couple, but Mirio would never be part of the romantic
aspect of that dynamic. He’d tried to warn his friend off of having false hope, but Mirio had never
been one to take Tamaki’s warnings seriously.

Tamaki sighed. Mirio shined bright like the sun and, if he wasn’t careful, that brightness would
burn up everyone he cared about.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku smiled as he joined his classmates, marveling at the changes made to their winter costumes.
“Wow, you guys look great!”

Most had only added jackets, sleeves and capes to their outfits, in order to protect against the
elements, but two of his friends had very different designs.

Momo’s red leotard had been swapped for a full body suit. She'd added a cape, and her yellow belt
had been slimmed down to lighten the weight of her costume. Her suit was sleeveless, but the rest
of her was covered from her neck down to her boots. “I created this suit myself,” she told Izuku,
showing him as part of the legs absorbed back into her skin. “Now that I can reabsorb my
creations, I can keep myself covered up until I need to create something, then expose my skin only
when necessary.”

It was a smart idea, and Izuku applauded her for it before turning to Shinso. The purple haired
boy’s outfit was now more fitted, the white spiral on his chest replaced by grey swirls just barely
lighter than his black jumpsuit. They created an optical illusion as Shinso moved, and Izuku had to
look away as it made him just a bit queasy.

Shinso looked to the healer, appraising his new suit. “Yours looks good too; I’m guessing Mei or
Ashido designed it?”

“Actually, I came up with this one myself!” He said proudly, doing a small spin. It was similar to
his first design, the boy wearing a full body suit complete with boots, gloves and goggles, but he’d
made several modifications.

The suit was now form fitting, the material light and flexible enough that he could still perform his
acrobatics, but sturdy enough to keep him protected from attacks. He’d inverted the color palette of
his costume, the suit now white with green accents. There were dark green lines running down
either side of his suit, as well as the sleeves, boots, gloves and utility belt. The armor-like patches
from his first suit were now fashioned to look like bandaids, matching the greens of his other
accessories and placed on his knees and elbows. The kiss marks that were prevalent in the other
designs had been scaled back, with only a few clusters of pink kisses on his shoulders and back.

The healer fiddled with his goggles, the only thing he hadn’t changed from the original design,
while Hatsume made some last minute adjustments to his gloves. “And, there! These babies should
work perfectly!”

As part of her final exams, Hatsume had come to watch class 1-A’s practical. She’d take notes on
how well her support items worked during the exams, and work submit her report on them along
with the finished products for her grade. For Izuku, she’d streamlined his zip lines and
knuckledusters as part of his gloves, the items now a single functioning piece that reduced the
number of parts needed to be attached when getting into costume. She then darted away to fiddle
with the other items she’d made, the rest of the class used to the inventor’s manic energy as she
checked them over.

Soon, Aizawa was calling this class to attention, his face expressionless as always. “Your practical
exam will begin in twenty minutes. Keep quiet while we explain the rules to you.”

He motioned behind them, and class A turned to see class B, Vlad King, All Might and Midnight
joining them. There were a few Support students as well, and Izuku guessed they’d been brought
along for the same final project Hatsume was doing.
“We were originally going to test you individually,” Vlad spoke as he joined Aizawa, addressing
the two classes, “but decided instead to make the exam a bit more interesting.”

“You’ll be working in teams of four,” Aizawa explained, “and competing against a team from the
other class in a game of capture. The team who manages to capture all of the other team’s players
will win; but, winning does not guarantee you a passing grade.”

“The competition is merely a showcase,” Vlad continued. “What we really want to see are the
signature moves you’ve been working on all semester, and how well you incorporate them into
combat. Obviously we want you to do your best to work as a team and win your match, so the
teams that win will receive an additional ten percent added to their overall grade.”

“Ten percent?!” Kaminari blurted out, eyes wide. “That’s a whole letter grade!”

“Exactly; winning the competition could mean the difference between passing and failing, so keep
that in mind. Your teams have already been assigned, so listen carefully as we call your names.”

Izuku was only half listening as he was directed to his group, moving to join Kirishima, Uraraka
and Ashido as his mind began to whir.

It’s just like Mr. Aizawa said, he thought distantly, some of us are at a bigger disadvantage than
others. Most of class A and B didn’t get to do work studies, so they lack the practical combat
experience the work study students got; but, they did have more time to perfect their signature
moves, so they’ll be ahead of us there. I’m probably at the biggest disadvantage, since I haven’t
really gotten to work on my signature moves at all…

The greenette felt a stab of panic as he realized how little combat experience and how little quirk
training he’d had the last few months. He’d been one of the busiest of his classmates, but didn’t
have much time at all to focus on his hero training in between his healer work and passive hero
work.

His team would be the last match, going against Monoma and his team. The blond shot him a
smirk, and Izuku rolled his eyes.

“Alright, enough dilly dallying!” Vlad called out, his expression fierce. “Teams One and Two,
enter the training grounds!”

As the first two teams entered the grounds, the teachers and the rest of the teams gathered around
the viewing area, watching the monitors as Asui strategized with her team.

“Toshi looks a little nervous out there,” Momo said, moving to stand next to the healer. “He didn’t
do very well in last semester’s exam.”

Izuku nodded. “True, but he’s had plenty of experience since then, and he’s evolved his quirk quite
a bit the last few months.”

Izuku felt another stab of panic at the thought. His own quirk was woefully underdeveloped, which
likely meant he’d be a burden to his teammates.

I have to do my best, no matter what, he thought, watching as the first match began.

I have to prove that I can be a hero.

 Kiss of Steel P. II
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

The first round of the exams gave the other teams an idea of what to expect when it came time for
their own matches.

Izuku watched as 1-B’s Shishida easily captured Koda, the boy wearing earplugs to drown out
Shinso’s quirk. As Shinso, Asui and Kaminari scrambled to find a different strategy, Izuku turned
to his own teammates. “We should figure out our own strategy, one that will let us showcase our
quirks but still end the match quickly.”

Their team was fairly well rounded: Kirishima would be their muscle, providing strong offense and
defense. Ashido could also run offense, as well as having speed on her side. Uraraka’s close
combat style would pair well with Kirishima’s, and her Zero Gravity quirk could easily change the
terrain of their battlefield. Izuku would be able to scout their enemies, sensing their location as well
as using his mist to provide cover and slow the other team down.

“Monoma told me a bit about his quirk,” the greenette informed his team. “He can store three or
four quirks he’s copied in his body for about a day or so, and then only has about five minutes of
usable time after he’s activated one of them. It’s been awhile since he told me that, so it’s likely his
powers have grown.”

He turned to glance at Monoma, who was giving another one of his grandiose speeches to Shoto’s
team. “He also has a limited understanding of the quirks he copies; unless he knows a lot about it,
he can’t use a quirk as efficiently as the person he copies it from.”

Kirishima nodded. “Alright, so that’s Monoma; what about the others?”

“I don’t know about the other two, but Yanagi told me at the training camp that she can use her
possession quirk to move objects with her mind,” Ashido told them.

“We don’t know what Shoda or Kodai can do,” Izuku muttered, “so we’ll have to be ready for
anything. Ashido, we’ll have you deal with Yanagi; you have the best mobility, and your ranged
attacks can counter hers. Monoma will likely have a wide range of quirks on hand for good
coverage, so Kirishima should deal with him, and Uraraka and I can handle the other two. I’ll use
my mist to weaken them all as best I can, and then we’ll strike.”

The others nodded. “Got it!”

They turned back to the monitors in time to see Shinso use his signature move, the vibrations of his
enhanced humming knocking the earplugs loose from his opponents and hypnotizing them. Asui
and Kaminari had been able to show off their moves as well, but Koda’s early capture had
prevented him from doing so.

“At least the extra points will balance out the ones he lost,” Uraraka muttered, watching as Aizawa
scribbled some notes onto a clipboard.

As the two groups returned, Izuku checked them for injuries, satisfied to only sense a few minor
cuts and bruises.

“You did great, Toshi!” Izuku praised, the two moving over to Hatsume as Momo and her team left
for the training grounds.

Hatsume nodded. “That voice changing baby I designed for you seems to be working perfectly!
You’ll be unstoppable when you become a pro, Tosh!”

Shinso smiled at his friends, a soft look on his face. “Thanks guys… I- I wouldn’t be here without
your help.”

The two smiled. “We know!”

Next to Hatsume, Uraraka gave the purple haired boy a shy smile. “You were amazing out there,
Shinso.”

Shinso blinked, before a light flush flooded his cheeks. “Uhm, thanks…”

Hatsume watched the two with a sharp grin, Ashido wearing a matching expression.

The next group from 1-A didn’t fare as well as the first, Kendo’s team beating Momo’s after a
difficult game of strategy. Izuku could only watch in awe as Kendo outwitted Momo, a feat the
greenette had thought near impossible.

“Momo’s the smartest person in our class,” he breathed, eyes wide. “If they were able to outsmart
her, then class B has been working even harder than I thought.”

It’s likely my own plan won’t be enough, he thought, glancing to his teammates. I can’t let them
down, so I’ll give it my all in our match to makeup for my shortcomings.

“At least they all got to show off their signature moves,” Ashido commented, thinking to
Tokoyami’s newly learned flight ability. “Even though they lost, they’re sure to pass the exam!”

“Aoyama’s using his quirk through his hands with much more precision than I would’ve
anticipated,” Hatsume added, making a few notes. “I added a few heat resistant plates to his gloves
to help him aim his blasts with better accuracy.”

As the two groups returned, the greenette’s eyes zeroed in on Tokoyami. The boy was still
coughing and, activating his quirk, Izuku sensed toxic mushroom spores in the other boy’s
airways. He rushed over to him, a frown on his face. “Tokoyami!”

“He’ll be fine,” Komodo insisted, peeking out from under her bangs. “The effects will wear off
soon, and I didn’t give him enough of my shrooms to kill him.”

Izuku ignored her, planting a quick kiss to the feathered boy’s beak. At once the spores began to
shrink, disappearing as Izuku’s quirk cleared Tokoyami’s throat and lungs. The others stared.

“It must be nice, having someone who can heal your class whenever you need it,” Kendo blurted
out, before she realized what she’d said. She backtracked quickly, noticing the pointed looks she
was getting from class A’s team. “I- I just mean that the rest of us have to go see Recovery Girl
now that Midoriya’s not at the infirmary as much and-“
“I know what you meant,” Izuku cut in, trying to keep the bitterness from his voice. Kendo wasn’t
aware of his issues with the Commission, and likely hadn't meant anything by her comment, but it
stung none the less.

As he moved back to his group, he was intercepted by Shoto, the taller boy smiling.

“Kiss for good luck?” He asked, tapping his cheek. Next to him, Katsuki was rolling his eyes.

Izuku let out a giggle, standing on tip toes and swiftly kissing his cheek. Katsuki scoffed. “Real
heroes don’t need luck, IcyHot.”

“But they do need kisses,” he said sagely, leaving to join his group as the mushrooms were cleared
from the field. Izuku watched him go with a smile on his face, silently cheering the boy on.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The third match ended in a draw, every member from both teams either unconscious or captured.
Izuku had entered the grounds once the match had been called, doling out quick healing kisses to
each of the students.

Once they’d returned to the viewing area, the greenette admonished them. “It’s one thing to give it
your all when fighting, but all that excessive force didn’t even do you any favors! Neither team
managed to win the extra points, so all you did was needlessly hurt each other!”

Most of the students looked thoroughly chastised, though Kaibara let out a snort. “Is he always this
bossy?”

Shinso called out a ‘yes!’ from a few feet away, and Izuku pouted.

“I’m not bossy,” he mumbled.

Katsuki found him moments later, a scowl on his face. “You should be saving your strength for
your own match, Deku.”

“They were all badly hurt, Kaachan; Recovery Girl’s power would’ve left them in rough shape still,
at least for a little while.”

He snorted. “Serves ‘em right, then. It’s not your job to take care of everybody.”

Izuku cast his eyes downward, a bitter smile on his face. “Actually, it kind of is.”

The hot head sobered, his expression softening. “Hey,” he muttered, pulling the other boy close, “I
told you we’d find a way to fight those Commission idiots together, and I meant it. They’re not
going to fuck up your life, I promise.”

The healer returned the embrace, squeezing him tightly. “I know; I trust you, Kaachan.”

Katsuki’s group was up next, Izuku giving him a good luck kiss as well. “Go kick some ass,” he
chirped, smiling at the blond.

Katsuke grinned. “I always do, Princess.”

The match was over in less than five minutes, Katsuki, Jiro, Sato and Sero working together
perfectly to take down their opponents. Izuku and the rest of class A cheered as their friends
returned, before the greenette sobered.
My group is up next, he thought, taking a deep breath and moving over to his team.

"Before we head out there, I wanted to run a backup plan by you guys, in case our first plan fails."

Ashido motioned for him to continue, and he walked them through his idea. Once they were in
agreement, he followed his teammates onto the training grounds, a worried look on his face.

I just hope our plan works…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Things had gone smoothly for Izuku’s team, at first. The healer had unleashed some of his mist,
using his senses to guide it to the other team. Once he’d found them the rest sprang into action,
Uraraka floating a few objects while Ashido and Kirishima ran towards their targets.

Izuku and Uraraka had just caught up to Kirishima when the greenette noticed him acting
strangely. “Kiri-“

The redhead whirled around, giving Izuku just enough time to notice his eyes were clouded over
before he attacked, throwing a hardened punch the healer’s way. Izuku dodged it, rolling to the
side before calling out to Uraraka. “He’s been hypnotized! Monoma must’ve copied Shinso’s quirk
before the exam, so don’t respond to anything he says to you! Find Ashido, make sure she hasn’t
been hypnotized too!”

“On it!”

Izuku turned back to Kirishima, who continued his assault. The greenette had gotten better at
fighting hand to hand, but the redhead’s quirk gave him a defense that Izuku couldn’t possibly hope
to break through.

My attacks aren’t doing enough damage to his hardened skin to snap him out of it, he assessed,
wincing as one of Kirishima’s blows landed. I could use my mist, but that might not cancel out the
effects of the hypnosis, and a kiss would just knock him unconscious, which would benefit the other
team. I have to think…

He decided to stand perfectly still, his body tense as he waited for the other boy to strike.
Kirishima lunged, knocking the air from Izuku’s lungs as the two collided with the ground. The
healer had managed to spin them so that Kirishima was underneath him, the impact of hitting the
concrete snapping him out of Monoma’s control. “Huh, what happened?”

“Monoma hypnotized you,” Izuku told him, gettting up and helping his teammate to his feet.
Kirishima’s eyes zeroed in on the healer’s bruised cheek and split lip, a look of horror crossing his
face.

“Did- did I do that?” Izuku shrugged, and Kirishima began apologizing profusely, looking
panicked. “Oh god, Midobabe, I’m so sorry! I would never- I mean I couldn’t- that’s so unmanly, I
hit you!”

“Calm down,” Izuku said, activating his quirk and healing his wounds. “It wasn’t your fault, just
be on your guard. Monoma doesn’t have the same control Shinso does with his quirk, so he can
only hypnotize you if you respond to something he says.”

“Like at the Sports Festival,” Kirishima muttered, the redhead still visibly shaken.

“Exactly; just don’t let him get a rise out of you.”

The two moved together to find Ashido and Uraraka fighting Kodai and Yanagi, large objects
flying around them and slamming into them. Kirishima rushed in to help them when Shoda
appeared, using his quirk to launch a few barrels at the redhead.

“Look at that, so pathetic!” Came Monoma’s taunting voice, and Izuku turned to the direction the
sound came from, releasing his mist.

It blew right back.

Monoma appeared, his arms rotating at a high speed and fanning the mist away.

So he copied Kaibara’s quirk too, in order to defend against my mist, Izuku thought, readying his
stance. Smart move, he could likely counter Ashido’s acid with it as well. So that’s two quirks we
know, but what about the other two?

Kirishima looked over to him. “Midoriya, I’ll get-“ He was cut off by Yanagi pelting him with
more objects, Kodai increasing their size before they hit him. Uraraka was trying to fight Yanagi in
close combat with little success, and Ashido was preoccupied with Shoda.

"Catch me if you can, Sweetheart," Monoma taunted,"unless you planned on letting big, dumb
Kirishima do all the heavy lifting for you!"

The blond ran and Izuku gave chase, using his zip lines to grapple to Monoma and releasing,
landing a roundhouse kick to the blond before flipping away. Monoma recoiled, but recovered
quickly. “Your quirk might be good for healing, but your physical attacks are still pretty weak. I
guess you didn’t learn anything at Sir Nighteye’s agency at all!”

He’s baiting me, but it won’t work. Izuku shot forward again, throwing a few punches and kicks
the blond’s way. He noticed a rough texture on Monoma’s skin, realizing he’d copied Kirishima’s
quirk after hypnotizing him.

That's three, but he might have one more hidden away. If I can stall him out, he won't have any
quirks left to use, and then I can take him down...

“You’re trying to figure out all the quirks I’ve copied,” he gloated, slamming a hardened fist into
the greenette’s stomach. “I bet you're also planning on waiting out my time limit before attacking
full force. That’s pretty clever, but I should’ve expected that; after all, you have to be clever when
you’re virtually powerless.”

Izuku grit his teeth, but kept quiet. He knew better.

“Face it, your only use to your class and to the pros is as a glorified nurse,” Monoma taunted,
gyrating his arms as Izuku tried to blow out more mist. “You might as well go back to the
infirmary, because you’ll never be a real hero!”

Izuku flinched, and Monoma seized his chance, punching the other boy with enough force to send
him flying. As Izuku hit the ground, he thought back to Kendo’s comment earlier, to Mirio’s
overprotectiveness, to the villains who used him and to the Commission who belittled him. No one
believed he could be a hero; they only wanted a healer.

He snapped.
 Kiss of Steel P. III
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Momo stood with Shinso and Hatsume, watching as the final match began.

“Izu’s team is well rounded, but Kirishima is their only strong defense,” She muttered, eyes glued
to the screen.

Shinso nodded. “Monoma’s team has mostly long range abilities, so they’ll have to be mindful of
how much distance is between them and their opponents. If Kirishima can get in close, he can deal
with most of them pretty easily. Ashido and Izuku can use their quirks safely from a distance as
well, and Uraraka can do a bit of everything.”

Momo’s eyes widened as she watched Kirishima tense, before turning to attack his teammates.
“He’s attacking them…why?”

Hatsume frowned. “You said Monoma can copy quirks, right? Any chance he got his hands on
yours, Toshi?”

Shinso grimaced. “Crap; he bumped into me earlier, but I didn’t think anything of it.”

The inventor flicked her eyes to him, before returning to the screen. “Either way, Izu’s team know
he’s copied it now, and he doesn’t have the voice modifying baby I made for you, so he won’t be
able to trick them as easily.”

They watched as class A’s team managed to recover, regrouping and facing their opponents head
on. Kirishima seemed to be struggling as he fought, as though his focus was splintered.

“Could it be that he’s still shaking off the effects of the hypnosis?”

Shinso shook his head. “Unlikely; once someone has broken free of my control, there’s no residual
connection to deal with. Whatever’s bothering Kirishima isn’t from Monoma using my quirk.”

The group continued to watch the match, Momo frowning as Izuku took multiple hits from
Monoma and his copied quirks. Katsuki and Shoto joined them just in time to see Monoma send
Izuku flying, the two boys glaring at the screen.

“Get up, Deku,” Katsuki growled. “You can do this.”

Izuku stood, and the look on his face gave Momo pause. “He looks really upset.”

“Not upset, pissed.” Katsuki corrected. “As long as I’ve known him, Deku never gets good and
pissed; he’s always either sad or frustrated or anxious.”

“What does that mean for the battle?” Shoto wondered aloud. “Can Izuku even use his quirk when
he’s worked up like this?”

In a flash each of the cameras was obscured, and Momo noted that the shimmering pink they saw
was likely Izuku’s mist. Several gasps drew the group’s attention away from the monitors, they too
now gaping as they took in the sight before them.

There was an enormous column of mist billowing up from the area the two groups were fighting
in, the swirling pink cloud expanding and blocking out the sun.

“Amazing!” Hatsume exclaimed, pulling out her phone to record the spectacle. “Izu’s mist is much
thicker than usual, and he’s producing so much of it! I wonder what he’s doing with it…”

The other students began to panic as the thick shimmering fog blanketed over the viewing area,
pushing further and further out from the training grounds and darkening the sky above. Momo
noted that, while her view was partially obscured, she didn’t feel any of the usual effects that came
with the healer’s quirk.

“Oh crap!” Kaminari cried out, electricity crackling around him. “What’s happening? What do we
do?!”

“Just stay put,” Aizawa growled, his eyes glowing as he gave the students a firm look. “This match
isn’t over yet.”

“Aizawa, we should put a stop to this, right?” Came All Might’s worried voice. “Young
Midoriya’s clearly lost control.”

“No, he hasn’t!” Momo told them. “Look, the mist is covering us, but it’s not affecting anyone.
Either Izuku’s only using it as a smokescreen, or he’s individually targeting opponents to affect.”

“Can he even do that?” Jirou wondered aloud, earning a harsh look from Katsuki.

“Eraser Head’s right,” he growled. “Unless you losers start dropping like flies, the match should
continue.”

Vlad and All Might looked concerned, as well as some of the other students, but Aizawa held firm.

Momo frowned. This is just like it was at the training camp; Izu’s covering the entire training
grounds with mist so that his enemies can’t escape it. We’re caught in the middle of it, so we don’t
actually know how much of an area he’s covering; if he really has lost control, it could end up
encroaching onto the rest of the campus!

“Izu,” She muttered to herself, her mind racing, “what are you doing?’

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Neito had been told his entire life that he took things too far.

Born without a flashy quirk, the blond had to do all he could to stand out, to get others to notice
him, to get into the hero course. It hadn’t been easy, but his loud personality and quick thinking
allowed him to shine.

For his match, he knew he’d have to rely on his brains once again, and had formulated a near effect
strategy to win.

“It’s simple,” he’d told his teammates, “I’ll use Shinso’s quirk to hypnotize Kirishima, then I’ll
copy his quirk and send him off to fight Midoriya.”

While Kirishima did pose a significant threat to their team, given they had no strong physical
attackers, Midoriya was the biggest concern. He’d be able to locate them anywhere on the field,
and they couldn’t trick his senses like Tokage could trick Jirou’s. They’d be unable to ambush their
opponents, which meant fighting head on. Midoriya’s mist could weaken them, obscure their
vision, and allow for his team to get in close enough to strike.

“Kirishima’s hardening should make it hard for Midoriya to fight back without knocking out his
teammate,” Neito strategized. “And even if he can break Kirishima free from the hypnosis, the
damage will have been done.”

Neito knew the redhead had a crush on the healer and, like Tetsutetsu, had a strict moral code.
He’d be devastated to know he’d hurt someone he cared so much about, and that would leave him
off balance and vulnerable for the rest of the match.

Once their strength was compromised, Neito would target Midoriya, using the quirks he’d
borrowed to overwhelm the greenette. He’d have Kirishima’s hardening for defense, Kaibara’s
gyration to blow away mist attacks, and Shinso’s hypnosis to incapacitate him. He’d leave his last
quirk slot open to copy Midoriya’s, and then use it to take out the rest of the greenette’s team.

Neito had studied a fair bit of anatomy and first aid, so that he could wield the healer’s quirk
without hurting anyone like he had during the licensing exam. He’d also have to hit Midoriya’s
weak points, throwing his insecurities as a healing hero back in his face. He’d seen the way the
freckled boy reacted when Kendo had put her foot in her mouth, had heard the way news anchors
proclaimed UA’s Sweetheart too delicate for hero work, so he knew it was a sore spot he could
perhaps exploit to hypnotize Midoriya quickly.

It wasn’t the kindest way to win, but he’d apologize later; he couldn’t let his team down, and if that
meant resorting to petty words and actions then so be it. Neito’s plan was working perfectly, the
blond shaking Kirishima’s resolve and isolating Midoriya from the others. He’d managed to copy
Midoriya’s quirk and send the boy flying, and was off to sedate his other opponents when it
happened.

Neito had no idea Midoriya could create something so large and imposing with his mist, the
gargantuan cloud in the sky causing sweat to form on the back of the blond’s neck. The greenette’s
teammates only spared a few moments gaping at the sight before turning back to their opponents.
Neito was using Kaibara’s quirk to blow away the mist that was slowly encroaching on them, but it
wouldn’t be enough to keep it at bay for long.

Crap, he thought, turning to where Ashido had resumed her fight with Yanagi. I have to act fast,
and take down as many of the other team as I can. Hopefully the others can get them into the cell if
I go down.

He rushed forward, determined to catch the pink skinned girl and knock her out with a kiss when
the mist slammed into the ground, spreading the shimmering fog throughout the entire training
area.

Neito began coughing as the air around him seemed to thin, trying desperately to call on Kaibara’s
quirk. Nothing happened.

My timer says I still have two minutes left to use gyration, which means the mist must be
suppressing my quirk…
Neito felt his limbs grow heavy, and a spike of fear jolted up his spine. He scrambled through the
dense fog, trying to find his teammates. He could hear screams and shouts all around him and he
panicked, running as fast as he could away from the noises he was hearing. He’d only managed a
few short feet before his leg muscles seized, and his whole body was paralyzed on the spot.

Soon after Midoriya appeared, his figure dark and frightening as he cut through the mist. His body
looked distorted, and distantly Neito wondered if the mist was making him see things, or if the
healer had found a way to change his own body using his quirk.

Uraraka, Ashido and Kirishima appeared behind him, looking as twisted and horrifying as the
greenette did. Neito wanted to scream, but he couldn’t find his voice as his vision continued to
blur.

Midoriya moved to stand in front of him, eyes hard as he kissed his knuckles.

“Signature Move: Pucker Up Punch!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku couldn’t help the rush of satisfaction he felt as his knuckledusters connected with Monoma’s
face, his quirk powered punch knocking the blond to the ground. He deactivated his quirk, the air
clearing and the sky brightening as his mist dissipated.

He pulled out a capture bandaid, securing Monoma before Kirishima came forward to pick him up.
Behind him, Uraraka had used her quirk to levitate their other opponents, they too bound and
unconscious.

“That was crazy, Izu!” Ashido chirped, the group taking the other team to the holding cell to
complete the match. “I didn’t know you could make that much mist at once!”

“I didn’t mean to,” he said sheepishly, a light flush on his cheeks. “I got mad and lost control a
little bit; I’m sorry, guys. I know I said I’d try my mist if we were in trouble, but I didn’t think I’d
make that much.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Uraraka told him, releasing their captives once they were in the holding cell,
“everything worked out perfectly, even if you went a little nuts with your quirk.”

The greenette nodded. Truthfully, he’d been livid when he unleashed his quirk, the stress of the
past few weeks building up in him and Monoma’s taunts the catalyst to his anger.

I could barely even think while I was fighting, all I cared about was beating them, he realized, a
stab of guilt hitting him. Monoma might have deserved such a strong attack, but the others didn’t…

The alarm sounded, signaling the end of the match and making Izuku’s team the winners.

He woke the opposing team with a few quick kisses, removing the capture bandaids from them and
helping them to their feet. They wouldn’t meet his eyes, and Izuku felt that stab of guilt once again.

“Uhm, I’m really sorry guys,” he apologized, glancing between them. “I hope I didn’t hurt you too
badly.”

“That was so spooky,” Yanagi murmured. “I couldn’t move at all, like my body was frozen.”

“I couldn’t see anything,” Shoda said. “My vision was completely gone before you knocked me
out.”
“I was so scared… I’ve never been that scared in my life…” Monoma whispered.

Izuku winced, looking away from them.

As they returned to the viewing area, Izuku noted that Vlad and most of the other students were
gone, leaving Aizawa, Midnight, All Might, Shoto, Katsuki and Hatsume waiting for them.
“Where is everyone?”

“We had the other students leave the area, for their own safety,” Midnight told the healer, eyeing
him with intrigue.

“Young Midoriya,” All Might said, stepping forward. “Your mist made it all the way over to us, it
blocked out the sun!”

Izuku blinked. “It- it did?”

Hatsume nodded, pulling out her phone and showing him the footage.

Aizawa moved over to him, his expression stern. “Explain.”

“U-um, well…” Izuku took a deep breath. “My team and I had a backup plan, in case our first plan
didn’t work: I would release as much of my mist as I could and incapacitate everyone, then awaken
my teammates so we could apprehend the other team. It was kind of a last resort, but when
Monoma and I were fighting he started taunting me. I got mad and…” He trailed off, looking
upset.

Hatsume looked to him. "You said the idea was to incapacitated everyone, but your mist didn’t do
anything to those of us in the viewing area.”

“We weren’t affected either,” Uraraka added. “I thought we would be, since it was doing all that
weird stuff to the other team, but I felt completely fine.”

Aizawa cocked a brow. “Weird stuff?”

Izuku nodded, “Blindness, paralysis, hallucinations, increased levels of adrenaline… I did

something similar in my fight with Muscular, back at the training camp. Back then, I was worried
about protecting Kota so I gave it my all and used more force than I normally would. I’ve never
been able to focus the effects of my mist on specific individuals before, though…”

Aizawa hummed. “Then, perhaps your quirk has evolved, somewhat.”

Uraraka looked to the teacher. “Evolved?”

He nodded. “Most hero students’ quirks evolve the more they use them, and the more life
threatening situations they find themselves in. Take Shinso: His quirk has evolved to the point that
just hearing his voice can trigger the hypnosis, whereas before you’d have to respond to him
verbally.”

“You really whipped the other team into submission!” Midnight praised, brandishing her whip. “It
was an invigorating display, and I’m so proud of you!”

Izuku gave her a smile, a big yawn escaping from him as he wobbled slightly.

“Are you okay?” Kririshima asked, stepping away as Katsuki and Shoto moved to stand on either
side of the healer.
Izuku nodded, his eyes drooping shut. “M’fine, just tired.”

“You’re exhausted,” Katsuki grumbled, glaring. “You pushed yourself too hard.”

Izuku sighed. “I did, but in way I think I needed it. I’m tired, but I feel a little bit better.”

He blinked slowly, looking up at the teachers. “I’m sorry for all the trouble I caused.”

Aizawa grunted, trying to ignore the sleepy look on his student’s face. Next to him, Midnight was
cooing at the sight. “It’s fine, Midoriya; you’re not the first student to lose control of your quirk,
and no one was injured. Go rest, and tomorrow we’ll talk more about what happened.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Class A and B were joined together in the 1-A dorms for a party, Ashido squealing in delight.

“We don’t have nearly enough parties here!” She exclaimed, Uraraka giving her a dry look.

“We have parties here all the time.”

“Yeah, but not enough! Come on, Ochaco! Being a hero student is hard, we should celebrate
everything, even the little stuff, so it makes all the bad stuff worth it.”

Izuku smiled at the pink skinned girl. “She’s right; Even when things are tough, we have to find a
way to keep smiling, like All Might does. We all gave it our best effort today, and that’s something
to celebrate.”

The girls departed to mingle, and Hatsume made a beeline for her girlfriend, who was making an
obscene amount of tea. Any attempts made by the others to question the healer about the match
were met with twin glares from Shoto and Katsuki.

They maneuvered Izuku onto the couch, instructing him to stay put while they fetched him some
food.

The greenette shivered, and Kirishima was quick to grab him a blanket. “Mido… I- I’m so sorry
about hitting you. I know I was hypnotized, but that still doesn’t make it okay!”

Izuku blinked. “Oh, Kiri… look, I appreciate the sentiment, I really do; but I’m a hero student, and
hero students get hit in the face every now and then. I know you’d never seriously hurt me, and I
don’t hold anything you did while hypnotized against you. Besides, I’m the only healer in the hero
course; if anyone around here can handle a beating, it’s me.”

Kirishima gave him a thin smile, looking a bit better. “Thanks, Midobabe.”

“Any time, Kiri.”

Monoma came to sit by him as the redhead left, the blond uncharacteristically quiet. After a
lengthy awkward silence, he spoke.

“I owe you an apology: In order to try and hypnotize you, I said a lot of hurtful things that I
thought would get you to respond, and I’m sorry for that. I know better than most how it feels to be
underestimated for not having a conventionally strong quirk, so I know how badly those words can
hurt.”

Izuku looked to him. “You know, you're kind of a jerk Monona; but, I forgive you.”
The awkward silence returned.

“I didn’t mean any of it, by the way,” Monoma continued. “I’ve seen the things your quirk can do,
and now I’ve felt them, too.”

“I’m sorr-“

“Don’t apologize; we knew the risks when we planned to provoke you, although no one could’ve
predicted the big pink twister you created. It was a good match, and I’m looking forward to the
next, but don’t think for one moment that class A will manage to outshine the superior class B
again!”

Izuku just giggled at the other boy's theatrics, and the tension left Monoma’s shoulders. “If you’ll
excuse me, I have to apologize to Kirishima next. What I did to him was just as bad…”

The other boy left as Katsuki and Shoto returned, the two eyeing the blond warily.

“What did he want?” Shoto muttered, handing Izuku a bowl of stew.

“He was apologizing for the things he said during our match.” Before either boy could ask, Izuku
shook his head. “It’s not worth repeating, but it did give me some perspective.”

At Katsuki’s questioning look, he continued. “I’m tired of listening to other people tell me how my
quirk should be used, and who I should use it on. I want to be my own hero someday; a healing
hero, but a hero none the less. I’ve got a plan, and I want to run it by you guys later. Shochan, I
have some things I need to tell you…”

“We do too,” the dual toned boy said, locking eyes with Katsuki. “But as you said, later; right now,
we should celebrate with our friends. We’ve all got our licenses, we all likely passed our finals,
and we’re all together.”

Izuku smiled. He liked the sound of that.

 Soul Kiss
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Shoto wasn’t one to show a lot of emotion. Having lost one parent to an obsession with All Might
and the other to a mental breakdown, as well as having no real connections with his siblings or
anyone outside the home, the boy hadn’t the proper tools to express his feelings for most of his
life. Thanks to friends like Momo, and Iida, as well as everything Izuku had done for him, Shoto
had slowly become more animated and expressive.

As the greenette told him everything that had transpired with All Might, the League, the
Commission and Mirio, Shoto could feel the frown on his face deepening with every word spoken.
He could feel his anger simmering low in his gut and instinctually repressed the feeling,
remembering his father’s words.

“Stop pretending that you’re weak; stop crying, stand up and face me.”

He shook his head. He wasn’t weak, and he wouldn’t let Endeavor control his emotions any
longer. He’d keep his composure for Izuku’s sake, despite the things he was being told.

One For All. All Might. The Symbol of Peace. A few months ago, the notion of somebody passing
their quirk onto another would have been laughable; but that was before Kamino, before All For
One became known to the public. Shoto’s father had been training him his whole life to one day
surpass All Might, to become the new number one. All Might had officially retired, but he’d also
chosen someone to take his place, which meant Mirio had all but been guaranteed the spot
Endeavor had obsessed over for so long.

He could feel that simmering in his gut growing stronger, his body tensing. Izuku looked
uncomfortable as he paused, chewing on his lip before divulging what Mirio had confessed the
night of the makeup exam. Katsuki, having heard most of the information being shared already,
was only half listening up to that point; as Izuku confirmed what he and Shoto had known all
along, the blond’s face grew stormy.

“That bastard!” He snapped, teeth bared. “He’s fucking done it now, I’m kicking his ass first thing
tomorrow, just watch!”

It was almost comical to watch the hot head get so riled up, Shoto noted. Where he simmered,
Katsuki boiled.

“You can’t,” Izuku reminded him. “Mirio has very little control over One For All; if you fought
him and he lost control, he could seriously hurt you. Bodily injury aside, the Commission has
every intention of making him the next number one hero. They’d gladly revoke your provisional
license if they thought you in the way.”

“So we’re just supposed to watch Togata and the Commission take advantage of you?” Shoto
hissed.

The healer shook his head. “I have a plan to deal with the Commission, at least temporarily, while
we figure out a permanent solution. I’ll talk it over with principal Nezu, in case he has any ideas as
well.”

The dual toned boy quirked a brow. “That only solves half the problem.”

“I rejected Mirio outright, I told him I’m dating you and Kaachan and that I only see him as a
friend. He’ll get over it, I know he will.”

Shoto shared a look with Katsuki. Commission or no, if the upperclassman tried anything with their
boyfriend, they’d make him pay. Shoto flushed slightly as Katsuki gave him a small smirk, before
turning back to Izuku. “We have something we need to tell you as well, Bunny…”

As Katsuki explained what had transpired between them before the makeup exam, Shoto glanced
at Izuku nervously. While he knew the freckled boy to be intelligent and understanding, he wasn’t
sure if he’d receive the news well.

Does kissing Katsuki count as cheating? He wondered dimly. Technically, Izuku and I were on a
break when it happened, and so were he and Katsuki. Will he be hurt by what we did? Will he be
jealous?

A few fingers snapped in front of his face, Shoto coming out of his reverie. Katsuki was giving him
an annoyed frown and Izuku was giggling. “Damnit Icy Hot, pay attention! Quit day dreaming!”

“I’m sorry, did I miss something? Are you angry with us, Izuku?”

The greenette shook his head, an embarrassed smile on his face. “N-no, I'm not angry. Actually, I
was kind of hoping something like this might happen. I never would have been able to choose
between the two of you, and now I don’t have to! I’m- I'm happy, Shochan.”

Katsuki gave him a sharp grin. “Not so fast, Deku; you still have to choose which of us is the better
boyfriend. It’s obviously me.”

Shoto bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling, shooting the blond a competitive look.
“Bunny is clearly the number one boyfriend. I’m a close second, and you’re obviously third.”

“HAH! In your dreams, Icy Hot! It’s me, then Deku, then you.”

“Actually, I’d say you’re both tied for last place,” Izuku teased, his cheeks flushed and his smile
mischievous.

Katsuki continued his rant, but the other two could tell it was half hearted at best. Shoto couldn’t
help but smile at the two, pleased to feel that simmering in his gut cease as did.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku rushed through the halls to the conference room, clinging to the stack of papers in his arms.

Two days after the final exams, the healer had gone to Nezu with an idea to address what the
Commission expected of him. The principal, always one to advocate for his students and anarchism
in any capacity, had listened intently to what the greenette was proposing, before making the
necessary arrangements to hold a meeting with the Commission.
When he arrived at the conference room, Izuku noted that Nezu was already in attendance,
alongside Commission representative Mera.

“Have you been assigned to me or something?” He asked, taking a seat next to his principal and
opposite the man.

“In a sense; there are a few others alongside myself who handle most matters regarding hero
students, though we usually share the responsibilities of the different schools that offer the hero
program. A few months ago I was assigned to see to UA personally, I’m sure you can guess why.”

“We’re grateful to you for agreeing to see us,” Nezu chirped, Izuku remembering his manners and
thanking the man as well.

Mera shrugged. “I had some business here regardless, but I’ll let you go first since you were so
insistent upon meeting with me.”

Izuku nodded, sliding the papers he’d brought in with him over to the man. “I’ve decided to
cooperate with the Commission in regards to working with Mirio; but, in order for me to do that, I
have some requirements.”

Mera stared at the documents, before gazing back at the freckled boy. “And just what makes you
think you’re in any position to be making demands?”

“Midoriya is one of five registered healers in the country,” Nezu said pleasantly, though the glint in
his eyes betrayed his tone, “one of which being Recovery Girl, who may retire in these coming
years. None of the other healers you have at your disposal have anywhere near the power and skill
necessary to uphold the next Symbol of Peace, and it’s unlikely you’ll find another one ever again.
Keeping Midoriya satisfied enough to cooperate is your only option, it seems.”

“It’s like you said at the hospital,” Izuku added, “the Commission has a ‘vested interest’ in keeping
Mirio healthy. I’m the best insurance you have for that, and I’ll gladly do my part, so long as my
requirements are met.”

Mera stared at him a moment longer, before huffing out a laugh. “Alright kid, I’ll bite; what are
these ‘requirements’ of yours?”

“For starters, the Commission has to let Mr. Aizawa adopt Eri, with no strings attached. I also want
assurances made that you won’t attempt to do to her what you’re doing to me.”

“Oh? And what is it that we’re doing to you, exactly?”

“It’s obvious Eri’s quirk is valuable,” Izuku continued, ignoring the man’s question, “which is why
Chisaki went to all the trouble of keeping her imprisoned in his compound. Eri may not even want
to become a hero, and I want to make sure she gets to make her own choices going forward.”

Mera said nothing, so Izuku moved on. “My second request is that a reform program be created for
low ranking villains; not every criminal is beyond salvation, and we should be doing what we can
to help those who deserve a second chance.”

“I see… I’m assuming you have someone in mind?”

Izuku nodded. “The villains from the School Festival, Gentle Criminal and La Brava. The crimes
they’ve committed in the past are pretty tame for most villains, and I think they actually feel bad
for almost ruining the festival. But aside from all that, they have incredible potential: together, they
managed to hack one of the best defense systems in the country, and had they not made the
spectacle that they did it’s likely they would’ve gotten away with it. Those are skills that could be
useful to us, if they agree to help.”

“So you wish to turn villains into heroes.”

“Not heroes, at least not pros… I was thinking they could operate a lot like the underground agents
of the Commission do, in the morally grey areas that the pro heroes can’t.”

Mera was quiet for several moments, staring down Izuku with intensity. Finally, he spoke. “So,
that’s it? You have no other demands?”

“Requirements, and no.”

“You ask two things of the Commission in exchange for your cooperation, neither of which directly
benefit yourself. You’re not going to ask that we give you more autonomy? To let you be the hero
you want to be?”

Izuku blinked. “I- I didn’t think you’d agree to that.”

“You’re right, we wouldn’t have, but I’m still surprised you didn’t try.”

Mera scanned the rest of the documents, nodding to himself. “Eri’s adoption is a simple request,
and one I can easily process myself. Rest assured, we won’t bother her nor Eraser Head. Your
second ‘requirement’ will take some time, but I believe it’s doable. I’ll have your contract drawn
up once we’ve come to a decision regarding these terms.”

Mera chuckled at the look on the healer’s face. “Don’t lose your poker face now, kid; it’s true you
have us in a corner, so to speak. We need a healer and you’re the best around, so it would be wise
to keep you happy.” Not one for optimism, Mera tended to look at things frankly and logically, a
fitting mindset for a bureaucrat. He didn’t necessarily agree with the Commission’s decision to
force Midoriya into this position, but it had to be done. He couldn’t get the boy out of it, but he’d
do what he could to help make things easier for him.

He’d wanted to tell the greenette just that as he was dismissed from the meeting, but instead Mera
settled for a thinly veiled threat. “Remember, Midoriya: You go back on your word, we go back on
ours.”

The boy nodded, his expression nervous but determined. After he’d gone, Mera turned to Nezu.
“He’s got spunk, I’ll give him that.”

Nezu’s grin turned sharp. “Midoriya and his friends have the most promise of any young heroes
I’ve seen in some time. I agree that it would be wise to keep him happy, or else you might lose him
to the enemy.”

Mera had known the principal long enough to know when he was bluffing and when he wasn’t. In
this case, it seemed to be a bit of both. “The Commission would like for all hero students in
possession of provisional licenses to participate in a work study once the holidays are over. Those
who have yet to pick an agency or haven’t been scouted will be assigned one.”

“Oh dear,” Nezu said, his smile still bright as ever, “there’s only a few weeks before the holiday
season ends; I hope you’ll be able to meet Midoriya’s requirements before then, or he won’t be
able to do his work study at Commission Headquarters.”

“Oh? And who told you that’s where we’d be placing him?”
“One hears things.”

Mera gave him a dry look. “One does indeed. I’m sure everything will proceed as it should, and
that the UA hero students will be all the better for it.”

“Of course.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that day, Izuku met with Aizawa to discuss the final exam. The teacher had chosen to give
one on one feedback to his students regarding their performances, highlighting their progress
throughout the semester as well as areas to work on.

Given that he’d obscured most of the camera footage of the key moments of his match, as well as
lost control of his quirk, Izuku hadn’t been optimistic when entering.

“Let’s start with what you managed to learn during your work studies, since you were absent for
quite a few classes because of them,” Aizawa began, shuffling his papers so that Izuku’s report was
at the top. “You were an integral part of the Shie Hassaikai investigation, aiding in the counter
drug development, collecting information on key members of the organization, rescuing Eri and
apprehending Kurono, Chisaki’s right hand. You participated in the raid on the Hassaikai
compound, infiltrating the base’s underground and aiding in Chisaki’s arrest, as well as providing
healing to everyone involved.”

His eyes flicked to the greenette. “There’s some hand to hand combat training listed in Nighteye’s
reports, but it looks like the bulk of your experiences there revolved around investigative work,
rather than combat, rescue or evacuation.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And with Recovery Girl, you trained in first aid, simple medical procedures and fine tuning your
healing abilities.” Aizawa frowned slightly. “So basically, you barely used your quirk for the first
half of the semester.”

Izuku nodded sheepishly. “Yes sir; at least, I wasn’t able to practice with it much outside of healing
people.”

“I see. After the work studies, your performance during hero training was decent, though nothing
groundbreaking, and your academic scores stayed excellent throughout the semester. You got the
second highest marks on the written final, but as for the practical…”

Izuku tensed. “I- I know I wasn’t great, sir. I endangered my teammates by losing control of my
quirk, and my signature moves were severely underdeveloped. I also didn’t come up with a very
good strategy to win, and my back up plan was more of a last resort than anything else-“

“Midoriya, relax,” Aizawa told him, and belatedly Izuku realized he’d said all of that in one breath.
“You did fine in the practical, although I’d like to see your signature of moves much more refined
before we return from winter break. Right now what concerns me is the boost in power you’ve
had. Without meaning to, you were able to cover all of Training Ground Beta with your mist, and
focused your power only on your targets. That level of control is impressive, but let’s see if you can
achieve the same results when you aren’t angry before applauding it.”

The room fell silent, Aizawa seeming to gather his thoughts before speaking next. “Do you
remember our sparring session back at the training camp?”
“Of course, sir; You and Kota were training me to concentrate on both my mist and the battle, so
that I didn’t lose the mist or drop my guard while fighting.”

“Right. I was taunting you, trying to get you to lose focus, and then-“

“And then I got angry,” he realized, wide green eyes flicking up to the teacher. “Did- did you feel
the same effects from my mist that Monoma and the others did?”

Aizawa nodded. “I suspect the others were hit with much stronger effects, now that you know
more about the human body. You mentioned your fight with Muscular, the other day; I’m
assuming something similar happened with him as well?”

“Yeah, I had to kiss him first, to deactivate his quirk and weaken him, but then I was able to
incapacitate him with my mist before knocking him out.”

The teacher hummed. “It seems that the growth in your quirk was so abrupt because you haven’t
been able to practice with it as you should have. Take some time during the break to practice as
much as you can, so that there aren’t any more incidents like we had a few days ago.”

The healer nodded, biting his lower lip. He’d fallen so far behind the others without realizing it,
and now he’d have to work even harder to catch up to them. He could understand how Kaachan
and Shochan felt after they’d failed the first licensing exam, like something had shifted for
everyone else, but stayed the same for him.

Noting the expression on his student’s face, Aizawa continued. “I don’t want you to get
discouraged; remember, the others may be farther along with their quirks, but you’re miles ahead
in terms of experience. Not to mention you ranked third in your class for agility, behind Asui and
Ojiro, respectively.”

“I- I did?”

The teacher nodded. “You’ve got a good skill set, don’t doubt what you can do by focusing on
what you can’t. That’s everything I had to cover with you, so unless you have questions for me
you’re free to go.”

Izuku shook his head, thanking the teacher before leaving. As he left the building, he thought about
what Aizawa had said.

I need to focus on what I can do…

He blew out a stream of mist, focusing on it as it began to swirl and take shape. A fluffy pink cloud
formed, shimmering in the sunlight. Izuku concentrated, and mist began to drift down from the
cloud and float lazily to the earth.

He smiled.
 Mistletoe Kiss
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Izuku fidgeted as he walked through the halls of the prison, warily eyeing his surroundings.

He’d been brought to the facility where Gentle Criminal was being held, less restricted than
Tartarus but more secure than the average prison, to offer the man a spot in the soon to be crafted
villain reform program. It had taken only a day or so for Mera to return to UA with news of the
Commission’s agreement to the healer’s terms, a contract in hand for Izuku to sign. Nezu had
looked over the document himself before Izuku did, to make sure nothing had been altered from
the original agreement. Once he’d deemed everything to be in order, Izuku signed the documents,
and was thusly considered a working member of the Commission.

“It’s mostly a formality,” Mera had told him as they made their way to the interrogation room
Gentle was in. “Since you’re still a student, it’s unlikely you’ll be called in for anything outside of
your work study or emergency situations.”

Izuku had been curious about what exactly a work study with the Commission would entail, but the
man had been tight lipped about it. As they entered the interrogation room, the space divided in
half by a wall of glass, Izuku gazed at Gentle.

He was devoid of the flashy suit the healer had first seen him in, and his eyes were lacking the dark
makeup he’d worn as well. Izuku noted that the man had to be around Mr. Aizawa’s age, much
younger than he’d originally thought. His hair and beard, while missing their shine, were well
groomed and his prison garb looked to be wrinkle free.

Blue eyes swept over the two, the villain’s voice clear and strong as he spoke. “What is the
meaning of this? Have you bought UA’s Sweetheart here to gloat? To lord his triumph at the
School Festival over me?”

“It wasn’t really a triumph,” Izuku muttered, “I just kind of…knocked you out…”

“That’s not why were here,” Mera said evenly, tired eyes dragging over Gentle. “We have a
proposal for you.”

Gentle listened attentively as Mera went over the particulars of the reform program, highlighting
the opportunity for parole and the small stipend they’d make as Commission agents. Izuku and
Nezu had crafted the program together, Izuku’s compassion, Nezu’s education background and
their combined intelligence giving them all the necessary tools to construct it. The greenette was
immensely proud of the fair and equitable plan they’d made, and was admittedly shocked to hear
Gentle turn the proposal down as quickly as it’d been offered.

“I apologize,” he boomed out, “but I cannot allow myself to take such a deal; for you see, I wish to
be remembered for my incredible feats, to have my name written in the annuls of history as one of
the greatest men of our time! Working for the Commission as one of their back alley operatives
would only sully the reputation I’ve built for myself!”

“I find that hard to believe,” Mera said dryly, “given that folks have already begun to forget about
you. Your actions at the School Festival garnered some publicity, but since then we’ve had the
attack on Kyushu and the rise of our new number one, Endeavor; face it, you’re old news.”

Gentle let out a harumph of displeasure, and Izuku chimed in, switching tactics. “It’s true you
won’t get to be famous, and the public likely won’t know all the good things you’ll do for them,
but you’ll get to be a hero, and so will La Brava.”

The man tensed at the mention of the name, his expression shifting. “La Brava… how is she? Have
you seen her? Don’t tell me some fiendish prison gang has taken her amongst their ranks, forcing
her to take part in cafeteria riots and shankings in dark corners!”

“She’s the next visit we have planned,” Mera told him, taken slightly aback at the criminal’s
theatrics. “Midoriya here designed this program with both you and La Brava in mind; he believes
you can use your powers and your skills for good.”

Internally, Mera didn’t believe for a moment that the reform program would be a success. He could
admire the greenette’s determination to help people, as well as his youthful optimism; but the man
knew villains weren’t so easily changed, that their own selfish desires overrided any and all
positive attributes they might possess. He imagined that one day the healer would come to see that,
but for now the Commission was willing to humor him and make the attempt if it meant his
cooperation.

Izuku leaned forward. “They let me read both of your files, so I know about your quirks. La Brava
uses her love quirk to make you stronger, that’s how you managed to escape the cops so many
times, isn’t it? Her love is what makes you strong…”

Gentle looked away from them. “It- it’s true; my La Brava has made me the man I am today. It
was her technological genius that catapulted me to stardom, and it was her love for me that made
my heists possible.”

“Heists? You robbed convenience stores,” Mera muttered under his breath.

“You two can be together again,” Izuku insisted. “If you agree to join our program then she will,
too. If everything goes well, you two might be able to get out on early parole, and then you can
participate in more missions. It’ll be like working on your heists again, only you’ll be doing
something good, too.”

Gentle remained quiet, staring down at the table. Mera was close to ending the meeting and
walking away when the man spoke. “I- I’ll accept, if it means helping La Brava. She deserves so
much better than prison, especially since everything she did to end up there she did for me. I’ll do
whatever it takes, so long as she’s cared for.”

Izuku gave him a smile, cooing internally. “I knew there was some good in you, Gentle; Mera has
the paperwork for you to sign, we’ll show it to La Brava so she knows we’re telling the truth about
you joining the program. I just know she’ll say yes if it means seeing you again.”

Gentle signed the papers, and Izuku pulled out his final persuasion. “I thought we could celebrate
you joining our program with a cup of tea.” He opened the thermos he had brought, and had to
fight with the guards to bring inside, pouring its contents into a paper cup.
Gentle’s eyes widened as he caught a whiff of the familiar aroma. “Is that-“

“Gold Tips Imperial!” Izuku said proudly, slipping the cup through the hole in the glass divider. “I
saw one of your videos where you praised its quality, and my friend Momo always has a box on
hand, so…”

The man’s eyes sparkled as he sipped his tea, a wide grin splitting across his face. “You and your
friends have excellent taste, Sweetheart! Oh, but I can tell I’ve made the right decision now! Such
elegance, such refinement! I shall remember this momentous day all the better, now!”

Mera rolled his eyes, but was biting back a small smile. Even if this whole program blows up in his
face, it’s good to know the kid knows his way around a bribe.

As they were leaving, Gentle called out to Izuku, his expression soft. “When you see La Brava, tell
her… tell her I love her.”

The greenette’s eyes welled with tears as he gave the man a bright smile. “I will!”

La Brava’s reaction to their proposal was not unlike Gentle Criminal’s, the woman only agreeing
once she’d been told of his agreement.

“He told me to tell you that he loves you,” Izuku informed her, La Brava tearing up and professing
her love for the villain as she did. She signed her contract, and Izuku and Mera were off, having
completed their mission for the day.

As the car took them back to UA, Mera chuckled. “So, is this the ‘Symbol of Love’ I’ve been
hearing about at work?”

Izuku shrugged. “Kind of. I’ve always been a nurturer, and I think that comes across in my hero
persona. Mr. Aizawa once said that everyone calls me Sweetheart because I have the biggest heart
on campus.”

The man shot him a look. “I saw the press conference; I didn’t realize Eraser was such a big
softie.”

The healer smiled. “Don’t mention it to him, he still tries very hard to be intimidating in class. I
guess what I’m trying to say is, I want to be a hero not just to save people, but to reinforce their
belief in love and compassion for others. It’s what motivates me, and I hope it can do the same for
them, too.”

Mera blinked. It was a flowery statement, and one he’d very much expect from someone who was
named their school’s sweetheart, but then both Gentle and La Brava had agreed to the program
because of their love for each other…

The man shook his head. The kid got lucky, and that was that. Still, as he watched the greenette
bound up the steps to UA’s campus, Mera couldn’t help but wonder if there really was something
to the whole ‘Symbol of Love’ thing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Christmas came to UA with a light dusting of snow, the class of 1-A staring wistfully outside as it
fell.

“If only we could’ve gone up to my family’s lodge in the mountains,” Momo said, pouring a cup of
tea for Uraraka and Shinso. “It has its own slopes that are perfect for skiing!”
“My parents took me skiing when I was a kid,” Uraraka told her. “I fell down a lot.”

Shinso snorted, and the girl glared at him. Next to Momo, Hatsume grinned. “Next time, try
snowboarding! It’s a lot more fun.”

In the Common Room, Aoyama and Ashido were fiddling with the tree for perhaps the third or
fourth time since they had put it up, the two unsatisfied with the way the tinsel was sitting.

“It has the sparkle,” Aoyama said thoughtfully, “but it’s missing the twinkle!”

Kaminari sighed, activating his quirk and boosting the power in the fairy lights on the tree, the
glow brightening.

The other two gasped. “Denki, c’est magnifique! It’s perfect now!”

“Yeah, yeah, just keep an eye on it, will ya? I don’t want the dorms to catch fire if one of the bulbs
explodes.”

Iida was arranging the gifts on the table with an intense focus, so much so that Asui had to wonder
if he was trying to gauge what could be inside the wrapped boxes. Sato was batting Hagakure and
Kirishima away from a tray of cooling snickerdoodle cookies, unaware of Jirou sneaking a few
chocolate chip cookies off of the tray on the opposite counter.

Everyone was dressed up in some sort of costume, some of the students dressed as Santa Claus,
others dressed as elves. Shoto was unsuccessfully trying to get Katsuki to put on a Santa hat, the
dual toned boy frowning. “It’s for the party, Katsuki.”

“I’m not putting that crap on, Icy Hot! Leave me alone!”

Shoto was about to reply, but froze as he spotted something behind the hot head. Katsuki turned to
see Izuku coming down the stairs at top speed, a few gift bags in his hands. “I finally got the
presents wrapped!”

The greenette was wearing a set of brown pajamas, matching slippers and a little black spot on his
nose. He had a pair of antlers nestled in his curls, tendrils of green wrapped around them.

“It’s not wrapping presents if you just stuff them in a bag, Deku,” Katsuki argued, wrapping an arm
around the boy and muttering, ‘you look good,’ under his breath.

Shoto gave him a wide smile. “I like your outfit, Bunny.”

“Thanks! I’m a reindeer!” He poked at his antlers. “Momo made the antlers, and Yuga let me
borrow the pajamas.”

“Keep them, mon ami, brown isn’t really my color.”

Izuku set his presents on the table along with the others, unintentionally ruining the carefully
organized pile Iida had made. Not long after, Aizawa came to the dorms with Eri, and the Class A
Christmas party began in earnest.

They had participated in a secret Santa, making it so that everyone had a gift to open. Eri had the
most, as each of the 1-A students had gone out to buy the girl something. She smiled and thanked
everyone, but her eyes shined brightest when opening the gift from Izuku, a large red apple plushie
with a smiling face stitched onto it.
 The class had pitched in on a gift for their teacher as well, Aizawa hiding the blush on his face as
he thanked them for the espresso maker. Izuku had a few others upstairs for his other teachers, the
freckled boy planning to take them by the faculty dorms the next day.

Momo and Hatsume exchanged gifts, the two blushing as they did, and Ashido pulled out little
trinkets for each of the girls in the class. Izuku gave Shoto and Katsuki a shy smile as he handed
them their bags. “It’s okay if you guys don’t like-“

“Don’t be stupid,” Katsuki barked, eyes gleaming as he and Shoto opened them. “Your gifts are
always awesome, Princess.”

Izuku blushed, but his smile brightened as the blond thanked him for the shirt. Shoto blinked.

“I understand why you got Katsuki an All Might shirt,” he said, “but why did you get one for me
as well?”

The greenette’s smile turned mischievous. “Because I thought it might annoy your dad.”

Shoto huffed out a laugh, thanking him as well. Shoto had gotten Izuku a silver bracelet with a
bunny charm on it, and Katsuki a belt with a skull on it. Never one to be outdone, Katsuki got
Izuku a limited edition Gang Orca figurine that he’d gotten the hero to sign after the makeup exam,
and for Shoto a calligraphy set for writing his mom letters.

“These are amazing, thank you both!” Izuku chirped.

Soon it was time for dinner, Eri and Aizawa leaving shortly after the meal had finished. As Aizawa
carried his daughter and their gifts to the door, the teacher glanced back at his students, smiling
softly at the sight.

The class had huddled together on the Common Room floor for another sleepover, a Christmas
movie playing on the television. Aizawa chuckled to himself.

I was right to think of them as a family all those months ago, and now Eri is a part of their family
as well.

He closed the door behind him softly, not wanting to wake the girl. As he walked back to the
faculty dorms, his smile faded.

The Commission wants all of them out doing work studies, which can only mean they’re
anticipating an attack from the League. They want our students prepared for a fight.

He thought back to the night Midoriya had come to him, telling the teacher about the League using
him to heal one of their own. His expression hardened.

The parents are counting on me to keep their kids safe; I can't let them down, not again.

At the first sign of trouble, he’d have his kids taken out of the work study program, the
Commission be damned.

Chapter End Notes

Gentle Criminal is one of my favorite villains, mostly due to how camp he is. I know
he's about thirty and La Brava is around twenty-two in the show, but I have her at
around twenty-five here.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

 Mirror Kisses
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

The holiday season ended, and soon the UA hero students were off to their work studies.

Those who had already participated in work studies returned to their previous agencies, with some
taking on extra students as well. Monoma joined Aoyama at Best Jeanist’s agency, and Tetsutetsu
joined Shinso and Kirishima at Fatgum’s. Despite losing both Mirio and Izuku to the Commission
for their work studies, Sir Nighteye agreed to take on Jirou and Kaminari, finding amusement in
the banter the two had.

Shoto had agreed to study under Endeavor, just like he had for the internships, though he’d insisted
that the hero extend his offer to Katsuki as well. It was a practical decision, given there’d be much
for them to learn from the new number one, though neither boy as particularly excited to spend any
length of time with the man.

“I wish you could come with us,” Shoto told Izuku earnestly, his head resting in the greenette’s
lap.

Izuku gave him an apologetic smile. “It’s probably for the best that I can’t; last time I saw him, I
kind of told him off.”

Next to him, Katsuki gave him a sharp smile, the blond fidgeting as Shoto adjusted his legs from
their spot on his lap. Izuku caught the meaning behind the expression, before letting out a huff.
“I’m not bossy!”

“Didn’t say you were, Princess,” Katsuki shot back, his grin widening.

“You were thinking it!”

“Was not!”

Izuku just rolled his eyes. “In any case, I’m sure you’ll have a lot more fun than I will.”

Shoto frowned. “I don't like that the Commission will have so much control over what you do
while you're there; I know you and Nezu are working on a plan to get you out of it, but...”

“I’m sure it’ll be no different from working in the infirmary,” he assured the dual toned boy. “And
if it means keeping Eri safe and giving those who deserve it a second chance, then it’s worth it.”

Shoto and Katsuki shared a look, but relented. They trusted the freckled boy, but worried for him
none the less.
When it came time for his first day at the Commission, Izuku was unsurprised to see Mirio waiting
for him outside the dorms, ready to escort him there. He was, however, pleasantly surprised to see
Gran Torino, the older man smiling at him. “Good to see you, Midoriya!”

“It’s good to see you too, Gran Torino sir!”

“Just Torino is fine.”

“Gran Torino is gonna be training me, just like he trained All Might,” the blond told him as they
made their way to the train station. “I’m really excited about it!”

Torino’s expression became wicked. “Is that so? I’ll remember that when you’re crying on the
floor like a baby, like Toshinori did.”

Mirio laughed. “Oh man, sounds rough! Good thing I have my healer with me!”

He put his hand on the greenette’s shoulder, only to have it smacked soundly by Gran Torino’s
gnarled, wooden cane. “No flirting!”

Izuku bit back a smile as Mirio removed his hand, rubbing it gingerly. They took the train to the
Commission headquarters, Torino seating himself firmly between the two students. Once they’d
arrived, they were met in the lobby of the building by Mera, the man looking exhausted as always.

“Well, this is where we leave you, Midoriya,” Torino said. “Togata and I are gonna do some one
on one training, so I can undo all of Toshinori’s crap teaching.”

“We’ll be back at the end of the day to take you home,” Mirio told the healer, leaning in. Torino
whacked him with his cane once again.

“No flirting!”

Izuku wasn’t sure if the ‘no flirting’ was for his benefit or simply to keep the blond from getting
distracted, but he shot the older man a grateful smile, getting a knowing look in return.

After they’d left, Mera turned to him. “I’ll show you around, and then we’ll get you settled.”

“I’m guessing that makes you my babysitter?” Izuku asked, fighting to keep the bitterness from his
voice as they toured the building.

“Handler, actually; and no, you’re not so special that you’re the only person who has one. Every
hero, from the top pros to the hero interns have a Commission handler, whether or not they know
it. It’s my job to keep you up to date on assignments, as well as filing the necessary paperwork for
rescue missions and whatnot.”

“Sounds like you’ve got a full plate,” Izuku said, remembering that the Commission rep ran point
on the UA hero program as well.

Mera let out a heavy sigh. “You’ve got no idea, kid; I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep since the
attack on your school’s USJ.”

The healer winced, feeling a pang of sympathy in his chest for the overworked man. Mera’s only
doing his job, Izuku reminded himself as he was guided to the infirmary. I shouldn’t be so grumpy
with him about things he has no control over.

The headquarters’ infirmary was strikingly similar to the one at UA, though twice the size. There
were rows of beds on either side of the room, divided by plain white curtains, and a number of
machines of varying purpose scattered about. The far wall was composed of floor to ceiling
windows, a view of the mountains peeking out in the gaps of the city’s skyline.

Mera chuckled as Izuku gaped at the view. “See? Not so bad after all, is it?” He moved over to a
desk, tucked away in the corner next to a few filing cabinets. “We have the medical records of our
heroes listed in here; it’d be a good idea to familiarize yourself with them in case someone needs
treatment.” He motioned to a door. “There’s medical supplies in there, let us know if you need
anything ordered and we’ll sort it out.”

The greenette nodded, still trying to take everything in. Mera gave him the directions to his office
before taking his leave, Izuku left standing alone in the bright room.

He settled at the desk near the windows, shooting a wistful gaze onto the street below before
scanning the documents.

“They probably shouldn’t let me read these,” he murmured to himself, eyeing the medical record
for the hero Crust. “It seems a little invasive…”

After a few hours of reading medical records and taking inventory of the supplies available to him,
Izuku caught sight of a skirmish happening on the street. There seemed to be one or two pros
handling it, and the visual only served to remind the healer that he wouldn’t be involved with any
of that kind of hero work unless Mirio was there, too.

He shook his head. There’s always hope; Nezu’s the smartest person I know, and together we can
find a way to get me out of this predicament.

At lunch time, Izuku pulled out the bento box he’d brought with him, glancing about the still
empty room. He sighed; Mera had told him there weren’t usually too many doctors about, so he’d
be alone more often than not during his time there. Back at UA, he’d always been able to eat with
Shinso and Hatsume in the infirmary, and his heart ached at the reminder that they’d likely never
do it again.

He opted for watching videos on his phone as he ate, distracting himself as best he could.

The highlight of the day came from Hawks, who had come to visit him at the infirmary. “Heard
you were starting your first day today, so I thought I’d come in to check on you.”

Izuku smiled at the hero. “It’s good to see you again; I’m sorry about what happened… you know,
last time…”

Hawks gave him an easy grin. “Hey, don’t sweat it! If anything, I should be apologizing to you.”

He took a seat on one of the beds, legs crossed at the ankle as he leaned back on his palms. He was
the picture of carefree, though Izuku could see a glimmer of something in his eyes that told a
different story. “I should’ve had your back in that alley,” the winged hero said, crimson feathers
fluttering. “You had to help that villain in order to protect me, and I’m sorry I put you in that
position.”

Izuku shook his head. “You didn’t put me in that position, Dabi did; in any case, it doesn’t matter
now. You’re safe, that’s what counts.”

The serious look the hero had adopted vanished, his bright smile back in place. “Aw, isn’t that
nice? Guess I know now why they call you Sweetheart.”
Izuku rolled his eyes, but enjoyed the conversation he had with the hero none the less, picking his
brain about how the Commission worked and about Hawks’ agency in Kyushu.

“You’re friends with Tsukuyomi, right? He’s back at my agency for his work study; kid’s got real
potential.”

The healer nodded. “It’s so cool you taught him how to fly, it was amazing to watch it during our
final exams.”

Hawks noted the slight slump in the greenette’s shoulders, realizing his misstep. “Hey, I’m sorry
you got stuck here for your work study, it’s gotta be real boring just waiting around for some idiot
to hurt themselves.”

He shrugged. “I signed up for it, in a way.”

Hawks gave him another bright smile. “Well, don’t you worry about it one bit! I’ll see if I can pull
some strings and get you out in the field a couple of times. It’s the least I could do.”

Izuku’s eyes widened. “Really? That would be awesome! Thank you so much!”

“Don’t sweat it. Anyways I gotta get going, but I’ll catch you later!”

The winged hero made his exit, and the healer felt a small ray of hope. Hawks, Gran Torino,
Mera… everyone’s trying in their own way to make this a little bit easier for me. Maybe, with them
in my corner, I’ll still get to be my own kind of hero…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Mirio and Gran Torino came to collect him from the infirmary, Izuku’s heart felt lighter than
it had when he’d first arrived.

“How was training?” He asked them, putting away the last of the files he’d been looking over.

Gran Torino smirked. “I whooped his butt for three and a half hours; then we had lunch, and then I
did it again.”

“Gran Torino’s no joke, Izuku.” Mirio chirped, rubbing the side of his head. “I’m gonna be bruised
for sure.”

Izuku scanned him, finding no serious injuries. “You’ll live,” he declared, grabbing his things.

The older hero huffed out a laugh as he took in the blond’s crestfallen expression. “Togata’s a lot
like Toshinori: big and dumb. But I’ll make him into a proper hero, don’t you worry.”

They took the train back to UA, Mirio nudging the healer as they boarded. “How was your day?”

He blew out a sigh. “It was pretty boring; mostly, I just familiarized myself with the infirmary and
read through all the heroes’ medical reports. Hawks came to visit, which was nice, but overall a
very slow day.”

Mirio frowned at the mention of the hero. “Well, if you ever get super bored you can come train
with us! It’d probably be more fun than waiting around for something to happen.”

Izuku glanced out the window, the sky beginning to grow dark. “Yeah, maybe I will.”

Mirio grinned, before letting out a groan as Gran Torino’s cane connected with his side.
“No flirting!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hawks frowned as he soared through the skies, en route to meet Dabi at a secret location.

His performance with the League had been satisfactory enough to earn him an audience with
Shigaraki, and the hero was keen on getting as much information out of him as he could.

It’s likely this will be a test of my loyalty, he thought, his wings flapping. If I ask too many probing
questions, they’ll know something’s up; then again, if I don’t ask enough, I’ll look just as
suspicious.

It was a delicate balancing act he’d perfected throughout his life, his years with the Commission
preparing him to be whatever they needed: soldier, assassin, spy, hero, villain… He’d had a hard
and lonely life living with all those suits, and his stomach churned at the thought of them doing
something similar to Midoriya.

He’s not as young as I was when I started, but he’s way more valuable to them than I’ll ever be.

He understood better than anyone how ruthless the Commission could be, had seen first hand the
lengths to which they’d go to get what they wanted. Midoriya had said he’d made some kind of
deal with them, and the winged hero could feel his anxiety rising at the thought.

I’ll get him out of it, he promised himself, landing gracefully in front of the League’s newest
hideout. No matter what he’s promised them, I’ll make sure he never has to become like me.
 Before the Kiss
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

The next few days of Izuku’s work study passed in the same fashion as the first, the healer
primarily learning what he could about how the Commission operated.

He’d seen Mera’s office, a plain thing with a small bonsai tree the only decoration in the space.
The man had taken him to see the dispatch coordinators who managed which heroes to send where
during a crisis.

“Small scale incidents are usually left up to the agencies to figure out,” Mera told him. “But the
bigger they are, the more involved we have to get.”

He nodded to a large screen on the far wall. “Take the earthquake that happened in Deika city a
few weeks ago: rescue heroes were needed on the scene, so we dispatched as many as we could
from the surrounding area, as well as heroes who could reach the scene quickly with their quirks.”

Izuku glanced at the screen. “How do you determine what constitutes a large scale crisis?”

“The number of lives at risk coupled with the number of heroes available in the area is usually the
best bet, but there are other protocols involved.”

Mera wouldn’t elaborate beyond that, so the healer dropped the subject. Most of what he'd learned
wouldn't help him with his long term goal, and was rather boring overall. It wasn’t until the fourth
day of his work study that Izuku was met with anything of interest.

He’d been reorganizing the various medical supplies in the closet, a task which became all the
more vital as he looked for things to alleviate his boredom, when he sensed an injury. In an effort
to get some quirk training in, Izuku had been keeping his senses active during his shifts, testing the
range at which he could sense a person and what all he could sense from them. He'd found that
sensing a person's heartbeat was rather simple, but more complex biological processes required
greater concentration.

His senses perked as the injured person drew nearer, one of the beds already prepped by the time
they’d entered.

A frazzled Commission rep was escorting the number five hero Mirko into the room, the woman
clutching at her side. Izuku jumped into action, ready to be of use.

“Hi there, my name is Pucker Up, I’m a healing hero,” he told them, the Commission rep setting
Mirko down on the bed.

Mirko scowled. “Some loser got a lucky shot in, but I’m fine.”

Izuku frowned. “You have two cracked ribs and a ruptured spleen.”
“I don’t need a healer, especially not one that’s a damn kid!”

The greenette had to stifle a laugh, the woman’s grumpy attitude reminding him a bit of Katsuki.
He gave her a sweet smile. “Splenic ruptures can heal on their own, and so will the ribs, but you’ll
have to take a break from hero work for about two, three months. Did you want me to get you
some ice while you wait?”

Mirko’s eyes narrowed as one of her long white ears twitched. “You’re the kissing kid, right? From
the news? Yeah, not gonna happen.”

He raised his brow, kissing the tips of his fingers and holding them out to her. Mirko stared at
them, before reluctantly pressing her cheek against them. She let out a small gasp as her ribs
reoriented themselves, the damage to her spleen undoing itself in just a few short minutes.

“There, all better!” He chirped, moving to grab the patient log that hadn’t been needed since he’d
started working there. Red eyes bore into him as he scribbled down his notes.

“If you can do that, why are you always kissing people on the news?”

Izuku looked to her. “Direct contact with my lips works the best with my quirk; your injuries
weren’t horrible, so it wasn’t needed, but cases like Endeavor’s after Kyushu will likely always
require some kind of kiss.” He glanced away from her, cheeks pinking. “And, well… kisses have
kind of become my brand…”

Mirko blinked, before huffing out a laugh. The Commission rep had left the second Mirko’s
injuries were gone, and the hero seemed a bit more comfortable now that the other woman was out
of earshot. “Better you than me, kid; I’m a fighter, not a lover.”

“I’m hoping to be a bit of both,” he told her cheekily. “After all, I don’t have knuckledusters on my
costume just for show.”

The hero smirked, before her ears stood at attention. “Welp, looks like there’s more fun to be had
out there.”

She hopped from her seat and left without another word, and Izuku shook his head as he realized
she hadn’t thanked him for the treatment.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mirio let out a grunt as Gran Torino slammed into him for the sixth or seventh time, the man
zipping away with his quirk.

“This is pathetic!” He called out, bouncing from one wall to the other. “At this rate, you’ll become
the Symbol of Bruises instead of Peace.”

Mirio charged One For All, having been told not to use Permeation for their sparring match, only
able to release a bit of power before being knocked to the ground again.

Torino landed in front of him with a soft thud, the man’s expression stern. “You’ve been training
with All Might for months, and this is the best you two could manage? A little bit of glowing and
some slow punches?”

“I’m really sorry, sir!” Mirio chirped, his smile still in place despite the black eye and split lip. “I
guess I still have a long ways to go, huh?”
Torino harrumphed, agreeing to break for lunch as the blond stumbled over to his bag. “I think I’ll
go eat with Izuku today, we haven’t gotten to see each other much outside of commuting together.”

“Not so fast, Togata, you’re eating with me today; we need to have a chat.”

Mirio reluctantly took a seat on the floor opposite his mentor, the man’s expression still firm.

“I know the Commission has assigned Midoriya as your healer,” Torino began, picking at his
sandwich, “but you should know better than to assume that means he’s yours exclusively.”

“I know that, sir.”

Torino quirked a brow. “Do you? Then why is it I have to smack you for bothering him almost
every day?”

It hadn’t been anything scandalous, nothing more than a few light touches, some flirty words and
standing a bit too close, but the man could see a bit of discomfort from the freckled boy each time,
and was quick to keep his student in check.

“Aw, it’s not like that, sir! Izuku and I are buddies, we’ve gotten super close after all the time
we’ve spent together, and I can feel a spark between us. I just feel like, since we’ll become a duo
when he graduates that-“

“That what, you’re guaranteed to be his boyfriend?” Torino let out a derisive snort. “Let me tell
you something, kid; the Commission doesn't care about your love life, they just want to make sure
you and Midoriya do as you're told."

Nezu had informed him of the Commission’s plans for both the healer and All Might’s successor,
as well as what was being done to prevent those plans from coming to fruition.

He looked back to his student. "Toshinori probably fed you some line about being the 'Symbol of
Peace' and how you should protect everyone, right? And now you've taken it to mean you should
be protecting Midoriya, too."

Mirio frowned. “I need to protect him; during the Hassaikai raid, I-“ He looked away. “Chisaki was
the toughest villain I ever fought. He nearly killed me, nearly killed Sir and All Might, too. I keep
thinking if we’d run into him that day in the alley and not Kurono, would we have been able to
save Eri? Would he have just killed us and taken Eri for more experiments?”

The blond’s fists clenched around his bento, his enhanced strength denting the box. “All Might
gave me his power so I’d never let anyone down ever again. He told me I need to protect Izuku
with everything I have. I wasn’t strong enough to do it back at the compound, but I am now.”

Torino was silent for a moment, before he’d grabbed his cane in a flash, whacking Mirio with it.
“Stupid! Just like Toshinori, you’re big and you’re stupid!”

“Hey, quit it!” Mirio complained, blocking the hits as best he could.

Torino threw his cane back down, leveling the blond with a harsh glare. “Do you think Midoriya
would’ve made it this far if he couldn’t protect himself, hmm? I’ll admit the kid gets himself into
far too much trouble, but unless he asks for your protection, you need to let him be.”

“But-“

“No buts! I don’t care what All Might or the Commission’s told you, your duties as the next
number one hero don’t give you the right to do as you please. If Midoriya has a change of heart
that’s his business, but don’t you dare use the position he’s been forced into as permission to
smother him.”

Mirio balked. “I’m not smothering him!”

Torino gave him another hard look. “Oh? Then, you’ve never stood over him like a guard dog?
Never tried to fight his battles for him? To keep people away from him?”

He’d seen the report Hawks gave after Kyushu; it’d only been a footnote compared to what he’d
written about Endeavor, the Nomu and Midoriya’s work at the hospital, but the winged hero had
thought it important enough to note Mirio’s behavior when they’d met, and for Gran Torino it was
very telling.

“I- well…”

Torino let out a sigh. “You don’t have to give me an answer, but I want you to ask yourself this:
Do you want to be the kind of hero who lets his own sense of duty outweigh the needs and wants of
others? Do you want to be the kind of hero who hurts his friends by smothering them?”

The blond was silent, his usual smile long gone as he stared at his lunch.

Torino sighed once more. It’s be a long road, and he’d likely require a few more smacks with the
cane, but Mirio would get there, eventually.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“And then I kicked him so hard he lost a tooth!”

Izuku shook his head, kissing his fingers and placing them against Mirko’s temple. A few days
after her first visit, the bunny hero sustained another injury, and then again the day after. The
healer had learned that Mirko would ignore her injuries more often than not, but had decided to
come in for healing as a way to keep him company.

She’d warmed up to him considerably, happily telling him stories about her hero work and things
she’d seen and heard about other heroes like Hawks, Mt. Lady and Best Jeanist, most of her tales
incredibly violent.

“Anyways, that’s why I always check to make sure there aren’t teeth scattered on the ground after
a fight. I don’t need the Commission on my ass about it.”

The Commission seemed to be a point of contention for the woman, something Izuku could relate
to. He’d been wise enough not to say anything about them one way or another while in the
building, in case someone was listening in. Mirko had no such worries, often speaking louder if
footsteps could be heard out in the hall.

The door to the infirmary opened, and Hawks sauntered in. “Rumi, Rumi, Rumi, talking smack
about the Commission is a serious offense!”

“Oh yeah, you gonna tell on me?" She fired back. "I've got much better dirt on you."

"Careful, hawks eat rabbits in the wild."

Mirko gave him a challenging look, cracking her knuckles. "Bring it on, feather brain!"
Hawks gave her a toothy grin, before turning to the greenette. “Good news Midoriya, I talked the
suits upstairs into letting you check out some of the other agencies nearby. I figured it’d be a good
way to let you stretch your legs, and maybe help out any heroes who need it.”

The favor he'd called in hadn't been so much about letting the healer visit other agencies, as the
Commission had already made plans for him to do so, but instead to allow him to go without an
escort. The hero had reasoned that, as Midoriya would be spending time with the best pro heroes
around, he wouldn't need one. It was hardly any freedom at all, but it was a start.

Izuku’s face lit up at once, and it took all of his willpower to not cry or give the hero a crushing
hug. “Thank you thank you thank you! Oh, this is going to be great! I wonder where I’ll get to go
first, maybe Best Jeanist's agency since he isn’t that far from here, though I got to see his agency
last time-“

“Jeez kid, take a breath,” Mirko drawled.

The healer’s face flushed. “I’m sorry, I’m just really excited. I thought I’d be stuck in here for the
whole work study, just waiting for something interesting to happen.”

“Well, now something interesting’s happening. Tada!” Hawks shook his hands. “But seriously, you
deserve to get out there, Midoriya; I just know you’ll be taking Japan by storm once you go pro,
and you should be prepared when that happens.”

The healer had decided days ago that he'd be prepared for anything, and these trips to the hero
agencies would be no different. He'd show the pros and the world just how strong he was, and he'd
do it his own way.

Izuku gave the pros a determined look, slipping into his hero persona. “I won't let you down. I’ll
become the best healing hero in the world, I swear it!”

Hawks’ grin widened, and from the corner of his eye he could see Mirko grinning as well.
 Infinite Kiss
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Izuku smiled to himself as Hawks took him to the Idaten agency, the first he’d be getting to visit
during his work study and the workplace of the hero Ingenium, whom he’d healed several months
prior.

The Idaten agency had been created three generations back by the Iida family, their lineage’s
engine based quirks the forefront of their branding. They were a decently sized agency, boasting
roughly fifteen sidekicks not in relation to the Iida family, as well as a few extended relatives
working in other cities under the authority of the main agency.

The building itself was rather plain, the lobby unassuming and sparsely decorated. Iida was waiting
there to greet the two, the taller boy’s helmet absent from the rest of his costume. “Midoriya,
Hawks! Welcome to Idaten!”

There was a distinct note of pride in the class rep’s voice that made Izuku smile, remembering the
way Iida would always gush about his family’s achievements, particularly his older brother’s.

“Guess this is where I leave ya,” Hawks told the healer, smiling that carefree smile of his. “I’ll
swing by and pick you up this afternoon.” He paused, making a big show of looking around before
leaning in to whisper conspiratorially, “or maybe I’ll get too busy, and you’ll just have to leave
with your friends like a normal teenager.”

“Don’t get yourself into trouble because of me,” Izuku chided him, though he delighted at the
thought of getting some of his freedom back.

Hawks let out a laugh. “I’m never not in trouble, kid. Have fun, you two!”

Iida watched the winged hero go, the bespectacled boy wearing a concerned expression. “The
Commission must be really strict with their work study students, to issue a hero escort for you.”

The greenette hummed, deliberately avoiding Iida’s subtle prodding. He hadn’t told most of his
classmates the reason he’d been taken to the Commission headquarters for his work study, not
wanting to worry them. Iida, who had grown up in a hero household, could likely tell there was
something suspicious about his circumstances, but thankfully didn’t press the issue.

He led Izuku upstairs to the agency’s bullpen, where two more familiar faces greeted him.

“Izu!” Ashido chirped, grinning widely as he and Iida approached. “Isn’t this so cool? It’s like
we’re pros already!”

She punched the air, Ingenium chuckling beside her. “It’s good to see you again, Pucker Up.”

“It’s good to see you too,” he told the hero earnestly. It occurred to him just how alike the two
brothers looked, though Ingenium had the beginnings of smile lines creasing his face.

The hero took him for a tour of the building, Iida and Ashido hot on their heels. Iida was quick to
offer bits of information on the agency, little histories that Izuku figured the boy had heard many
times growing up. Ashido, having heard it all on her first day, tuned out most of the conversation,
content to walk with her friends and occasionally poke fun at the class rep.

“Those two are hilarious,” Ingenium muttered to Izuku, the pair watching as Ashido teased the
taller boy. “Tenya sure knows how to pick good friends.”

The healer smiled, happy to see his friends enjoying their work studies. They continued with the
tour until an alarm sounded, Ingenium and his mentees tensing.

“There’s trouble two blocks away, sounds like an armed robbery,” one of Ingenium’s sidekicks
told them, the hero nodding.

“Right; Pinky, Tenya, you’re with me. Pucker Up, unfortunately-“

“-I have to stay here,” Izuku guessed, hiding his disappointment as the man nodded. He’d figured
there would be a catch, a restriction to the freedom he had outside of headquarters.

Someone must've called ahead with orders not to let me get involved with anything 'dangerous,' he
thought, wrinkling his nose.

Ingenium shot him another apologetic look before taking off, his students not far behind.

Pushing his feelings down, Izuku chose instead to help out the sidekicks, monitoring police reports
for any additional threats in the nearby area. Thankfully there had only been the one, and the three
returned to the agency fairly quickly after apprehending the villains.

“Whoo, what a rush!” Ashido plopped down next to the healer, Iida taking his other side. “Saving
people is great and all, but punching some low life creep in the face has gotta be one of life’s
sweeter moments.”

Izuku huffed out a laugh. “Now I know why you and Kaachan are such good friends.”

Iida bumped his shoulder. “My brother is going take us all on patrol, once he’s finished his report.”

The freckled boy looked to him. It wasn’t the most exciting aspect of hero work, but at least he’d
get to do something. “That sounds great!”

Ashido, after receiving a look from the class rep, left the two alone to talk. Izuku shifted, realizing
his friend wanted to talk about the things he'd seen and heard about his work study.

“Midoriya, I know you don’t want to talk about what’s going on with you and the Commission,”
Iida began, “and that’s completely understandable; I just want you to know that you can talk to me,
if you ever feel like it.”

Izuku gave him a small smile. “Thanks, Iida. I- the situation isn’t great, but I’ve got people
supporting me, and I can make the most of it until things get better.”

Iida nodded, before his expression shifted. “Tensei told me that he plans to retire in a year or so; he
wants to take a teaching position at UA.”

The greenette was taken aback by the information. Ingenium was the same age as many of their
teachers, but he was still young enough to have a long career as a pro, if he wanted.

Maybe this is something he's been thinking of since that night in Hosu, Izuku surmised. He didn't
have a guarantee that his engines would work properly back then, so he likely looked for other
career options. Maybe teaching spoke to him...

“My brother has always wanted to help people,” Iida continued. “Being a hero is part of our
family’s legacy, but it’s never spoken to him the way it has you or I. He wants me to take the name
Ingenium once he’s retired, and make it my hero name.”

“How do you feel about that?” The healer asked gently.

The taller boy smiled sadly. “It’s bittersweet; I had always dreamed of working alongside my
brother, of getting to be a pro hero with him. I suppose I’ll still have some of that time with him
through the work studies, but…”

He shook his head. “What matters most is that we help people the best we can, and not necessarily
how we do it. If Tensei believes he’ll be a greater boon to our society teaching future heroes, then
I’ll support him.”

Izuku gave him a searching look. Iida had always been level headed and responsible; it was what
made him a good class rep, and an even better member of the Study Buddies. Though he’d retained
those qualities, as well as his adherence to most rules, there was a softness in his expression that
the healer didn’t often see. He hadn’t just learned to relax a little, he’d matured.

As the group went on patrol, smiling at passersby and listening to Ingenium's tips on working as a
pro, Izuku wondered if he’d had as much growth as his friend, and if his other classmates had as
well.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Katsuki leaned forward, his hands on his knees as he fought to catch his breath.

He’d been doing his work study with Endeavor for about a week, he and Shoto struggling to keep
up with the flame hero. They’d been given a goal to reach before the work study ended: to beat the
new number one to a crime scene just once. It was a tall order, and up to that point neither student
had even come close.

The blond straightened a little as the hero passed, doing his best to look anything but winded.
Endeavor didn't so much as glance in his direction.

As a mentor, Endeavor had been much of what Katsuki had expected. He was curt, demanding and
wholly unsympathetic to his mentees’ lack of experience in the field. He offered plenty of critiques
and very little reassurance. To the hot headed blond, he was the perfect teacher; not at all likeable,
but challenging and strong. He wanted to be number one some day, and putting up with the flame
hero long enough to learn from him would be key to achieving that goal.

Katsuki spared a glance to Shoto, who had also stopped to catch his breath. Whereas Katsuki could
muster up a begrudging respect for Endeavor, Shoto had been cold and distant from the moment
they’d begun working with him. That coldness had extended to Katsuki as well, the dual toned boy
often remaining silent even after they’d left the agency for the day.

He’d never admit it aloud, but Katsuki was worried about him. He didn’t know all the details
about his boyfriend’s family life, and hadn’t wanted to push him for information he wasn’t ready to
give, but he had a rough idea as to what was driving his standoffishness.
He sighed. Deku would know how to help, and he’d do it so easily, too…

The three were admittedly having some difficulties adjusting to their new dynamic, from little
things to finding comfortable cuddling arrangements to big things like learning how to talk to one
another about serious topics. Izuku was the easier of the two for Katsuki to read, and their shared
history made being vulnerable with the greenette less intimidating. Shoto he hadn’t known nearly
as long, and his personality was close enough to the blond’s that the butting of heads was
inevitable.

In a way, Katsuki was glad Izuku wasn’t there to fall into his natural mediator role; if they wanted
to make this new relationship work, he and Shoto would have to find a way to communicate
without snapping at each another.

He moved over to Shoto, glancing to Endevor who was busy barking orders to his sidekicks. “You
doing all right there, Pretty Boy?”

Cold eyes met his, softening so minutely that Katsuki nearly missed it. “I’m fine.”

Katsuki nodded, feeling awkward. “Okay, uh…good.”

“Did you need something, Katsuki?”

He narrowed his eyes. “I can’t just come and talk to my boyfriend? I have to have some other
reason?”

Shoto’s eyes widened fractionally, a light blush dusting his cheeks. “Uhm, no…you don’t… I
mean, you can talk to me whenever, that is...”

Endeavor stalked over to the students, and Shoto’s face immediately lost all expression, smoothing
into something Katsuki hadn‘t really seen from him since the start of their first term.

“I think we’ll call it a night for you two,” the flame hero told them, his beard burning brightly in
the dark of the evening. “You did better today, but you’re still too far behind. We’ll work on that
more tomorrow.”

He turned to Shoto, looking as though he had something he wanted to say, but apparently thought
better of it as he shook his head, walking away with a notable tension in his shoulders.

Katsuki blinked. His own family dynamic was a little strange, given he and his mother expressed
their love through shouting, but the affection was there. Endeavor seemed almost afraid of caring
about his son, and the thought made the blond uneasy.

Shoto frowned after the hero, wordless following him back to the agency. Katsuki shook his head.

Yeah, Deku would know how to help...

 At Most A Kiss
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

After his trip to Idaten, Izuku was scheduled to visit Hawks’ agency, though he’d have to wait a
day or so for the hero to return from some secret mission.

“Even if I knew what it was, we both know I wouldn’t be allowed to tell anyone,” Mera said,
ignoring the pout on the boy’s face. “I’d say just ask him yourself, but Hawks is fool enough to tell
you everything, and then there’d be a situation. Let me tell you something, Hawks’ situations
create more paperwork than any other-"

Izuku tuned the man out. He liked Mera, to an extent, but he complained about paperwork more
than any other person the healer had ever encountered.

There had been a few more injuries to treat at the infirmary in the interim, as well as a visit from
Mirko, but time spent at Commission headquarters continued to prove itself incredibly dull.

He’d reached a breaking point with the monotony, especially after his taste of freedom the day
before, and sought out Gran Torino and Mirio, who were training the latter in using One For All.

The training room was huge, with high ceilings and padded floors. There were no windows, which
Izuku guessed was done intentionally to avoid having to constantly repair broken windows. There
was a large mirror on the far wall and, even from a distance, Izuku could tell it was two way.

“Midoriya!” Gran Torino said, sharp eyes cutting over to him. “Came to see the show, huh?”

He shrugged. “There isn’t much to do in the infirmary right now, so I figured I’d do some training,
if that’s all right.”

The hero perked up. “Oh? And were you planning to do so by yourself?”

“I can practice in the corner, so that I don’t disturb you.”

“Nonsense!” Torino chirped, pushing past a winded Mirio. “I’ll spar with you; Togata here needs a
break anyways.”

Mirio looked like he wanted to say something, but froze as Torino began reaching for his cane,
scurrying off to the side.

Izuku looked to the blond curiously, before turning back to the old man and smiling brightly.
“Okay!”

No sooner had the words left his mouth Torino sprang into action, his quirk propelling his
movements as he bounced around the room.
“Try to keep up, kid!”

Izuku blew out some of his mist, belatedly realizing Torino’s rapid movements were fanning it
away from them. The hero struck, Izuku just barely managing to dodge the attack. He made to
counter, but Torino was quicker, landing a punch before zipping away again.

He’s fast, the healer thought, doing his best to track the man with his eyes, but there’s a pattern to
his movements. My mist didn’t work, and getting within kissing range will be difficult, so I’ll rely
on my senses instead.

He activated his quirk, sensing the hero’s vitals. Torino hit the ceiling, and Izuku predicted he’d
bounce off the nearest wall before striking. He feinted to the left as Torino appeared on his right,
and Izuku waited until he sensed the uptick in Torino’s heartbeat before whirling around, his heel
just barely connecting with his opponent’s chin.

Torino made to leap away, but was unable to avoid the puff of mist hitting him squarely in the
face. Izuku concentrated his power, focused on disorienting his opponent. Torino landed with
much less grace than he usually did, wobbling slightly.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” the hero muttered. Izuku deactivated his quirk, Torino’s senses clearing as
he did.

To the side, Mirio was staring at the healer, gobsmacked. “It took me days to land a hit on him,” he
marveled, blue eyes wide, “and you did it in less than five minutes.”

Not wanting to be mean, Izuku chose not to ask how someone with two quirks wasn’t able to take
on the aging hero, instead shrugging. “There was a pattern to his movements; I made a prediction,
sensed when he was about to strike and countered.”

“You switched strategies when you realized your first one wasn’t gonna cut it,” Torino added,
adjusting his mask. “It was a smart move, but that was just the beginning. Get ready kid, we’re
going again.”

Izuku nodded, his expression determined as he readied his stance. “Yes, sir!”

Mirio watched in awe as the two fought, his eyes darting between them. Izuku didn’t have the
speed that Torino did, but he was matching him in agility, the greenette’s gymnastic moves giving
him some decent evasive maneuvers. Torino was still getting hits in, but Izuku took them without a
sound, recovering quickly and adjusting his moves to avoid getting hit in the same place twice.

Distantly, the blond remembered doing something similar when learning to control Permeation,
and began to wonder why he hadn’t thought to try doing the same with One For All.

Izuku finally managed to land a solid hit, his opponent grunting as his axe kick made contact.
Torino recovered quickly and sent Izuku flying with a kick of his own, ending the match. He
chuckled as Izuku stood, activating his quirk and healing himself. “Heh, not bad Midoriya.”

He gave the healer a few pointers, and was about to have him spar with Mirio when the door to the
training room opened. Mera poked his head inside, regarding the three. “Midoriya, we have a
situation: One of Endeavor’s sidekicks was injured during a fight with some villains and needs
treatment.”

Izuku nodded. “Right, are they being brought here?”

Mera shook his head. “There’s some concern regarding moving her. I’ll be taking you over to
Endeavor’s agency in a moment; meet me outside in five minutes.”

Izuku followed him out and, once they were alone, Torino turned to smirk at Mirio. “So, still think
UA’s Sweetheart can’t defend himself?”

The blond frowned, but there was thoughtful look in his eye as he rejoined his mentor for another
round of sparring.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Endeavor’s agency looked just as it had the first time Izuku had visited it during the internships,
everything from the furniture to the interior décor to the heroes themselves sleek and expensive.
One of the hero's many sidekicks had led them to the infirmary, before taking off to address
another pressing issue.

Burnin had been the sidekick he was called in to treat, the woman’s injuries substantial. He
scanned her, sensing multiple lacerations along her body coupled with a sizable puncture wound.

“What happened to you,” he murmured, blowing out a puff of mist to sedate her.

“A villain with a blade quirk caught her off guard,” Endeavor’s deep voice rang out, and Izuku
tried not to flinch at the man’s sudden appearance. “He’d been abusing Trigger and managed to
push his quirk farther than he should have.”

Izuku leaned forward, planting a quick kiss on Burnin’s cheek. Most of her cuts healed in seconds,
the puncture wound taking a bit longer. Once it had closed, Izuku nodded to himself, turning to the
hero. “She’s stable; she lost quite a bit of blood, but thankfully doesn’t seem to need a transfusion.”

Endeavor shot him a look. “Are you unable to regenerate blood with your healing?”

“The problem isn’t regenerating blood,” Izuku responded in a clipped tone, his eyes narrowing.
“It’s how long it takes; if I can’t regenerate enough blood cells to compensate for what’s been lost
fast enough…”

Endeavor stilled, catching the boy’s meaning. “Ah. I see…”

It was beginning to feel much like their last encounter, the hero awkwardly trying to find a way to
communicate with the annoyed healer. Ordinarily, Izuku had a level of patience that Recovery Girl
had jokingly referred to as ‘saintly,’ but when it came to the new number one, the man who had
done so much harm to every member of his family, Izuku struggled to find any patience to spare
him.

From his spot in the corner, Mera looked between the two with a bored expression. “Well, we
ought to be going if Midoriya’s finished here. There’s a lot to be done back at headquarters, and
I’m in need of another cup of coffee.”

“The break room has those pod things,” Endeavor told him, not breaking from his staring contest
with the healer. “By all means, help yourself.”

“Second door on the right, Mera,” Izuku said dismissively. Mera was out of the room like a shot at
the promise of caffeine, leaving the two to their staring. Izuku broke first, turning to fill out
Burnin’s chart.

“How do you know where our break room is?” Endeavor asked him.
“I came here once before during the Spring internships,” Izuku replied, his tone betraying his
nonchalant expression. “You refused to come out to see me, so Burnin gave me the tour. I’m not
surprised you don’t remember, honestly. You made it clear you only cared about beating the
number one hero.”

Endeavor scowled. “Are you this impudent with every hero you speak to?”

Green eyes flicked back over to him. “You’re not the only one, but I think you might be the hero in
need of brutal honesty the most.”

Truthfully, Izuku could only think of one other person who irritated him as much as Endeavor did,
the person who shared his fire, his eyes…

Dabi…

The healer had yet to mention Dabi’s true identity to anyone. He didn’t have concrete proof other
than a few short conversations with the villain, and likely that wouldn’t be enough to convince
anyone. Izuku bit his lip; he knew he owed Shoto the truth, at least, but had no idea how to broach
the topic with him. And once he finally did tell him, what could be done about it? Dabi was a
villain, obsessed with bringing down Endeavor any way he could. There would likely be no happy
reconciliation for the Todoroki siblings, even if Shoto took the news well.

Izuku shook his head; he had no say in what the dual toned boy did with the information, only an
obligation to give it to him. He wondered if he owed Endeavor as much.

The man’s steely gaze was fixed to the floor, his frame unmoving apart from the flames licking his
face. “At the hospital, you told me I’d have to do a lot more than what I have been to earn the trust
of the people who matter…”

The healer blinked, not expecting the hero to have remembered his words. “I did.”

Endeavor brought his gaze up to meet his once again. “And how do I do that? Shoto, I- he won’t
speak to me, won’t look at me unless he has to, and I can’t seem to get the words out when I need
to. I can’t force him to talk to me, or he’d just hate me even more.” He let out a huff, his frustration
evident. “I know how to be a hero, but even after all these years I know nothing of being a father.”

Izuku was thoroughly taken aback. He’d expected harsh words, perhaps a threat or two, those
intense eyes burning into him… he hadn’t for a moment thought what he’d said at the hospital
would get through to the flame hero. “I- I don’t know…”

Endeavor let out another huff.

“It’s really not my place to say,” Izuku continued, feeling awkward, “especially considering…” he
paused, not sure if the man knew he was dating his son. If Shoto wasn’t speaking to him, then it
was doubtful. “But I think you’ll have to show him you want things to be different, instead of just
telling him.” He gestured to the thin scar over the man’s face. “Keep being the hero who earned
that scar, and who knows?”

He bit his lip, debating it, before adding: “Before I came to help out at Kyushu, he… he was
worried about you.”

Endeavor’s eyes widened slightly, the heat Izuku had always seen behind them dimming.

Mera returned not a moment later, his thermos filled with rich, aromatic coffee. “We gotta stop by
here more often, Midoriya,” he teased, motioning for him to follow as he left the room.
Endeavor escorted them from the building, Mera sipping his coffee with an expression Izuku could
almost call happy.

“I understand you’re to be visiting agencies during your work study,” Endeavor said, stopping the
two just before they departed. “I’d like you to return to mine for a day; I owe you from the
internships.”

Izuku frowned. It was more likely the hero wanted someone to vent his frustrations to, and didn’t
much care about what Izuku could possibly learn from him. He shook his head, “That’s not-“

“I’ll call the Commission tomorrow and set everything up,” the flame hero decided, his tone
leaving no room for argument.

The healer stared at the man, turning to Mera who shrugged. “You wanted to get away from
headquarters, here’s your chance. We didn’t have any other agencies lined up for you to visit after
Hawks’, so I’d say be grateful for the offer.”

He winced. It was a valid point; he’d been rather vocal about his discontent in the Commission
infirmary, could he really turn down an opportunity to work with the number one for a day?

I’ll also get to spend time with Kaachan and Shochan , he reminded himself, smiling at the thought.
He turned back to Endeavor, “Alright, I guess I’m coming back.”

Endeavor nodded. “Good.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

From atop a nearby building, Dabi watched the three interact with a scowl on his face.

Hawks had been in charge of keeping an eye on Midoriya the past few weeks, but the last day or so
the boss had need of him elsewhere, and thus Dabi was put back on surveillance.

It would be his luck that he’d have to watch from afar as the man he wanted so badly to destroy
stood out on the street: open and vulnerable.

Dabi activated his quirk, the blue flames licking at his palm. “I could incinerate the entire street,”
he muttered to himself. “He’d be dead in an instant.”

Endeavor was saying something to the healer, who was shaking his head. Dabi felt what was left of
his scars tingle.

“You really are just like him, Touya.”

“I could heal you, but there’s no saving you.”

“Your eyes are just like Endeavor’s.”

He hissed as his flames burned him, an angry red splotch forming near his thumb. Those words
wouldn’t stop plaguing him, the healer’s voice a jagged knife scraping at the back of his mind. He
looked at the burn, its color prominent against his pale skin. Next to it was one of his scars, faded
but still there, still a constant reminder of who he’d become.

He grit his teeth.

 Kissin’ Dynamite
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Izuku’s second trip to Endeavor’s agency came much quicker than expected, due to Hawks
cancelling the greenette’s trip to his own agency. He’d left a message with Mera to let Izuku know
he was still busy with his mission, the Commission rep annoyed at having to relay messages like a
pigeon.

“He’s got your number, hasn’t he?” The man grumbled.

And so, Izuku returned to Endeavor’s agency the next day, Mirio escorting him there. The blond
had been uncharacteristically quiet during the trip, the healer surprised at his lack of effervescence.

“I have to head back to headquarters,” the blond told him as they approached the agency, “Gran
Torino’s got me on a strict training schedule.”

Izuku hummed, trying not to smile at then thought of the little old man whacking his friend with
his cane.

He made to enter the building, when a hand on his arm stopped him. “Hey, uh… Can we talk for a
minute?”

Izuku turned to Mirio, the blond’s posture rigid as he stared at the ground. He looked more
uncomfortable than the healer had ever seen him, and it worried him.

“I- I want to apologize,” Mirio began, blue eyes flicking up to meet his gaze. “I need to apologize
to you, Izuku, for everything…”

He swallowed, before soldiering on. “For the past few months, I’ve been clingy and overprotective
when it came to you. I told myself that it was okay, that because we’re friends and I had this new
power that it made sense for me to want to keep you safe. I made it seem like you couldn’t take
care of yourself, that your only purpose was to heal me when I need it, and that’s wrong. You’re
strong and capable, more capable than me sometimes... you’ll make a great hero someday. I’m so
sorry, Izuku; I never should’ve doubted you.”

Izuku stared at him. “Mirio, I…”

He didn’t know what to say. Everything the blond had said was correct, and Izuku was happy to
hear his strengths aside from healing being acknowledged. Whether or not Mirio would ease off
his overprotectiveness would remain to be seen, but for the greenette it was a step in the right
direction.

He imagined Gran Torino had a hand in getting the blond to see reason, and made a note to buy the
man some taiyaki for his trouble.
Izuku gave his friend a small smile. “I forgive you.”

Mirio gave him a sad look. “I’m also sorry for being so… forward, with my flirting. I didn’t even
realize I was making you uncomfortable, and I should’ve known better.”

Izuku nodded, shifting uncomfortably. “You should’ve, but at least you recognize it now." More
than anything, he was grateful that Mirio had come to his senses without any more fights breaking
out between he and the healer's boyfriends. "I- I think we both need some time, but we’ll get past
this. You’re still my friend, Mirio; I hope you know that.”

Despite the thin smile on his face, Mirio looked crushed. The greenette felt that same twisting in
his stomach that he had with Uraraka, and he had to refrain from reaching out to the blond. Mirio
promised to return to escort him back to campus, because even as upset as he was he still had his
orders from the Commission, and Izuku watched him walk away with a heavy feeling in his heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Burnin was the first to greet the healer as he entered, a wide grin on her face.

“Thanks for patching me up the other day,” she chirped, green hair blazing around her. “I woke up
from my nap feeling good as new!”

Izuku returned her smile. “I’m glad to hear it!”

Next came Endeavor, his two work study students flanking him. Izuku gave his boyfriends a smile,
before schooling his expression as he looked to the new number one.

“I’m glad you could make it, Midoriya,” the man said, taking in the greenette’s attire. “Good,
you’re already in costume; we’re going on patrol.”

Patrolling in Endeavor’s part of the city was a different experience than patrolling by Ingenium or
Nighteye’s agencies. Closer to downtown, there were more banks, shops and restaurants on the
route, which meant more opportunity to stumble across a crime in progress.

As they walked, the hero two steps in front of his mentees, Endeavor informed Izuku of the
challenge he’d set for Katsuki and Shoto.

“A hero needs to be on the scene the moment the crime begins, if not before,” he said, not turning
to look at the healer as he spoke. “Our job is to cut criminals off at the knees, to overwhelm them
with our strength; that requires speed and vigilance, as well as a good deal of raw power.”

"I've got plenty of power," Katsuki gloated, his palms crackling.

Izuku shot a look at the hero's back, assessing him.

He must be getting information fed to him by his sidekicks, he deduced, noting the small device in
the man's ear, or has some kind of hearing aid to allow him to pick up disturbances even from
miles away.

He activated his quirk, pushing his senses out as far as he could. There were plenty of people on
the streets, their vitals mostly normal as they went about their day.

It had become easier for the healer to keep his senses up for long periods of time, given the
practice he was able to sneak in during the long hours at Commission headquarters. Within the ten
miles he was able to sense, there wasn’t anything amiss.
He was wondering if perhaps it would be inappropriate of him to stop the man walking towards
them, as his blood pressure was a little alarming, when he felt it: a spike of adrenaline a block or so
away.

As his senses perked, he shot off his zip lines, grappling and swinging over to the source. Behind
him, he could hear the others catching up to him, so he pushed himself harder. As they neared,
Izuku readied his mist, releasing it as he caught sight of a man stealing a woman’s purse.

Shimmering pink connected with the man just as Endeavor punched him, the combined force of the
attacks knocking the criminal unconscious. It appeared to be a petty criminal working alone, but
the greenette scanned the area for any possible accomplices just to be safe.

Izuku checked the woman for injuries as Endeavor apprehended the man, finding only a small cut
on her cheek. He gave her a bandaid as Endeavor stomped over to them, returning the woman’s
purse.

“T-Thank you,” she said nervously, and Izuku gave her his signature smile.

“Happy to help, miss!” He chirped, sending her off with a wave.

“Nice work, Deku,” Katsuki said, smirking as he sauntered over. “You’re almost as good at this as
me.”

“He beat both of us here,” Shoto reminded the blond, getting a splutter of outrage in response.

Next to the healer, Endeavor huffed. “What you lack in speed you made up for in a fast reaction
time; not bad, for a rookie.”

Izuku blinked. He supposed that, coming from the flame hero, it was practically a compliment.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once they’d returned to the agency, Endeavor had the students follow him to the training room.

He sent Shoto and Katsuki off to spar, mindful to practice the new things they’d learned about
their quirks. Endeavor turned to Izuku, his expression firm.

“When your classmates first arrived, I had them tell me what areas they needed to work on, the
roadblocks they’ve hit with their quirks. I’d like you to do the same.”

Izuku nodded, explaining everything he could about his quirk. His cheeks flushed as he described
how different levels of contact affected how well his power worked, but Endeavor didn’t bat an
eye.

“So, the more direct contact you can make with your enemy, the better,” he deduced, the healer
nodding.

“A lip to lip kiss is the ultimate use of my quirk: I can stimulate any response I want near instantly
by doing so.”

Endeavor raised a brow. “Show me.”

Izuku balked, and the man’s eyes widened as he realized his mistake. “I didn't mean on me!” He
turned to his other two students. “Bakugo, get over here! We need some assistance.”

The blond sneered at the man, but joined the two anyways. “What do you want, old man?”
“Midoriya needs someone to use his quirk on. Let the boy kiss you.”

Katsuki’s face split into a wide grin. “Don’t need to tell me twice.”

Izuku flushed, but gave his boyfriend a shy smile as he leaned in, kissing him soundly. From the
side, Shoto moved closer to watch the scene unfold. As their lips met, Izuku activated his quirk
before stepping away. “Try using your quirk, Kaachan.”

Katsuki held out his palm, concentrating.

Nothing happened.

As the blond began shaking his hand, growling at the traitorous appendage, Endeavor studied him.
“Interesting…you’ve somehow managed to block his quirk from activating, like how Eraser Head
does.”

Izuku shook his head. “Mr. Aizawa’s quirk lets him prevent his target’s quirk from expressing
itself, while my own quirk keeps the muscles that activate the target's quirk from reacting. Quirks
tend to require contractions from certain muscles to aid in their usage: For Kaachan it’s the muscles
in his hands and forearms, and for me it’s likely the Orbicularis Oris muscle in the face.”

The hero blinked. “I’m not all that interested in the particulars; the point is, you have a pretty good
ace up your sleeve, but the downside is how close you need to be to your target to use it.”

He sent Katsuki away, after Izuku deactivated his quirk and allowed the blond to summon his
explosions once again. He turned back to the healer. “Since your quirk seems to be progressing just
fine, perhaps we ought to focus on your physical strength. Tell me, how strong are you exactly?”

“Not very,” Izuku replied sheepishly. “It’s one of the reasons I use my mist so much; I can’t make
myself stronger, but I can make my opponents weaker.”

“And slower and easier to hit,” Endeavor added, scratching his chin. “Alright, then we know what
you need to work on. Let’s begin.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As Katsuki rejoined Shoto to continue their sparring, he noted the tension in the other boy’s
shoulders. They began their match, but his opponent’s movements were stilted and jerky, and he
kept glancing over to where Izuku was sparring with Endeavor.

“Focus, Icyhot!” Katsuki snapped, landing yet another punch to the distracted boy.

Shoto tore his eyes away from the other two, missing the aerial kick the greenette sent Endeavor’s
way, and Katsuki noted with some concern that the blank mask the dual toned boy had been
wearing much more often at the agency was back on his face.

“You don’t want Deku sparring with your dad, huh?” The blond guessed, dropping his stance.

Shoto’s eyes hardened. “I know how my old man likes to train, and I know he takes things too far;
if he hurts you, or hurts Bunny…”

Katsuki’s chest tightened, his mind racing. What the hell did that bastard do to him…

“Sho-“

He was cut off by a pained cry ringing out from the other side of the room, and Shoto was there in
an instant. Izuku was on the ground, wincing as he rubbed his ankle. The dual toned boy had come
between him and Endeavor, both sides of his quirk activating as he leveled his father with a fierce
glare.

“What did you do to him,” he snarled, his eyes blazing.

Endeavor frowned. “I didn’t-“

“It’s alright, Shochan,” Izuku muttered softly. He’d healed himself and risen from the ground,
moving to tug at the other boy’s sleeve. “I just landed wrong and twisted my ankle; it was my
fault.”

Shoto seemed to relax, if only fractionally, and the greenette smiled at him. “But look! You were
able to use both sides of your quirk at once, without even thinking about it! You’ve made so much
progress since-“

Katsuki watched as Izuku diffused the situation, Endeavor’s expression shell shocked as the
freckled boy rambled on. The blond glared at the man as he neared, moving to stand next to his
boyfriends.

The flame hero turned and left without a word, his posture rigid. Once he'd gone, Katsuki placed a
tentative hand on Shoto’s shoulder, almost surprised the other boy didn’t shake him off. It was
quiet for a moment, not one of them knowing what to say next.

“I- I’m not as good at talking as Deku is,” he said, “and honestly, I don’t think anyone can talk as
much as he does-“

“Hey!” Izuku fired back, a playful look on his face.

“-but I want you to know I’m here for you,” he continued, giving Shoto a meaningful look. “We
both are.”

Shoto’s demeanor crumbled, and he pulled the other two in for a hug. He was silent, no tears
escaping him, but they could feel the pain and anger and sadness radiating off of him.

As the three held onto one another tightly, Izuku and Katsuki both made silent vows: one to heal
the wounded boy clinging to them, and the other to take down the person who hurt him.
 Good Kisser
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Mera sighed as he trudged through the halls, his footsteps echoing behind him. He nodded to the
guards he saw as he passed, the men and women stern faced and at attention.

He had come to the prison that held Gentle Criminal to survey the progress Nezu was making with
the reform program, the little principal conducting classes once a week with both Gentle and La
Brava. The room they’d turned into a makeshift classroom was bare and drab, beige walls and off
white floors harshly lit by the fluorescent lights overhead. There were a few tables and chairs lined
up, though only one table was needed as Gentle and La Brava sat right next to each other.

Eyes flicked to Mera as he entered, but returned to Nezu as he continued with his lecture, the
creature smiling brightly at his pupils. He watched as the lecture went on, noting the way the two
villains seemed to hang on Nezu’s very word. Of the two, La Brava appeared to be the most
interested in what the principal was teaching, asking thoughtful questions and grinning whenever
she managed to answer one of the principal’s own questions correctly.

If they’re just playing along to plan their escape, Mera thought, taking a sip of his coffee, then
they’re doing a very convincing job of it.

As the lesson came to a close, Nezu left the villains under the watchful eye of the guards, leading
Mera out into the hall. “They seem to be doing well.”

The principal nodded. “They’ve learned a lot these past few weeks; I’m not sure they’re ready for
any kind of freedom or responsibility yet, but I’m confident they’ll get there soon enough.”

Nezu took a sip from his mug and, distantly, Mera recognized its aroma. “That’s the fancy tea
Midoriya brought with him the first time we saw Gentle: gold something or other, right?”

“Indeed, Midoriya gave me a box or two of Gold Tips Imperial to make for the reform program
students, as an added incentive to do their best.”

Mera peeked through the window, seeing Gentle and La Brava laughing ad drinking from their
own mugs. He turned back to Nezu. “He’s conditioning them, like Pavlov’s dog.”

“Think of it as positive reinforcement, a way to make sure our two students continue to work hard
to complete the program. It’s important that this plan is successful, so a few easy rewards may be
necessary.”

Mera just shook his head, taking a long sip of coffee. He froze, frowning at his thermos.

“Oh? Is something the matter?”

“Midoriya’s been bringing me coffee lately,” he grumbled, his eyes laced with suspicion. “In fact,
he brought me this coffee just this morning; it tastes identical to the high end brand I sampled at
Endeavor’s agency.”

“Well, isn’t that something,” Nezu said brightly, ignoring the heated glare sent his way. “At least
you’ve been enjoying it!”

“Getting involved with your schemes has got to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done,” Mera
groused, but took another sip of his coffee. It was smooth and lightly sweet, despite containing no
cream nor sugar. He shrugged; as far as manipulations went, this one wasn’t so bad. “I suppose
you’ve got all your ducks in a row, then?”

“Not quite; I’ve learned that when it comes to Midoriya, nothing ever goes quite how I expect it
to.” Nezu had a faraway look in his eye as he spoke, his usual chipper demeanor absent. “It was
never my intention to allow the League of Villains to take Midoriya, neither the first nor second
time; though, I suppose I should’ve accounted for the tenacity of our enemies, as well as the
kindness of our healer. Then, by advocating for Mirio to succeed All Might, I unknowingly fostered
an overprotectiveness in both he and the Commission in regards to Midoriya.”

He turned back to Mera. “Though there’s been some hiccups, I’d say that, to borrow your turn of
phrase, most of my ducks are in a row.”

The man let out a huff. “I see…then, Midoriya is aware of what’s to come?”

“He is, and I believe he’ll play his part perfectly; he just needs the right opportunity.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The villain let out a roar as the Trigger course through his veins, his strength quirk increasing
tenfold. Next to him, his teammates injected themselves as well, powering their quirks as they
faced down the heroes.

Endeavor had been the one to respond to the crisis, bringing along Izuku and his work study
students. The greenette was happy to see the number one hero didn’t feel the need to keep him
locked away at the agency, as some of the other heroes were wont to do, though he couldn’t help
but wonder if that was due to a begrudging respect for his abilities or a complete lack of regard for
him overall.

Endeavor, Katsuki and Shoto worked together perfectly, having performed drills and other take
downs in a similar fashion. Izuku did his best to keep up, using his mist to nullify the effects of
Trigger whilst keeping civilians away from the fight.

The healer sensed one of the criminals advancing on an injured person and raced over, readying his
mist.

He hit the man with it full force, shimmering pink obscuring the villains vision. He stumbled, and
Izuku sized hsi chance, laucnhing himself into the air. He employed a move that Mirko had told
him about, his thighs gripping onto the man’s neck as he used the momentum of his swinging body
to knock him off balance, bringing the villain to the ground quickly.

He secured him with a capture bandaid, using his senses to make sure he hadn’t hurt the villain too
badly. Once finished, he looked over to see the man’s potential victim: a teary-eyed, eight year old
boy.

“Hey,” Izuku said softly, slowly approaching the boy. His clothes were dirty and his hair sticking
out at odd angles, but he looked to be otherwise unharmed. “Are you okay?”
The boy sniffed. “My knee h-hurts, and I c-can’t find my m-mom.”

Izuku scanned him, sensing only a minor scrape on his left knee. He pulled out a bandaid, placing
it gently over the scrape. “There, all better! Now, let’s try and find your mom, hm?”

Endeavor and the others watched as the greenette helped the boy to his feet, taking his hand. The
crowd that had once been running from the chaos had reconvened to stare at the aftermath of the
villain attack, secure in the knowledge that the heroes had come and dealt with the threat.

Do they trust us that much, to go against the instinct to run just to see our triumph? Endeavor
couldn’t quite understand it; as number two, he’d had his fair share of awed civilians and excitable
fans, but as number one he felt something else, something far more sacred and burdensome.

Izuku found the boy’s mother, who looked beside herself with worry. Endeavor forced himself not
to frown. She clearly left the child there to fend for himself…

“T-thank you for saving me,” the boy mumbled, and Izuku gave him a sweet smile.

“That’s what heroes do!” He chirped happily.

“I…I wanna be a hero too, but no one thinks I can cuz my quirk isn’t strong.”

Izuku made a thoughtful sound, before perking up. “You know, when I was a kid I used to carry
bandaids in my pocket, so I could help my friends if they were hurt.” He pulled a handful of
bandaids from his utility belt, handing them to the boy. “Now you can do the same; helping people
is what makes someone a hero, not what kind of quirk they have.”

The boy gave him a watery smile, his mother thanking the healer for his help. Shoto, Katsuki and
Endeavor joined him as the crowd began to applaud their efforts, news trucks and reporters
shoving their way through the crowd to get footage of the event.

"You should smile," Izuku muttered to the flame hero. "It makes a difference."

Endeavor made a face that wasn't a smile, but neither was it a frown, so Izuku counted it a victory.

The hero shooed the bystanders away, making room for the police arriving on the scene. He gave
the officers his report, keeping his students as far from the journalists as he could. As they were
leaving, a woman cried out.

“Sweetheart! Sweetheart!! Do you think it’s wise for you to be out here, doing dangerous hero
work? You’re a healer after all, not a fighter!”

Izuku tensed as Katsuki growled, ready to tear into the reporter. The freckled boy stopped him,
before turning to the woman.

He gave both her and her cameraman his signature smile, his Pucker Up persona firmly in place. “I
may be a healer, but I’m a hero as well; my job is to save people, no matter how dangerous the
situation is.”

He looked directly at the camera, giggling. “I may be a sweetheart, but I have no problem putting
villains away for good! I’m Pucker Up, a lover and a fighter, a healer and a hero!”

He blew the reporter and the crowd a kiss, waving as he followed his classmates away from the
scene.
Endeavor shot the boy a look. “Was that really necessary?”

The healer shrugged. “The concerns about whether or not a healer can handle villain attacks would
have to be addressed eventually; at least this way, I was able to do so on my own terms, without
the Commission feeding me what they wanted me to say.”

Endeavor let out a huff, but said nothing.

As the students prepared to leave for the day, Endeavor stopped them. “Shoto’s sister Fuyumi
would like you three to come to dinner tomorrow; she said she wants to meet Shoto’s friends.”

Shoto’s face remained impassive, but the other two could see the discomfort behind the expression.
Izuku was excited at the prospect of meeting Fuyumi and Natsuo, after hearing so much about
them, but was concerned about how their presence would affect the tentative peace the household
had recently established.

According to Shoto, Natsuo had calmed his boiling anger for his father to a simmering resentment
in the wake of the Kyushu attack, though the dual toned boy didn’t expect it to last. The greenette
didn’t know Endeavor to be a particularly skilled conversationalist, and frankly neither was
Katsuki, which would leave the bulk of the conversation to he and Fuyumi.

Despite his misgivings, Shoto tentatively agreed, if for no other reason than to make Fuyumi
happy, his boyfriends quickly following suit.

"Good, I'll let her know to expect us." The hero fidgeted, and distantly Izuku wondered how such a
threatening, imposing man could manage to look so awkward.

As Endeavor marched back into the agency, the boys leaving for the train station, a thought
occurred to Izuku.

“Uhm, Shochan…your family, Endeavor, they know we’re all dating, right?”

Shoto froze, his eyes wide. “Oh. Uhm…no… I didn’t tell any of them.”

There was a flash of hurt on the greenette’s face, and he rushed to explain himself. “I’m not
ashamed or anything, it just never came up. My family isn’t exactly forthcoming with personal
information…”

Izuku could understand and, noting the expression on his face, so could Katsuki. “It’s okay, but
that means we’ll be having dinner with your family, and our mentor, the number one hero, none of
whom know that we’re dating.”

"Which means we can either ignore the topic altogether, or explain ourselves during dinner," Shoto
finished, looking uncomfortable.

Katsuki barked out a laugh, shaking his head. “Well, fuck.”

 Kissin' in the Kitchen P. I
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Izuku smiled as he traipsed down the halls of Commission headquarters, a small stack of
containers held to his chest. As a special thank you for all that Gran Torino had done for him, the
freckled boy had Sato teach him how to make taiyaki. Getting the batter right had been tricky, and
filling it even trickier, but after a few unsuccessful attempts he’d managed it.

Torino was elated as he spotted the pastries, snatching them from the healer and mumbling out a
quick thank you as he raced off to reheat them. Izuku just smiled, before offering some to Mirio.

“They’re mostly red bean,” he’d told him, “but there are some taro and hazelnut ones as well.”

Mirio accepted them, not quite meeting his eyes. “Thanks, Izuku…”

The blond sat with him, the two eating in awkward silence. An uncomfortable dynamic had been
established between them since Mirio’s apology, the upperclassman often hastily leaving a room
should Izuku enter it. It bred a confused sadness in the healer: on one hand, it was nice to no longer
have Mirio hovering or lingering or touching him for too long; on the other, it was lonely not
having his friend any longer.

It’s just an adjustment period, he reminded himself as he returned to the infirmary, his lunch
almost over. Once he’s gotten over his crush, we can be friends again, just like with Uraraka…

When he’d returned to the infirmary he was met by Mera, the man eyeing the containers in his
hand.

“It’s taiyaki,” Izuku told him, opening one of the containers and holding it out to him. “Would you
like one?”

Mera just shook his head. “You can keep your food bribes to yourself, Midoriya; I’m here with a
case for you to look at.”

The healer perked up upon hearing that, noticing the file in the Commission rep’s hand. “Oh?”

“As you might already know, Gran Torino and a small police force managed to capture the villain
known as Kurogiri some weeks back,” the man said. “We’ve been holding him at Tartarus and
trying to glean some information as to the League’s whereabouts, but so far we’ve got nothing.”

Izuku took the file, moving to his desk. It had the standard information one would expect to find in
a medical chart: height, weight, etc., but what was truly intriguing about it was the name they had
listed next to Kurogiri’s alias.

“Oboro Shirakumo…that name, something about it sounds familiar…”

Mera nodded. “Shirakumo was a hero student at UA, around the time your teacher was there, I
believe.”

Izuku’s stomach churned. He’d heard the name from Midnight, he realized, when the woman had
been telling him about her time as a hero student. Her eyes had held such sadness as she spoke of
her friend, and now Izuku knew why.

“Shirakumo was pronounced dead nearly thirteen years ago, after a building collapsed on top of
him during a work study mission,” Mera continued. “He was the only casualty.”

“That’s terrible… but if he’s dead, how could he be Kurogiri?”

“The body was stolen from the morgue not long after it was recovered,” the man told him. “These
days, death isn't so simple to declare in people with quirks. It’s possible Shirakumo wasn’t actually
dead, and was revived by way of some quirk before he croaked.”

Izuku remembered his encounter with All For One, the man who could steal quirks from others. He
kept reading. “The file says his genetic makeup has been altered… you think All For One took him
to turn him into a Nomu.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not; if he is a Nomu, then he’s the most intelligent, least mutated Nomu we’ve
encountered. Our systems can only detect so much, so the Commission has granted you special
clearance to visit Kurogiri at Tartarus. We’re hoping you’ll be able to tell us more with your
sensory ability.”

Izuku blinked. “My powers don’t work on the Nomu; back in Hosu, my mist didn’t do anything to
them.”

“Your quirk has grown since then, has it not?” Mera argued, crossing his arms. “All we ask is that
you try.”

The healer frowned, but nodded. If there was a way for him to help, he’d do it. “When are you
taking me to him?”

“There’s still a few things that need to be arranged, extra security measures and such. My guess is
it won’t be for another few days.”

Izuku watched the man go, hoping that there was something of Shirakumo left to save.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that evening Izuku, Shoto and Katsuki were brought to Shoto’s family home by Endeavor,
ready to meet the rest of the family.

“Feelin’ nervous?” Katsuki muttered to Izuku, the freckled boy shaking his head.

“Shochan said he’ll bring it up if the moment feels right,” he whispered back, thankful that
Endeavor wasn’t paying much attention to them as they stepped through the gates. “It’s his family,
so he should know best how to tell them about us.”

Katsuki snorted like he didn’t believe that, but whatever he planned to say next was cut short by
the sight before them.

The Todoroki home was as beautiful as it was imposing. A traditional build, the Minka-style home
boasted a lush garden behind the property wall, easily accessible from any room by way of the
veranda that wrapped around the home. The beautiful landscaping and detailed architecture spoke
of the kind of wealth that spoke for itself, favoring elegance over opulence.

“Your house is beautiful,” Izuku said, smiling at Shoto.

The other boy shrugged. “It’s home.”

Fuyumi was there to greet them, a bright smile on her face. “Welcome to our home!”

She was quite pretty, Izuku noted, her face holding a softness that wasn’t present in either Shoto or
Endeavor’s features. Her hair was mostly white, her eyes a warm grey color. Izuku imagined much
of her appearance she inherited from her mother, the thought sobering.

I wonder if she ever gets to see her mother, the greenette thought, greeting her politely as he
removed his shoes. If Shochan is able to go see her, the others must be too…

She led them to the dining room, the group taking their seats as Shoto’s older brother Natsuo
joined them. There was a bounty of food spread across the table, lovingly and painstakingly made
by Fuyumi before her guests had arrived. Izuku and Shoto’s praises were expected, but Katsuki’s
enthusiasm over the spicy tofu was almost shocking, Endeavor raising a brow at the blond’s
approbations.

“We’ve heard so much about you two,” Fuyumi addressed Izuku and Katsuki. “And we’ve seen
you on the news a few times, too!”

“Aren’t you the sweetheart of your school or something?” Natsuo asked Izuku, the healer flushing
at the question.

“It’s just a silly title,” he insisted, pointedly ignoring Katsuki's snickering next to him. “Present
Mic made it up on the spot, and it just sort of stuck.”

Fuyumi giggled. “I think it’s cute, like being a protagonist in a romance movie!”

Natsuo groaned. “Don’t get her started on the romance movies, she’s made me and Shoto sit
through hundreds of them!”

Fuyumi shot him a playful glare. “Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it; besides, I happen to know
you’ve used one or two ideas from them to flirt with that girl from your science class.”

Natsuo sputtered, and Izuku hid his laughter behind his hand.

“I like them,” Shoto added, picking at his food. “They always have a happy ending.”

Katsuki bit back a smirk. “You sure you’re not watching ‘em for the kissy scenes, Icyhot?”

Shoto blinked. “Those scenes are only a few minutes long, it wouldn’t make sense to watch an
entire movie just for that.”

Natsuo rolled his eyes at the comment, but there was a glimmer of amusement behind them. Izuku
smiled at the sight: they were an unusual bunch, but he could tell the Todoroki siblings cared for
each other very much.

Endeavor’s eyes flicked over to his youngest. “I didn’t know you liked those kinds of movies so
much.”

Natsuo let out a derisive snort. “That's because you don’t know anything about us.”
The table fell silent.

Izuku shifted uncomfortably. He could see the two men staring at one another, Natsuo’s gaze
heated and Endeavor’s guilty.

“I- I know I’ve not been the best father to you,” the hero muttered, “but I’m doing my best to be
there for you now.”

“It’s too late,” Natsuo hissed, standing from the table. “I don’t want you to be there for me, not
now and not ever!”

He stormed from the room, Fuyumi making an aborted movement to follow.

“Leave him, Fuyumi,” Endeavor told her, eyes trained on the door. “He’s not ready to face me.”

“You people suck at hosting,” Katsuki grumbled, stuffing more tofu into his face. “Don’t invite
guests over just to watch your family drama!”

“Kaachan,” Izuku warned, his expression uneasy.

Fuyumi shook her head, her eyes watery. “He’s right; I thought maybe we could have a nice dinner
together, and focus on the good stuff, but I guess I was just kidding myself…”

Shoto was at his sister’s side in an instant, a comforting arm wrapped around her. “Dinner was
delicious,” he promised her, a small smile on his face. “And we were having a really good time for
most of it.”

Izuku nodded. “It was great hearing about the stuff you guys like to do together, and I can tell
you’re really close as siblings!”

Fuyumi smiled, wiping away a tear that had slipped down her cheek. “We got really close after
mom went away, and after… After Touya…”

Izuku’s blood ran cold at the mention of the name. He still hadn’t told anyone what he knew about
Dabi…

Endeavor’s face twisted, and he excused himself from the table as well, all but fleeing the room.

“Natsuo blames dad for what happened to him,” Fuyumi said in a whisper. “I understand how he
feels, it’s just- I don’t want to make things even harder than they already are!”

Katsuki looked as though he was moments from escaping the uncomfortable conversation, much
like Endeavor had, and so Izuku quickly offered to clear the table, he and the blond grabbing plates
and bowls and rushing to the kitchen.

“That was so goddamn awkward,” Katsuki whispered hotly, dropping the dishes into the sink.
“Pretty Boy should’ve warned us how nuts his family is!”

Izuku winced, feeling guilty. “I’m sorry, I should’ve said something; I knew quite a bit about the
stuff they were saying, but didn’t think to tell you.”

Katsuki grunted, but didn’t comment as they began cleaning the dishes. It was quiet for awhile, the
only sounds that could be heard were soft voices from down the hall.

“Who’s Touya?” Katsuki finally asked, when he could bear the silence no longer.
Izuku frowned. “Shochan’s older brother, the eldest Todoroki child. He was Endeavor’s prodigy
until Shochan’s quirk manifested. There was an accident when Toya was training with his quirk,
and…he died…”

Only he didn’t, the healer’s mind whispered. He’s alive, and out for revenge.

The image of Kurogiri’s file from earlier flashed in his mind, and Izuku let out a small gasp.

Or maybe he did die, and he was brought back to life. Maybe Shirakumo was, too…

It made sense, in a twisted way; All For One was a powerful villain with multiple unkown quirks at
his disposal. If he could resurrect the dead, then there’d be cause for him to take both Kurogiri and
Dabi to use against the heroes, when the time came.

“You okay, Princess?” Katsuki asked, his face pinched with concern.

“I- um…” Izuku didn’t know what to say. If he was right, then everything he’d thought to be true
about the League of Villains could be entirely wrong.

How many of them are just poor souls abused and corrupted by All For One? He wondered,
washing the last of the dishes. How many of them found a home with the League when no one else
would take them?

The healer knew he had a tendency to sympathize a little too much with the villains, but he
couldn’t help it; he had a duty as a healer to help those who were suffering, and there was great
suffering amongst the League members.

He glanced outside, seeing the lights of the city glimmering in the darkness. Somewhere out there,
Dabi was still alive, still hurting after so many years...

“I’m okay,” he finally told Katsuki, turning back to face him. “But there’s something I need to tell
you, both you and Shochan, before it’s too late.”
 Kissin' in the Kitchen P. II
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Shoto was torn over the news that Fuyumi had prepared dessert as well as dinner. Ordinarily, he’d
never pass up any dish his sister made, out of respect for the time and care she put into it as well as
the culinary talent she possessed; however, with Natsuo’s outburst, Endeavor’s retreat at the
mention of Touya and the thick tension that hung in the air, the dual toned boy worried it would be
too much to ask of his boyfriends, who had endured so much already.

Naturally, the suggestion to forgo dessert was met with resistance, Izuku assuring him they would
love to stay, and Katsuki telling him in no certain terms he’d be an idiot to pass up anything
Fuyumi made.

“Thank you both,” Shoto mumbled, giving the boys a soft, sincere smile. “I know this hasn’t been
an ideal evening.”

Ever the optimist, Izuku gave him a sweet smile. “It’s been a little awkward, but I’m happy we got
to meet your siblings and spend some time with them. Fuyumi is just how you described her, and
Natsuo seems really nice, too!”

Shoto locked eyes with Katsuki, giving him an apologetic look. The blond knew very little about
his home life, the dual toned boy having kept it from him through most of their acquaintanceship.
It wasn’t unfounded; after all, they had been strictly rivals up until a few months prior, and with the
whirlwind of both their and Izuku’s problems the intracies of his delicate family situation became
an even more difficult subject to broach.

Katsuki let out a huff, understanding the intent behind the other boy’s expression. “We can talk
about it later; right now, we gotta go cheer up your sister.”

Shoto directed them into the dining room once again, turning back down the hallway to fetch the
dessert Fuyumi made from the kitchen. On his way there, he spied his father cornering Natsuo by
the genkan, fiddling with his shoes as he attempted to leave.

“Please, stay for your sister and brother’s sake,” Shoto heard Endeavor mutter, his large frame
looking uncharacteristically small as he hunched in on himself. “I- I’ll leave, if you want...just- just
stay for them…”

Whatever Natsuo wished to say in response was halted as he spotted his brother peering at him
from around the corner. Sheepishly, Shoto stepped out from his hiding spot, cheeks pink from
having been caught.

“I’d like it if you stayed, Natsuo,” he mumbled, heterochromatic eyes cast to the floor.

It was quiet for a moment, before Endeavor let out a cough. “I’ll be in the study,” he told Shoto,
though his eyes remained locked on Natsuo, “let me know when you’re finished, and I’ll take you,
Bakugo and Midoriya back to UA.”

The dual toned boy thought even that unnecessary, given their driver could take the three much
more comfortably without his father’s bulk taking up a seat, but kept it to himself, merely nodding
as the man passed him.

Natsuo watched the hero go, his jaw set firmly as he fought with himself. Eventually he relented,
letting out a sigh. “Alright, I’ll stay a little longer.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The two brothers moved to rejoin the others once they’d grabbed dessert from the kitchen, their
sister smiling brightly at Natsuo’s return. Fuyumi had made a spice cake, the subtle aroma of
cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom tickling Shoto’s nose as he set it on the table. It wasn’t
his favorite dessert by any means, but he knew it to be good by the simple virtue of his sister
making it.

Sure enough, there were smiles and contented hums heard round the table as everyone took their
first bite, the cake light and flavorful. Even Katsuki, who was infamous in the 1-A dorms for his
lack of a sweet tooth was enjoying his slice, managing to smear some frosting on his cheek and
chin as he ate.

Shoto smiled at the sight, and was tempted to wipe the frosting from his boyfriend’s face himself
when he remembered his surroundings. He turned back to his siblings. Natsuo, who had been
attentively listening to one of Izuku’s stories about working in the infirmary, hadn’t caught the
smitten look he’d given Katsuki, but Fuyumi had. The woman was giving him a knowing look, a
soft smile tugging at her lips.

“So, all you have to do is kiss somebody, and their wounds are just gone?” Natsuo asked Izuku, his
slice of cake momentarily forgotten.

The greenette nodded. “Essentially, yes; the more knowledge I have concerning a specific injury
dictates how precise I can be with my quirk. There have been a few patients of mine who ended up
with some minor scarring because I didn’t know near enough about their injuries to prevent them.”

“Ah, so when you kissed our dad…”

The room fell silent once more as Fuyumi slapped a hand over her mouth, Natsuo looking
uncomfortable at the image his sister had conjured. “Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it like that, I
swear!”

Izuku’s face was bright red, his freckles even more pronounced in contrast. Next to him, Katsuki
was snickering at the healer.“Well, yes... I put a lot of power into healing Endeavor, but since his
injuries were so bad, and since it was only a cheek kiss, I couldn’t prevent the scarring on his face.”

Shoto chose not to comment, his own facial scar partially obscured by his hair as he leaned
forward. For so long he’d hated his scar, hated the reminder of what his mother had done, what
Endeavor had turned her into. There had been a time when he’d wanted Izuku to heal it, to make it
fade away for his mother’s sake. He’d brought it up to both of them, Izuku willing to help however
he could, but it was Rei who had been against the idea.

“If you want your scar healed for your own sake, that’s fine,” she had told her son, brushing her
thumb against his cheek, “but don’t do it just to make me feel better. The truth is, I’ll never be able
to forgive myself for what I did, no matter my mental state when it happened. I’m learning to make
peace with my mistakes, but I don’t want you shouldering the guilt for me, Shoto. I only want you
to be happy…”

Shoto still wasn’t sure if he wanted his scar healed for his own sake, but took comfort in knowing
Izuku would help him in an instant if he decided he did.

Katsuki, after roughly scrubbing the frosting off his face with a napkin, let out a grunt. “A nasty
scar or two is better than dying in the street.”

The Todoroki siblings flinched at the blond’s comment, thinking of Endeavor’s injuries during the
fight in Kyushu. Izuku looked as though he wanted to say something, when a crash was heard
outside.

Immediately the three UA students were on their feet, expressions hardening at the sound.

“We should-“

The greenette was cut off as a hole was blasted through the dining room wall, strange bindings
bursting through and ensuring the group. They were pulled out from the property and onto the
street, where a man stood waiting for them. He looked to be out of sorts, his lanky frame twitching
as he flashed them a deranged smile.

Activating his quirk, Izuku sensed a heavy dose of Trigger in the man’s veins. He’s amplified his
quirk significantly, the healer thought, eyeing the white lines binding him and floating around the
villain, but his body can’t handle the extra power, it’s killing him…

“Where is Endeavor?!” He screeched, eyes wide and frantic.

A second crashing sound came from the Todoroki home as the flame hero shot into the sky, flames
lighting up the night sky as he propelled himself forward. “Villain! Unhand my family at once!”

It was the distraction the UA students needed, each one breaking loose from the bindings holding
them. Izuku noted that the villain wasn’t creating them himself, but rather pulling the lines painted
onto the street from their place against the asphalt and weaponizing them.

“He’ll have a finite amount of lines available to him, especially if we start breaking some,” he told
the others, Katsuki and Shoto freeing Natsuo and Fuyumi. None of them had their costumes or
support items with them, leaving them at a disadvantage in the fight. Izuku winced at the feeling of
gravel poking his foot. They'd removed their shoes upon entering, meaning they'd have to fight in
their socks. “He’s powering up his quirk with Trigger, but it’s destroying him; I’ll try to flush it out
of his system with my mist while he fights Endeavor, then we can focus on containing the
damage.”

Shoto guided his siblings to safety while Katsuki set about destroying the lines the villain was
using, explosions sounding off as he did. Many of the lines were focused on Endeavor, though
some were directed at the students, the rest of the Todoroki family and many of the cars and
buildings near the street. Izuku darted to the side, creeping closer to the fight. Endeavor’s focus
seemed to be split between the villain and his children, a weakness the other man was happily
exploiting.

Izuku blew out a stream of mist, a pink shimmering tendril reaching out and curling around the
villain. He focused his power, the mist thickening as he deactivated the drug. The man let out a
scream as the Trigger in his system dissipated, several of the lines he’d been animating falling back
down to the street and crumbling upon impact.
Endeavor seized his chance, slamming a fiery fist into the man’s face. Satisfied that the hero could
handle the villain, Izuku turned back to the others. Katsuki had taken to checking the vehicles
struck by the villain’s quirk for civilians, helping a frightened woman from her car. Shoto, after
securing his siblings, had only just rejoined them, Izuku sensing the two for injuries.

“Your plan failed, villain,” Endeavor gloated, his flames burning even brighter as he secured him.
“You’ve lost.”

The man let out a huff, which became a giggle, which became loud guffaws that tore through the
night air. “My plan failed, but I haven’t lost. A real villain always brings a backup!”

He whistled, and the sound of thunderous footsteps drew everyone’s attention to the other end of
the street. Two black Nomu had appeared, their large, bulky frames imposing as they stared
unblinking at the heroes.

Nomu, Izuku thought, his stomach twisting. Is this villain with the League?

“Kill them!” The villain shrieked. “All but Endeavor, he has to kill me first!!”

The Nomu sprang into action at the command, lunging at Katsuki and Shoto. Izuku pulled Katsuki
out of the way, stepping forward. He was unnerved to find that these Nomu seemed to be
conditioned much like the one from Kyushu, as it merely stared at him before turning to reach for
Katsuki, who hit the creature with a powerful explosion.

“Should I even ask?” He growled, crimson eyes flitting over to green.

Izuku unleashed more of his mist, concentrating it on the Nomu. “You wouldn’t like the answer if
you did.”

The greenette was pleased to note that, while it was just barely affecting them, he was able to slow
the Nomu with his quirk, giving Shoto and Katsuki an opening to keep fighting. A third Nomu
appeared, leaping over the group and charging for Endeavor. Izuku gave chase, watching as the
villain freed himself from his restraints and ran, activating his quirk to lift himself into the air with
more traffic lines.

“Now, this is the ending I wanted!” he crowed, a wide grin splitting across his face. “An epic
battle, a surprise encounter with an even deadlier foe! Oh, it’s too much!!”

Izuku shot forward, readying his mist when a few white lines slammed into him, knocking him
into a nearby building.

Shoto let out a strangled sound as he sped over to the healer, his ice propelling him forward. He
unleashed his fire at the villain, flames singing his cheek as he moved to dodge the attack.

“No, no no!” He screeched, pulling more lines into the air as he retreated. “I won’t be burned by
anyone, except Endeavor! He’s the one who has to kill me, him and only him!!”

Izuku took the hand Shoto offered him, activating his quirk and healing his wounds. “Even without
the Trigger in his system, he’s pretty strong,” he muttered, assessing the situation. “And the Nomu
are going to make this even harder.”

“What do we do?” The dual toned boy asked him, his eyes never straying from their opponent.

“The Nomu won’t attack me,” Izuku told him, “but my quirk isn’t a good match for dealing with
them; they’ll simply turn away and attack someone else, like they did with Kaachan.”
He looked to the villain, who’d gone over to taunt Endeavor as the man fought one of the Nomu.
“You go help Kaachan, I’ll help Endeavor. If I get in his Nomu’s way, it might give him an
opening to take down the villain again.”

Shoto looked like he wanted to argue against splitting up, but nodded in agreement anyways.
“Alright; I trust you, Bunny.”

He gave the freckled boy a quick kiss, before darting over to Katsuki. Izuku turned back to the
fight to see Endeavor staring at him, eyes wide at the display he’d witnessed.

“Oh great,” Izuku muttered, racing into the fray. The villain moved back as he did, sending more
lines the healer’s way.

“What was that, just now?” Endeavor asked him, grunting as the Nomu struck him. “Are you
involved with my son?”

“He’s my boyfriend,” Izuku told him, blowing another puff of mist towards the villain.

Endeavor’s eyes narrowed, the man unleashing his flames on the Nomu. “I had thought Shoto was
interested in Bakugo, they’ve been uncomfortably close at the agency.”

“They’re dating, too. The three of us-“ Izuku dodged an attack from the villain, who had drifted
close enough for the greenette to strike. “We’re all dating each other.”

Endeavor turned to give him an incredulous look, the distraction enough for the Nomu to come
bearing down on him. “What-“

“STOP TALKING AND FUCKING FIGHT!” Katsuki roared, hitting his Nomu with an explosion
powerful enough to rattle a nearby building. “ALL THAT OTHER SHIT CAN WAIT!”

Endeavor seemed to agree, as he blasted his Nomu with his signature move, the heat of it radiating
through the street. Izuku continued to fight the villain, trading kicks and punches with the man
who’d long since run out of lines to battle with.

“No, stop! Stop!!” He cried out, retreating as far as he could and stumbling over debris. “It has to
be Endeavor, it has-“

Izuku silenced him with an axe kick, slamming his foot into the villain’s chest. He leaned forward
and pecked him on the cheek, knocking the man unconscious. Izuku let out a sigh of relief.

He turned to the others, the heroes still fighting the Nomu but having gained the upper hand. He
was about to join them when a shifting sound caught his attention. He looked over to the villain,
frowning in confusion as he noted the man was still knocked out.

Something heavy collided with him, knocking him out of the way as a large chunk of debris fell
from the building next to him, colliding with the spot he’d previously been standing in. Izuku
grunted as he hit the ground, eyes squeezed shut as his head met concrete. When he opened them,
he let out a gasp.

Dabi was over top of him, having pushed him out of harm’s way. Izuku imagined the villain’s
shocked expression likely matched his own, blue eyes wide as they stared down at him, as though
Dabi couldn’t comprehend what he’d done either.

In a flash he was off of the healer, standing and racing off as fast as he could. Izuku had only a
moment to attempt to process what had just happened.
Did Dabi just… save me?
 Hypocritical Kiss
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here’s the latest chapter.

I’ve been busy the last few weeks, so updating has been hard to keep up with. Thank
you for being patient!

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Dabi ran as fast as his feet would carry him, hurtling into a nearby alley. He stopped to catch his
breath, his mind reeling from what he’d just done.

Once again, Shigaraki had sent Hawks off on another near impossible mission to prove his loyalty,
leaving it up to Dabi to keep tabs on the healer in the winged hero’s absence. He’d begun to
wonder if Shigaraki was knowingly sending him on surveillance missions that involved Endeavor,
as either an opening to attack or a not so subtle way to say that he knew about the other villain’s
heritage. It had been tortuous, returning to the house where he’d been neglected, abused.

Where he’d died.

The details were fuzzy to him. He remembered the flames consuming him, burning him from the
inside out. Then, nothing. He woke up in a facility presumably run by All For One yet, despite
resurrecting him, the villain made no moves to keep him there. Dabi hadn’t known what really
happened until he’d joined the League, where All For One had made it a point to tell him.

“I’m not looking for gratitude,” the blind man had said, “because frankly, letting you die
would’ve been a kindness. You’re useful to me, Dabi, and I have no doubt you’ll be useful to
Tomura as well.”

He’d proven his usefulness easily enough, though it had inadvertently led to his current situation.
Midoriya had been a thorn in his side since Kamino, and with every interaction the two had Dabi
was forced to face the demons of his past.

He’d kept an eye on his family home as Midoriya, his younger brother and the blond brat they
shared classes with enjoyed a meal with his family and, for the first time since that fateful day
when his powers overwhelmed him, he allowed himself to miss them.

He’d watched as some subpar villain attacked the UA students and his family, watched as Nomu
the good doctor no doubt sold the man joined the fray, and sighed when the villain was ultimately
defeated.

“What a waste of resources,” he’d muttered, annoyed at the scheming the Liberation Front’s backer
was getting up to without their knowing.

Then he saw the building above Midoriya give way, the stupid kid taking no notice of the danger
he was in. He was on top of him before he’d even registered that he had moved from his vantage
point.
He could hear footsteps enter the alley, and Dabi whirled around to see Midoriya shuffling towards
him, eyes wide and hands trembling. The villain belatedly registered the filthy socks the boy had
on, dirtied by his fighting and a hole forming in the left big toe.

“Stay back,” he said, his tone shakier and less commanding than he’d intended. Midoriya marched
forward regardless.

Dabi raised his hand, blue flames licking across his skin in an attempted threat. The healer shook
his head.

“You won’t hurt me,” he said it so assuredly, like it was an absolute. Dabi supposed it made sense
to think so; after all, the villain had just risked his own safety to ensure Midoriya’s. The greenette
kept moving closer.

“You saved me…” he muttered, green eyes trained on Dabi. “Why?”

He didn’t want to think too hard on the why, didn’t want to reflect on whatever possessed him to
do what he’d done.

“I’m on babysitting duty,” he finally said, glaring at the healer. “The boss wants you safe and
sound, so I’ve got to keep you that way.”

“But at the Hassaikai compound, you had been planning to-“ Midoriya didn’t finish the thought,
but the implication was heavy in the air between them. “This was your chance,” he whispered
softly. “An accident that would’ve likely done the job. If you’d done nothing, you’d have finally
been rid of me.”

It was quiet a moment longer, Dabi finding no rebuttal to the healer’s point. “I- I don’t know why I
did it,” he confessed, unable to keep the words at bay. “I saw what was about to happen, and I- my
body, it just-“

“Moved on its own,” Midoriya breathed, stepping closer to the man. He was smiling, and Dabi was
thoroughly unsettled.

He winced as he realized his palm was still ignited, the flames burning the juncture between his
healthy and scarred skin. He deactivated his quirk, turning back to Midoriya and assessing him.
The sweater he was wearing, that had likely been a very nice one before the fighting destroyed it,
looked too thin to provide the necessary warmth for being outdoors in winter. The boy was shaking
ever so slightly, and Dabi nearly offered him his coat.

What did this kid do to me? He wondered, willing the strange thoughts away.

“You’re hurt,” the healer muttered, glancing to his palm.

“It’s fine,” Dabi retorted, his mind reeling. Why was he mentioning it, to taunt him? To offer to
help? Hadn’t Midoriya said himself that Dabi wasn’t worth the trouble? “I’ve had worse.”

It was true, the evidence plain as day even after the stolen kiss in Kyushu.

“I could fix those, too,” Midoriya insisted, eyes flicking to the scars on his arm and back. “I know
what to do now, thanks to last time.”

Dabi couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “No,” he said firmly, shaking his head. “How do I
know you won’t knock me out, so the heroes can haul me off to Tartarus?”
“The same way I knew you wouldn’t use your flames against me.”

The villain took a small step back. It was too good to be true. “You’ll regret it. You said it
yourself: there’s no saving me.”

Midoriya frowned, looking guilty. “I did say that,” he admitted, worrying his hands in front of him.
“But I don’t believe it, not anymore; Dabi may have been beyond saving, but Touya isn’t.”

Midoriya leaned forward, planting a swift kiss to the villain’s cheek and causing his entire body to
go rigid. Like last time, Dabi could feel his scars tingling as they healed, his mind buzzing
pleasantly. His shoulders lost their tension, though his limbs hadn’t grown heavy like they had
when exposed to the healer’s mist. Midoriya used to quirk to heal him only, and did so without any
threats forcing him to.

He pulled back, green eyes assessing the man. “Those staples will have to come out, at some point.
They’re getting in the way of reorienting your skin in those spots.”

Dabi wanted to quip back that he hadn’t factored a surprise healing into his evening plans but
couldn’t find his voice, merely grunting in response.

Midoriya hummed. “I suppose there’s always next time.”

Before the man could fully process what he’d just heard, a second figure came barreling into the
alley and slammed into him. A fist connected with his jaw, sending Dabi stumbling backwards. He
looked up to see Shoto, his youngest brother, glaring at him.

“You stay the hell away from him,” the dual toned boy snarled, his eyes alight with anger. He raise
his fist again, only to have Midoriya grab him by the wrist and pull the appendage back down.

“Shochan, don’t! This- he’s-“ The greenette took a deep, steadying breath. “It’s Touya.”

If it weren’t for the impending freak out, Dabi would’ve found the look on his brother’s face
comical. Shoto gave his head a quick shake. “It can’t be him Bunny, he’s dead; I told you that.”

“Bunny?” Dabi parroted, smirking as Midoriya’s cheeks darkened.

“I suspected something when they took me to Kamino,” the healer muttered, tugging the other boy
away from the villain, “then again during the raid on the Hassaikai compound. It wasn’t the flames
that made me suspicious, it was his eyes… After we talked during our date, and after he tricked me
at the hospital in Kyushu-“

Ah, Dabi thought, so he had figured it out.

“-didn’t make any sense, until I saw Kurogiri’s chart. We think he was brought back, too-” Dabi
shot him a strange look. As far as he knew, he’d been the only one to be resurrected by All For
One, though perhaps he’d been naïve in thinking so. Kurogiri wasn’t exactly the talkative sort,
unless there was something he absolutely had to say. If he wasn’t currently locked away at
Tartarus, Dabi would’ve asked him about it.

He wondered if the other villain knew he’d been brought back from the dead, if there was anything
left of the person who had died lingering in the mist man.

Shoto had gone completely rigid, his face ashen at the revelation. Dabi felt his heart in his throat,
inexplicably fearful of what his younger sibling’s reaction would be.
He’d later come to realize that feeling was all too similar to how he’d felt every time Endeavor
would evaluate his progress after training.

Shoto finally let out a small, strangled sound, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Touya…”

The use of his name felt like a stab to the chest, much like it had whenever Midoriya would say it.
It was painful, like twisting a knife in an open wound.

The tingling sensation, which had diminished greatly when Shoto had struck him, ceased
completely, and Dabi knew his time with them was up. He moved away from the two boys swiftly,
using his flames to separate them from him much like he’d done in Kyushu.

He’d paused for only a fraction of second, to take in the boys’ faces one last time. Midoriya was
staring at him, his expression a mixture of hope and trepidation. Shoto was looking at him as
though his whole world had been turned on its axis.

It was a feeling Dabi could relate to.

He turned tail and fled, putting as much distance between them as possible. He knew they wouldn’t
give chase: Shoto was too stunned by what he’d discovered, and Midoriya-

Midoriya had mentioned a next time, which meant they’d be seeing one another soon enough. Dabi
found himself torn over the notion, both hoping for and dreading another glimpse at the family he
had lost.

He let out a pitiful noise. Midoriya was healing his body, at the cost of fracturing his mind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Katsuki let out a grunt as he shoved past one of the Nomu, the large creature standing perfectly still
in the middle of the street. Once the villain who’d been controlling them had been subdued, the
Nomu had immediately halted their assault, almost as though they’d been shut off.

The blond didn’t know enough about them to say for certain if they really could be shut off.

The police had rushed in well after the fight had ended, proving once again that their only use was
to clean up whatever mess the heroes and villains left behind. Endeavor had answered their
questions bluntly, stomping away from them to check on his children. Shoto had run off to find
Izuku, who had disappeared sometime after the Nomu had shut down, but Fuyumi and Natsuo were
still nearby. They had been tucked away during the fight, but resurfaced as it ended, peering over
at Katsuki with curious eyes.

Their father was fussing over them, looking uncharacteristically worried. Fuyumi seemed to enjoy
the attention, though Natsuo looked to be seconds away from snapping. He’d roughly shaken the
hero’s hand off of his shoulder, muttering something incomprehensible from a distance.

Katsuki couldn’t fault the older boy for harboring so much resentment for Endeavor, the blond
nearing his own limit with the hero. It had been one thing when Katsuki had only suspected the
man was an ass, but to know what he’d done to his family, or to at least have an inkling-

He wondered if he’d be the one to snap first, or if Natsuo already had a good head start.

Shoto and Izuku came back into view, the two visibly shaken. Shoto broke off to join his family,
interrupting the argument Natsuo and Endeavor were having. Izuku joined Katsuki, an
indecipherable look on his face.
“Dabi was here,” the greenette told him softly. “He- he saved me…”

Katsuki listened as Izuku told him everything, the hot head biting back a snarl as the details
became more and more absurd.

“That’s bullshit,” he growled, eyes gleaming. “People don’t just change, Deku, it takes a lot of
work.”

“I know that, Kaachan. I’m not saying he’s a good guy, I just…”

Katsuki let out a sigh. His boyfriend had that determined look on his face, the same one that often
meant trouble. “I’m not going to pretend like any of what you just said made any sense; because
frankly, if it had come from anyone else, I’d be laughing in their crazy fucking face. But you and I
have both seen some pretty weird shit the last few months, so maybe Pretty Boy’s zombie ass
brother playing nice isn’t all that crazy.”

He looked over to the dual toned boy, who was fighting back tears as he explained what he’d just
seen to his family. His siblings appeared appropriately upset, while Endeavor looked crushed.

“I can’t imagine what they’re going through,” Izuku muttered, shifting closer to Katsuki. “We got
really lucky with our families, Kaachan.”

Katsuki pulled the shorter boy closer, an arm wrapped around his waist. “We sure did, Princess.”

Green eyes peeked up at him. “It’s probably not a good idea to get involved, but maybe we could
do something small for them, like make them dinner or something?”

The blond raised a brow. “You really think cooking them dinner will solve anything?”

“It solves the problem of a meal, Kaachan. Their house is a mess, and it’ll take time for it to be
rebuilt. They’ll probably end up in a hotel, a nice one, but that still means-“

“A lot of fucking takeout,” Katsuki finished, a small frown forming on his face. “Alright fine, it’s a
good idea. But I’m doing the cooking! Fuyumi promised to send me her spicy tofu recipe, and I’m
gonna master it!”

Izuku smiled at him, Katsuki melting ever so slightly at the sight.

Endeavor had kept his word and taken the boys back to campus, though not before making
arrangements for he and Fuyumi at a hotel nearby. Natsuo had an apartment near his school, and
elected to stay there with his roommate as opposed to joining his family.

It seemed the better option to Katsuki, though the number one hero didn’t seem happy about it.
Endeavor kept quiet for most of their journey back, only speaking up once to address the
relationship the three boys had.

“It’s not that I disapprove,” he’d said, eyes flitting between them, “only that even one significant
other poses a serious distraction from hero work, and two even more so. You may find yourself
with little to no time for one or the other, and may even have to choose which is more important to
you, one day.”

Katsuki just rolled his eyes. They’d already learned to prioritize their hero work after he and Shoto
failed the licensing exam, and had adjusted accordingly. They knew they didn’t have the luxury of
constantly being wrapped up in one another, but made time for their relationships when they
could.
Endeavor said something about what it takes to become number one, and Katsuki responded in
kind with, “How the fuck would you know, you’re number one by default!”

Despite his vitriol, Katsuki knew Endeavor was right, to some extent. All Might had been number
one for decades, but didn’t appear to have a life outside of his hero work. He had classes to teach
and colleagues to confer with, but he didn’t have any friends, as far as the blond knew. The same
could be said for his love life, though Katsuki didn’t want to think too deeply on that front.

All Might had no one and, thanks to the hurt he’d inflicted on his family, neither did Endeavor.

Katsuki shook his head, chancing a look over to the others. Shoto and Izuku must have nodded off
during Endeavor’s speech, as the two were sound asleep, Shoto’s head resting on top of Izuku’s.

They looked peaceful, and Katsuki couldn’t help the soft smile blooming on his face. So what if
the past few number ones had shitty lives, that didn’t mean Katsuki would.

He nodded to himself, his mouth set in a firm line. He’d be number one someday, and he’d have
Princess and Pretty Boy right there with him.
 Kiss and Make Up
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Endeavor strode into his agency with grace, head held high despite the clear tension in his
shoulders. It was early, the sun only just peeking over the horizon to begin the day as light filtered
in through the windows of the high rise building.

The hero was greeted by the sidekicks working the night shift with little fanfare, most finishing last
minute reports and getting ready to trade shifts with those coming in next. Endeavor was grateful to
have his subordinates’ attentions elsewhere, unaware of their boss’ dark circles and pallid skin.

He hadn’t slept at all the night before, too preoccupied with what he’d learned in the aftermath of
the villain attack on his home. When Shoto had broken the news to him, his youngest pale and
shaking, Endeavor had thought him insane. He’d seen his eldest’s body himself, had watched as
paramedics and healers did their best to revive him to no avail. But as the dual toned boy spoke,
telling his family everything Midoriya had told him, the pieces came together.

Endeavor couldn’t decide if he was thrilled to hear Touya still lived, or if he was horrified.

He shook his head, entering his private office and closing the door behind him. Despite the warm
ambient temperature the building was set at, Endeavor moved to the fireplace on the far wall,
throwing a few logs in and igniting them to heat the room to his liking. He spared a glance outside,
noting the dreary grey clouds moving in overhead. It would likely snow that day, and the flame
hero grimaced at the thought.

He crossed over to his desk, going over the reports his sidekicks had left him. Most were
inconsequential, and frankly a waste of the man’s time, but he reviewed them anyways, finding
some comfort in the distraction. Still, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander to the night before,
plagued by thoughts of blue flames and charred skin.

He shook his head; he wasn’t ready to face those demons. Instead, he turned his thoughts to the
revelation of Shoto’s love life, which was far more complex than Endeavor would have ever
guessed. He’d always assumed his youngest would abstain from forming any sort of romantic
attachment to anyone, too concerned with becoming the next number one hero to worry about such
matters. Finding out that he had not one romantic partner, but two… and then there was the matter
of who he had chosen…

From his time at Endeavor’s agency, the man could tell that Bakugo was intensely competitive,
almost as much as the flame hero himself. He was brash and headstrong, and more than a little bit
rude, and Endeavor couldn’t quite see the appeal. Midoriya made more sense from an objective
standpoint: he was cute, kind and held a fairly good reputation. He didn’t seem to stand for
nonsense, having mouthed off to the new number one on several different occasions. Despite those
qualities, the boy was clearly a trouble magnet, and Endeavor worried his son would be no doubt
dragged into Midoriya’s messes at some point.
The man frowned. He’d been an abysmal father to his children, and the evidence of that was
appearing in new ways every day. He had to do better, and he would start by ensuring his son’s
boyfriends knew what awaited them should they hurt him. Both Shoto and Bakugo had been given
the day off to recuperate from the excitement of night before, but Midoriya was working for the
Commission, and likely hadn’t received the same gesture.

Endeavor stood from his chair, his expression determined. He’d go to Commission Headquarters
and make sure that Midoriya knew his place.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When he arrived at Commission Headquarters, Endeavor was a bit embarrassed to discover

Midoriya hadn’t yet arrived, though he didn’t let it show. He’d perhaps been a bit overzealous in
his self-appointed mission, and hadn’t thought to call ahead to make sure the healer would be there.

Undeterred, the hero made his way to Mera’s office to request Midoriya’s file, the man quirking
his brow at him.

“His quirk piqued my interest while he was at my agency,” Endeavor defended, crossing his arms.
“And I want to know more about the work he’s done at the other agencies.”

Mera looked unimpressed. “Whatever you say.”

He handed the file over without comment, though there was a glimmer of amusement in his eyes
that Endeavor didn’t care for. He found an empty office to sit in, opening the file and examining its
contents. It was clearly an edited version of the healer’s information, several sections having been
redacted. Endeavor suspected the higher level officials had access to the unedited file, but wouldn’t
press the issue. From the information available, he could see the timeline of Midoriya’s encounters
with the villain ‘Dabi,’ though the details of those encounters had been stripped from the reports.

I suppose I’ll have to ask him myself, the hero thought, glancing at the clock. Mera had told him
that the boy would be arriving around nine; he had about fifteen minutes til then.

As he continued to read through the documents in Midoriya’s file, his eye was drawn to the
healer’s quirk registration.

“Ability to heal any and all wounds through lip to skin contact,” he muttered, frowning slightly.
Either the information on the form was out of date, or it was purposefully incorrect. He didn’t
know much about Midoriya’s quirk, but Endeavor knew there was more to it than just that.

He waited until a quarter past to finally stand, making his way to the infirmary. Once there, he
spotted the greenette fiddling with a stack of papers. He was dressed in his hero costume with a
white lab coat over top, decorated to match his hero aesthetic. Upon seeing the hero, Midoriya
dropped the papers onto a nearby desk, rushing over to him.

“What’s wrong? Are you alright? Is there something wrong at the agency? Is your scar bothering
you?”

Endeavor took a small step back as the healer’s words assaulted him, the boy’s pupils slightly
dilated as he used his quirk to check the man for injuries.

“Everything’s fine,” he assured him, feeling a bit uneasy. “I just wanted to talk.” The hero again
kicked himself for not having called ahead, as he was only succeeding in making himself look
foolish.
Midoriya cocked his head, before letting out a huff. “Can you talk while I work? I’ve only got
another day or so here, and I have to make sure the infirmary is ready for Dr. Shimano when he
takes over.”

Endeavor simply nodded, watching as the healer shuffled around the papers he’d previously
discarded. “Dr. Shimano?”

“The Commission’s full time healer,” the greenette supplied, moving to the filing cabinet. “He
lives pretty far away, so he’s been on a short leave to spend time with his family while I did my
work study here. I only got to meet him the once during my first week.”

Endeavor's stomach clenched at the mention of family, pushing his feelings further down. “I
imagine it's important to have you meet others in your line of work,” he replied, “given how few
there are of you.”

Midoriya made a noncommittal sound, and Endeavor shifted uncomfortably as the room fell silent.
Finally, the healer let out a heavy sigh.

“Look, whatever it is you want to say-“

“I want to know more about your relationship with my son,” he blurted out, Midoriya’s head
whipping around to look at him, “as well as your intentions.”

“My intentions?”

“I- well, yes…your intentions…” It took Midoriya a beat longer to catch the hero’s meaning, his
eyes widening in realization.

It was quiet for a moment, wide green eyes boring into blue.

"Uhm, that- I... I don't..." Midoriya stuttered, his cheeks a vibrant red. Endeavor was beginning to
feel flustered himself, suddenly regretting his decision to interrogate the healer.

He was about to abandon his fool’s errand altogether when the door to the infirmary burst open,
paramedics swarming the room as two stretchers were rolled in. Midoriya was on them in an
instant. “What happened?”

“There was an incident nearby,” one of the paramedics explained. “Kid ran from a fight happening
and fell into the river, and this guy jumped in after him.”

Endeavor looked over to the patients, one of whom looked to be a hero, though he couldn’t place
them. The other was a young boy, likely no older than twelve. Both were unconscious, their skin
pale and their lips blue.

“They’re hypothermic,” Midoriya assessed, moving aside so the paramedics could set the patients
onto the beds nearby. “And this man has stopped breathing.” He had one of the paramedics begin
CPR on the hero, before rushing over to check on the boy. Endeavor made to stand.

“I guess I’ll just-“

“Don’t leave,” Midoriya addressed him, Endeavor raising a brow at the commanding tone. “You
can help.”

“How?”
“Your quirk allows you to raise the temperature of your surroundings,” the healer said, tugging the
hero over to the boy’s bedside. “I need you to slowly raise the temperature in here by ten degrees
or so, I’ll let you know when to stop. And see if you can dry this boy’s clothes while you’re at it,
so we don’t have to cut him out of them.”

Unsure of how to respond, Endeavor just nodded before doing as he was told, allowing his hell
flames to slowly increase the temperature in the infirmary. The boy looked so small on the bed,
and flashes of Touya before the accident came to him unbidden. It was getting harder and harder to
ignore them.

Evaporating the water clinging to the boy’s soaked clothes without harming him took a bit more
finesse, but the flame hero managed it. He turned to Midoriya.

“What made you think to have me do this?”

The healer looked to him. "Shochan is able to regulate the temperature around him and, since ehe
gets his fire side from you, I figured you'd be able to do something similar. Drying out clothes isn't
much different, since you're heating the air around them enough to get the water to evaporate."

Endeavor nodded. It was a sound observation, and one that aided in achieving their goal.

Midoriya had him dry the hero’s costume in the same fashion, and soon enough both patients’
vitals evened out, a healthy flush returning to their cheeks. With the immediate danger gone, the
paramedics scurried away as Midoriya began filling out the patient charts, humming contentedly.

“They’re both going to be okay,” he told the flame hero, “mostly thanks to you.”

“I- Ive never used my quirk to help someone that way,” Endeavor divulged. He was known best
for his combat work, with some notable rescue missions as well, but he’d never had to care for
someone like he just had. It was strange new circumstance, but not one he could say he disliked.

It was nice to be needed, and he could guess Midoriya understood that he needed to feel useful.

The hero's mind felt less scattered, addressing the crisis they'd just had allowing him something to
focus on. Now that things had settled, he could feel his earlier fears creeping up on him once more.

The healer gave him a thoughtful look. “You didn’t really come here to ask about me dating
Shochan, did you?”

Endeavor froze. “That was my intention,” he admitted, looking away awkwardly, “at least initially,
but really I-“ he paused, taking a deep breath so as not to choke on his next few words. “I want to
know about Dabi, about Toya.”

Midoriya nodded, as though he’d expected it. “I’ll tell you what I can.”

He recited nearly the same thing Shoto had, albeit with more detail. It was clear some things were
being left unsaid, though for which of their benefits, Endeavor couldn’t say. He couldn’t deny
Midoriya’s comparison of their eyes, the two filled with a burning contempt. It pained him to know
that his son had inherited that look from him, though it wasn't all that surpring given his history.
When he’d recounted what happened in the alley the night before, Endeavor cast his eyes to the
floor, his hands trembling slightly. The room fell silent once again.

It felt like a cruel punishment, hearing so much about his child from someone he barely knew,
someone who clearly didn't like him. Endeavor had confided quite a bit in the healer, and
apparently so had Touya and Shoto. They'd tangled Midoriya in their issues, and it was almost
comical that Endeavor had been worried that it'd be Midoriya who would trouble them, and not the
other way round.

“I- thank you for telling me, Midoriya,” Endeavor finally managed to say. “I’m not sure what any
of this means, but at least now I know.”

His son had done something heroic by saving the healer’s life, but how much it meant when
compared to the damage he’d done was up for debate. He wanted to believe that Touya was still
capable of good, but he couldn’t allow that hope to blind him, lest more innocent people were
harmed in the fallout.

Midoriya must have seen something in his expression, as he hesitated before moving closer. “His
eyes are different now,” he muttered softly, as though he was afraid of spooking the man. “Yours
are, too.”

Endeavor looked up to see the greenette giving him a thin smile. “I believe there’s still hope for
him; if I didn’t, I never would have healed his scars. There might even be some hope for you too, if
you’re lucky.”

He thought back to Midoriya's words in Kyushu, and then again at his agency. They had been
gnawing at him for some time, and he imagined it was much of the same feeling for Touya as
well.

“I can see now why you have the relationships that you do,” he said carefully. “You seem to have a
knack for bringing people together.”

Midoriya blinked. “That’s kind of you to say, but I wasn’t the one who got us together, Kaachan
was.”

The hero couldn’t hide his surprise at that. “You mean to say that Bakugo brought you three
together??”

The greenette frowned in response. “Kaachan may be a bit prickly,” he retorted, “but deep down
he’s one of the most loving people I know.”

Endeavor couldn’t quite picture it, but chose not to force the issue. The door to the infirmary
opened once more, Mera poking his head in. “Still here, Endeavor? Haven’t you finished your
snooping yet?”

The man frowned as Midoriya let out a sigh. “Did you need something, Mera?”

“As a matter of fact, I did; we’ve got clearance for you to visit Tartarus this afternoon, so I’ll be
taking you to see Kurogiri later today. Make sure to bring anything you’ll need, we can’t guarantee
the prison’s infirmary is as well stocked as ours.”

Midoriya nodded, before moving over to the cabinets to search for supplies. Endeavor took that as
his cue to leave, bidding farewell to the other two as he did.

After returning to his agency, the hero felt some of the tension he’d been holding all day lessen.
He'd left the Commission Headquarters with more questions than answers, and he'd made a
complete fool of himself, but he'd found some closure none the less.

He'd confronted a few of his demons, but there was still much to be done. He wanted to earn the
trust of the people who mattered, and was ready to take the next step in doing so.
 Kiss the Quiet Man
Chapter Notes

Hello everyone,

It’s been awhile since I last updated, and I want to thank everyone for their patience.
Writing has been difficult these past few weeks, but I’m hoping to be more consistent
in the future.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

Midoriya’s eyes flitted about as Mera led him through the halls of Tartarus, guiding the healer to
where Kurogiri was being kept. The security was heightened in the underground prison, with more
guards milling about than the two had seen at the prisons holding Gentle Criminal and La Brava.
Mera noted with some annoyance that more than half of the guards he spotted were Commission
agents, no doubt there to keep an eye on them. He understood protocol and the necessity behind
their caution, but couldn’t help feeling as though he wasn’t trusted with the greenette’s well being.

If Midoriya had noticed the presence of the undercover agents, and given his sharpened senses
Mera could safely assume he had, he made no comment on it. Instead, he reviewed Kurogiri’s file
for the third time that day, muttering different approaches to treating his newest patient.

“Settle down, Midoriya,” the man said lightly, eyes cutting over to his charge. “We’re here to
gather as much information as we can from him, nothing more.”

The greenette looked to him. “You said it was possible Kurogiri still possessed some of his past
life; if that’s true, then we should be doing all we can to help bring those parts of him back.”

Mera sighed. Throughout most of his work study, Midoriya had done as he was told and toed the
line in terms of the Commission’s expectations of him. He healed those who came to the infirmary
seeking treatment, and kept Lemillion healthy as he trained with Gran Torino. The man was
grateful for Midoriya’s compliance, but that spark of stubborn determination in his green eyes was
beginning to show itself more often.

Mera couldn’t help but wonder if his time spent with Endeavor had been the root cause of it.

The two reached the end of the corridor, Mera holding the door to the observation room open.
“Helping Kurogiri to remember his life as Shirakumo would be an added benefit,” he told the
healer, “but it isn’t our main priority. We need to know the League’s location, everything else can
wait.”

Midoriya frowned, but chose not to reply.

Once inside they were met by Detective Tsukauchi, Gran Torino and Sir Nighteye, the three
focused on the villain on the other side of the glass.

“Good to see you again Midoriya,” Nighteye commented, though his eyes never strayed from
Kurogiri.

To his credit, Midoriya’s demeanor was at once professional, the healer moving over to the
detective to assess the situation. “What have you found out so far?”

Tsukauchi shrugged. “Not much: Aside from a few basic inquiries about the welfare of Shigaraki,
he’s mostly kept quiet. We’ve noticed a few anomalies in his vitals when being questioned, as
though something is physically keeping him from responding.”

Midoriya nodded. “It’s likely a side effect of whatever mental conditioning is performed on the
Nomu…” He pulled out a small notebook, scribbling down a few ideas.

Mera peeked over the greenette’s shoulder, but couldn’t decipher much from where he was
standing. “So, what’s the plan?“

Midoriya hummed. “I’ll need to sense his vitals myself, see if I can parse out those differences
Tsukauchi mentioned. I may also be able to determine what changes were made to his body and
his quirk to create Kurogiri from Shirakumo. Once I’ve got an idea of what I’m working with, we
can plan accordingly.”

After a quick nod to the man guarding the door, Mera watched as Midoriya entered the
interrogation room, staring down the bound villain.

Next to him, Tsukauchi shifted uncomfortably. “Are we sure involving Midoriya in this is safe?”

Mera shot him a look. “We’re in a controlled environment in the most secure facility in Japan.”

“And yet the Commission still chose to send a child to investigate a dangerous criminal,” Nighteye
quipped, raising a challenging eyebrow. “It’s almost laughable to imagine where your organization
would be without Midoriya.”

The hero had a point. It had become painfully obvious just how much the Commission had come
to rely on Midoriya and his quirk, to the point that there were talks of keeping him at Headquarters
after he graduated to keep his healing restricted to only heroes the Commission deemed necessary.
It would be a hard sell, especially given Midoriya’s rise in popularity, and wasn’t a thought Mera
necessarily wanted to entertain.

He may not agree with the healer’s views on aiding villains, but Mera had come to respect
Midoriya’s unique brand of heroics. The man knew of Nezu’s meddling and even had a hand in
some of the principal’s schemes, but still couldn’t shake the dread that pooled in his gut when he
thought of Midoriya’s future with the Commission.

Begrudging admiration aside, Mera was still wholeheartedly a pessimist, and was always waiting
for the other shoe to drop.

He gave Nighteye a thin smile. “I certainly know where you’d be, if Midoriya hadn’t found his
way to us. It’s easy to cast judgement on the Commission’s methods after reaping the benefits of
its healers, isn’t it?”

The hero scowled, Gran Torino cutting in before he could respond. “Are you two finished? Quit
squabbling like children and pay attention!”

Nighteye had the decency to look ashamed, but Mera was impassive as ever. He did, however,
redirect his focus back to the scene in front of him. Midoriya had taken the seat opposite Kurogiri,
sizing him up before beginning his questioning.

Secretly, Mera agreed with Tsukauchi’s reservations. He didn’t think it wise to dangle Midoriya in
front of the villains, but he was perhaps the only person on their side of the law who could get
them to talk.

As long as Shigaraki coveted the boy, the Commission had its leverage.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku sensed something off in Kurogiri’s physiology almost immediately.

The Commission’s running theory on the villain was that All For One, using an unidentified quirk,
resurrected the deceased UA hero student Oboro Shirakumo in order to turn him into the Nomu
Kurogiri. Be it a lack of experience in the process, or simply a need for one with intelligence,
Kurogiri’s body was only modified to the point of creating his new quirk, while his mind was
thoroughly conditioned to obey his master.

Izuku suspected the theory to be almost entirely true, and aimed to prove so in his time there.

Mera was correct in his assumption that Izuku’s recent power surge had allowed him some footing
in dealing with Nomu. Using his senses, the healer could identify at least a few modifications. The
villain’s pores had been enlarged, likely to allow him to generate a large amount of mist in a short
amount of time, and there was a high amount of cortisol flowing through him to keep the quirk
active, despite the nullifying restraints the villain wore.

Somehow, All For One was able to change Shirakumo’s emitter type quirk into a mutant type, the
greenette deduced. He can’t use his warp gates, but the mist won’t dissipate either. If we didn’t
already know his true identity, it would’ve been a brilliant way of keeping it secret…

Finally, Izuku sensed more than a few anomalies in the villain’s brain. Kurogiri’s synapses were
firing in an unnatural, inconsistent way, as though they’d been rearranged at some point. He wasn’t
all that confident in his knowledge of brain physiology, and made a note to look into it further at a
later date.

He’d need to learn much more about how Nomu were made in order to use his quirk on them
effectively, and hoped he’d be able to get something more out of the villain in front of him.

“It’s good to see you again, Midoriya,” Kurogiri spoke, his voice smooth and even. “How are
you?”

“I’m well,” he replied, although he wasn’t particularly comfortable with the current situation, “and
how are you?”

The room fell silent.

So it’s merely a formality, the healer deduced. He can’t or won’t give a genuine response in these
circumstances…

Izuku remembered the villain to be polite and courteous from the few prior interactions they’d had,
but those had always been in an environment the villain was comfortable in, and almost always in
the presence of Shigaraki or one of the other league members. If Kurogiri’s ability to speak was
limited by what Shigaraki did or did not allow him to say, Izuku wasn’t confident they’d be able to
learn much from him.

“I wanted to ask you a few questions,” he pressed on, eyes flicking to the mirror and back. “Is that
alright?”

“Have you spoken to Tomura recently?” Kurogiri asked, ignoring the boy’s question.
Izuku shook his head. “I haven’t…” he trailed off, before opting to mention another League
member, “but I have spoken to Dabi.”

There was a small shift in the man’s vitals, a slight quickening of his pulse that gave Izuku pause.
Was it due to a recognition of the name? Was he concerned with Dabi’s wellbeing as well?

“He’s in good health,” Izuku tried, gauging the other’s reaction. “I healed his scars completely,
though the staples in his skin will likely create more once they’re removed.”

The statement seemed to intrigue the villain, a glimmer of something flashing in his yellow eyes.
“That’s good to hear,” he said, his pulse returning to its resting state. “Does this mean you’ve
decided to aid our cause?”

Izuku’s stomach turned at the thought, but kept his expression neutral. “I heal those who are in
need of it, hero or villain. I could heal you too, if you let me.”

The villain stared at him. “I don’t understand, I’m not unwell.”

Izuku shifted in his seat. “You’re not unwell, just… different than you should be…”

The villain cocked his gaseous head in a way that Izuku could almost describe as cute, if it weren’t
for the man’s bloody criminal history. He supposed it was good that Kurogiri was responding to
him, and showing what interest he could in their conversation.

“Did you know Dabi was brought back from the dead? Your master resurrected Touya Todoroki in
order to add him to the League.” Izuku wasn’t sure how much Kurogiri knew of All For One’s
many powers, but he imagined the mist man wasn’t entirely unaware of his capabilities.

“I- I’m not sure how this is relevant,” Kurogiri replied.

“We think you were brought back from the dead, too.”

Silence.

“Your name was Oboro,” the healer whispered softly, eyeing the villain with sympathy. “Oboro
Shirakumo.”

The villain’s vitals spiked once more, his pulse racing and his blood pressure rising. His synapses
were firing rapidly, but the only outward indication of his distress was a small flickering of his mist
form.

“I do not recognize the name,” Kurogiri managed to choke out, and amidst the chaos Izuku
detected a jump in his heartbeat, a telltale sign that he was lying.

It was a sign Izuku knew quite well, as most of the people he’d spoken to at the Commission were
guilty of it. It was often the higher ups whom he’d catch lying, either to him or one another as he
passed them. Mera had never lied to him, but the greenette was certain he employed the use of
half-truths to avoid directly lying to him. Hawks did so as well, or would change the subject, and
Mirko and Gran Torino were too blunt to bother with deception.

Mirio was still avoiding him, for the most part, and he tried not to think about how much he missed
the older boy.

Realizing he wouldn’t get much more from his current line of questioning, Izuku changed tactics.
“I think Shigaraki has been using his quirk again,” he told the villain, hoping to bait him. “I know
how using it can hurt him, and I’m worried.” It wasn’t entirely untrue; Izuku was worried about
Shigaraki using his quirk, but he was concerned about whomever he may be using it on, rather than
the user himself. Still, he gave the villain a pleading look. “I need to find him, make sure that he’s
okay…can you help me?”

Though Kurogiri’s vitals had evened out, he seemed wary. “I cannot betray Tomura Shigaraki, I
am charged with protecting him.”

It was an expected statement, but the way he said it gave Izuku pause. He gathered his things,
thanking Kurogiri for his time and made to leave.

He was halfway to the door when he stopped, looking back to the mist man. There was a question
he had for him, one that he’d avoided asking for fear of how Kurogiri would answer. He bit his lip;
he could simply walk away, ignore the problem as he’d done for months, but he knew that
wouldn’t be possible. He had to know for certain.

He took a deep, steadying breath. “Kurogiri, what does Shigaraki want with me?”

Green eyes locked with glowing yellow. “Tomura Shigaraki wants to remake this world,” he began,
mist flickering ever so slightly, “to tear down hero society and all of its inherent corruption. To do
that, he’ll need the support of a powerful healer. Tomura has seen the strength of your abilities and
judged you worthy of joining us.”

Kurogiri’s vitals rose once again, though less dramatically than they had before. “He wants you to
come to us willingly,” he continued, “though I suspect it to be a matter of preference, rather than a
true respect for your autonomy.”

He leaned forward. “You would be a good addition to the League; you’re strong, and the others are
quite fond of you.”

Izuku felt his stomach churn, a sharp pang in his chest making itself known. The League members
valued his abilities, but he didn't think it possible for them to harbor any genuine affection for him.

But then, Dabi had saved him not too long ago, and Spinner and Twice had been kind enough to
him when he'd come to heal Compress. Toga liked the idea of hurting him more than she liked
Izuku himself, and Shigaraki…

He gulped. "Shigaraki’s obsessed with me."

“He believes himself to be in love with you,” The villain corrected. “I don’t believe he’d allow any
harm to come to you.”

“Did he order you not to harm me, the way he did the others?”

“I was given the directive to come to your aid, should you need it, and to persuade you to join us; I
was captured not long after.”

Izuku nodded, turning back to the door. He supposed he should try to keep the villain talking, but
he couldn’t stand the thought of staying any longer, of hearing any more from him.

As he reentered the observation room, he pointedly did not make eye contact with any of the
others, afraid to see the concern and pity no doubt etched into their faces. They'd heard everything.

“Midoriya-“ Nighteye began.

“I think I understand how the conditioning done to Kurogiri works,” the greenette interrupted,
locking eyes with Mera.

The man was as stoic as ever, hiding whatever emotions he might’ve been feeling behind a bored
expression. “Oh?”

Izuku nodded. “Dabi told me that the Nomu the League's been creating all have orders not to harm
me if they see me; Kurogiri's much of the same, he sees me as an ally and can work around some
of his conditioning because of it. His vitals spiked when I asked certain questions, which I think
means he had something he wanted to say but couldn’t.”

“We gathered as much from our previous interrogations,” the Commission rep said curtly. “Tell me
you got more than that.”

“His mist flickers when he’s uncomfortable,” the healer continued, “and even though he said he
didn’t recognize his name, his heartbeat skipped; he knew it was a lie, which means there are still
parts of Shirakumo in Kurogiri.”

Gran Torino gave the boy a heavy look. “Do you think he can be saved, Midoriya?”

“I- I don’t know… earlier, he said that he couldn’t betray Shigaraki, not that he wouldn’t... Maybe
that means he’d be willing to cooperate if we could undo some of the mental conditioning done to
him.”

“But how do we do that?” Tsukauchi asked.

“I have a few ideas, but we’ll need a few more people to pull it off.”

Mera nodded. “Have the names to me by the end of the day, and I’ll get them the clearance they’ll
need.”

Tsukauchi led Mera to a separate office to fill out a report on the day’s events, one for the police
department and one for the Commission. Izuku made to join them, when a hand on his shoulder
stopped him.

“Midoriya,” Nighteye muttered softly, “may I have a word?”

Gran Torino, despite his usual brash demeanor, had enough tact to excuse himself, leaving the
healer and his former mentor alone. Izuku shifted uncomfortably, but nodded.

The hero let out a small sigh. “First, I’d like you to know that you can come to me with anything,
any problem at all, and I’ll help you in any way that I can.”

Nighteye was purposefully keeping the statement broad, and Izuku was grateful for it. He knew
that eventually he’d need to talk to somebody about what Kurogiri had said, how he’d confirmed
everything that All For One had told All Might, who in turn told Izuku. He’d ignored it for as long
as he could, pretended that the information given to the Symbol of Peace was merely a deception
meant to cause panic amongst the heroes. But Izuku would have known if Kurogiri had been lying
to him and, though he didn’t want to think too deeply about it, he’d seen himself the way
Shigaraki’s eyes darkened the last time they’d met.

He pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on the man in front of him. “Second, I want to
apologize.”

Izuku cocked his head, noting the discomfort on the hero’s face. “When you were at my agency, it
seems that I… misinterpreted the relationship between yourself and Mirio. Though I was aware the
two of you weren’t officially a couple, I had mistakenly believed the feelings Mirio had for you
were reciprocated.”

Nighteye cast his eyes to the floor. “I teased you both, and undoubtedly made you uncomfortable
without realizing. I’m terribly sorry, Midoriya.”

The freckled boy gnawed at his lower lip. It was true that Nighteye’s teasing often left him a bit
flustered, but as he hadn’t thought Mirio interested in him until the blond had confessed, he’d
written it off as playful banter. He wasn’t upset with his former mentor, though he expressed that it
would be wise to avoid making the same mistake in the future.

“I care about Mirio a lot,” Izuku told him, “but I’ve got Kaachan and Shochan, and I wouldn’t
trade them for anything.”

The hero nodded. “I understand; I’m sure that, given time, Mirio will come around.”

“I hope so; I don’t miss the hovering, but I do miss my friend.”

In the end, Izuku felt he’d only scratched the surface of the mysteries that made up Kurogiri. As the
car took both he and Mera back to Commission Headquarters, Izuku glanced at the list of names
he’d given to his handler. He’d kept it limited to only those he felt had to be there, and hoped that
together they’d be able to save what remained of Oboro Shirakumo.
 Kiss Away the Pain
Chapter Notes

Hi everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

All Might watched as Aizawa, Midnight and Present Mic entered Nezu’s office, the four teachers
having been summoned by the principal in the early hours of the morning.

“If you call one more meeting before sunrise, I’ll have you sent to a kennel,” Aizawa growled at
Nezu, his under eye bags more prominent than usual.

“Come now, Eraser!” Nezu chirped, completely unfazed by the other man’s threat. “Getting up
early helps with productivity, and we have so many things to do these days. Better to rise early so
as to end the day faster, hm?”

Aizawa grunted, pulling his sleeping bag tighter around himself. Next to him, Midnight let out a
yawn. “Shota has a point; some of us need our beauty sleep.” She eyed Present Mic with ill
conceived mirth. “Although, some of us might be beyond help.”

The blond let out an affronted squawk, and even Aizawa’s dour mood lifted as he smirked at his
friend.

All Might watched as the others bickered playfully and, not for the first time, felt out of place
amongst them. He understood that as the newest member of UA’s staff, as well as much older than
the teachers who’d shared a graduating class, he naturally wouldn’t have the rapport they had with
one another. He’d become better acquainted with Midnight and Present Mic, and could even call
Aizawa a friend, but there was a disconnect that was difficult to ignore. They respected him, liked
him even, but the former number one still felt like an outsider.

“I wanted to speak to the three of you before you depart for Tartarus,” Nezu explained once the
others settled. “I understand the nature of your visit is delicate, but I must ask you keep your
tempers around the Commission agents that will be stationed around the facility. It’ll do no good to
provoke them when they’re giving us this chance to help Shirakumo.”

His eyes swept over the group, lingering on Aizawa. All Might knew firsthand how quick to
temper the underground hero could be, his jaw aching at the memory. He’d never met Shirakumo,
hadn’t even heard of him until Kurogiri’s identity was exposed. The Commission had reluctantly
given him the information, knowing the man would likely hear of it either from Gran Torino or Sir
Nighteye. He imagined the visit to see what became of their friend would be hard on the other
heroes, and his heart went out to them.

“Midoriya requested your presence,” the principal continued, “as well as Shinso’s. I’d advise
following his instructions while you’re there, as he’s already had an opportunity to assess
Shirakumo’s condition.”
The others nodded, but Aizawa narrowed his eyes, giving the small creature a mistrustful look.
“None of us need to be told to behave; why did you really ask for us?”

“Why is it you always assume the worst of me?”

“It saves time.”

Nezu’s grin sharpened. “You’re no fun, Eraser. Very well; As I’m sure most of you know,
Midoriya’s been taken in by the Commission to act as their healer, as well as being preemptively
assigned as Lemillion’s partner after graduation.”

Aizawa frowned. “It was my understanding that the two of your were doing something about that.”

“We are; Midoriya made a deal to buy us some time, as well as protect Eri from them, while I
worked on a long-term solution.”

Just then a knock sounded on the other side of the office door, and a head peeked through as it
opened. “Am I interrupting?”

“Not at all Tokuda, please join us.”

The man entered the room fully, a pleasant smile on his face as he regarded the group.

“Everyone, this is Taneo Tokuda,” Nezu introduced. “He’s a journalist for Juko News, I believe.”

Tokuda smiled. “Freelance, actually; but I do quite a lot of business for Juko, when it suits.”

Midnight seemed to catch on the fastest, shooting the principal a wide grin. “Nezu, you sneak!
He’s here to run a story on Midoriya, isn’t he?”

“Several stories, actually,” Tokuda replied. “I owe Juko News a favor, so they’ll be getting the
photos and the exclusive on the villain ‘Dabi’ rescuing Midoriya from danger, while some of the
other news outlets will get what I have on his involvement with the Hassaikai raid and the attack
on Kyushu.”

Aizawa quirked a brow. “And just how did you come by that information?”

“I may have spied on a few people,” the journalist admitted, his expression unabashed, “but most
of it was already available to me. Not to rag on other reporters, but the stories that have come out
about Midoriya have all been focused on the wrong things.”

Tokuda reached into his bag, handing a cluster of photos to Aizawa. They were of Midoriya: some
of him healing injured citizens, others of the greenette in the throes of battle. “The whole
‘Sweetheart’ thing is admittedly great publicity, but it doesn’t do justice to the kid’s abilities. I’m
aiming to showcase how strong he is, and put to bed all the criticisms of his involvement in hero
work.”

“Tokuda was first on the scene when Midoriya and Endeavor’s agency fought one of the Trigger
gangs,” Nezu informed them, “and he managed to get to the fight outside Endeavor’s home just in
time to see Dabi risk his life to save our healer.”

Midnight and Present Mic looked thoroughly impressed as they reviewed the photos. “You must
have some serious camera skills to capture these moments,” Present Mic exclaimed, eyes trained
on the photo of Dabi shielding Midoriya from harm.
The man gave him a dazzling smile. “I guess you could say that,” he teased, activating his quirk.

Several camera lenses sprouted from him in an instant. Present Mic shrieked.

Tokuda just chuckled, pulling a stack of papers from his bag. “These are all the stories ready to be
published,” he explained, handing the stack to the fuzzy principal. “I figured you’d want to look
them over before anything’s released.”

He leaned forward, body bent over as he rested his elbows on the desk. “The first article is my
favorite; I’m planning on selling it to the Hero News Network as their top story.”

All Might shuffled over, eyes widening as he read the title of the article.

The Commission’s Cage: Healer Pucker Up Held Hostage!

“I got ahold of some very important, very private documents from an old friend,” Tokuda
mentioned with a wink. “By next week, the Commission’s reputation will be in shambles.”

Nezu gave him a bright smile. “Splendid! Then everything’s in order.”

“I don’t understand,” All Might mumbled. “The Commission has its faults, and the public deserves
to know what’s happening, but how will this help Young Midoriya?”

“By turning public opinion against his jailers,” Aizawa said dryly. “Hero society is already in a
delicate state; by exposing some of the Commission’s dirty tactics, we can put pressure on them to
ease the terms of Midoriya’s contract.”

“Precisely; There’s an alarming shortage of healers in this country, and of the few that we have
Midoriya is likely the strongest. If the Commission were to lose him, they’d have little to offer
mortally wounded heroes. It’s likely they’ll do all they can to keep him, which gives us leverage.”

“Leverage we’ll need to reform the Commission and its draconian practices,” Tokuda added, eyes
flicking between All Might and Nezu. “The public has been calling for more accountability from
heroes for ages now, and with All Might's retirement criticism of the entire hero system has only
intensified.”

The journalist regarded the former hero. “Don’t worry, I’ve kept all the dirty secrets about you and
your successor out of the reports. For now, we’re keeping all the focus on Midoriya.”

Both Midnight and Present Mic shot the blond a curious look, but All Might ignored it. By that
point the entire faculty knew of his training Mirio, though only a select few were aware of the why.
Mirio was one of the Big Three, and a very popular student regardless, so many had simply
assumed All Might had taken a special interest in one of UA’s finest. The other two teachers would
no doubt have questions for him, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready to answer them.

All Might coughed. “I appreciate it.” He turned to Nezu. “I’m curious, is this why you called me in
for this meeting? I care for Young Midoriya, but aside from spending a few healing sessions with
him, I haven’t done much with him since his supplemental training at the start of the year.”

Nezu gave the man a guilty smile. “Actually, I called you in to hear how these coming events are
to unfold, so that you don’t get in our way. Forgive me All Might, but you have made a bit of a
mess of things in the past, and we don’t have the luxury of accommodating any more mistakes.”

All Might felt a small stab of guilt at Nezu’s words. He knew he was partially to blame for some of
the issues the school had faced recently: the attack on the USJ was meant for him, taking a student
from the summer camp had been done in part to hurt him, even his choosing a successor had
negatively impacted several of his students.

The plain truth of his failures was difficult to swallow, and confirmed one of his greatest fears
since coming to UA: he was only ever heroic as All Might, and Toshinori Yagi only screwed things
up.

He only listened with half an ear as the conversation came to a close, the other teachers leaving to
join their students and head to Tartarus. Nezu and Tokuda were chatting away about something or
other and, just as he had earlier, All Might felt out of place.

In the way. Unwanted.

Useless.

He turned from the two, making his way out of the office. He needed some time to think, to figure
out who he was supposed to be now that he’d passed the torch on to Mirio.

Neither moved to stop him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Nemuri was grateful for Hizashi’s running dialogue as they, Shota, Midoriya and Shinso made
their way to Tartarus, as she wasn’t sure she’d be able to keep the mood light herself.

The healer had explained to the teachers that their presence might trigger a response from Oboro,
rekindling memories of their time at UA together and giving he and Shinso an opening to combat
the mental conditioning done to the villain.

“Toshi’s quirk lets him hypnotize his opponents,” Midoriya had assessed, “but it’s possible that he
can undo some of the mental barriers put on Kurogiri by putting him under his control. If nothing
else, he can command Kurogiri to drop his mist long enough for me to use my quirk.”

Nemuri had complete faith in her students, and was certain that if anyone could get through to
Oboro, it would be her, Shota and Hizashi.

She spared a glance to the dark haired man. He was as stoic as ever, though years of close
friendship had taught her to spot the unease in his posture. Hizashi let his concerns be known
through his word vomit, and Nemuri was sure that a small amount of her pheromones were
collecting underneath her sweater, as they always did when she was nervous.

All too soon, or perhaps not soon enough, the car pulled into the prison’s entryway, the gates they
passed tall and imposing. The hero’s trepidation only increased as they were given their clearance
cards and shuttled into the elevator and down several floors, deep into the caverns that made up the
facility. Nemuri could vaguely remember glimpses of Kurogiri from the attack on the USJ, as well
as shots of him on the news. He hadn’t looked anything like the sweet, exuberant boy she’d known
in school, and she couldn’t quite decide if that would make the day's events better or worse.

They met the usual figures in the observation room, Mera trading some easy banter with the
greenette before sobering.

“I’m sure I don’t need to tell any of you the unlikelihood of this working,” the Commission rep
drawled, “so I won’t. Midoriya thinks the three of you can get through to Kurogiri, and he believes
your quirks will help with breaking through the conditioning.”
The boy in question nodded. “Miss Midnight’s pheromones can put him in a dreamlike state should
Toshi’s hypnosis fail, and Mr. Aizawa will need to keep his quirk trained on Kurogiri to make sure
he doesn’t lash out while Toshi and I are in there with him.”

It was the part of the plan the adults liked the least. They knew logically that Midoriya would have
to be fairly close to Kurogiri in order to fully use his quirk, though it didn’t make it any easier on
their nerves. The healer was putting a lot of trust in them to get through to Oboro, and Nemuri
would do everything she could to help.

Once they’d entered the interrogation room, the teachers separated from their students and Kurogiri
by a sheet of glass, Nemuri studied the bound villain.

The dark mist surrounding his body was dense, the yellow glow of his eyes likely a byproduct of
the tampering done to him. He’d taken note of the heroes and Shinso, but gave them little more
than a passing glance as his gaze settled on Midoriya.

“It’s good to see you again, Midoriya,” came the villain’s deep timbre, and even that was so far
removed from the bright, happy go lucky voice she remembered so well.

“It’s good to see you too,” the healer replied, green eyes flicking over to his teachers. “I brought
some people with me today to try and help you; you might not remember, but these are old school
friends of yours.”

Nemuri could sense Shota and Hizashi tensing on either side of her as those eery eyes fixed
themselves onto the trio. She shifted uncomfortably.

Kurogiri hummed. “I do not recognize the other two, but I believe the one on the left is Eraser
Head. Tomura Shigaraki and his Nomu faced off against him at your school’s USJ.”

“That’s right, but way before that you two were classmates…”

Midoriya turned to look at the teachers, willing them to say something, anything. Nemuri spoke
first.

“I- you…your hero name was Loud Cloud,” she finally managed to say, eyes flicking between the
villain and her lap. “You could create these clouds with your quirk, and would ride around on them
on campus.”

She smiled sadly at the memory. “One time, you and I flew all the way to Tokyo proper on one of
your clouds just to buy some fancy coffee for Shota’s birthday.”

Shota had already activated his quirk, red eyes gleaming as tendrils of hair floated around him.
“One of you dropped the bag at one point, so you came back to campus with only half a bag of
grounds.” There was a small curl to the corner of his lips, the barest hint of a smile. “I was touched
you went to all that trouble just for me; but then, that’s the kind of person Oboro Shirakumo is.”

Kurogiri’s mist flickered at the mention of the name, and Midoriya motioned for the teacher to
keep talking.

“We had all these plans about what we were going to do once we graduated: you wanted to open up
an agency together, to become pros side by side. I teased you for it, but I wanted it, too; I wanted it
so badly I almost turned down every agency that scouted me after you’d died.”

Tears were streaming down his face, though no one present could tell if it was from the emotions
brought up or the lack of blinking. Nemuri herself was crying silently, and Hizashi was openly
sobbing. Midoriya was barely containing his own tears, shaking from the effort, and Shinso looked
incredibly uncomfortable.

Kurogiri remained silent.

Finally, Hizashi had enough. “DON’T YOU CARE?? WE WENT THROUGH HELL WHEN
YOU DIED, AND YOU’RE JUST STARING AT US!”

Despite being fairly well reinforced, the glass partition shook as the blond lost control of his quirk,
his voice echoing as he screamed at the villain. “We loved you like family, Shota more than
anyone else! The Oboro I knew wouldn’t just let his friends agonize over him like this, so if there’s
anything left of you in there you need to show yourself NOW!”

Kurogiri’s mist began to flicker, and Midoriya nodded to Shinso, who began humming. It took a
moment to gain Kurogiri's attention, but it paid off as he fell into a trance, succumbing to the boy’s
quirk.

“Let us speak to Oboro,” Shinso commanded, his voice wavering slightly.

Nothing happened.

Shinso tried a few variations of the command, all to no avail. Kurogiri’s mist was flickering even
more with the combined effects of Shinso and Shota’s quirks, and Nemuri looked to Midoriya to
see if she should try as well. He shook his head.

“Toshi,” the freckled boy muttered softly, “ask him to deactivate his quirk.”

The other boy acquiesced, Kurogiri’s mist fading to a purplish haze around him. It was thin enough
that the silhouette of a body could be seen, but no distinctive features.

“Why isn’t it fully dissipating?” Shota asked, his eyes twitching from the strain of keeping his
quirk active.

“It’s likely a side effect of the tampering they did to his quirk,” Midoriya explained, moving closer
to the villain. “or maybe even a mental barrier keeping him from revealing his true form.”

Nemuri began comforting Hizashi, who looked as heartbroken as she felt. She turned back to
Kurogiri, composing herself just enough to speak her mind. “Right before that last mission, when
you… It was a little awkward before we left, because I knew you had a crush on me, but neither of
us had addressed it…Before the mission, you gave me a rose and asked me on a date, a proper one.
You promised me dinner and dancing and kissing under the stars.”

She gave the hazy man a watery smile. “I never got to give you an answer, and it’s one of the
things I regret most in my life. I- I was going to say yes…”

Midoriya flinched, panicked eyes locking onto Kurogiri as the haze around him darkened. “His
vitals are spiking, and his brain activity is going crazy!”

“I can feel him slipping from my control,” Shinso told them, trying to strengthen the mental
connection between himself and the villain. “I won’t be able to hold him much longer.”

“Then we go with plan B,” Midoriya said firmly, his expression determined. He shot one last look
to his teachers before leaning in, his face disappearing behind the mist.

In an instant, everything stopped. Shinso and Shota dropped their quirks, the older man
 aggressively rubbing his eyes. Hizashi plucked a small bottle of saline from his pocket, wordlessly
handing it over to his friend.

Kurogiri’s mist had finally dissipated fully, revealing a face that was older and less joyful then
Nemuri remembered, but was unmistakably Oboro.

Blue eyes met her own, and a voice that still wasn’t exactly right but much closer than the smooth
baritone she’d heard earlier rang out.

“Nemuri…”

She bit back a sob.

Chapter End Notes

I promise I don't hate All Might, I just think he needs a bit of character development
now that he's no longer the number one. I also added Midnight to the group that went
to see Kurogiri because she went to school with them, so I'm not sure why she doesn't
go in the show.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter!

 Kiss You Tonight
Chapter Notes

Hello, everyone!

Guess who’s back, back again?

It’s been a minute, so thank you for all of your patience. Your continued support has
meant a lot to me, and I appreciate all of the kind comments you've left me.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

As it turned out, Oboro was able to stay in control for a solid four minutes after Izuku and Hitoshi
freed him from his programming. The healer had let his teachers do most of the questioning,
choosing instead to monitor Oboro’s vitals. He’d missed most of the conversation, his focus set on
the Nomu before him, but heard something about a hospital and a mysterious doctor that Izuku
guessed to be the driving force behind the Nomu. Oboro had a few guesses as to where the
League’s new location might be, but didn’t know for certain and couldn’t quite remember what
little he did know. Using their quirks in tandem, Izuku and Hitoshi were able to detect when
Oboro’s control began to slip, and the purple haired boy gave his teachers notice to say their
goodbyes.

It was difficult for every party involved to watch as Oboro was once again taken over by Kurogiri,
but Izuku could take comfort in knowing that the hero was still in there, and that there was hope of
getting him back permanently.

“Toshi and I will most likely need to hold multiple sessions with Oboro,” the greenette informed
Mera as he completed his report, “to further weaken the mental conditioning still in place. Once
Oboro has majority control, we can look into the next steps.”

“Meaning the reform program you and Nezu oh so conveniently put together months ago,” Mera
replied dryly. He shook his head at the bright grin on the freckled boy’s face. “Some days, I don’t
know whether to be impressed with you or irritated.”

Izuku’s smile widened. “It’s alright to be both, sir.”

Despite his conviction that Oboro would come back to them fully, Izuku couldn’t help the
concerns nagging at him over the man’s mental health. There would likely be serious scars left on
Oboro’s psyche, and there wasn’t much the greenette could do to help; he could heal any physical
injury, but mental ones…

He shook his head, clearing it of the tumultuous thoughts. Instead, he chose to speak to Aizawa,
apologizing to his teacher.

The man cocked his head, and Izuku firmly denied to himself that the gesture was adorable. “What
do you have to apologize for, Midoriya?”

He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. “I asked you, Present Mic and Miss Midnight here to
trigger an emotional response from Kurogiri without really considering your feelings. I knew it
would be hard on everybody, but I didn’t…” He trailed off, unsure of how to continue. He hadn’t
wanted to hurt his teachers, but the alternative was contacting Oboro’s family, which wouldn’t
have been fair either. It was a long shot that Izuku’s plan would even work, and dragging Oboro’s
parents, civilians, into the mix could prove disastrous. And as heroes-

“As heroes, it’s our job to handle unpleasant business, even if it hurts us,” Aizawa cut in, and Izuku
realized with some embarrassment that he’d been muttering again. “It’s alright, Midoriya; We
knew what we were getting ourselves into when we agreed to come here, and we were happy to
help. I am happy to help.”

That lifted the freckled boy’s spirits some, and he gave his teacher a small smile. “We’re going to
get him back, I promise.”

“I know we will, kid.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Nemuri and Hizashi had opted to go out for a much needed drink once the events at Tartarus had
come to a close. They had of course invited Shota to join them but the man demurred, choosing
instead to escort his students back to campus.

It wasn’t as though he had no need of a drink himself; Shota wasn’t usually much for drinking, but
in stressful circumstances he was no stranger to the occasional whiskey. In this particular instance
he turned down the offer out of the need to be alone, to enjoy the comforts of a quiet evening. He
loved his friends dearly, but neither Hizashi nor Nemuri were quiet people, and he simply hadn’t
the energy for them.

He’d make it up to them some other time, he decided, watching as the other two adults climbed
into a separate car. Shota joined his students in the car that had brought them to Tartarus, ready to
signal the driver when Midoriya stopped him.

“I was hoping you could drop me of at my parents’ house,” he said, eyes flitting between the
teacher and the driver. “They’re not far from here, and I’d really like to spend the night there, if
possible.”

Shota didn’t see any reason not to allow it, but something in his student’s expression gave him
pause. Shinso seemed suspicious as well, but kept quiet on the matter. Eventually the hero relented,
and Midoriya rattled off the address to the driver.

The drive to the Midoriya residence was short, Shota recognizing the home’s small but tidy walk-
up to the front door. Two kadomatsu made of bamboo had been placed on either side of the door,
and Shota noted that it was a bit late in the month to still have them out.

Maybe they’ve been waiting for their son to come home, he mused as Midoriya scrambled out of
the car and to the front door, so that they can burn them as a family.

His own family wasn’t much for those kinds of traditions and, glancing to the other boy in the car,
he assumed Shinso’s wasn’t either. From the blessedly short amount of time he’d spent with them,
the teacher had gathered that the Shinso family wasn’t much for any kind of sentimentality, while
the Midoriyas seemed to have it in abundance.

Shota made to signal the driver to take off, when he spotted Midoriya on the porch, gesturing to his
parents and then to the car. Three sets of green eyes locked onto the passengers, and Shota caught
on to the healer’s deception.

Midoriya pulled the car door open, his expression sheepish but unapologetic. “My parents want
you guys to come in for dinner-“

“We insist!” Midoriya’s father cut in, his face popping up next to his son’s. “You know you’re
always welcome to come in, Eraser.”

The hero assessed his options: if he made a break for it now, the greenette would surely find a way
to make him pay for it, and he’d be disappointing the boy’s parents in the process. At least by
indulging him now, he’d be able to make sure that Shinso was well looked after in the process.
And so he relented, ignoring the radiant smiles the Midoriya men gave him. He exited the vehicle
and sent the driver on his way, trudging into the Midoriya household with Shinso shuffling in
behind him.

Shota had already known that Inko and Hisashi liked to fuss over people, yet couldn’t help his
surprise as Hisashi fussed over his son while Inko fussed over Shinso.

“Izuku didn’t want to come here so that he could be looked after,” Shinso muttered to his teacher,
inching away from the woman who was pushing a plate of cookies at him.

“He must have guessed we’d put up a fight if he tried to take care of us,” Shota remarked, taking a
cookie just to mollify Inko, “so he got his parents to do it. I bet he knew we’d be too polite to say
no, too.”

Shinso snorted. “Crafty little bastard…”

It seemed that Hisashi had just noticed the purple haired boy’s presence, and the man immediately
moved in front of his son, his eyes suspicious. “Is this one of the boyfriends?”

Midoriya turned to stare at his father, and Shinso looked equal parts confused and horrified.

“Dad, no! Toshi’s one of my best friends.” Midoriya was wrinkling his nose at his father’s antics,
who was doing his best to look imposing.

“Izuku’s dating Katsuki, dear,” Inko cut in, failing to hide the amusement on her face. “And
Endeavor’s boy, Shoto.”

Hisashi nodded, although he let a single puff of smoke curl from his lips, a clear warning to Shinso
to keep his hands to himself.

Shota couldn’t help but be amused by the situation as well, and noted that the smoke curling from
Hisashi’s lips looked strikingly similar to the mist that his son produced.

He must’ve picked up the habit from watching his father, the hero deduced, watching as Midoriya
pulled Shinso further into the house, likely to his room.

“You boys keep that door open, understand? No funny business!” Hisashi called after them, but
there was a clear teasing tone to his words now. Midoriya spluttered something back, and the man
chuckled. He turned back to his wife. “I’ll get started on dinner; want to keep our guest company?”

Shota made to say that they didn’t have to bother with keeping him company, but Inko was already
leading him over to the couch. She looked the same as she had the last time he saw her, though
perhaps less tired. She looked content in a way she hadn’t before, though Shota could assume that
was due to the less than pleasant circumstances surrounding his first visit.
“Izuku tells me you adopted that girl you rescued a few months ago,” she began, accepting the cup
of tea her husband brought her with a smile.

“I did,” Shota replied, taking his own cup of tea at Hisashi’s insistence. He was beginning to
understand why Midoriya was so bossy. “Eri was brought to UA once she’d been discharged from
the hospital, with myself and Principal Nezu designated her official guardians. It seemed she was
happy living with me, so I decided to adopt her.”

And it was the best decision he’d ever made; Eri had become the brightest part of his life, and he
wouldn’t trade her for the world.

Inko gave him a knowing smile. “I knew that you’d make a good parent the first time we met; you
care so deeply for your students, and I can see how much you care for Eri, too. They’re lucky to
have you.”

Shota had to bite his tongue, catching himself before he could respond with something equally
mushy. The sentimental Midoriyas were getting to him…

Soon enough Hisashi was calling everyone to dinner, the two boys reentering the dining room
from the hall.

“Izuku’s got, like, an insane amount of hero merch,” Shinso whispered to his teacher. “And I
thought his room at the dorms was bad…”

At the head of the table, Hisashi bristled. “So, you’ve been in my son’s room a lot, have you boy?”

He looked between his son and Shinso, the freckled boy letting out a weary sigh. “Leave my friend
alone, Dad.”

“What? You haven’t brought the boyfriends over yet, who else am I supposed to tease??”

“Don’t tease anyone!”

Inko just smiled at her family’s antics, turning to speak to Shinso. “We’re very happy to have met
you, dear; Izuku’s told us so much about how hard you worked to get into the hero course.”

Shinso ducked his head, trying his best to hide his pink cheeks. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“Fatgum told me you stopped a whole bunch of armed robbers at once!” Midoriya chirped from
across the table. “And you saved some kids from drowning in the river!”

The purple haired boy just shrugged, the pleased look on his face betraying the nonchalant gesture.
“The robbers were easy, the kids not so much; can’t exactly hypnotize someone into not
drowning.”

His smile softened, his eyes far away. “One of those little brats called me a hero, right there in front
of everybody…”

The table fell silent for a moment, until Midoriya spoke up. “That’s because you are a hero, Toshi;
always have been.”

Shota nodded. He was happy to see his student being recognized for his potential as a hero, and not
judged for the type of quirk he had. It struck him just then how similar Shinso and Midoriya’s
situations had become; both had to prove themselves beyond what the public thought of them, just
on opposites ends of the spectrum. People thought Shinso’s quirk too villainous for hero work, and
conversely thought Midoriya’s too good for it.

And yet both had proved the critics wrong that day, by saving a man Shota himself hadn’t held out
much hope for. Both of his students were shaping up to be first rate heroes, and Shota couldn’t be
prouder.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The night ended with Hisashi, Midoriya and Shinso going into the backyard to burn the kadomatsu,
Inko and Shota both opting to stay inside.

“Every year Hisashi burns them with his quirk,” Inko told the hero, “and as impressive as it is, it
stopped being exciting for me about five years ago.”

Shota could hear Midoriya cheering his father on, and imagined Shinso was cracking a smile as
well. “At least the kids are enjoying themselves.”

Inko nodded, but said nothing further.

Sitting with her, the stillness of the evening present in the now abandoned dining room, Shota
began to feel some of that quiet comfort he’d been seeking earlier in the evening. It wasn’t exactly
what he’d wanted, but the bright smiles and easy laughter of the Midoriya family had been a balm
for his frayed nerves, and Shota was beginning to understand why his student wanted both he and
Shinso there for dinner.

As if she could read his thoughts, Inko offered the man a soft smile. “My son can be a bit…
insistent when come to taking care of other people; I hope he didn’t overstep any boundaries by
making you two stay for dinner.”

Shota refrained from mentioning how all boundaries between the healer and everyone at UA had
been decimated when he started working at the infirmary, and chose instead to assure her that he
had no qualms about staying.

“I do need to leave soon,” he told her, glancing at the clock. “Eri has a babysitter, but I don’t want
to leave her with him for too long.”

“Mirio and the others would love to have Eri for a sleepover,” Midoriya commented, he and the
others reentering from the yard smelling of pine, bamboo and smoke. “Especially now that Mirio
can successfully make a flower crown.”

There was a tinge of sadness to the freckled boy’s words, and Shota was again reminded of the
unfair aspects of his quirk. The hero had heard from All Might, who heard from an irate Gran
Torino, that Mirio had confessed his obvious crush to the healer, and hadn’t understood the other
boy’s rejection until he was forced to. Apparently, the old man had given All Might an earful about
not putting the kibosh on his successor’s infatuation sooner, the former hero sporting the bruises to
match.

He knew Mirio to be a pigheaded but ultimately good person, something he shared with his new
mentor, and hoped the two boys could patch up their friendship; they deserved to be happy, even if
it wasn't with one another.

Shota blinked, catching himself once again becoming a bit too sentimental. Maybe there’s a gas
leak or something… he thought, shaking his head.

In the end, Shota and Shinso left the Midoriya home without the healer, but with an armful of
 homemade goodies each, courtesy of Inko, and lighter spirits than when they’d first arrived.

The drive back to UA was relatively silent, both of the introverted passengers at their limit.

“It was nice,” Shinso did manage to say as the school’s all too familiar gate came into view,
“although I don’t think anyone but Izuku could get away with essentially kidnapping someone for
dinner.”

Shota snorted. “Don’t tell me you buy into the ‘Sweetheart’ business, too.”

Violet eyes cut over to him, boring into his teacher’s. “It’s okay that he’s your favorite; at this
point, everyone kind of expects it.”

The hero was too tired to fight the insinuation, instead nudging the boy’s shoulder. “I can have
more than one favorite, you know.”

Shinso’s eyes widened in surprise, and Shota had to fight the urge to laugh. It was true that he
loved all of his students for different reasons: Bakugo and Todoroki for their tenacity, Kirishima
for his passion, Yaoyorozu for her intellect, Sero for his good humor, Uraraka for her kindness,
Asui for her shrewdness, Ashido and Kaminari for their upbeat personalities…

But if he had to pick an overall favorite, it’d be a tie between Midoriya and Shinso; for while he
could see so much of himself in Shinso, he saw so much of Oboro in Midoriya.

Chapter End Notes

For Aizawa’s POV, I have him call Izuku by his last name, as he would do aloud, and
the adults by their first names. It’s the opposite for Izuku’s POV, who would call the
adults by their last names out of respect. I hope it wasn’t too confusing to read.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter!

 Kiss the Future
Chapter Notes

Hello everyone, here's the latest chapter.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

The news outlets, predictably, had a field day once they got their hands on Tokuda’s articles. For
an entire week, feeds were flooded with stories on the healing hero Pucker Up and every heroic
feat he’d performed since the incident in Kamino Ward. Smaller news outlets were given simple
pieces: Izuku and Mirio stopping an ATM robber, Izuku healing those injured during the Kyushu
incident, and other easy stories. The articles involving Eri’s salvation, the work done to create the
Trigger counter drug and the raid on the Hassaikai were given to outlets with greater reach, though
Tokuda made sure to keep Eri’s identity a secret before releasing them.

Juko News received their pound of flesh with one of the juicier pieces: The villain Dabi rescuing
the healer from peril, with several candid shots to accompany the article. This led to speculative
tabloid pieces, alleging that perhaps UA’s Sweetheart had fallen in love with Dabi, and was ready
to risk it all to be with his ill-fated lover. Ashido had laughed until her sides hurt reading one such
story, though Shoto, who had since learned that Dabi was in fact his brother, found himself deeply
perturbed by it. Izuku refused to read it.

The Hero News Network drafted up a scathing critique of the Hero Safety Commission, using the
information they received from Tokuda to highlight the organization’s twisted politics.

“Everyone knows that healers are a rarity in our society,” the network’s horned anchorman
drawled, bespectacled eyes flitting between the monitor and his co-anchor, “and as such, they
should be treated with more respect than the average hero, not less!”

His co-anchor nodded, strands of crimson hair flowing around her as she did. “We’ve seen just how
far the villains are willing to go to take Pucker Up as one of their own; one would think the
Commission would have the common decency to at least treat him better than they would.”

The public was outraged to discover how little freedom the healer would have upon graduating,
and soon small protests began cropping up outside Commission Headquarters every few days.
They were peaceful protests, but loud nevertheless, each one demanding Izuku be freed.
Izuku bore witness to one such protest when he was called in to the Commission, doing his best to
assure the incensed crowd that he was perfectly safe.

“Thank you for your concern, but I promise I’ll be just fine!” His words fell on deaf ears, and the
burly Commission agents on either side of him certainly weren’t helping matters.

Mera was awaiting his arrival in the lobby, the man’s usually disheveled appearance made even
worse with the recent upheaval.

“It seems there’s a new fire to put out every hour,” he told the healer, leading him through the
halls. He plucked a pair of earplugs from his suit jacket, waving them in Izuku’s direction. “I’ve
been wearing these for days now; only way I’m able to get a moment of damn peace around here.”

Once again, Izuku’s heart went out to the man. He assumed that Mera had at least been forewarned
of Nezu’s plans, if he didn’t have a hand in them himself, and yet was still unprepared for the
backlash that followed.

“Those articles really did the trick,” the Commission rep groused, both he and Izuku steeping into
the building’s elevator. “President Fujimura called for a meeting with you, just the two of you, to
discuss your future here.”

Izuku nodded, keeping his expression steady. Nezu hadn’t informed him of his plan to leak
Commission secrets, likely to keep him from getting into too much trouble, but someone would be
made accountable for it. It was unlikely he’d be punished too severely, given the nation keeping a
sharp eye on the organization, but someone could be punished in his stead; someone he cared for
that the public didn’t know much about. His eyes flicked over to Mera, the healer growing
concerned.

Mera caught his gaze, letting out an amused huff. “Don’t worry about me, kid; I keep this place
running. Without me, everyone else in this building would have to do their own jobs, and no one
wants that.”

He turned to Izuku and, in a rare display of affection, placed a hand on his shoulder, a small but
genuine smile gracing his features. “Your teachers and that meddlesome rodent have it all figured
out; have a little faith.”

For his part, Izuku could only gape at Mera, tempted to scan him for brain injuries. “Are you
seriously telling me to be optimistic??”

Mera shrugged. “What can I say? I’ve spent way too much time with you recently.”

A laugh bubbled out from the greenette, his nerves finally waning as the elevator reached the top
floor. The entire floor had been fashioned into one large office, with file cabinets pushed to either
side of the walls and an ornate desk in front of the floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the
city.

Behind that desk sat President Fujimura, with several Commission agents standing imposingly on
either side of it. Izuku guessed they were an intimidation tactic; after all, if he was to speak with
Fujimura alone, why else would they be there?

Sure enough, Fujimura dismissed the agents with a wave of her hand, motioning him to sit once
they and Mera had taken their leave.

Fujimura stared him down, silent and unblinking, and the freckled boy got a good look at the head
of the Hero Public Safety Commission. She was a relatively young looking woman, though the
faint lines around her eyes and mouth betrayed that lingering youth. Her hair was short and slicked
back, revealing a shiny forehead and thinly plucked brows. Beyond the creases were sharp yellow
eyes, her bored expression doing little to disguise the intelligence glinting in them.

“Izuku Midoriya,” she drawled, a thread of annoyance lacing the words as they fell from thin,
pursed lips, “you’ve managed to cause quite a stir with this little publicity stunt of yours.”

“I’m afraid you’ve got it all wrong, ma’am,” Izuku replied, keeping his tone cool and even. “I had
no part in any of the articles written about me this past week, aside from the hero work I did that
they covered. I was just as shocked to see them as you.”

Fujimura continued to stare, and Izuku belatedly realized that he had no idea what her quirk was.
For all he knew, she could be reading his mind, probing him for lies and half-truths. He met her
gaze steadily; it didn’t matter if she were doing such a thing, he was innocent in these matters and
had nothing to hide from her.

Finally, Fujimura let out a sound that could’ve been a snort. “And I’m supposed to believe that?
Not a single story that’s been released about you recently has cast you in a negative light; in fact, I
daresay you’re the only person involved in hero work who hasn’t been harshly scrutinized.”
“Maybe not in recent days,” he countered, “but I’m sure you aren’t unaware of the people who
doubted my place in hero work after the Kamino incident, and then again after the Hassaikai raid.
I’ve had my share of critics, ma’am, just like every other hero.”

Izuku sensed more than saw the jump in her jaw muscle, a small tick that likely meant that she
could see his point. Still, Fujimura continued.

“Regardless of your involvement, these stories have shaken the public's faith in this organization.
That’s not something I can simply overlook.”

Fujimura broke their staring contest, her gaze instead resting on the far wall. Izuku followed her
line of sight to a framed photo, only able to make out the most prominent figure from their distance.

“Losing All Might couldn’t have happened at a worse time,” Fujimura commented, yellow eyes
never straying from the hero’s bright smile. “We have a subpar number one, criminals are more
brazen than ever, and the Symbol of Peace is finally beginning to lose its luster.”

“People still love All Might,” Izuku whispered, “even though he’s retired, he still inspires people
every day.”

“That number is dwindling by the second, Midoriya; no sense in believing in a hero who can’t save
you, after all.”

Her eyes met his once again, pinning the healer with a shrewd look. “These articles might be the
final nail in the coffin for hero society, if we don’t do something about it.”

She reached into a drawer on her desk, pulling out a small stack of papers and sliding them over to
the greenette. He eyed them warily. “What is this?”

“Your freedom. I had Mera draw up a new contract for you, one that eases the restrictions we’ve
had on you these past few weeks and will give you more of a say in your future.”

Izuku blinked. “Why?”

This time Fujimura did snort. “Why? Because half of Japan wants Shigaraki’s head for all this
mess, and the other half wants mine. Because UA’s Sweetheart has become a household name.
Because Mirko, Lemillion and Gran Torino are refusing to do their jobs until I fold. Because
Endeavor of all people is demanding you be allowed to visit his agency more often. Endeavor! He
hates taking on work study students, and now he’s demanding I let you go to him!”

The president paused, taking a deep, steadying breath. “We haven’t been fair to you Midoriya; I
know that, and quite frankly I don’t much care. There’s a war looming over us and I need to make
sure we win it and win cleanly. That means no deaths on our side, none. You’re the only person in
this country who can guarantee that, so I’ve decided to work with you. I’ll give you what you
want: you can be whatever kind of hero you want after you graduate, so long as you continue to
protect my interests when everything finally goes to hell. I also expect a press conference out of
you, help drive back the wolves you brought down on our door..”

Izuku frowned at her. Had this happened a year ago, he’d have been over the moon at the
proposition, gleefully agreeing to whatever deal the woman offered him. But he’d been through too
much, been tricked too many times to allow himself to trust her. He took the papers from her,
skimming them as he did.

“You’re the best that we’ve got,” Fujimura continued, “and you may soon be the only one we’ve
got.”

“What do you mean?”

“You're one of five people registered with a healing quirk in Japan. We lost one healer to the
disaster in Deika City, which now leaves us with four. Recovery Girl sent us her retirement notice
last week; she’ll be retiring in two years’ time, once she’s passed all of her knowledge to you. Now
three. And-“

She eyed him carefully. “Doctor Shimano was attacked two days ago. Physically he’s fine, but he’s
been unable to activate his quirk since. We believe it might’ve been taken from him.”

“Stolen…” Izuku muttered, green eyes going wide at the thought. There was only one person he
could think of with such a power, someone who was locked away in Tartarus, but that person had
allies, loyal followers-

A successor, just like All Might…

 The thought made him sick. He chose instead to focus on the revised contract, noting that all of the
issues he’d griped about to both Hawks and Mera had been included in it. Still, he wasn’t as naïve
as he’d once been, and he'd never been a fool.

“I’ll have Nezu look over the documents,” he told Fujimura, rising from his seat, “we’ll let you
know if anything needs to be revised before signing them.”

The president glowered at him, but Izuku caught a glimmer of amusement in those sharp yellow
eyes. “Tick, tock Midoriya; I’m not known for my patience.”

Not wanting to push his luck, Izuku swiftly took his leave. He could feel the president’s eyes
burrowing into his back, but didn’t waver as he re-entered the elevator that had brought him to her.

As the doors closed and the elevator began its descent, Izuku stopped fighting the smile that had
been threatening to spread from cheek to cheek, his chest growing warm as hope welled up within
him.

Chapter End Notes

I only have a few more chapters drafted for this work, but I plan on making a third and
final installment to this series. I'm not sure when I'll be able to get to it, but I'll have
more information on it in the notes for the last chapters of this work.

Thanks for reading!

 Bloody Kisses
Chapter Notes

Hello, everyone!

Boy, did this one take a long time to finish. Thank you all for being so patient with me,
and I hope this chapter measures up to the others.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Dabi glowered at Toga as the girl openly laughed at him, one of the articles about he and
Midoriya’s supposed love affair clutched tightly in her hands.

“Shiggy’s gonna be sooooo mad,” she teased, flapping the magazine at the other villain. “Do you
think he’ll disintegrate you? Ooh! Can I watch??”

Dabi ignored her, shoving past the girl and making his way to Shigaraki’s office. He had requested
Dabi report to him on the latest Violet Regiment mission but, given the high volume of media once
again centering around UA’s Sweetheart, the man could assume Midoriya would inevitably come
up.

The mere thought of the greenette took Dabi’s mind back to that fateful night, when he’d gone
against everything he thought he stood for to save someone he was supposed to hate.

He could still see Midoriya in that alley, his socks dirty and his thin sweater torn, could still smell
the smoke permeating the air. He could still see his brother Shoto, wide eyed and shaking as he
realized the family he’d lost had come back to him.

Dabi shook his head, biting down until the sharp tang of copper could be tasted on his tongue. He
couldn’t think about that, couldn’t think about any of the people he’d left behind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He reached Shigaraki’s office and threw the ornate wooden door open, sauntering in with as much
cool indifference as he could manage. Shigaraki turned to look at him, eyeing the other villain
reproachfully.

“Not one for soft entrances, eh Dabi?”

Dabi shrugged. “I’m only stealthy when I have to be.”

Shigaraki nodded, turning back to the reports on his desk. “Geten’s last report seems thorough
enough, but I expect there are some discrepancies in the information he’s been giving me…”

Dabi only half listened as the Liberation Front’s leader dissected the ice user’s reports, instead
assessing the man before him.

After the events of Deika City, in which the League had triumphed over the once powerful Re-
Destro, Shigaraki had undergone a metamorphosis. Where he had been nothing more than a
callow, foul tempered brat months before, barking out raspy orders to his subordinates at his
master’s urging, the villain had blossomed into his own in the most terrible of ways.

He was sure of himself in a way he hadn’t been, a lazy sort of confidence now oozing out of him.
No longer was he quick to temper, now taking Toga’s teasing and Twice’s insulting jokes with a
humoring smirk. His hair had turned completely white after he’d come into his powers fully, and
the cracks that had once accompanied every display of his quirk were now shallow and small.

This new level of control spelled good things for the Liberation Front, though Dabi was certain that
everyone, both hero and villain alike, would come to regret pushing Shigaraki to his full potential.

“You’re not listening,” Shigaraki chided, not looking up from his reports. “You really ought to
listen when your leader speaks.”

Dabi frowned. Shigaraki’s voice had smoothed out to a low baritone, a far cry from the death rattle
of months' past. Dabi found the new silkiness to his voice decidedly more unnerving than his old
croaking. “Get to the point and I will.”

“Oh? Am I boring you, Dabi?”

“Since Deika City, at least.”

The League villain’s answering smirk spread across his face slowly, equal parts amused and
aggravated. “Then allow me to rectify that.”

He moved over to another pile of reports on his desk, fishing a few from the top and handing them
to his cohort. Dabi scanned the contents of the reports with bemusement.

“Hospital records, patient files, data from a research lab in Tokyo proper…” Shigaraki muttered,
rattling off the information Dabi was seeing. “I had Hawks dig most of this up as part of the
missions I’ve been giving him. What could they all have in common, I wonder?”

Dabi rolled his eyes, but his expression was thoughtful as he continued to read. Most of the
information was mundane, except for the reports on the Trigger drug the Hassaikai had been
peddling.

“This lab report lists a counter drug the heroes used during the raid on Chisaki’s compound.” He
muttered, trying to piece the information together.

Shigaraki nodded gleefully. “They created it with a rather interesting compound as its base: human
blood.”

Dabi shot him an unimpressed look. It was hardly a gruesome thought to the League anymore, each
member having seen Toga ingest plenty of the stuff during their missions.

“They named their new drug ‘Counter,’” Shigaraki continued, crossing over from his side of the
desk, “a bit boring, but to the point. Read the next one.”

The next report was a medical file taken from a hospital not too far from the lab’s address. The
details of the visit were sparse, but Dabi was beginning to see the connection. “Patient’s twisted
organs and appendages appropriately set, kept overnight under observation…”

“And who do we know that could pull off such a miraculous feat?”
Dabi grimaced. “This is about Midoriya.”

Shigaraki’s grin was shark like. “Isn’t everything?”

It certainly seemed like it, though Dabi was hesitant to say so aloud. Midoriya was a delicate
subject around the compound, with most of Re-Destro’s remaining forces unaware of their new
leader’s connection with the UA student. They knew of the kidnapping over the summer, as nearly
all of Japan did, but could only speak to surface knowledge of the complicated relationship the
healer had with the original League members.

“It seems we were wrong about his quirk,” Shigaraki continued, “or we didn’t know the whole
story, at least. Look here, at this report: Paramedics diagnostics indicate all damage done the
cornea, sclera and vitreous humor of hero Endeavor’s eye completely reversed.”

Dabi felt his stomach lurch at the mention of his father, but kept his composure. Shigaraki had
either ignored his lieutenant’s reaction or hadn’t noticed it as he pressed onward. “And the report
you just read, about the malformed organs? One of the other UA brats borrowed our dear Izuku’s
power, and managed to inflict that damage to the girl with it! Who else but our Sweetheart could
cancel out a drug like Trigger so quickly? We’ve been deceived, Dabi; Izuku doesn’t have a
healing quirk, he has a biology quirk!”

Dabi’s patience began to wear thin, the man shooting an icy glare to his companion. “So what?”

“So what?” Shigaraki chuckled, shaking his head.

The white haired villain plucked a picture of the healer, one of many, from his desk and gazed
upon it, tracing a finger across the image in a way that made Dabi turn his head. “This war we’ve
been waging these past few months with the trash of the criminal underworld has proven fruitful:
even with my master locked away, I’ve managed to rise above them and have been made their
king.”

He frowned slightly, the small cracks around his mouth crinkling with the gesture. “But, what is a
king without his consort?”

Dabi’s eyes widened, but Shigaraki took no notice of him. “I’ve been content to let Izuku have his
freedom, to see hero society for the corrupted, wicked thing that it is while I built my army. Now I
have my army, my glorious kingdom, and it’s time to share it with him.”

“So you’re going to take him again,” Dabi murmured, his mind racing at the implications.

That dark, indulgent smile returned to Shigaraki’s face, his crimson eyes alight with mischief. “Not
I, we. Izuku is as much a member of our little family as any other League member. He belongs with
us, belongs to us.”

Carmine met cerulean as the two villains locked eyes, Dabi fighting to keep his thoughts from
showing on his face. Shigaraki gestured to the line of scabs on the other’s face, the wounds slowly
healing after Dabi had removed the staples from them. “Just think of how quickly, how easily he
could fix those scabs, could make them vanish just like those pesky scars. Oh, don’t play coy,
Dabi; something’s changed with you, we can all see it. You’ve fallen for him, haven’t you?”
Shigaraki produced his own copy of the gossip column Toga had, tapping the cover to emphasize
his point

Dabi bit his tongue. Shigaraki was wrong, but he wasn't far off; Midoriya had indeed softened him,
had cracked his stonybheart and let the affection he’d buried for his mother and siblings come
spilling out. Like Shigaraki he’d been lonely, obdurate and touch starved before the healer had
shown him genuine compassion. Midoriya had been warm, affectionate and kind, and Dabi could
only think back to the fragmented memories of his mother, Fuyumi and Natsuo in comparison. He
didn’t love Midoriya, wasn’t sure he even liked him that much; but he could respect him, and for
Dabi that was more than enough.

In an instant Shigaraki was in front of him, their noses nearly touching. “You’ve been good to us,
Dabi,” he muttered lowly, his tone free of the malice that usually colored it. “You’ve been a
faithful servant to both myself and my cause, which is why I knew I could entrust you with the
position you now hold. You, Twice, Compress, Spinner, Toga…all princes and princesses in our
little kingdom.”

Dabi froze as cracked lips inched closer, Shigaraki’s breath warm on his face. They were of a
similar height, though Dabi could just about see over the top of Shigaraki’s head were he to tilt his
own. “Izuku is mine, I think you know that, but… I suppose I wouldn’t be opposed to sharing, if it
were you.”

Bile began to rise in Dabi’s throat, and Shigaraki mercifully stepped back, turning back to his desk.

“Just a thought; I can be very generous, when I choose to be. I’ll let you know when it’s time to
bring our Sweetheart home.”

Shigaraki dismissed him and Dabi trudged out of the office, his head swimming and his stomach
churning. He rounded the corner, his senses catching up with him just in time to grab Hawks,
pinning him to the wall by the scruff of his shirt.

“How much did you hear?” The villain ground out, his eyes narrowed.

Hawks held his hands up in mock surrender, a few crimson feathers floating lazily to his back.
“Enough to know things are about to get real messed up around here. Seriously, I only half
believed you when you warned me about Shigaraki, but damn…”

The winged hero’s expression became somber, his yellow eyes apologetic as he looked upon his
captor. “I’m sorry you got mixed up in all that; if I hadn’t been given so much to do this past
month, you wouldn’t have had to save Midoriya and maybe this never would’ve happened.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Dabi said dismissively, dropping the other man. “this was always going to be
the end result, no matter what any of us might’ve done differently.”

Hawks gave him a doubtful look, but hummed in agreement. “We have to put a stop to this.”

“Do we? We’re supposed to be part of this, Rat.”

“You don’t want this life, Dabi, I know you don’t.”

Dabi sneered. He’d known all about the other’s true agenda from the start, but hadn’t bothered to
interfere; after all, the League was meant to be a means to an end, and their inevitable ruin
wouldn’t be enough to stop his plans for revenge. Now it was clear Shigaraki would see his own
plans through, and Dabi had to wonder if he was truly meant to be by his and Midoriya’s side. And
though they'd grown on him, Dabi wasn't sure how deep the bonds he had with the rest of the
League ran.

Hawks approached him carefully. “It’s a total cliché, but you and I have a lot in common.”

The villain let out a snort, but Hawks was undeterred. “Neither of us got to be the heroes we
wanted to be, never got to choose what we wanted from life. And here we both are, stuck in Hell
now that Limbo won’t have us.”

Dabi blinked. “That was a pretty dumb line, even for you.”

Hawks shrugged, his signature easy smile gracing his features. “So I would’ve made a crappy poet,
there are worse things.”

He sobered, giving the other an imploring look. “It’s not too late, you know.”

Faces flashed before Dabi’s eyes, from frightened to pleading to furious to accepting, interspersed
with bursts of brilliant blue flames. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Hawks cocked a brow, lengthening one of his feathers into a sizable blade, the barbules red and
wicked. “I’m sure I could imagine. I promise you, it’s not to late; just, hear me out: meet me at the
warehouse tonight, the one we met at in Kyushu. There’s someone I want you to meet…maybe we
can’t be heroes, or don’t deserve to be, but we can still do the right thing, if we choose to.”

A harsh rebuttal was on the tip of Dabi’s tongue, ready to lash out against the cocky double agent
when he noticed it: that same look of stubborn determination that he’d seen before on freckled
cheeks.

Dabi may have been beyond saving, but Touya isn’t.

He let out a groan, eyes screwed shut in exasperation. “Fine, whatever.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

At the warehouse, Dabi took note of the two figures awaiting him.

Hawks carried himself with his usual bravado, the feathery bastard drifting through the open space
on magnificent wings. Down below, perched on top of a pile of wooden crates was the number five
hero.

“Mirko, meet Dabi,” Hawks introduced, floating gracefully to the ground. “Handsome son of a
bitch, isn’t he? A bit repressed, but that’s to be expected.”

Dabi shot him a look. “Why is that ‘to be expected?’”

Hawks just grinned in response.

Mirko eyed him with mistrust, her foot thumping irritably against the crates. “Not really my type.”

“We’re here because we want to take down the Liberation Front,” Hawks explained, moving to
take a seat near the rabbit hero. “Not just them, but the Commission too.”

The villain arched a brow. “Really?” He deadpanned.

Hawks nodded. “I’m sure you’ve seen the papers by now; what they did to Midoriya is just the tip
of the iceberg. Our society needs heroes, but they need real ones, ones who believe in the things
they say, who back up those words with the right actions.”

Mirko scoffed, rolling her eyes at the man's words. Dabi recalled reading through one of Hawks'
stolen reports on the woman: she had the expected speed and agility one would naturally associate
with a rabbit based quirk, as well as an incredible amount of strength. Dabi also knew from the
reports that she was prickly, quick to temper and difficult to work with.
 It was if he was peering at a reflection of himself, that just so happened to have buck teeth and
bunny ears.

Mirko hopped down from her seat, moving forward and jabbing a finger into Dabi’s chest. “I’ll be
frank: I hate villains. I’d just as soon kick your teeth in than work with you, but you’ve got
leverage, got ranking in Shigaraki’s little cult. The kind that feather head over there couldn’t even
get close to.”

She ignored her friend’s half hearted protest as she began to circle Dabi, assessing him for weak
points. “I’m not like you two; I may get rough with the scum of this country when I shouldn’t, but I
toe the line and keep my nose clean. I hate the Commission, but I hate you League freaks more.”

She stopped in front of him and, despite the stark difference in height, she seemed to tower over
him. “Either join us and stay out of my way, or go back to your leader and pray you never have to
face me when the time comes to take you down.”

Dabi stared at her, jaw clenching, before a small but genuine smile appeared on his face. The air
between them began to shimmer as the temperature raised, blue sparks igniting around the villain.
“Finally, someone who speaks my language.”

Mirko’s answering smirk was razor sharp, and Hawks began to see the error of bringing these two
caustic beings together.

“Looks I just became outnumbered,” he muttered to himself, watching as Dabi and Mirko shook
hands.

He made to join them, stopping short as Mirko hopped back to her original spot, satisfied with her
threat. “I meant what I said earlier; neither of us can be real heroes anymore, maybe not even good
people, but we can still do the right thing.”

Dabi thought back to Twice’s wild enthusiasm, to Toga’s teasing, to Spinner’s dry humor and
Compress’ quiet companionship.

Then he thought about Midoriya’s kindness, about Hawks’ dogged attempts to earn his trust. He
thought of Mirko’s smirk and his mother’s sweet smiles and Shoto’s stricken expression back in
that alley.

And finally, he thought about his hatred for Endeavor, for the Commission and their hypocrisy. He
thought about his respect for Stain’s ideology and his revulsion for Shigaraki's, and his mind was
made up.

“Alright,” he said, blue eyes blazing once more. “Where do we start?”

Chapter End Notes

Only one chapter left for this installment, then on to the next (sort of)! Honestly I'm
not sure when I'll have the time to start the next one, and once I do I doubt it'll be
anywhere close to the length this installment turned out to be.

I also wanted to ask: Is this story getting to be too dark? I wanted it to be a good
balance of witty and serious, but I'm not sure if it's leaning too much towards serious.
Anyways, thanks again for your patience and thank you for reading!
 Three Way Kiss
Chapter Notes

Hey everyone, here's the last chapter!

It took waaaayyy longer to finish this than I thought it would, but we finally made it to
the end (of this installment)!

Thank you for sticking with this story, even through the quieter days.

As always, comment, bookmark and enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

“Uhm, are you sure this is a good idea?”

Tokuda flashed the greenette his winning smile, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Not a ‘good’ idea
Midoriya, a great one. Now, pose!”

Izuku sighed but did as he was told, exhaling a stream of mist that swirled around him. He then
leaned forward, closing one eye in a wink as he blew a kiss at Tokuda’s cameras, the many lenses
protruding from the man capturing the shot from several angles.

Next to Tokuda, the hero Best Jeanist clapped his hands together in delight. “Excellent work,
Midoriya! You’re beginning to understand, aren’t you?”

The young healer had been brought to Jeanist’s studio to prepare him for a photo shoot with
unMasked!, a local hero magazine catering to Japan’s most popular heroes. Tokuda had suggested
the shoot, as well as an interview with the magazine’s top journalist, as a way for the greenette to
assume some control over his public image.

“The world has seen you as a hero,” Jeanist commented, his sharp eyes assessing the scene before
him and gauging potential improvements, “and as a healer; student, sweetheart, victim, miracle
worker… all bits and pieces of a whole they’re not familiar with yet. The media has done as it
always does and left the painting half finished; it’s up to you now to fill in the rest of the canvas.
Show us who you are, Pucker Up, and who you want to be.”

Izuku adjusted his stance as Jeanist directed, angling his legs away from the camera and his torso
towards it. He kept his expression the same, though internally he was frowning.

Who I want to be…how can I showcase that here, in a safe place with no villains to fight and no
patients to heal?

Next to Jeanist, Aoyama watched as his friend debated with himself. “Remember, mon ami, what
Yaoyorozu said that day in the lab, when we first drafted your costume. Your hero persona is a
symbol for those who see you in action, so give us action! Give us the Sports Festival!”

Izuku blinked, before the blond’s words registered. “That’s it! Yuga, you’re a genius!”

“Oui, and I’m so glad you’re finally seeing it,” Aoyama teased.
Izuku had the assistants helping with the shoot bring over a ladder, positioning it just out of frame.
“Mr. Tokuda, when I give you the signal I want you to take as many shots as you can.”

The man gave him a curious look, but nodded. “Whatever you say, kid.”

Jeanist caught on a bit faster than Tokuda, smiling behind his denim collar. He watched as Izuku
scrambled up the ladder, gauging the distance, then unleashing his mist, crying out ‘Now!’ as he
launched himself from the ladder and executed an aerial flip, his leg extending and slicing through
the mist before him.

A series of clicks could bee heard as Tokuda took shot after shot, the shutters of his lenses
fluttering in rapid succession.

Izuku would later find himself slightly emotional as he viewed the shot that made the front cover:
A perfect freeze frame of him kicking through the mist, a sweet smile on his face and a determined
glint in his eye.

The greenette found a comfortable place to sit as he waited for his interview to begin, Jeanist and
Tokuda leaving to fetch the journalist and begin proving the photographs, respectively. Aoyama
made his way over to his friend, plopping down beside him on the studio’s worn, velvet couch.

“I’m glad you got to tag along today,” Izuku told him, “you’re ideas were really helpful.”

“Think nothing of it, petit vert; it is what I’m good at, and so I embrace it. I can be a hero who
loves fashion, just like Jeanist, and one that doesn’t compromise on either. You taught me that, and
Iida too.”

The healer smiled at him. Aoyama had always been a bit extravagant, hiding some of his
insecurities behind the sparkles and the clothes and the odd bits of French. Seeing him come into
his own, taking on even the messy parts of hero work with brilliant beams of light and a twinkle in
his eye warmed Izuku’s heart, and inspired him to do the same. “I really admire you, Yuga; Even
when you’re scared, you show the world how bright it can be.”

Aoyama just laughed. “As do you, mon ami, as do you. Tell me; that business with Commission, is
it finally over?”

Izuku hummed, giving his friend a thoughtful look. The contract Fujimura had offered him during
their meeting had been thorough, extensively covering all of the issues the healer had brought up
not only with Mera, but with Hawks, Mirko, and Gran Torino as well, ranging from shackling his
hero career to Mirio’s to keeping him locked away at Commission Headquarters to even the lack of
care the first responders on staff showed injured heroes brought to the infirmary.

It had taken Izuku and Nezu two days to scour the entire proposal, searching for any loopholes or
cleverly hidden traps to keep him under the organization’s thumb.

They found none.

On one hand, Izuku was over the moon to have his freedom back, to know that he was once again
in control of his future. The other part of him was deeply concerned about how bad things had to
be for the Commission to be so desperate to keep him. He thought back to Dr. Shimano, who had
been brought to the Commission’s infirmary for a quirk assessment. Neither Izuku nor any of the
medical personnel brought in could find anything wrong, only that the doctor could no longer use
his quirk. Even more troubling, Shimano couldn’t identify his assailant, shaking his head at every
League member whose picture he was shown.
“I wish I could tell you more,” he’d told them, “but really, I don’t remember a thing about it.”

Izuku shook his head. It was a mystery for another day, as the work studies and their winter break
drew their last few days. Izuku had finished his time with the Commission that morning, promising
to have the signed contract sent to Fujimura before classes started up again. He focused back on
Aoyama.

“It’s…hard to say; I don’t think business with the Commission will ever really be over, but they’ll
be better than they were. My new contract will let me visit other agencies more often, and I’ve
been given permission to perform other hero duties besides healing.”

He smiled softly. “Mirio’s been talking to me again, even if it’s just short conversations here and
there. It’s…definitely awkward, but he’s trying, and I appreciate it.”

Aoyama gave him a knowing look, but didn’t push the matter. If Izuku could forgive the
upperclassman’s bumbling, misguided attempts to love him, then the blond supposed he could too.

He held out no such hope, however, that Katsuki or Shoto could do the same.

Soon Izuku was off to complete his interview, bidding farewell to Aoyama as Best Jeanist joined
them. “I’ll be sure to let you know how things go today!”

“You better, petit vert!” Aoyama called back, his grin toothy and bright. “I want all the details, and
so does Mina!”

Izuku blushed, wrinkling his nose as he walked away. Aoyama just chuckled.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Thanks for everything, guys! Come see us again soon!”

Izuku smiled and waved at Fuyumi as he and Katsuki exited the hotel suite, the blond grunting in
his usual terse manner. The two had met up outside the hotel the Todoroki family was staying in to
deliver the family a home cooked meal, something both hero students were sure was missing from
their now hectic lives.

Word had gotten out, as it always did, to the other students in 1-A about the boys’ culinary efforts,
and soon enough the dorm’s decently sized kitchen was crammed full of eager faces all doing their
best to pitch in.

Soon the simple shogayaki dish Katsuki expertly prepared was paired with omelets from Ashido
and Kaminari, miso soup from Asui, Tokoyami and Koda, fresh bread from Sato, Hagakure and
Ojiro, cookies from Jirou, Uraraka and Shinso, tea from Momo, cheese and chocolat chaud from
Aoyama, salad from Kirishima and Sero, and fresh squeezed orange juice from Iida.

Shoto’s offering of burnt instant ramen was swiftly rejected.

Fuyumi had accepted the food with a bright smile, her enthusiasm enough to draw Katsuki into a
lengthy discussion on their favorite recipes as Izuku did his best to avoid having to talk to
Endeavor.

The flame hero was gracious enough to thank them for the food, going so far as to compliment the
boys on their thoughtfulness.

“It shows excellent strength of character; you’ll need that as future heroes.”
Katsuki scoffed once they were far enough down the hall for Fuyumi not to hear. “What does that
old bastard know about strength of character? His whole messed up family is proof he doesn’t have
any.”

“He’s trying, Kaachan,” Izuku argued, though privately he agreed with the blond. “We can’t expect
him to get everything right, especially after so many things have gone wrong in their lives.”

“Yeah, because of him!”

“I don’t disagree, but if Shochan wants to give him a chance, then maybe we should, too.”

Katsuki grunted. “I’ll play nice when we have to see him, but I’m not going to another damn
dinner unless Fuyumi makes Mapu tofu!”

Izuku giggled. “I’ll be sure to let her know.”

The two made their way to the train station and, like he’d done before reaching Endeavor and
Fuyumi’s suite, Izuku started pestering Katsuki about their next location.

“C’mon Kaachan, tell me!”

“I’m not blabbing, so stop asking!”

Izuku pouted. “But I wanna know where we’re going!”

“You’ll see when we get there!”

“But-“

At once Katsuki was invading his space, his body pressed against the shorter boy’s. “Patience is a
virtue, Princess.”

Izuku flushed, but glared up at the blond. “That’s rich, coming from you; you’re never patient!”

Katsuki smirked at him. “Oh, aren’t I? I was very patient during the remedial lessons, counting the
days till I could kiss you again.”

He leaned in further, their lips now brushing. “I waited for you to come back to me; ever since you
moved to Hosu, I’ve waited for you. Sounds pretty patient to me.”

Izuku’s face was fully aflame as Katsuki pulled back, chuckling. “Anyways, our stop is up next.
Don’t leave your stupid hat on the seat, Princess.”

Izuku huffed, but made sure to grab the bucket hat he’d brought with him, setting it atop his green
curls. He pointedly did not make eye contact with the other passengers in their car as he exited the
train, positive that more than a few people had watched the earlier display with wide, incredulous
eyes.

When they finally reached their destination, Izuku let out a small gasp.

It was a butterfly garden situated near the second largest zoo in the city: A spacious indoor garden
filled with various plants, water features and winged insects. As the two got their tickets and
ventured inside, Izuku spied several different kinds of butterflies, and even one or two moths.

“I found this place thanks to that loser kid you saved, that day you came on patrol with us,” Katsuki
told him. “Turns out the brat’s mom is on the board for the zoo or some shit, so I convinced her to
let us have the place to ourselves for an hour.”

Izuku turned to him. “That’s sweet of you, but why would we need-“

The greenette was cut off as a small insect net was shoved into his arms, Katsuki pulling another
from the bag he’d refused to let Izuku hold. Now, he knew why. “We’re not allowed to take any
home with us, and we obviously have to be careful while we do this, but we’ve got permission to
go bug catching while we’re here… I- I just thought maybe it could be like it used to, back when
we were kids…”

Izuku’s eyes began to water. “Kaachan…”

The scowl that usually graced his boyfriend’s face had softened, and his cheeks were as dark as
Izuku’s had been on the train. The healer swooped in and planted a quick peck on the blond’s lips,
smiling at the look of surprise he received in response. “Well, what are we waiting for? I’ve got to
uphold my record for most bugs caught!”

“Hah! I don’t know what dream world you’ve been living in, but I always caught the most!”

And so the two spent the next hour chasing after the butterflies, careful not to harm them as they
caught and released as many as they could. Since they couldn’t keep them the two would call out
their totals after each bug caught, and naturally the numbers grew more and more outrageous as
they lost track.

“You can’t have caught a thousand, Kaachan, there aren’t that many in here!”

“It’s cuz I’ve caught all the dumb bugs in here three times over, Deku!”

They stayed a bit past their allotted hour, Izuku buying a small cup of sugar water to feed the
insects as families and couples began to file in. The greenette managed to capture a perfect photo of
Katsuki covered in paper kites, the large butterflies swarming him as he cursed at them.

Soon they were off to another location, this time Katsuki mercifully telling Izuku what was next.

“Pretty Boy’s gonna meet us, Ponytail and Dr. Jekyll at a restaurant nearby.”

“I know you know Mei and Momo’s names, Kaachan.”

“Their names are stupid, mine are better!”

When they river the other three were waiting for them, having already secured a table for their
group. Shoto gave Izuku a quick kiss as he sat down, doing the same to a pink-faced Katsuki.
Shoto filled them in on his mother’s condition, having spent the day with her while Izuku and
Katsuki ran their errands and had their date.

“The doctors have cleared her to leave, but they want her to stay until the house is rebuilt,” The
dual toned boy said, digging into his soba noodles.

Izuku smiled at him. “That’s great news; I can’t wait to meet her!”

“She’ll like you; both of you.”

Katsuki muttered something under his breath, and Shoto gave him a warm smile. “Of course she’ll
like you too, Tiger.”

The blond blanched, eyes widening as he took in the nickname. “Tiger?!”

“Yes; they’re fierce, protective and strong, and people often mistake them for violent, when really
they only attack when necessary.”

“I, that’s-“

“If you don’t like it, I could think of another. Goose?”

“GOOSE?!? WHAT THE FUCK!”

“They’re very loyal to their mates, Katsuki.”

“Fuck that!”

“His name sounds like ‘Cat,’” Hatsume chimed in, the look on her face positively gleeful. “So,
why not ‘Kitten?’”

Katsuki looked seconds away from exploding. Shoto looked thoughtful. “Would you like
‘Kitten?’”

Katsuki’s face turned an alarming shade of red as Izuku tried his best not to laugh, turning his head
away as the blond began screaming curses at both Shoto and Hatsume.

“Why not just Kat?” Momo suggested, smoothing the conversation over. “It’s near enough to Tiger
and… the other name… and it’s not overly cutesy.”

“Not like Bunny,” Hatsume teased, though a warning look from her girlfriend silenced her pretty
quickly. Izuku leaned over to her.

“Momo’s told me about the pet names you two use," he said casually, but there was a mischievous
glint in his eye as his friend flushed. Momo let out a dramatic sigh, but was smiling as the table
devolved into chaos once more, content to enjoy what time she could with the people she loved.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The final stop for the night was the training grounds on campus, the rest of class 1-A waiting for
them to return.

“We decided tonight was the perfect night for stargazing!” Ashido told them. “We even invited
class B to join us!”

Sure enough, Izuku spotted Monoma, Tetsutetsu, Kaibara and Kendo interspersed amongst the
crowd, the rest of class B mingling as well.

Momo created a few large, plush blankets to add to the pile, while Hatsume joined Iida and
Hagakure in setting up a few telescopes. Izuku, Shoto and Katsuki made themselves comfortable
near the edge of the clusters of people, their blankets spread out near Asui and Jirou.

“Ochako decided to sit with Shinso tonight,” Jirou leaned over to say, a sly smile on her face.
“They’re keeping a good distance from each other, but we all know where this is going.”

Sure enough, as the temperature steadily dropped and the stars came out in full force, the two
inched closer to one another until they were sharing a blanket, the redness of their cheeks visible
even in the growing darkness.

Izuku bundled his own blanket around himself and Katsuki, Shoto using his fire side to warm the
blond as the three settled in to their spot.
 “Fucking stupid to do this in winter,” Katsuki grumbled, snuggling into Shoto’s side even further.
“S’too damn cold out.”

Shoto continued to hold him, leaning forward just enough to intertwine his free hand with Izuku’s
over Katsuki's stomach. The dual toned boy caught the yawn the greenette was attempting to stifle,
giving him a look. “We can go inside if you want to rest, Bunny; you’ve had a long day.”

The prospect of a good night’s sleep was tempting, but Izuku shook his head. “I don’t want to miss
a single moment of this.”

Eventually canisters of Aoyama’s signature Chocolat chaud made their way over to the boys, each
enjoying the warmth from the thermoses they held. It was relatively quiet as the hero students
stared up at the night sky, some mapping constellations in their heads, others simply taking in the
enormity of the world above them.

For Izuku, it was less about the stars he was looking at and more about the people he was looking
at them with: Mei, Momo, Toshi, Shochan, Kaachan… He pictured Eri and Aizawa on the balcony
of the family dorms, looking up at the same stars alongside them. He could imagine Midnight
doing something similar, and Nezu and All Might and Recovery Girl, too. He could see Gran
Torino, Mirko and Hawks out on patrol, keeping the streets safe enough for them to relax. He
could see Mera, tucked away in his office, not thinking about the stars at all but working tirelessly
underneath them. He thought about the Big Three, just getting back from their own work studies to
see their younger classmates sprawled across the training area, likely thinking back to when they
used to do the same.

And finally, he thought about Dabi and the rest of the Todoroki family, looking up at the same
stars, but entirely separate.

They were people he cared for, not just with his kisses but with his whole being; he had healed and
been healed by many of them, and the greenette took great pride in the thought. He knew there was
still darkness in the world, that evil hadn’t given up on him just because it had grown quiet, but he
felt supported in the fight, uplifted by the same people who joined him in gazing at the stars.

Izuku accepted a kiss from Katsuki, then from Shoto, then smiled as the two kissed each other, a
warmth blooming in his chest.

Izuku Midoriya was reaching for the stars as a healer and a hero, and with so many others reaching
as well, he knew he’d never feel lonely in doing so.

Chapter End Notes

True to form, I've already started drafting the next and final installment. Just some
general thoughts and ideas for what's to come. I have some ideas for separate works I
may want to do first, so we'll have to see how things shake out.

Anyways, I hope the ending wasn't too anticlimactic, but the biggest theme of this
series is care, and I wanted our leading man to have some for himself.

Thanks for reading, and see you all when the next work drops!
Please drop by the archive and comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!