Chapter Text
Two days after her fifteenth birthday, Yoru decides to drop the bomb on him. “I want to go to U.A.”
“You want to go to U.A.” Her Dad puts the book he's been reading down on the glass balcony table.
“Yes, I want to go to U.A.” She slumps down on the outdoor couch next to him, grabbing the discarded book. “What are you reading?”
‘A Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi — The classic guide to strategy ’. She raises an eyebrow. “Reading that for fun, huh?”
“Why do you want to go to U.A.? You never cared much about heroes. Besides Edgeshot, that is.”
Yoru smirks up at him. “What, jealous?”
“As if.”
“You know, even if they sold Eraserhead posters, I wouldn’t hang them up on the wall. It would be super weird.”
“Good to know where your loyalties lie.” He rolls his eyes. “Back to the topic at hand, why do you want to go to U.A.? Because Shinso wants to go?”
“No.” Pause. “Okay, that may be part of it. But I’m serious. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, and I really want to go.”
“That might be so, but you still neglected to tell me why you want to attend there.”
Yoru plays with her hair, noting how it’s time for another hair cut when she finds some splint ends. “I wanna be a hero.”
Her Dad blinks. “A hero?”
“Yes. Well, I want to help people and do some good with that shitty quirk of mine.”
“It’s not shitty.”
“Yeah, whatever. Anyway, I wanna master it. As well as my bostaff. And my actual favorite hero gave me an idea for moving around in the air. You know, swinging from building to building?”
“What, you’re into those old Spider-Man movies now?”
Yoru rolls her eyes without any real malice behind it. “You, Dad. Talking about you and your scarves.”
“Flattery won’t get you anywhere. What’s that idea about swinging from building to building about?”
“Grappling hooks.”
The corner of his lips tug slightly upward.
Yoru playfully shoves his shoulder, feigning hurt. “Hey, don’t laugh at me! Your daughter is talking about her hopes and dreams here, be serious.”
“Right, hopes and dreams. Sorry.” He sighs and scans her face. “You really want to do this?”
She nods. “Yeah, I do. Toshi and I plan on opening up an agency in Tokyo together after we graduate.”
“And here I was, thinking you two planned on becoming pirates and sailing the vast open seas.”
“Dad!” She feels her cheeks heat up. “Come on, that was ages ago. What, you think I can’t do it?”
“Become a pirate?”
“Stop being annoying. Becoming a hero, obviously.”
Her Dad stares at her with a weird look on his face for a moment before he sighs. “No, I think you can be a hero. I have no doubt about it, actually. And you want to do it to do good? Not to become famous?”
“Right, you really think I’d like to be famous?” She scoffs. “Please. I mean, have you seen Zashi’s and Muri’s fan base? They’re unhinged. Thanks, but no, thanks. I’d rather take a page out of your book, really.”
“What, go underground?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “Yeah, I think so.”
They sit in silence for a while.
It’s nice, Yoru thinks. Her Dad doesn’t have to teach during summer break and only goes for patrols every other night. Of course, he’s still called in for the not-so-rare quirk accidents or surprise manifestations, but even with the normal part-time hero work, he’s home far more often in between school terms.
They even had a small get-together for her birthday two days ago. Sure, it was just Zashi, Muri, Toshi, her Dad and the cats, but that’s enough. They sat outside on their balcony until the moon over Musutafu went far over its zenith. Of course, Toshi slept over. Muri and Zashi, however, were kicked out around 2:30 AM when they started telling embarrassing stories from their youth.
A shame, really. That would have been a nice birthday present.
When she looks back at him, she finds her Dad staring at the little cherry tree that they got ages ago. Yoru can’t even remember when they got it. It’s always just been there, she thinks. Even at their old apartment.
“Dad?”
“Mhm?”
“You’re doing the staring thing again.”
Shaking his head slightly, he turns his head towards his daughter. “Sorry. Right. Just got lost in memories, I think.”
“What memories?”
He smiles down at her. “Nothing for you to worry about.” Pause. “So. U.A., huh.”
“Yeah. Can I go?”
“If that’s what you want to do, sure. I see no reason why not. Except one, perhaps.”
“Which one?”
“You want to get in the hero course, right?”
“Yeah, that’s our plan.”
“Our plan?”
“Yeah, Toshi’s and mine.”
“Right.”
“So what about the hero course?”
“My current 3-A will graduate before the next school year starts, and I’ll be assigned a new class of brats. You might end up being one of them. 50/50 chance, either Vlad King or me. Nezu makes the plans, I doubt he’ll let any kind of personal relationships influence his decision in any way. He’s calculating, strives on putting kids with either very compatible or completely non-compatible quirks in a class. It’s a recipe for mayhem.”
Ah, yeah well. Shit.
Yoru’s not stupid. She has obviously considered that possibility.
“Yeah, how about we cross that bridge when-” She cuts herself off. “-or if we get to it.”
“Agreed. You want to apply through recommendations?”
Yoru quickly shakes her head no. “Nope. If I get accepted, I want it to be because I deserve it and for no other reason.”
“Good. You’re aware the entrance exams are tough, though, right?”
“Yeah. And I know that U.A. in and of itself is pretty tough, too. If the stuff you tell me on the regular is anything to go by. And the number of student’s you’ve expelled, too.”
“Then you know that there would be no such thing as preferential treatment or special leniency. Neither by me, Kayama nor Yamada. Nezu neither. The other teachers don’t even know you, so we wouldn’t need to be worried about them in that regard.”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Good. As long as we’re on the same page. The expectations I, and U.A. in general, have of the students are high. Very much so. They have to be.”
“Yep.”
“And being a hero can be scary. You saw the incident with that Sludge villain a while ago? Villains don’t care if you’re a kid or a student, if you somehow end up on their radar, things can get ugly rapidly. That blonde kid with the Sludge villain almost died.”
Yoru gulps. Yes, she saw. Of course, she did. Who didn’t? It was a major topic for weeks. The victim was a boy around her age. What’s worse, none of the heroes present did anything to help. The footage was horrible to watch.
“Yeah, but he didn’t. I think the actual scary thing about that was that none of the heroes did anything, though.”
“They didn’t have the necessary quirks. And the victim’s quirk went crazy, the whole area was on fire.”
Yoru huffs. “What, you’re telling me that the other guy could do something that the heroes couldn’t? You know, the one who jumped in and actually tried to save the blonde boy?”
“You know what the heroes couldn’t do, that that boy who ran in excelled in?”
“What?”
“He was able to completely turn off his brain.”
“Dad! Come on, at least he did something! Tried something.”
“Yes, and it almost ended up in two pairs of parents losing their children that day, instead of just one.”
“But they’re both fine.”
“Because All Might showed up.”
Yoru rolls her eyes. “Yeah, out of god-fucking-nowhere. And almost too late, too.”
“Language.”
“Seriously, though. What would have been the other option? Just standing by and watching that sludge thing do with that dude whatever it wanted? Honestly, I think it’s a pretty shitty thing to do. At least that scrawny, green-haired kid tried his best. You’re honestly telling me that even if all the people and heroes there weren’t strong individually, they wouldn’t have had the strength in numbers and could have tried pulling that blonde guy out?”
“Yoru-”
“But no, an entire crowd of people and none of them did a thing while somebody was practically murdered in front of their eyes. What, your book there on strategy tells you how to leave a kid to die and just watch because it’s the smart thing to do?”
“Yoru, enough.”
Silence.
“Sorry.” She takes a deep breath. That whole thing just rubs her the wrong way.
Her Dad nods. “Coming back to U.A., the entrance exam is held at the end of February. So you have about half a year to train and prepare. Your body, your quirk as well as your brain. Don’t forget about the written part of the entrance exam. Shinso should do the same. Prepare and train, that is.”
“Noted.”
“Good. Now, about those grappling hooks…”
They stay outside, slowly melting away in the sweltering August heat for a long while. Talking about training plans involving her bostaff, her quirk and cramming for the written test. He promises to look into getting grappling hook guns and mapping out a suitable part of the city where they could train swinging from roof to roof. Hand-to-hand combat is to be trained twice a week, so is the bostaff (something they already do). Additionally, to that, Yoru still has her ballet as well as (contemporary/hip hop) dancing classes. Of course, the already regular training sessions of body workouts and Yoga she and her Dad do together will still be continued. Oh, and while it may be summer break right now, she’ll still have to do well in school once it starts again.
To say that Shota Aizawa doesn’t have high expectations would be complete and utter bullshit.
“Dad?”
“What?”
“If you really want me to do all that, I’ll have to drop ballet and dancing.”
“Not an option.”
“What?”
“You’ll need to keep your body flexible and your muscles tight. Especially if you want to use grappling hooks. Body strength and high mobility are key for that. Ballet excels at that. When or if you go to U.A., you can drop ballet and dancing if it’s too much, but for the time being, you need to retain the skills that you learned thanks to it. Once you’re at U.A., there will be plenty of training to keep your body in top condition.”
“But I’ll overwork it! How is that top condition?”
Her Dad sighs. “Fair point. However, if you really want to go to U.A., your body will be pushed to the brink of exhaustion a lot. The motto isn’t ‘Go Beyond, Plus Ultra’ for no reason.”
Yoru frowns, braiding her black hair absentmindedly. “It is really that tough?”
“It is. At least for my class.”
“You sure you actually expelled all those kids, and they didn’t just drop out because they couldn’t take it anymore?”
He scoffs. “If they couldn’t take the training, they wouldn’t survive in the field. It’s my job to prepare them for just that. I don’t let half-assed heroes graduate.”
Yeah, no shit.
They sit in silence for a while.
“Yoru, listen. It gives me some peace of mind. If you really want to become a hero, I need to know that you’re capable of doing everything that comes with it. It’s not that I think you can’t do it, it’s because I know that you can that I will push you. That being said, at the end of the day, it’s still your decision and responsibility. If you ever truly feel like your mind and body can’t handle it, talk to me, and we will figure it out. Adjust your training schedule. How about, once school starts again, we’ll see how realistic the plan really is? Time-wise and health-wise. I don’t want you to overwork yourself, but it will be tough. I need you to know that.”
“Yeah.” She sighs. “Yeah, I know. I’ll tell you if it gets too much.”
“Good. Now, if I hear correctly, the cats are up to no good. Let’s head back inside and cool down a bit, mhm?”
“Yeah. Hey, Dad?”
“Yes?”
“I’ve got some split ends.”
He nods. “So do I. Hair cutting session on Saturday? You get to choose the movie this time. Don’t make me regret it. I don’t think I am physically able to sit through Mamma Mia again.”
Mamma Mia 2 it is, then.
“-think it’s going to be really tough. Maybe we can train together? I could show you some hand-to-hand combat moves.”
“Yeah, I think that might be a good idea. You’d really do that?”
“Sure, no biggie. Don’t expect any miracles, though. I’m probably not a good teacher.”
“I’ll take everything I get.”
Yoru frowns. “So, Samu still won’t let you take martial arts lessons, huh?”
“Pff. What do you think?”
“Right, don’t even know why I asked- shit!”
Fuck! This god-damn toilet. I swear, one day, I’ll just-
Yoru quickly grabs multiple towels to soak up the overflowing clean toilet water on the floor, putting her phone on speaker on the shelf with the toiletries.
“Kitten, what the hell are you doing?”
“Nothing! Nothing, just keep on talking, I’m listening.”
And of course, at that moment, the toilet flush makes that weird gurgling noise again.
Great.
“Hold the fuck on. Were you on the damn toilet just now? While we’re on the phone?!”
“Iwasjustpeeingdon’tworry.”
“What?”
“I was just peeing!”
Toshi laughs on the other end of the line. “And let me guess, you didn’t turn on the faucet before flushing and after flushing, the water just keeps on coming and doesn’t drain, and now the bathroom floor is wet, and you’re standing in overflown toilet water.”
“Uhm, no? Why would you think that? I’ve lived here long enough to know better. And we have perfectly functioning toilets.”
Yoru is this close to actually throwing the (wet) towel. The water just doesn't stop coming. There’s more and more, more, more-
“Yeah, right. And it’s also the very first time that ever happened, right?”
“Shut up.” Fuck. Okay, last resort. “DAAAAD?!” Yoru yells at the door.
Toshi, the annoying idiot, barks out laugh after laugh. “Shit. This is too good. Can I have your gaming console after Aizawa ended you?”
“It’s his console, and it’s not funny-”
Knocks at the door interrupt her. “Sweetheart? What’s wrong? Can I come in?”
No.
“Yes. But don’t get mad, please, I just-” She cuts herself off when her Dad now stands in the bathroom, sporting his well-known neutral face of displeasure.
“Again?”
“Yeah, I’m sorry. I keep on forgetting. The other toilet works just fine, and I forgot to start the faucet in here before flushing-”
“Clearly.”
She sighs. “I’m sorry.”
“Hello, Mister Aizawa.”, comes Toshi’s unusual chipper voice through the speaker.
Her Dad glances at her phone on the shelf quickly before getting to work. “Hello, Shinso. Please excuse me, it seems I have some plumbing to fix.”
“Huh, I didn’t even realize something was wrong.”
“Idiot.” Yoru hisses at her friend.
“Jerk.”
She rolls her eyes and quickly grabs the phone when she sees her Dad’s annoyed glare. “Umm, I gotta go, Toshi. Sorry. Call you back later.”
“What, got some business to attend to-”
Click.
Yoru discards her locked phone on the sink counter as she watches her Dad take off one of the wall tiles and fiddling with the plastic water bottle held up by multiple hemp strings in the little wall-hole.
As he adjusts the bottle’s opening to the leaky water line in the wall, he turns back to Yoru. “Ready?”
“Yeah.” She turns on the faucet as her Dad keeps the bottle in place and pushes the flush button down for five seconds, nodding as he counts along in his head. Checking back if their usual two-men-job-redneck-fix worked, he sighs in relief as the water in the toilet quickly subsides.
“You can turn off the tap again.”
Yoru does just that and woefully stares at the wet bathroom floor.
“This is the second time this month, Yoru.”
Which means, that for the second time this month (it’s only August 9th, unfortunately), the aforementioned Yoru has to clean up toilet water from the bathroom floor.
Two weeks later, and Muri and Yoru lazily stroll through the Musutafu mall. The fact that the public is mostly concerned with her outfit and appearance is a plus, as the somnambulist can be out and about without being noticed sans her usual skin-tight bodysuit, but rather loose fitting linen pants and her normal glasses instead of the red ones that come with her hero suit. Small blessings, Yoru supposes.
“So, love, where do you want to go next?”
The fifteen-year-old holds up the multiple shopping bags she’s carrying and gestures towards the two that the woman next to her has swung over her shoulders. “Are you serious? We’ve already got way too much stuff!”
She laughs. “Nonsense. My birthday present for you was a shopping trip, and I intend to deliver. You’re young! You need more than just the essentials, treat yourself!”
“But you’re treating me. Honestly, I’ll feel bad. You’re spending way too much money on me.”
Muri, in typical Muri-fashion, simply waves her off. “Don’t sweat it, dear. That’s what I’m here for. Or would you rather have gone shopping for new underwear with your Dad?”
Yoru flushes. “Obviously not.” Her mind wanders to the multiple new lacy panties and bras in one of the bags that Muri is carrying for her.
‘It’s important to not just feel good inside your body but appreciate what’s on the outside as well.’ Muri said as they stood in the lingerie store. ‘Trust me. Those things do wonders for your confidence. Those plain T-Shirt and sports bras are fine and all for day-to-day business, but if you’re wearing a matching set of pretty underwear? Believe me, it’s a completely different feeling. You’ll know what I mean once you put it on at home and see yourself in the mirror.’
And to be completely honest, Yoru can’t wait to do just that. Although, it had been uncomfortable to have the saleswoman in the store take her measurements and comment on her (apparently too) toned physique, she couldn’t exactly argue with the results when she tried on one of the sets picked out for her.
“Speaking of.” Muri wiggles her eyebrows as she gestures for Yoru to sit at one of the tables in the food court. “Anybody you’re excited to show your lingerie-spoils of the day to?”
“Huh?!” She feels her face flush.
“Anybody special in your life? A boy? A girl? I want all the deeds!”
“Muri, seriously?” She quickly picks up the menu and scans over the food options. Definitely something cold to drink. Something light to eat, too. Summer always makes her feel less hungry than the colder weather does, so maybe a simple glass noodle salad will do? Maybe some-
“Come one, don’t hold out on me. Someone from school?”
“Nope.”
“Someone from your dancing classes? I’ve been told ballet dancers are really-”
“Muri!”
“Fine. Fine, sorry.” The woman sitting in front of her slightly pouts.
Yoru sighs. Knowing her honorary Mom/Aunt better. She won’t let it drop that quickly-
“Is it your purple haired friend?”
And there it is.
“Nope. We’re just friends. And it would be super weird, like dating my brother or something.” She grimaces.
“Stranger things have happened.”
Yoru fixes her with a raised eyebrow. “Sure.”
It’s not that she isn’t a fan of the classic ‘childhood friends to lovers’ plot, but usually, the childhood friend in question isn’t gay. So even if it wouldn’t be weird as fuck between them, and they’d risk losing everything they have, it would never happen anyway.
“So there is absolutely no one? What about that boy you had a crush on? You know, the one with the curly brown hair?”
“Who? The one from my class? Ah, turns out he’s a dick.”
“What did he do?”
Yoru shrugs. “Just a general dick. You know, just has some bullshit opinions.”
And nicknames.
They weren’t even creative nicknames. Nothing kindergarteners haven’t come up with before.
“Oh well, if he’s a dick, then we don’t care about him. Decided on your food yet?”
And she tried. Yoru really tried hiding her new underwear from her Dad for a while. Not that she feared him being angry about it, no. She just rather wouldn’t have him shoot her one of his weird expressions.
Okay, maybe she was afraid he’d be angry.
But, of course, the man is not an idiot. Unfortunately, far from it.
“You did laundry the last couple of times. Willingly, I might add. What’s with the new chore preference?”
“Nothing.” She says, continuing to innocently play with Sleepy, Cloud and Toshi (the cat) by holding a string in the air for them to catch.
“Then I suppose you won’t mind if I do the next load. I have to wash my scarf on the delicate setting, so I’m about to put on a wash cycle. Did you put your things in the washing machine already?”
“Yep.” Well, it was only a matter of time.
Yoru Aizawa, found dead at the age of fifteen. Cause of death? Shota Aizawa finding out about her new underwear. May she rest in peace.
Deciding to spend the rest of her remaining life trying to get her affairs in order, Yoru retreats to her room, calling her best friend and saying her goodbyes.
And of course, because the universe has favorites and Yoru definitely is not one of them, she fell asleep watching a TV show on her bed after the call with Toshi had ended.
Checking the time after waking up, Yoru sprints out towards the balcony. The washing is already hung on the laundry rack and her Dad sits on the balcony couch, already preparing lesson plans for the next term.
When he hears her, he swiftly glances up before returning to the spreadsheet in front of him and scribbles down some notes on the paper. “You up for some quirk training later? Or are you too tired after dancing class this morning?”
“You hung up the laundry.”
“Evidently.”
Yoru gulps. “Thanks.”
He simply nods, not lifting his eyes from his work. “So, quirk training later? I understand your reluctance to train accessing the shadow world, but you can’t always rely on the portals.”
So, nothing about the multiple lacy delicates hanging from the laundry rack right now? Swinging in the slight summer breeze so innocently?
“Uhm, yeah. No, there’s really not much to train in the shadow world. We already figured out the time translations and stuff from the real world to the shadow world, so there’s not really anything else to do. I’d rather try to hold the portals open for longer.”
“Your choice.” At her silence, he finally looks up at Yoru’s blushing face. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m nothing! It’s fine!?”
He sighs, closing the cap on his pen, and raises an eyebrow at her. “I’m not an idiot, Sweetheart. I now know why you didn’t want me to do those particular batches of laundry. If you’re uncomfortable with me handling your underwear all of a sudden, that’s fine. You’re free to take care of them yourselves.”
“You- no, that’s not it. You’re not… I don’t know, disappointed?”
“Why would I be disappointed?”
“Because, well… it’s different from the other stuff I have.”
“And?”
“And, I don’t know.”
Her Dad musters her for a second. “I assume you got the items from the shopping trip with Kayama a couple of weeks ago, correct?”
“Yeah.”
“Did she coerce you to get them?”
“What? No, of course not!”
Her Dad shrugs. “Then I don’t see an issue. Yoru, seriously, while I don’t necessarily understand the need for it, I honestly couldn’t care less. You don’t care about doing laundry, including my underwear, why would I care about yours? I’ve been washing your clothes for years now. If you’re uncomfortable with me doing that now, that’s completely fine. Just tell me.”
“No, really, that’s not it.”
“Then what’s the problem? I can see that something is bothering you.”
“You don’t think any less of me now?”
He blinks, slight offense taking over his confused expression. “Excuse me?”
“Because I’ve got that kind of underwear now.”
Pause. “Do you think any less of you now? You know, you don’t have to wear them only because other girls your age might wear them, right? Wear whatever you feel comfortable in.”
“Yeah, yeah, no, I know. I just thought maybe you thought I was up to something.”
“It’s your life, Yoru. I’m not going to dictate what you can or cannot wear. I’ve been desensitized by that notion thanks to Kayama for years now. Do you know that her first hero costume in high school consisted of a belt, knee-high boots, a choker and an unbuttoned trench coat?”
“And?”
“And nothing else.”
“Oh.”
“Yes. The government even implemented new laws about hero costumes. They’re mainly enforced on female heroes, though, and I sure as hell am not starting to police what my daughter is wearing. You’ll figure it out on your own. As long as your clothes are practical, you can move well in them, you’re comfortable, and you’re wearing them because you want to and not because you feel somehow peer-pressured to do it, then I honestly don’t care.”
Yoru breathes out slowly. “Right. Thanks.”
“Nothing to thank me for. There’s no rational reason for me to oppose to any of your clothing styles. Just be smart about it.”
“Yeah.” She slumps down next to him, popping her feet up on the seat diagonally from her.
“Anything else you’re hiding from your old man?”
“Pff. You’re not that old.” Pause. “How do you think things will be when school starts again in two weeks? You think we can keep our training schedule?”
“We have to see. You’re working really hard, so far, and are making good progress, especially on the grappling hooks. However, school comes first. We might have to lessen the frequency of the trainings but increase the intensity. Once the next term starts, I won’t have as much time to train with you anymore as well. And I don’t want you training the grappling hooks on your own. I won’t be there to catch you with my scarf should you slip and fall.”
“Yeah, don’t worry. I won’t.”
She’s allowed to train with the grappling hooks on her own from December on.
The (stupidly hard) written part of the U.A. entrance exam takes place at the end of January. Two weeks later, Yoru holds the letter with the results in her hands.
Dear Yoru Aizawa (#45687),
We are pleased to inform you that you have successfully completed the written portion of the entrance examinations for U.A. High School. You are now eligible for the practical test, which will take place on February 26th. Kindly locate yourself in your designated seat (examinee number) at 9:00 AM. Applicants who fail to arrive on time will be immediately disqualified.
Below, you will find the results from your submitted tests.
Common subjects
Student Motivation Essay: 4/5
Modern Japanese: 5/5
English: 5/5
Mathematics: 5/5
Ethics: 4/5
World Studies and Economics: 3/5
Hero work related subjects
International/Japanese humanitarian law: 4/5
International Hero relations: 5/5
Quirk science: 5/5
Emergency medicine: 5/5
Model assessment of a crisis situation: 4/5
Summary
49/55
Enclosed, you will find the directions to reach U.A. High School. Due to the limited parking spaces, we kindly request that our examinees utilize public transportation whenever feasible. A train station is situated at a distance of ten minutes by foot from the main gate.
We are looking forward to meeting you on February 26th.
Go Beyond, Plus Ultra
U.A. High School
pp Nezu, Principal
Yoru squeals, scaring the cats in the process, and jumps up and down in the kitchen with the letter still in hand. Her Dad had been called to a sudden quirk manifestation accident of a young boy (apparently the kid accidentally put multiple people around him in floating bubbles?) an hour ago, and she wants to tell him in person.
However, there’s someone else on her mind that she needs to check in with. Just as she grabs her phone to make the call, it rings. She has never answered a phone call so quickly before.
“TOSHI!”
“KITTEN!”
“YOU’RE EXCITED! ARE YOU EXCITED FOR WHAT I THINK YOU’RE EXCITED?!”
“PROBABLY, WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED FOR?!”
Pause.
Then, they both blurt out at the same time.
“PASSED THE WRITTEN TESTS!” “I GOT AN INVITATION TO THE PRACTICAL EXAM!”
They continue to freak out over the news for a whole hour. Putting her phone on speaker, Yoru starts preparing dinner. Zashi and Muri are coming over later and her Dad should be back soon as well.
The two friends continue to solidify their plans regarding their own little hero agency after graduating and work out the rough daily business. Who will be responsible for what, where in Tokyo would they live (aka what would be an affordable area, neither of them has ever been to Tokyo before, so they can only go off on their own research online) and if they’d get a cat together once they’ll have their own shared place.
Then, the doorbell rings. “Right. Sorry, Toshi. Gotta go, but oh my god this is going to be so fucking awesome! Just imagine, we’ll be in the same class again, actually fight together, go to the yearly training camp together, do the sports festival together and everything! Fuck, I’m so hyped!”
As she buzzes in either Zashi or Muri (or both of them, they live in the same neighborhood), Toshi simply laughs. “Yeah, it’s going to be awesome!” He sighs. “But I gotta tell you something.”
“Don’t tell me you’ll be too cool for me once we’re in U.A.”
“What? Well, who knows.”
“Idiot.”
“Jerk. No, but for real… I, well, I also kind of applied to General Studies.”
Yoru freezes and disables the speakerphone when she waves at her Dad’s two high school friends as they enter the apartment and take off their winter clothes. She turns away, stage whispering to the phone. “For real? Why? You don’t wanna get into the hero course?”
“Tsk. Of course, I fucking do. But I’m not actually an idiot, you know. We don’t know what will happen at the practical exam and what it will be like. I can’t fight like you can-”
“Bullshit, we trained, and you’re getting better at hand-to-hand.”
“-and I don’t have a quirk that’s as versatile as yours.”
“Again, bullshit. Toshi, you can literally brainwash people. It’s as versatile as they come.” Eyeing Muri and Zashi, who plop down on the couch and get swarmed by the cats, Yoru puts the letter from U.A. back in the envelope and hides it under a stack of other paperwork on the kitchen counter.
“That’s not entirely true and you know it. Seriously, I’m just being realistic here.”
Pause.
“I don’t like this. If I knew, I would have applied for General Studies as well.”
A sigh on the other end of the line. “And that’s exactly why I didn’t tell you. Listen, we don’t even know if both of us will pass the practical anyway. You have way higher chances, though. And if I don’t and will still be considered eligible for Gen Studies and you could decide between the Hero Course and the General course, you’d go to General if that’s where I’d end up in. And I don’t want that.”
“You don’t want me to be in the same class as you?”
“Fuck, Kitten, who’s the idiot now? I’m saying I don’t want you to decline the Hero Course just so you can be in the same class as me. And don’t tell me you wouldn’t do that because I know you and you would do something stupid as that. So I took that choice away from you. Sorry, but not really sorry.”
“Dick move, Toshi. Dick move.”
“Not really.”
Yeah, not really. She would have done the same if the roles were reversed.
The apartment door opens and her Dad steps in, looking pretty… shit, to be honest. After greeting Zashi and Muri on the couch and nodding at Yoru when he realizes she’s on the phone, he heads straight towards the bathroom.
“Listen, Toshi. Sorry, you’re right. I still don’t like this, but I gotta be honest, I would have done the same.”
“Yeah, I know. Anyway, didn’t want to spoil your night. We still both get to do the practical exam and that’s fucking huge, so let’s just celebrate that for the moment, huh?”
“You’re right. Sorry, didn’t want to start a fight or anything.”
“Don’t worry about it, you didn’t, and I’m not innocent here, either. Hey, wanna go to the movies tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I mean maybe? I’ve got to do some body-weight training in the morning, and I’ll be at the-” She eyes Zashi and Muri. Her Dad and her never talked about it, but it's an unspoken fact they don’t know that they visit Oboro every Sunday. “Uhm, early afternoon is bad but maybe in the evening? Dad just came home, I’ll ask him later. Samu already agreed?”
“Tsk. Like he cares.”
“True. Alright, I gotta go, though. Sorry.”
“No worries. Alright, I’ll text you later, we can figure out which movie and what time. I think that one really, really bad movie came out a week ago, and I wanna see if it’s really as horrible as everyone says.”
“Ah, so it’s a cringe movie date?”
“Are there any other movie dates?”
“Not with you. Alright, talk to you later. Bye, love you.”
“Love you, too, Kitten.”
As she hangs up, she sighs and leans back at the kitchen counter until she feels two sets of eyes on her.
“What?”
The two heroes are closing in on her instantly.
“Who was that?”
“So you DO have a special someone!”
“What?”
“Tater Tot, I know I’m not one to talk, but you were quite loud there at the end. Talking about a date? Telling someone you looOOOoove them?”
She rolls her eyes at Zashi and turns to grab some plates from the cupboard. “You two are menaces.”
“And you are a young girl in love! OH, you have to tell us everything!” Muri is basically buzzing, following her around like a lost puppy.
“It was Toshi on the phone. We tell each other ‘love you’ all the time, it’s no big deal. We’ve done that for years now, and you know it.”
“Maybeeeee, but you talked about going on a date?” Zashi wiggles his eyebrows at her.
“Who’s going on a date?”
They all turn to see her Dad standing in front of the open hallway to the bathroom and Yoru’s room, towel drying his hair.
“Tater Tot is going on a date!”
“What?! No, I’m not! It’s not like that. And if I were, you’d be a real fucking snitch right now!”
“Yoru, language!”
“Sorry.” She turns to Zashi and smiles. “You’d be a real friggin’ snitch, if I actually were going on a date.”
He simply shrugs his shoulders. “Meh. I’ve been called worse.”
Yoru rolls her eyes and looks at her Dad. “It’s not a date. It’s Toshi.”
“Alright.” He walks towards the stove and stirs the ramen that Yoru made earlier. “Thanks for cooking.”
“No problem.”
Muri’s eyes dart between her black-haired high school friend and Yoru. “Hold on, Shota. You don’t care about the date?”
“Why should I? They just call them ‘dates’. Have for a while now. It’s basically just the two of them doing whatever random shit they can come up with.”
Yoru turns towards the other two adults with a smirk on her face. “Told you.”
“Ugh.” Muri sighs, grabbing glasses out of the shelf and placing them on the table. “Boring. Seriously, at your age, I was already on my second boyfriend. What has happened to the youth? Is everybody a person of the damn cloth nowadays? Seriously, I barely catch any students making out in the hallways anymore.”
Yoru’s Dad raises an eyebrow at his friend incredulously. “I caught two only this week.”
“And you don’t even appreciate it!”
“Why on earth would I?”
“Alright, guys!” Zashi claps his hands together. “How about we just have a chill dinner together on this fine Saturday evening, huh? And not discuss our students making out with each other in the hallways?”
Muri puts a bottle of wine and some water for Yoru on the table. “Please. You’re the one gossiping the most in the teacher’s lounge. Weren’t you the one who paired those two pining lovebirds from 2-B together last week because you though, and I quote, ‘they needed a nudge’?”
“It’s not my fault, Amajiki is shy as hell and can’t muster up the courage to confess to one of the only two people he doesn’t have to imagine as fucking potatoes when he talks to them!”
“Enough, you two meddling fools. Yoru cooked, so sit down now and shut up about our students’ teenager love life.” Her Dad practically snarls at his friends in annoyance, probably close to activating his quirk. Yoru suspects the only reason he’s not actually doing it, is because he had to use it a lot earlier on the boy with the bubble quirk.
“Wait, guys, before we all sit down, I have to tell you something.”
All eyes are on Yoru immediately. Feeling her cheeks heat up, she quickly grabs the previously hidden U.A. letter. Without further ado, she shoves it at her Dad’s chest.
Seeing the U.A. logo on the envelope, his eyes dart back up towards her. “Results from the written exam.”
“Mhm.” She nods.
Next to them, Zashi and Muri are uncharacteristically quiet. Holding back on their reaction, probably depending on the letter’s content.
Her Dad carefully opens the envelope and scans the letter.
And faster than she can process, Yoru finds her head pressed against his chest, arms enveloping her tightly. “I am so proud of you, Sweetheart. Well done.” She feels soft kisses placed on the top of her head and wraps her own arms around her Dad’s torso.
Next to them, all hell breaks loose. The somnambulist and voice hero grab the letter from their friend’s hands and scan over it quickly before joining in on their hug.
“Tater Tot! I can’t believe it!”
“Amazing!”
After a moment of welcomed suffocation, Yoru wiggles out of the group hug. Her Dad seems glad about it coming to an end as well.
“It’s just the written part. Toshi passed, too. We still have to pass the practical.”
“But you did so well!”
Yoru eyes the three adults in front of her, as they go over the letter again.
“What, you guys really didn’t know before I did?”
Her Dad shakes his head. “No. Grading is done anonymously. We only see the examinee number. Not that either of us would have done it, but none of us helped you pass the tests in any way. It’s all you, Sweetheart.”
“And 5/5 in Mathematics? Holy shit, Tater Tot!”
Yoru shrugs her shoulders. “Yeah, but Math’s easy.”
Muri claps her hands a couple of times. “Right, this calls for a celebration. Shota, do you have Champagne?”
“What do you think?”
“Wine will do just as well. Can Yoru have a glass with us?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Ugh, come on. Don’t be boring. Should I remind you that the rooftop gang regularly smoked some lightweight joints back when we were around her age? A small glass of wine won’t kill her.”
“YOU DID WHAT?!” Yoru stares at her Dad in disbelief.
He, in return, simply glares at Muri, before he turns towards his daughter. “We were young and it was incredibly stupid. Could have cost us our hero career before it even started.”
“Holy shit.”
“Thank you, Kayama. Truly. I have always wanted to be undermined.”
“I’m just saying. Let her live a little! She’ll try out alcohol and stuff like that at some point, anyway.” She smiles at him. “Wouldn’t it be rational to at least be present while she does?”
Zashi meanwhile, apparently aware that his friend just made a very convincing argument, already strolls to the kitchen and grabs a wine glass for Yoru as well.
“You two are horrible influences, and I am this close to revoking visitation rights.”
“Yeah, right.” Muri steps closer to Yoru, lowering her voice. “Seriously, though. You don’t have to, dear. I just thought you’d be too afraid to ask. It’s perfectly fine if you don’t want to-”
“No, I want to try!” She blurts out, before eyeing her Dad. “If… I mean, if I’m allowed.”
He’s silent, for a moment, before a massive sigh escapes his lips. “Fine. A little bit. But this is just so you can try it, okay? This is in no way, shape, or form even a sliver of permission for you to go out and drink any alcohol until you’re of age. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!” She salutes him.
After one sip, Yoru decides that wine is definitely not something she’ll have again anytime soon.
Later, Yoru lies in her bed, worrying about the practical exam.
Only two more weeks.
EXTRA [If the pictures don't show up, just reload the page]:
Yoru
Apartment/Loft
Layout
Balcony
Main/open area
Bathroom
Yoru's room
Shota's room
