#shouta x reader

Author’s Note: So this actually happened to me. I went into a Haunted House with my younger brother and we were having a good time. Haunted Houses don’t scare me because I used to work at them. I’ve worked at this particular haunted house for five years. I’m used to making jokes when going through them. However, I ended up losing my brother during the Haunted House this year and started panicking. He was too freaked out by one of the chainsaws so he had to leave. Thankfully, we ended up finding each other when I exited the building. The scariest part of the whole thing wasn’t the Haunted House but me thinking I lost my brother or that he was hurt somewhere. Chainsaws were nothing compared to thinking that he was gone. So I decided to write this little BNHA head cannons of what would happen if you and your boyfriend were separated and lost each other during one. Now that the introduction is out of the way, let’s continue.

• Didn’t really like the idea of going into a Haunted House.

• But since you’re his precious girlfriend he went with you, despite all rational thoughts that he shouldn’t be here.

• Admires the decorations up front and the makeup details all of the people were wearing.

• Of course, you two dressed up as well. With him as a spooky ghost and you as a witch.

• Took a few photos of you because gosh darn it he loves you and you’re so cute.

• Was getting nervous when you two approached the entrance to the attraction and instinctively grabbed your hand. 

• His heart exploded when he was told to go.

• Creeped out the whole time and flinched every time there was a jump scare. 

• Doesn’t like the clown horns. They get him every time.

• Your kisses however called him down a lot and helped him get through the worst of it.

• However, he got spooked out by a Leatherface looking at him eerily with an active chainsaw and he booked it.

• Eventually, he stopped once he no longer heard the sound of a chainsaw after him. 

• He however, starts to panic when he realizes you’re nowhere to be found. 

• Asks a couple of people if they’ve seen you but they don’t.

• Doesn’t want to overreact and knows you can take care of yourself.

• Decides to get through the rest of this Haunted House quickly so he can find you.

• Brave hero Deku blazes through the rest of the spooky stuff because he was too preoccupied to find you.

• Eventually, gets back to the entrance and desperately starts searching for you. 

• Finds you holding a poor kid in your arms. The kid is crying and wants his mommy.

• You explain that you found the poor kid crying and refusing to go on further. 

• Picking him up, you took one of the emergency exits and left telling the staff that there was a lost boy who was looking for his mom.

• Is relieved you’re okay but begs you next time to let him know so that way he doesn’t have to worry.

• He also admires your kindness to help this poor kid out.

• The child reunites with his mom and Izuku explains the rest of what you missed while you were busy.
  

• He was very adamant about not going to this but you tried every trick in the book until he accepted.

• The only thing that convinced him to go was when you called him a chicken and that you would ask Deku to go since he’s brave.

• “THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?! LIKE HELL DEKU IS BRAVER THAN ME! I’LL GO WITH YOU TO THE SHITTY HOUSE!”

• And just like that you were here with your growling boyfriend who only came here because of your teasing.

• He was dressed as a werewolf and you were little red riding hood. 

• Takes a sneak photo of you when you were admiring the decorations and makes it his lockscreen.

• Almost gets into a fight with one guy because Katsuki thought he was checking out your ass.

• Eventually, the two of you made your way inside.

• Had his arm wrapped around your shoulder and pulled you close into him.

• Wasn’t all that bothered by the employees but the loud sound effects were kind of annoying.

• Thought some of the gore was pretty cool though.

• Eventually, the two of you had to climb up a ladder and he went first so he didn’t have to hear anymore of the loud horns.

• Waited at the top for you even though he was impatient and started to wonder what the hell is taking so long.

• Goes down and frowns when he realizes you’re not down there. Starts yelling for you and walking the opposite way despite the protests of the employees.

• Internally starts worrying that you got too scared or some shitty villain kidnapped you while you two were out.

• Hates himself for going up the ladder first rather than you going first or together.

• Hears distant screams out on the exits and runs out it.

• See’s you glaring down at the creep who was eyeing you earlier.

• That’s when you explain when you climbed up the ladder, the pervert flipped up your skirt and made disgusting comments about your body.

• You punched him in the face and went after the sicko when he ran off.

• Katsuki’s eyes blazed with fury and he kicked the creep in the stomach.

• “YOU MOTHERFUCKING PIECE OF SHIT! TREAT MY GIRL LIKE THAT AGAIN AND I’LL KILL YOU! YOU HEAR ME?!”

• You cheered him on in the back, which made Katsuki’s chest swell with pride.

• Katsuki took you both back to his place for his own Halloween fun with you~
  

• At first, he thought you meant like an actual haunted house like with pagan rituals and spirits.

• “You want us to have a date at the Ancient Ram Inn?”

• “Shoto, that’s not what I meant!”

• You had to clarify what exactly you mean by a haunted house.

• He decided to go, since you were very adamant about going yourself.

• Of course you two dressed up as Dracula and his bride.

• Took a selfie together because Shoto with his hair slicked to the side is something you love with all your heart. 

• Shoto admired all the pumpkin carvings and you two promised to carve on some pumpkins together.

• As the both of you were getting closer to the entrance, he noticed how stiff you had become. 

• Asks if you were okay and you assured him nothing was wrong.

• Didn’t think much of it and went into the Haunted House with you.

• Wasn’t scared during the attraction and just focused on holding your hand and not tripping on any props.

• Wonders how that person can see without their head and how they got some of the props to move.

• He sees a man in a pig mask with a chainsaw and takes off running with you.

• Didn’t like the chainsaw noise and he wasn’t sure why. It just made him uncomfortable.

• However, he realizes that your hand slipped away from his and starts to fret over what happened to you. 

• Heads back, calling your name and desperately trying to find out where you were.

• Thinks he’s a terrible boyfriend for not realizing you were missing and he should have noticed sooner.

• Is thinking about calling the police but he eventually finds you huddled in a dark corner whimpering.

• Quickly scoops you into his arms and holds you closely to him.

• Asks what happened and you explained that you got too scared and accidentally let go of his hand.

• He feels like an idiot for not noticing that you were freaking out earlier before they even started the Haunted House.

• Carries you the rest of the way through as your head is buried into his arms.

• Shoots ice cold glares at anyone who gets to close.

• The two of you exit the Haunted House and he kisses you on the cheek saying that you two could just stick to carving pumpkins instead.
  

• Mentions how UA is throwing a Haunted House and invites you to join in on the fun.

• Wanting to be the supporting wife, you agree.

• He was dressed up as a skeleton, you called him handsome and he couldn’t stop blushing after that compliment.

• You are dressed up as Morticia Addams and Toshi is living for it.

• Call him mon cher in a sexy voice and he’ll cough out blood.

• You two are going to be Gomez and Morticia Addams together next year.

• Loves how you interact with some of the kids and compliment their costumes, thinks you’re so lovely. 

• You kiss him under the black rose mistletoe and he almost fainted.

• Midnight and Present Mic tease him about the red lipstick that’s on him and he rushes to the bathroom to wipe it off.

• You two decide to participate in the Haunted House for fun and began your adventure together.

• Toshi admires how creative the students got with their quirks when they did the attraction and compliments all of them.

• Thought using Bakugou’s explosion as the sound effect was cool but very jarring to his poor ears.

• Suddenly, he notices you aren’t behind him and begins nervously looking around for you.

• Wonders when he lost you or if you got distracted along the way.

• Starts getting more concerned when he doesn’t see anyone else around.

• Thinks you might have gotten hurt and is ready to head to the exit to call in a search party for you when he was making no progress.

• He then see’s a bloody Mina say in a creepy voice.

• “The Devil King has the fair maiden….you must rescue her…”

• Without fail, he continued on and ended up seeing you wrapped in tape courtesy of Sero while the Devil King Kirishima laughed wickedly.

• “I have captured the lovely woman and she will become my bride! And not even you Skeleton King can stop me!”

• Looks at you with a playful look in his eyes.

• “You have nothing to worry about my love! For I AM HERE!”

• With his best All Might voice he raced to you and scooped you into his arms.

• “Haha! Very clever Skeleton King! But you’ll have to get passed my minions first!”

• Sees more of Class 1-A in scary costumes but he continues playing the part of the hero and rescuing you away from these nefarious foes.

• The two of you made it back to the entrance and ended up laughing at the ridiculous stunt the students pulled on you two.

• Even though he retired as All Might, he was still the hero of your little adventure.

• However, you did reward Toshi with an extra special treat for rescuing you that night~
  

• Why of all the things did Nezu agree for the students to have a Haunted House attraction set up at UA?

• He sees them enough as it is, why can’t he catch a break?

• You come along for the ride to help and keep your husband company.

• Forces him to be more festive and wear a Halloween costume.

• He’s a mummy and you’re Cleopatra.

• The kids snicker when they see his getup and he’s not amused in the slightest.

• He does think you look beautiful in your costume though and is appreciative that you took the time out of your day to help him out.

• Gets mad at Mic when he mentions how gorgeous you are in the dress and Aizawa gets back at him with a fake spider.

• The students insist that he goes through the Haunted House as they were close to wrapping up ha and he’s reluctant to go until you offer to go with him as support.

• The two of you walk through the Haunted House as he’s mostly aggravated by the loud sounds and people.

• However, he does notice how the scares get to you and he puts an arm around your waist to ease you.

• Gets distracted when Bakugou starts a fight with Denki and scolds the two of them harshly.

• But he’s lost sight of you as you went on ahead.

• Starts going through the corn maze and hears a distant roar up ahead.

• Along with your screams of terror.

• “Shit.”

• Starts picking up the pace as he worries about what was going on or if one of the students possibly took it too far.

• Is ready to kick ass to keep you safe.

• Your curled up in a ball shaking and tearing up as Tokoyami looks ashamed.

• “I’m sorry sir. Dark Shadow got out of control and really terrified her.”

• Will talk to him about it later but wants to get you somewhere safe.

• Picks you up and takes you out one of the exits and rubs your back smoothly as he whispers words of assurances to you.

• Eventually, you become calm and apologize for ruining it.

• “There’s nothing to apologize for. Now, let’s get this place cleaned up so we can go home and sleep.”

• He held you very close to him that night.

• Why are you insistent on going to a Haunted House? The League of Villains is full of actual evil people!

• You want to go for fun and he starts wondering if you were Toga in disguise.

• Agrees to go to keep you safe and to make sure no horny pigs try to flirt with you.

• Doesn’t dress up because he’s not going to go looking like some clown.

• Although you tried to convince him that him being dressed up as the Grim Reaper would be super hot.

• He might dress up like one next year since you said that though.

• You dressed up as Harley Quinn and he can’t stop staring at your legs and ass.

• Wants to disintegrate that costume and have his way with you.

• As you’re both standing in line waiting, a guy in creepy Halloween costume started flirting with you.

• Tomura wanted to kill him but you turned down the man with your response.

• “Sorry but I’m happily taken with my boyfriend.”

• The guy looked miffed but walked away.

• Avoids eye contact and just sticks to being close at your side while you do most of the chatting with the ticket person.

• Keeps his arm wrapped around your shoulder with a pinky out.

• Gives everyone his death glare and some are too afraid to even try and scare him. 

• He did chuckle a few times when you got scared.

• However, the two of you were stopped by some guy that had a mask and  butcher knife with him.

• He mocked your boyfriend about his creepy appearance and how you would have a much better night with him.

• Tomura had enough of the guy and began choking him one hand against the wall.

• “(Y/N) is mine and mine alone!”

• With that, he turned to man to ash and that’s when he noticed you weren’t with him.

• With a groan of frustration he went on ahead looking for you. He was really starting to regret coming here now.

• Was getting kind of worried because he couldn’t find you.

• His hands start twitching and he’s about ready to crumble this place to pieces.

• Eventually, he heard the sound of a door slamming shut and he went out it.

• That’s when he saw his girlfriend holding the man in a headlock as he was gagging for air.

• You had a knife that Toga gave you as a birthday gift, up to his throat and threatening to slice him.

• Tomura noticed it was the same man that had flirted with you in line as you explained to him and his buddy from earlier were attempting to kidnap you.

• The friend was supposed to distract your boyfriend while you were going to be taken away from behind.

• Unfortunately, the two idiots didn’t know you were both members of the League of Villains so that backfired on them.

• Tomura witnessed as you killed the man as he begged for mercy, the leader was extremely giddy seeing his woman take down that chump with ease and no witnesses.

• The two of you went home to celebrate the rest of Halloween and for Tomura to show who you truly belonged to~

• Dabi thought it sounded like a huge waste of time.

• But when he hears up you’re going dressed up as a sexy nurse and want him to play the part of the Mad Doctor, he’s in.

• Because he wants you to do some roleplaying with him when you’re both finished.

• It takes everything he has in him to not peel off that outfit slowly when he first sees you in it.

• He does feel flattered when you comment on how handsome he looks as a doctor.

• Keeps you close to his side so no assholes try anything on you.

• Had a few people who really enjoyed his “makeup” to which he just shrugged and thanked them.

• Someone is dressed up as the flame hero Endeavour, which made Dabi very grumpy.

• To make Dabi laugh you use your telekinesis quirk to pull down the guys pants.

• It works, Dabi loses his shit and laughs like a maniac.

• The two of you began going through the Haunted House while making jokes all the way through it.

• One of the demons comes up to you.

• “Leave…”

• “Okay.”

• Dabi likes it whenever one of the jumpscares gets to you and he teases you for it.

• You both groaned when you realized you had to crawl through a wooden pathway and Dabi went in first to get it over with.

• It was a real pain to get through with his long doctor coat but he finally managed to make it through.

• He was waiting for you and called out your name but you didn’t respond.

• With a furrowed brows he kept calling your name over and over again but he still got no response.

• Starting to get worried, he was about to crawl in and see where you went when he heard your voice call his name.

• You explained to him that your top got stuck on one of the splinters and your shirt ended up getting ripped in the process.

• Dabi felt relieved that you were okay but brushed it off by whistling that you were planning on giving him a show early. 

• You snapped at him that other people were beginning to crawl through as well and asked to borrow his doctor coat.

• Being the best boyfriend he was, he gave you with white doctor trench coat to wear as you wrapped it around your torso.

• You thanked him for the coat and Dabi said with a wink.

• “You can thank me all you want to later babe.”

The Nanny [pt.15]

Aizawa x Reader

Masterlist

Warning: 18+ish?

Tag list: @coliflowerplants@mirayasimpinghard@wh0reforlevi@eleventhdoctorsangel@galactict3a@bakugousshittywoman@mechmoucha@collide-with-the-music@americanimrodd@tojidilfs

“You jealous?” 

Your eyes rolled as you rubbed the spot on your arm that Hizashi nudged with his bony elbow. Your eyes followed his gaze to where Recovery Girl stood, placing wet, long kisses to your fiancé.

You subconsciously rubbed the ring on your finger, giggling at Hizashi’s eyebrow wiggles as he teased you.

“Very jealous. You think I should be worried?”

“Totally. You better marry him before she can steal him away.”

The smile on your face grew soft as your cheeks became warm with a blush.

Was this all happening fast?

Yes.

Did you care?

Not at all.

“Honey, he’s asking for you,” Recovery Girl said just above a whisper as the hero’s and medical staff began to file out of the house. “You should go to him. He’s been talking about you ever since we got here.”

With a pat to your hand and an encouraging smile, you slips from her kind gaze and walked over to the now clean chair where Shouta sat. His eyes were hooded in exhaustion, small bandaids littering his beaten face.

You kneeled down at his side again, pushing strands of dark hair out of his face. That same hand cradled his face, allowing him to relax into your touch, lifting his own hand to bring your fingers to his lips as he kissed your palm. Turning your hand over again, he placed a kiss to the ring that now claimed your finger.

“Mmm this looks good on you.”

You smiled, scooting closer to his side as you leaned into his lap.

“Oh yeah? I gotta say, I think you look good as well.” You took in his handsome appearance. Even with the bandages and scars, his long, messy hair and shirtless chest made your cheeks burn. His breath had steadied and the slight rise and fall of his chest made your smile tug at the left corner of your mouth. His tired eyes where heavy and the golden light of the setting sun flickered in them.

“I thought the worst…you know? I thought you could have been dead out there somewhere.”

“I didn’t die though. I made it here. I made it here to see you.”

“But you could have bled out! I could have lost you. You almost didn’t make it home!”

He silenced your cries with a sigh. Both his hands cradled your face now, making your teary eyes meet his as he looked down at you.

“I’ll always come back home to you.”

His thumbs wiped away your tears as he pulled you closer, lifting your face a bit more to capture your lips in his own. A slight salty taste from the tears danced across your tongues. His strong arms pulled you up, bringing you to gently sit on his lap in the chair. Once seated, you broke the kiss to lay your head on his shoulder as his soothing fingers lazy drug across your back.

The moment was sweet. It felt like home in his arms. And in that moment, you knew that the Aizawa house was exactly where you needed to be.

*******************************************************

“…..what?”

Hitoshi stood before the two of you, backpack dropped to the ground at his feet as Eri jumped up in down in glee around her brother.

“I was stabbed.”

“Yeah, yeah I got that. What was that second thing??”

“Daddy and Y/N are getting married!!”

Eri’s excitement got the best of her as she threw herself into yours and Shouta’s arms. You welcomed the girls embrace as you snuggled into her.

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“You’re going to be my mommy, Y/N! We get to do mommy daughter things!” Eri exclaimed, pulling back to give you her winning smile.

“Well, we had picked out a ring together. I thought you knew this was coming.”

“Not so soon?!”

“Well, it’s soon. And I’m fine by the way. Thanks for asking.”

Shinsou brought a hand to his headed in lock agony, sighing in distraught at the news.

“Congratulations. Truly. I’m so happy for you both. I wish you the best. Just please keep the S-E-X on the down-low for as long as superhumanly possible. Which should be forever. Please.”

“What’s sex?”

The room went silent as all eyes turned to Eri in shock.

“W-what?” You asked the little girl who was still perched in your lap.

“S-E-X. That spells sex. What’s that?”

Shouta chuckled as he reached over to ruffle the girls hair. “Nothing you need to worry about for a very very long time. Like ever.”

“Okay. But, does you marrying Y/N mean she gets to be our nanny forever?”

You smiled, reaching forward to smooth the girls hair back in place.

“You can definitely say that! I wouldn’t want to do anything else anyway.”

Bedtime came quickly, and you now sat beside Eri tucking her in.

“Okay missy, what will it be? Story time or lullabies?” You asked as you wiggles The Rainbow Fish and a CD in your hands.

“Can we just talk tonight instead?”

You placed the items down with a nod, scooting your chair over so you could prop you arms on the bed beside her.

“Sure thing! What do you want to talk about, love?”

The little girl pondered a moment before cupping a hand around her mouth to whisper to you.

“Do you and Daddy kiss?”

Your eyes widened slightly as you pulled back to look at her.

“Now why in the world do you ask that?”

She sucked her lips between her teeth, eyes growing wide as she looked to the side. Her fingers fiddled with the bed sheets as she paused.

“You are getting married, so you love each other, right?”

“Yes. We do.”

“People who love each other, kiss each other.”

You threw your hands up in dramatics.

“You’ve caught me! Yes, I do kiss him sometimes. When he’s not yucky that is. I don’t want cooties.”

Eri laughed as she rolled on her side, propping her head up to look at you.

“Daddy doesn’t have cooties!” She said between giggles. “He said only boys my age have them.”

“Hm, he may be right about that.”

The room went silent for a moment as Eri thought up her next question.

“Are you and Daddy going to have a baby?”

You nearly chocked on your own tongue as you sputtered out nonsense syllables as you failed to form a sentence.

“Not right now! We haven’t really talked about it.”

Kids say the craziest things…

“When you do, can I have a baby sister? A baby brother would be nice too, though.”

You giggled as you pulled the covers up, urging the little girl to lay down as she yawned into the palm of her hand.

“When we are ready for a baby, I’ll make sure you’re the first to know then. You would make an amazing big sister.”

“I know.” She said softly as her eyes fluttered shut.

You stood once you were sure she was asleep and quietly backed out of the room, closing the door behind you.

As you turned, you jumped slightly when you saw the figure standing behind you.

“Toshi! You scared me to death, dude. You’re good at sneaking.”

He smiled softly as he reached a hand up to scratch at his purple mess of hair.

“Sorry, mommy dearest. Just wanted to say goodnight.”

“Already calling me mommy, hm?”

“I-it’s supposed to be funny.”

“Oh it’s hilarious, son.”

He shuttered as he walked up to you, bopping you on the top of the head with his fist gently.

“Gross. No more role play for us. Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Goodnight, you turd.”

Shinsou disappeared behind his door, leaving you to return to the living room, only yo find Shouta sitting at the kitchen bar seats with two glasses of wine.

“Was your day so bad that you need two glasses of wine? You’d think you had been stabbed or something.”

The look he gave you was one of amused annoyance. His eyes cut at you, but the jerk of his head called you over to sit beside him.

As you turned in your stool to face him, you raised the glass up.

“To what are we drinking to then?”

He raised his as well, reaching a hand out to rest in your knee.

“We are drinking to our engagement, of course, because I am engaged to the most kind, caring, intelligent, badass, beautiful woman I have ever met in my life.”

Your cheeks hurt from both the burning blush and ever growing smile that over took your face at his sweet toast. You clinked your class to his, bringing it to your lips.

“I’ll drink to that.”

You both swallowed the wine, emptying your glasses in one go as Shouta refilled your glasses again.

“So, did Eri go down okay?”

You took a sip, nodding over the rim of your glass.

“She did. She told she just wanted to talk instead of read a story this time.”

“Oh? And what was on her very interesting mind tonight?”

You smirked as you recalled the moment before.

“Well, she was asking about you and me. She was curious about our relationship.”

“Oh really?”

“Mhm. She asked if we kissed and if we loved each other….and she asked when we were going to give her a little sister or brother.” You mumbled out, the slight buzz of the wine making your body tingle.

Shouta lifted an eyebrow, side eyeing you as he took another sip. He swirled his drink before placing it down, squeezing your knee gently in his hand.

“Is that so? And what did you tell her?”

“Oh, you know. Just that I’d tell her when we are ready to do that.”

Shouta nodded, a soft smile lifting his lips as he leaned forward, face nearing yours.

“Maybe we should get started on that then.”

Both hands now rested on your thighs, squeezing the flesh in his fingers.

You leaned forward, grazing his lips with yours as you wrapped your arms around his neck to toy with the hair at the nape.

“Your room or mine?”

“Does it matter?”

His lips crashed onto yours as he lifted you up, fingers leaving bruised indentions on your skin as he carried you down the hall, quietly shutting the door to his room behind you both.

*******************************************************

Ahhhhhh yes part 15 is here!! Sorry it took so long! I also believe I’m going to end this serious here because it is a good stopping point (unless y’all want the sexy time bc maybe I’ll do that for one last hoorah to the series). But thank you all for reading! I appreciate it so much.

Also if I decide to do little spin-off story shorts (like deleted scenes of a movie?) would you like to read that? They’d just be short little stories from this series but idk seems fun.

Also Ily all. I send everyone hugs and a big ol fat kiss bc y’all are great. Mwah.

Domestic Headcanons Masterpost

Masterlist

• Aizawa naps with you all the time, he will just nap with you on the couch or in bed if both of you are off work
• I could see Aizawa having a collection of specialty teas that you have each morning
• Eri loved it when you learned how to braid her hair and then you taught Aizawa
• He puts your hair into a french braid if you are a pro hero and have to patrol so it’s out of your face
• He also does braided crowns once in a while
• Aizawa either watches Riverdale or Prodigal Son
• I think he really likes the plot line of Prodigal Son
• Somes days he will just want to stay in bed but he’s a teacher, So he gets up and ready only to forge his coffee on the counter
• Runs to the door where most of the you are there with his coffee gives you a goodbye kiss, takes his coffee and leaves for the school
• He definitely has a photo of the two of you on his desk in the classroom
• Sometimes brings you to class to help with certain lessons or training if you are a pro hero
• Present mic taught Aizawa how to sing you a love song when the three of you were in High school and he still hums it all the time
• Even in class in front of the students

Wet Clay (P.5)

Shouta Aizawa x Reader

Summary: You’ve got your own handful of problems- being a counselor doesn’t mean you can’t also have anxiety or feel overwhelmed by it all.

A/N: it’s finally here!! thank god!! and thank you everyone who was so patient waiting for the new part. i honestly had a lot of fun making this new chapter- i wanted it to be a bit longer as a Thank You for the long wait. I hope you all enjoy it, and look forward to the next chapter!

Word Count:5,500+

Tag List:@babayaga67,@cosmichorse95,@sugacookiies,@howthe-f-didigethere,@rintomoj​,@missadorable96​

Part One|Part Two|Part Three|Part Four

Technically-not-but-still-technically House Arrest is finally over, much to your relief.

You, Bakugo, and Midoriya were finally freed from Aizawa’s punishment and proceeded with your regular schedules. And while Bakugo and Midoriya have a lot of catching up to do, the same goes for you.

Which you weren’t expecting at all, but you’re pleasantly surprised by a few students standing at your office on your first day back greeting you and asking for a scheduled meeting.

Slowly but surely, word of you and your practice has been moving around the school, which is exactly what you were hoping for. Especially since it got out that you were able to have a successful session with Bakugo, of all people, the students seem to suddenly have a newfound interest in trying therapy that wasn’t there before. It’s the progress you’ve been waiting for to report to Nezu, letting him know that students even outside of the hero course were asking about therapy.

Due to your agreement, you couldn’t give them a session. Your time was pointed strictly at the hero classes for the time being, but it wouldn’t always be that way. You had the interested students fill out a simple questionnaire once the idea popped in your head, which helped you immensely for your reports to Nezu.

They were simple questions, not asking anything too personal, of course. Things like, ‘why does therapy interest you?’, ‘what problems would you like to talk about?’, and ‘what are some of the things that stress you daily?’

The answers you received confirmed that you were right from the beginning- U.A needed a proper counseling team hired, and it would be best if it was sooner rather than later.

And on top of all that good news (though kids needing therapy admittedly wasn’t the best news, but at least it was being assessed instead of being ignored), Nezu agreed with you! After hearing and reading your reports on the students, he agreed to start working with you to begin making after-school programs and looking for professionals to hire. It would take a few weeks, if not more, but the beginning of your dream for U.A was finally taking big steps, and it was overwhelmingly exciting.

You haven’t been able to fill anybody in on your news quite yet, but your change in attitude was noticeable by the staff and the students. It’s especially noticeable to the staff when you come in one morning, cups of coffee and tea hot and ready that you had bought for them when they came into the Teacher’s Lounge before class.

Yamada enters with Kayama, whistling low as he quickly walks over and inspects the cups. “Ho-hey!” He exclaims. “What’s all this?”

“Good morning, Yamada,” you smile at him and nudge a cup his way, which he takes with a gleeful hum. “I was just feeling good this morning and I’m really thankful to how much everyone has helped me settle in, so I figured I could buy everyone a drink.” Kayama walks up as well, grabbing one of the teas, surprising you with her choice.

She notices, a deep frown on her lips. “You tempt me, honey, but I have to watch my figure!” She gestures to her body, which is on full display at all hours. Not that you’re a prude, but it makes you wonder how the pubescent boys and girls feel while in her presence. You’re not envious of them. “But I appreciate you very much, thank you.”

“It’s no problem, I’ll make sure to try and get something better for you next time,”

“Oh, don’t worry! A little tea won’t hurt me.” Kayama quickly waves off your concerns and she sits on one of the chairs available in the admittedly small room. “So? Why’re you so happy?” She raises an eyebrow, and before she can ask-

“Nothing that you’re assuming, I’m sure,” you tell her quickly. “Truthfully, it’s because my work is going well. My tenure here might actually be useful- Nezu and I are talking specifics on hiring other counselors, now.”

Yamada cheers, as loud as ever, “really?! Good job!” He wraps an arm around you and shakes you- if the coffee hadn’t woken you up before, you were surely awake now with his energy! “Does that mean you’ll be staying?” Kayama perks up from her seat.

“Oh, does it? It would be so nice to keep you around longer!”

“I’m not sure about that,” you laugh uneasily, “what the students really need is someone that can be fully devoted to them and their needs, you know? I can’t give that to them while I’m still working as a counselor on the side, and I’m really not sure if I can give up that job.”

“Aw,” Yamada frowns, keeping his arm secure around your shoulder as he looks down at you. The man was freakishly tall, honestly. “Shouta will be so bummed. Do you know how long your tenure lasts?”

“I sort of hoped you were giving up on that,” you deflate. “But, no, I’m not very sure. But it’s probably not for much longer. A month more, maybe two at most. Then I’ll be leaving.”

“Leaving?”

You and Yamada turn your head towards the door, and you get a face full of his hair, making you sputter and sneeze as he laughs at you and apologizes (but it doesn’t sound like he’s sorry). You shove him away so you can actually look at Yagi, dressed in his usual baggy, bright yellow suit.

“Morning, Yagi,” you greet him tiredly. If you said before that you were energized by Yamada’s behavior, you take it back now. He’s actually exhausting. “Yes, eventually. I’m not officially hired, you know.”

“I must have forgotten,” Yagi mumbles under his breath, looking equally tired but thankful as you nudge a cup of tea his way and he takes a long sip. You remember him telling you that coffee was one of the things on his long, long list that his stomach couldn’t handle. “I’m getting too old, probably.”

“How old are you, anyway?” Kayama asks from her seat and Yagi smiles.

“That’s a good question,” he says, and then looks to you. “You’re leaving in a month or so, though? That’s unfortunate, Shouta will miss you.”

“That’s what I said!”

“Nice job avoiding the question, pro-hero,”

“I swear the two of you never quit it!”

The three of you talk over one another at the same time, and after a moment’s silence, burst into laughter together. Despite everything, these people had quickly become your friends, and chatting with them like this every morning was a part of what made the extra stress and work all worth it. “I’ll miss allof you when I have to leave, I mean it,” you tell them once the laughter subsides, and Kayama coos.

“We’ll miss you, too. I’m sure the students will as well, you’ve grown on them.”

“That’s true… I don’t feel good about the whole making-a-relationship-and-bowing-out thing. It takes a long time for a child to feel comfortable talking to you about their issues, and I finally have that! And now that I’d have to leave…” You sigh heavily as you rest against one of the tables, crossing your arms at your chest.

“Give it some more thought, then,” Kayama suggests. “Everyone would be happy to keep you around, including Nezu. Think about all your options before you make any decisions.”

It’s good advice, but the truth is, you’ve already done that.

The time you’ve spent at U.A has been amazing, yes, but you’ve never been more overworked in your life. The stress of keeping up your two professional jobs has you tossing and turning at night, and the burden of feeling like you’re going to let everyone down isn’t good for your mental state, either. For your own health, you can’t keep working the way you are now.

You’re going to have to choose. And it hurts you more than anything.

Despite all of that, you smile at Kayama. “You’re right,” you say, and you try not to sound as tired as you feel, “I’ll think about it.”

—-

The first thing you have to do with your new duties from Nezu is put together after-school affairs. He doesn’t give you a lot to go off of- he just wants you to put together some sort of event or club that the students can go to after hours that will be good for them. Nezu is nice, but he gives you too much freedom. It’s hard to create ideas all on your own and be the judge on if they’re worth the school’s time and money or not.

You’ve thought of several things. The thing you’re trying to do is create an original idea that isn’t purely formed around therapy , per se, but a way for students to vent their problems in a healthy and calm environment. Your best idea has been a little something you called ‘food for thought’, a baking club students can go to where they can learn to bake and cook a variety of simple dishes, and while they bake, everyone gets a turn talking about something that’s bothered them or that they’re working through, no judgment. It can be a bit therapeutic to cook in general for some people, and if you gave students the chance to vent during that time, you think it might be something healthy and fun. And then they could all eat snacks afterward.

…But you doubt yourself again and think about scrapping the idea. There’s too many variables- some students might not like the idea of group therapy like that, and some students might abuse the club by coming only for treats and ruin it for everyone else. Plus, not everyone likes to cook.

You groan and deflate in your seat, laying face-down on your desk. This is too hard…!

Out of nowhere, your phone vibrates. It makes you reluctantly pull your head up, grasping for the device and wincing at the bright screen when it turns on.

It’s one of your clients asking for an appointment.

You take a deep, tired breath in, and let it out slowly. Slowly you sit up in your chair and open one of your desk drawers, fumbling around for your planner and slapping it down on the desk as you open the text and start to ask for details.

Your schedule is crammed, a lot more than it used to be. You end up feeling guilty not being able to see your patient soon enough and give up some of your free time in order to see them. Not that they know that- they thank you and tell you they’ll see you soon, and the conversation is ended.

Somehow, you’re even more tired than before.

Eyes wander over to your plush, comfortable couch. It’s a tempting idea, but… the scattered papers full of drafts of ideas for an after school activity are staring at you, so you shake your head at the idea and try to focus on the papers instead. You can’t afford to nap right now, even though it sounds so, so nice right now.

Your eyes droop, but you can’t sleep. Absolutely not. Your shoulders sag.

You fall asleep slouched over your desk before you can even realize it.

—-

Waking up is surprising, because you didn’t remember falling asleep. It’s always odd when that happens- opening your eyes and forgetting you even closed them, so it has you sitting there like, wait, what ? For a few moments.

You’re not even at your desk like you remember being. Instead, you’re laying on your couch- something you very much remember wanting to do, but you hadn’t. You’re alone in your office too, which is even more odd. You don’t think you sleepwalk.

As you slowly sit up and stretch your tired limbs, you look at the clock on your wall and see that it reads 3:20- school is just about to end.

Drat. You were hoping to get more done before now…

You suppose that’s fine- you can always work more at home and email Nezu if you come up with a great idea by the end of the night, but you sort of doubt that will happen. You go back to your desk to start gathering your things, but from the corner of your eye, a bit of yellow catches your attention.

There’s a sticky note on your ‘food for thought’ paper. Your eyebrows spring up in curiosity as you lean forward to read it.

It’s not much. It just says ‘good idea’ and then there’s, strangely enough, a doodle of a cat giving a thumbs up. It’s not the best drawing you’ve ever seen, but it’s cute.

Kind of strange though. A cat? Who even wrote this, anyway? Who was in your office when you were asleep?

You doubt it was a student. You’re not really bothered, but… the sticky note says it was a good idea. You were doubtful about it, but the second opinion makes you rethink your decision.

Maybe it wasn’t that bad of an idea? According to the mysterious cat-doodler.

Hm. You pocket the sticky note, and then put the paper with details of your idea in your bag as you continue to pack up. Maybe if you run into one of the teachers on your way out, you can ask them what they think. You should have thought about that earlier, to be honest.

Quickly you pack up and lock your office. You’re going to miss the train home if you don’t hurry, after all, and you want to get out of the building before the bell rings and the students crowd the halls.

Fortunately, though, you spot Cementoss- Ishiyama- at the front doors, and you wave to catch his attention.

“Ishiyama! You’re heading out, too?”

The cement-like man looks toward you, and he walks through the doors, holding it open for you. “Mm. I need to make it to an appointment,” he says simply.

“I see. You wouldn’t mind if I ran an idea by you really quick? It’s for the kids.”

He shakes his head. “Not at all, I just needed to get out before the children did.” You grin and tell him you were doing the same- and then you tell him about your after-school baking idea.

By the time you finish telling him the small details, you’ve walked to the school’s parking lot and Ishiyama looks interested in what you have to say. “I don’t think that’s a bad idea at all. It’s creative, and I think the students would like having something to do besides sitting in a circle and talking.”

“Right!” You animatedly burst for a second- and then bashfully smile at your outburst. “That’s what I was trying to do. I’m glad to hear that it might be worth it. For hires, we could maybe hire a cook, and then the therapist who’d be willing to lead the conversation. That’s where my worry comes in- we’d be paying two people at most, along with spending money on ingredients…”

“Ah, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that,” Ishiyama says, and he slowly comes to a stop in front of what is probably his car. It’s a big, heavy looking vehicle- which kind of makes sense. The guy probably weighs a lot and needs something he won’t crush into the ground. “We have plenty of ingredients and food left over from lunch time, and Lunchrush would be willing to chip in. It could be something that’s held once a week, maybe.”

“Ah, you’re right. I guess I just didn’t want to assume anything on his part, since he already does so much.”

Ishiyama laughs. “You’re very considerate, but don’t let that get in the way of exploring your ideas. And don’t let Nezu scare you- he’ll let you know if it works or not. If it doesn’t, that’s fine. You’re not wasting his time.”

The words are, quite frankly, reassuring. You didn’t realize how much you needed to hear that, and your body naturally relaxes a bit. “Yeah,” you smile at him, “you’re right. Thanks a lot, Ishiyama. I’ll let you go now- good luck with your appointment!” You wave at the cement-man as he enters his car, but right before he closes the door, you suddenly remember something as you light up. “Oh! I had one more question?”

He looks up at you as he keeps his door open.

“Do you know anyone that likes cats?”

The question is an odd one, and his cemented eyebrows raise in surprise, but you don’t really have a proper explanation. Ishiyama thinks about it, and then he says, “the only person I know who actively likes cats is Aizawa.”

It’s your turn to be surprised. Really? You had no idea.

“Huh,” you say aloud. “Well- anyway, thanks a lot for your input! I’ll see you tomorrow!”

You wave off Ishiyama as he drives off, and once he’s gone, you pull out the sticky note still in your pocket. Aizawa likes cats, huh…? He might have been the person who looked over your paper, then, and he probably moved you over to the couch when you fell asleep at your desk.

The thought makes your chest warm. That was certainly nice of him, if that’s the case. But- ah!

The school bell rings, and you jolt into action. If you’re not quick, you’re going to miss your train home!

—-

Your phone had died on the train ride home.

It was tragic, honestly, because that meant you didn’t have anything to distract yourself with as you swayed in the crowded cart during your long ride home. No music, no texts, no articles… you busted yourself by reading the ads on the ceiling of the train, but there was only so much to read, honestly.

By the time you got home, you quickly plugged in your phone and started to make yourself some dinner. It wasn’t until after your dinner, which was just some quick and easy curry and rice from a package, that you were able to look at your phone again.

There’s several text messages waiting for you.

Some of them are from Yamada, and then there’s a few from a client of yours. But there’s an odd contact among them that you never saw in your messages.

Who knew Shouta actually texted people? He seems like the call-only type.

You click on his messages first. There’s three of them, all sent at different times during the day.

Shouta (7:43am): Thank you for the drinks. Glad to hear your work is going well.

You wonder who told him, but you figure it was probably Yamada.

Shouta (1:30pm): If you keep sleeping during work hours, you’re going to want to get a sleeping bag.

So it was him who was in your office! You should have known he’d be a cocky bastard about it, too.

Shouta (4:10pm): Bakugo only yelled five times today?

The last one was kind of funny. Without thinking, you reply back to him.

You (6:45pm): Thanks for the sleeping bag idea, but I’ll pass for now. It was sweet of you to move me to the couch, but next time you’ll need to wake me up instead!

You (6:45pm): Did you see Bakugo go anywhere after class?

Surprisingly, you don’t have to wait at all for his reply.

Shouta (6:45pm): You looked like you needed it.

Shouta (6:46pm): He didn’t go to his dorm, but he stayed on campus. Why?

Hmm. You wiggle on your bed, plugging your phone out of its charger so you can relax in a comfortable position as your fingers tap on the screen.

You (6:47pm): I guess if anyone’s a good judge of someone’s need for sleep, it’s Mr.Baggy Eyes, huh? Go figure

You (6:47pm): also, that’s confidential. But I think he deserves a lollipop at this point. Bakugo cares a lot more than he likes to show, but the fact he’s actually thinking about our session and considering some new methods says a lot about his character. Thanks for telling me.

Shouta doesn’t say anything after that, at least not right away, so you move on and look at your other messages. Yamada’s are a bunch of absurd internet pictures, so nothing too important, and your other client who texted you is asking for a reschedule.

It takes a bit of back and forth with your client until you eventually decide on a new date where both of you have time- thankfully, it didn’t require you taking time out of your weekend more than you already have. By the time you’re done, you have one new message from Shouta.

Shouta (6:56pm): You’re right about that. Bakugo is difficult, but with some help, he’ll be able to do a lot for society. Hopefully you’ll be around enough to see him change. His trust doesn’t come easy.

The words make a heavy feeling in your stomach drop. Without meaning to, Shouta has stabbed you in the gut with guilt, and you’re feeling even more about your decision to leave U.A.

How could you leave, really? The students need you- but so do your clients.

Stress builds up in your shoulders again, and staring down at Shouta’s message, your head swarms with bad thoughts.

Anxiety and discomfort rolls over you in waves.

And you don’t really have anyone to confide in. Part of you feels like talking to Shouta- but you’re not really that close to each other yet. You doubt he wants to hear your complaints about work.

Shouldn’t you be grateful for your opportunity?

You blink as you barely make a reply, and then you toss your phone to the side once you turn it off. Your eyes look at the ceiling of your room, and despite the exhaustion deep in your bones, you’re suddenly wide awake.

You feel like you won’t be going to sleep tonight, as much as you would like to.

You (7:08pm): You’re right. I’ll try my best.

——

Coming into work the next morning is dreadful. The only thing keeping you awake and mildly aware of your surroundings is the caffeine that’s running through you- you’ve drank so much coffee and energy drinks that you wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a part of your bloodstream at this point. You look like a mess, but there’s work to be done.

It’s Friday, which is usually nice, because Saturday is your only day off. But you sacrificed your Saturday for a session tomorrow, so there’s no promise of a break for you for at least another week.

Overnight, due to your lack of sleep, you thought of three other ideas for after-school activities the students might like, and you sent all of them over to Nezu once the sun began to rise and you decided it was an appropriate hour to message him. He hasn’t gotten back to you yet, but that’s unsurprising.

With nothing else to do, you got on the train early enough that it’s not even that crowded. You still can’t find a seat, but that’s fine. You’re afraid if you sit down and relax for more than a moment, you might fall apart.

Hence why you’re heading to work several hours early. Hopefully you’ll be able to pull yourself together before work starts.

You stumble a bit each time the cart shakes when it comes to a stop, but eventually you get off and walk to U.A. It’s practically empty, which is also unsurprising, but the doors are open for you, so that’s good. You were a bit worried it might all be locked down.

As you head to your office, it’s eerily quiet in the building. Beside the sound of your shoes tapping on the floor, there’s nothing. It’s a bit unsettling.

Maybe that’s just because you haven’t slept at all recently and your anxiety is through the roof at the moment. Who knows? Regardless, you make it to your office with no issues. But when you open the- unlocked- door, you jump.

And then you slam the door shut with a surprised scream.

“Oh my god!” You yell at the door, and you can hear the people scrambling from inside your office. “What’re you doing?! On my couch?!”

Kayama speaks up, her voice just a lilt higher than it usually is. “Would you believe me if I said it was nothing??”

“No! No I wouldn’t!” You yell back, and you rub your eyes with the heel of your palms. “I will never be able to wash my eyes from what I just saw, Jesus-“

“We’re sorry!! You’re really early!”

“Do you always do this shit on my couch?! I have students sit on that thing- oh my GOD, I was laying on it yesterday!”

“No- we swear-“

And then suddenly, as if from nowhere, Shouta is coming from around the corner with his face twisted up in confusion. “What’s going on?” He asks as he walks up to you, and you gesture angrily toward your closed door.

“Yamada and Kayama were fucking on my couch!”

“No we weren’t!!” Yamada’s screechy, way too loud voice denies.

“Yeah, tell me that again as if you’re not scrambling to put clothes on right now.” You huff, and Shouta’s eyebrows have successfully disappeared beyond his hairline. “Did you have any idea about this?” You look toward him, a hateful look in your eye- but he quickly shakes his head.

“I just got here. I was actually- well.” He looks toward your office. “I was going to nap.”

“ Lord - does everyone use my office as they so please? Do the keys I own mean nothing?”

Yamada wails, “we’re sorry- “

“Shut! Shut it!” You snap.

This is the worst. You have had no sleep, no food. You’re overworked and stressed enough as is- this was just the last straw.

“Clean up my office. Get rid of all your ridiculous germs- the door, my desk, the couch- anywhere the two of you touched needs to be squeaky clean or else.”

You’ve never been the type to really get mad, especially at your friends. Especially at friends who you haven’t even been friends with for less than a year. You try to keep your cool. This was just… bad timing.

“Yes, right. We promise,” Kayama says from beyond the door.

“And you-“ you point at Shouta, who is more than a bit surprised at your tone, and his face shows it. “You haven’t had sex in my office, have you?”

“Never.”

“Good.” You let out a frustrated breath. “Then you’re invited to get breakfast with me so I can cool down while those two put themselves together.”

He doesn’t really need much more convincing. He’s already walking by your side as you turn around, walking much faster than you normally do as you head for the front doors.

Shouta walks a bit faster and opens the door for you, too, which you barely mumble a thanks for.

It’s quiet as you walk down the sidewalk in the early morning, but eventually Shouta speaks up, keeping up with your pace easily. “Do you know where you’re going?”

You stop in your tracks.

“No.” You bite your lip as you frown, and you truthfully can’t even look at him. Instead, you keep your eyes on the ground, at the pebbles on the ground. “Do you know anywhere to go?”

“…Yeah. Follow me,” his voice is surprisingly soft as he reaches forward and nudges your arm his direction, and you both turn around as he takes the lead. You don’t walk for long, crossing a few streets and making a few turns, until you’re at the same place that Shouta brought you to last time.

The familiarity as you enter the restaurant makes you relax just a little bit.

“So,” Shouta starts once the two of you sit at a booth. A waiter handed you both a menu, but you haven’t opened it yet. “You’re not usually so tense.”

Shouta doesn’t make meaningless observations, you know that much about him. He’s inviting you to talk about why you’re acting strangely, and you’re tired enough that you take the bait.

You vent. You vent and vent and vent about everything you’ve been feeling lately- stressed from two jobs, guilty for having to leave, not wanting to leave, tired, upset you have to give up your free time, upset you can’t talk to anybody about your feelings, anxious that you’re not good enough- all of it.

You’re a therapist, so you know how important it is to communicate your feelings, but you haven’t been doing it for yourself. You should know better, but it’s hard. You tell all of that to him too, even though he didn’t ask for any of it.

He gave you an opportunity to speak, so you did. All of it.

And by the time you’re done, your food (which you don’t even remember ordering, so Shouta must have done it when you were busy ranting) is sitting hot in front of you and ready to be eaten. You feel like a hot pile of blubber by the time you’re done, releasing a big sigh full of all the ghosts that have haunted you the past few days. And then you stab your fork into your food, and it feels oddly gratifying.

“…Sorry.”

Shouta just barely moves his head as he closes his eyes- a fairly weak version of shaking his head as a way to deny your apology. “I’d be on my last wire if I saw Nemuri and Hizashi fucking, too.”

Despite yourself, you snort.

“I know you haven’t worked at U.A for long, but if you wanted to ask for a day off, I think Nezu would be willing.” You barely open your mouth before he’s already shutting down your argument, “you want to help the students, and I understand that. But how much are you going to help them in this state? You can’t do anything if you’re doubting yourself and you’re sleep deprived on top of it all.”

Brutally honest, but they’re words you needed to hear. You sink into your seat and nibble on your food instead of arguing with him, which Shouta snorts amusedly at as he eats his food too.

Once again, he pays for the meal, but you don’t really try to argue about that, either. You appreciate how considerate he’s being right now.

“You’re right, and you know it too, so I don’t really have to say it. But you’re right.” Shouta smiles as you play with your fork, food now finished. “I haven’t had a day off in so long, I guess I forgot they existed. I don’t even know what I’d do, besides sleeping a lot.”

“Sleeping is always nice,” He comments and you roll your eyes, because of course he’d say that.

“What do you do on your days off?” Shouta gives you a look and you click your tongue. “Right.” Sleeping.

“Could always go out of town. Have a day trip.”

“I suppose, but I’m not really sure where I’d go,” you hum thoughtfully. “I’m not really sure what I even like to do… I know I like spending time with you. But I guess you have even less time than I do to really go anywhere, huh?”

You’re too out of it to really think about what you just admitted, and you’re looking out the window so you don’t see how Shouta’s face shifts at your little confession. “If you’re fine with me being on patrol, we could go somewhere. That’s probably the best I can do.”

And you’re also not aware of how foreign it feels for him to offer his time up like that for another person. You really have no idea- you just smile at him and light up. “Yeah, that’d be fine! Just having a day out, walking around and all that sounds nice. Aw man, it’s kind of exciting now,” you laugh, your eyes squeezing shut as your nose scrunches up.

Shouta discreetly looks away.

“I’m not very exciting, but whatever you say.”

“Well, that’s true,” ow, “you’re relaxing. And I think I need to relax more than I need excitement, really.” Oh.

He just hums in response.

“Well, anyway. Thanks a lot for letting me say all that. It was really nice of you,” you move the subject along, rummaging through your things until you find your phone and click it on. “It’s still awhile until class starts, but we should head back and check on the two love birds.”

“Hopefully they’re decent by now.” Shouta rolls his eyes, scooting out of the booth with you, and with the food already paid for, you both walk out of the diner together.

“I really can’t believe those two to begin with. Did you have any idea they were together?” You look up at him as you walk.

“Honestly? No. And that’s on purpose. I don’t want to know.”

You laugh. “That’s fair.”

Shouta hums again in response, and the two of you chat some more as you head back to U.A together. It’s nice that you can feel a bit lighter than before, now.

But it’s notfair. It’s not fair that now you’re feeling better, a bit more energized than before, you completely miss the way that Shouta looks at you. The way he’s beenlooking at you ever since you were exploding with anger at his two best friends.

A look that’s a bit too akin to attraction.

Title: What the Heart Wants

Pairings: Young!Shota Aizawa x GN!Reader

Summary: You were a young hero in training, living in the United States. And when your high school offered an exchange internship to one of the hero agencies in Japan, you were first in line. But the last thing you expected was to fall for another of their young hopefuls.

Notes: Story features the other dumbigos as well. It’s implied that this story is just the reader reminiscing, and that the reader and Aizawa have been in an established relationship ever since.

Warnings: Mention of blood and a little battle damage, otherwise just superpowered teenage friends being pretty wholesome honestly.

My Masterlist

——————————

The first time you’d ever met the now pro hero Eraser Head, he hadn’t been much more than another teenager in over their head so much like yourself.

Back then you hadn’t known how to say no to anything either. While most of your classmates had been taking the typical internship offers from your state’s local hero agencies, you’d heard about a new exchange program abroad. And of course you’d jumped at the opportunity, anything to set yourself even one hair’s edge above the amazing competition.

Your Japanese had been terrible too honestly, so much so that you’d almost been afraid to speak for fear of ridicule once you reached Japan.

Luckily, the hero you were assigned to, Stunner Man was fluent in several languages. And his quirk was something akin to fireworks from his body at will, like a human flash bang. It greatly complimented your own quirk of consuming light energy to then expel it as energy blasts as well.

For the first few jobs together, you’d likely grown too confident and complacent because of this. It was all too easy to replace your own energy by drawing in that light from his fireworks. Sometimes to the point that all around you went dark, before then expelling the energy again as concentrated blasts from your hands to help incapacitate the small time villains you both ran across.

But then had come that rainy night and reports of a much stronger villain taking out actual teams of heroes somewhere downtown. Multiple agencies had responded to this of course, but your hero had been adamant about you staying behind. This was real danger he said, and it would be unheroic to let your desire for success blind you to your own inexperience. You would be a liability in the main battle, and you could be just as valuable assisting firemen and police in their efforts to evacuate the nearby apartment buildings instead.

Of course you were obedient, and so there you’d been, running up the stairs and through the corridors as fire alarms blared and people cried in panic in these high rise buildings. You’d put on your best act of confidence, directing the scared people to exits, asking them to mind their neighbors. You told them not to push, to please help those that were elderly or disabled, and that it would all be all right. Surely it would be because so many pro heroes were now on the job.

But just as you were almost done clearing the last floor at the top of that building, a terrible crash had sounded from far down the hall. Maybe debris breaking through from the nearby battle? You were cautious enough though to make sure that the police and firemen safely exited this floor entirely with the last civilians before you went to investigate.

You would make sure no one was left behind, that no one was hurt or trapped. But as you’d rounded the corner, in a glitter of broken glass and blood, that was where you’d first seen Shota Aizawa…Eraser Head.

He was only a sidekick you thought immediately though just from his age, so similar to your own. Yet he was already trying to get back to his feet even as you called out to him. The hole he’d come through in the large windows and the cracked wall around it were letting the rain now blow fiercely inside.

“Get back!” He’d yelled right back to you in Japanese however. As if he wasn’t losing blood all over the floor as you did pause brief enough to hear an odd humming sound outside even over the rain.

It was reflex of course. He hadn’t even been facing you, but the way he tensed you’d assumed what was going to happen only that fraction of a second before it did. Before whatever villain had just thrown him through this window attacked again, you’d used your energy reserves to make a shield of light between Shota and the broken windows and wall.

The blast that came through the hole had likely been intended to finish the boy. As it was, it still exploded violently against your force field, the recoil sending pain through your arms as you’d dug your boots into the floor beneath you as much as you could just to keep from being knocked backwards with the force.

You wouldn’t be able to take another direct strike like that without gathering more energy. And in the confusion as the blast did dissipate, you ran forward, grabbing the boy by the wrist. “Come on!”

You only saw the surprise in his reddened eyes for just a moment, the first time he’d really looked at you. His shaggy black hair was dripping on you from the rain before you both ran together.

“It’s going to get dark. Just hold on to me and trust me!” You spoke as you pulled your goggles down from off your head to cover your eyes in mid run. The goggles were a support item developed especially for you. In darkness you could switch between night-vision and thermal imaging to allow you to still see when your opponents and even teammates could not. And when you used your light abilities to discharge energy again, the opacity of the lenses darkened instantly to keep you from being blinded by the brightness of your own quirk as well.

As you both ran, you activated your quirk to draw energy from the artificial lighting in the hallway. True to your word, the whole hall became almost pitch black in short time. Your skin darkening to an inhuman shade as well as you used your power, a color akin to the lightless void now around you as you led him to a stairwell in the center of the building.

“Will the villain follow us in?” You asked as you closed the door, but making sure not to absorb all the light of the stairwell as well as you could still hear people making their way down to evacuate below. You knew you couldn’t stay in this place long. You had to protect these people you had already been trying to rescue as well. But information was always crucial to having a better chance at victory, and you needed anything that the boy could tell you quickly now.

As you lifted your goggles back up in the light of the stairwell, you were already trying to assess his wounds as well. But when you realized he was just staring at you, you finally made eye contact with him again just before he spoke.

“He’s more powerful out in the open.” The boy said. “So I don’t think he’ll follow us inside yet. But you’re assuming I’m a hero?” He sounded somewhat surprised? But the way he was looking you over, he was also trying to discern your quirk even in his own confusion.

“You told me to get back when I found you in the hallway, even though you were hurt.” You saw now that most of the blood was coming from his lower abdomen. A puncture wound maybe? “Who else would worry about others even when being attacked themselves?”

You saw his eyes widen a little at the sort of compliment, but you kept on. “And I’m sorry if I’m hard to understand. My name is (Y/N). I’m from the United States. Part of the intern exchange. I’m working for Stunner Man right now.”

“I can understand you.” He admitted. Though still looking at you in that odd way. “My name is Shota Aizawa.” He paused, seeming a little less confident, before he admitted his nickname. “Codename Eraser Head. I’m interning from the UA with His Purple Highness.”

“Oh,” You said, impressed truthfully, as that school’s hero course was obviously world renowned. But from the quizzical look you couldn’t help but show at his codename, he clearly had already discerned your next question.

He answered before you could ask, but even as he did you could tell he was already steeling himself for your disappointment. “I can erase others’ quirks just by looking at them.”

“You can…what?” You stared helplessly, for a moment almost forgetting your training to always be cool and collected as you tried to fathom what on earth this boy could really mean.

But he just stared back at you, was he that surprised at your reaction?

When he said nothing more, you had to shake away your shock to press further. “I’m sorry. This might be the language barrier again, but I need you to explain that to me please.”

Hero work could lead to unexpected team up situations at any time. And if this was to be one of those times, you both needed to know what you would be dealing with.

He frowned slightly, like he was having to talk more about himself than he was comfortable with. But he did comply. “If I activate my quirk while someone is in my direct line of sight, it inactivates theirs. But I can only do it for so long. Once I blink, or the line of sight is broken, their powers will come back.”

Silence hung between you for one long moment after his admission, and you could sense the tangible unease building in him.

You didn’t mean to make him jump either when you just blurted out. “That’s amazing!”

You still didn’t yell, but it was loud enough to be unexpected. But you couldn’t help it. You’d never heard of such a quirk. How could anyone be so powerful to make someone else quirkless just by looking at them!?

And why the hell did he look so self conscious about this? “You can’t be this modest. How are you not believing me that this is amazing!? I bet you only got thrown in here then because the rain obscured your vision, right!?” Your voice was quickening with your excitement. Your strategies to victory also readily multiplying in your brain. You could make a shield of light to push away the rain and Shota could look at the villain to make them helpless, then you could take them out with a subsequent light blast!

“My quirk has no offensive merit.” He deadpanned.

“Not every quirk has to!” You retorted, but maybe yourself now finally starting to understand a hint to his self conscious nature. “There are always multiple ways to win! Don’t they teach you that at UA?”

“We need to get moving,” He grumbled still in resistance to this subject. “People could be being killed out there.”

He wasn’t wrong you knew, as you nodded. “I’m sorry. I was just trying to gather information.” Which fair was fair as you tried to keep your own explanation as straight forward as you could.

“As you saw, my quirk is that I can absorb visible light energy. It doesn’t matter what kind. I darken everything as I absorb the light around me. I can store it inside myself, then discharge it when I’m ready, to make force fields for defense…or light blasts for offense or distraction to blind opponents.” Like everyone though, there was always still a catch as you continued. “But the weakness is that once I’ve discharged what I have, I’m tapped out until I can absorb more light. Which, at night in a rainstorm like this…there’s not much to be had.”

He was mostly stone faced as he listened to you though. But there was an analytic sharpness to his eyes, like you were inputting information into a human calculator before abruptly he tried to walk back away from you as if to continue up the stairs.

“I have a plan then,” He announced quietly, his back already to you again.

As much as you somehow believed him already though, you grabbed his hand before he could get much farther. “And whatever that plan is, we still won’t be much help to anyone if you faint from blood loss.”

It was obvious he was someone not used to being touched, you could tell that from the instant way he stilled and looked back at you.

But you didn’t weaken at the stare, only offering him a slight smile. “I’ve been trained in emergency first aid as well. There are first aid kits all through this stairway.” You’d passed them on the way up. “I’ll be quick, alright?”

————————————

The logical side of him must have won out that night in that stairwell. He’d known you were right about at least stopping his bleeding. But that was the real beginning you thought. This odd relationship that would keep its hold on you both for so many years to come.

Him, still so skinny then and self conscious, quiet and awkward as he’d sat on one of the stairs, holding his shirt up so you could clean and disinfect the wound just above his belt while you kneeled in front of him. Luckily the injury was not as deep as it could have been. Just too wide to close or clot on its own as you’d wrapped his abdomen with the appropriate bandages after cleaning out the debris.

And you kept your word, you still weren’t negligent of your duty as a hero in training even then. You didn’t waste any time at all, being as quick and efficient as you could while working on him. But even if all your training told you to also keep your mind on the mission at hand, you’d still felt that warmth in you.

The intimacy was practical, professional. But it still had its effect as you’d run your fingers across his abdomen to finish securing the bandage. You felt him tremble just for the slightest moment, and then it was over. His shirt was back down and he was standing again.

He’d only muttered a quick “Thank you,” as you’d both headed for the roof to execute his plan.

And still only being teenagers then, the clumsiness of your yelling and waving to attract the villain’s attention again would be something you’d both have been embarrassed about now. But at the time, you’d really both done rather well considering your low experience levels.

That villain of course hadn’t been the only villain that night. The main heroes had had their hands full with the other, stronger one at the heart of downtown. This one had been more like the sidekick really, just trying to keep on the outskirts to run interference and keep even more heroes from joining the fray for his boss.

He’d picked off Shota earlier he thought, so he was easy to get worked up when he realized Aizawa was now back for more.

But that villain had drawn his power from the difference of electrical charges in the air. Obviously then at an even greater advantage over the two of you with the thunderstorm above. But the trick had only been avoiding his electrical blasts, but drawing the light energy from them enough times to eventually surprise him with a big enough blast in return.

There’d been a few miscues of course, as well as you using your shielding to protect Shota all the while trying not to get hit either before you could finally land that big enough return hit to stun the villain. Then Shota binding him up in his scarf like weapon and removing the enemy’s quirk long enough to deliver a decisive knockout kick to the villain’s head.

It was your first ever victory as a team.

—————————————

And it’d been a bit of a whirlwind afterward. The congratulations and acknowledgement from your respective heroes for the small, but positive role you had both played of course. But more personally for you, you had owed so much to one of Shota’s best friends you had met immediately in the hustle and bustle afterward.

Oboro Shirakumo, otherwise known as Loud Cloud had been there immediately, ecstatic to hear the story of Shota’s and your success. His extroverted and effervescent personality such a direct opposite to Aizawa’s quiet nature. But Oboro had been the one seemingly so excited to learn you were from the United States as well.

He’d insisted that he, Shota, and their fellow UA student and other best friend, Hizashi Yamada (codename Present Mic) show you the real young hero life in Japan before you would leave again in the coming weeks.

Without Oboro’s intervention, there was likely no way otherwise you would have gotten to see the shy Aizawa so many times again after that night.

As a group the four of you had gone to malls, out to eat, and to see the touristy sights you likely never would have gone to alone. They didn’t even make fun of your bad Japanese, well not seriously anyway. Hizashi did a few times, but in a way that had you laughing with him as he teasingly walked you through a few pronunciations you’d butchered yet again.

On your last night in Japan, you’d been feeling a little sad really though as you’d wished you had gotten to speak to Shota a little more one on one. Even though he’d accompanied you all on your excursions together in those few weeks, you still had noticed how little he really talked and how often he seemed to always be looking away from you.

In the end you just had to think you were being silly for the way you’d felt in the stairwell with him briefly that night and how often you’d thought of him ever since. You’d probably never see him again you knew.

That night though you’d all gone to a park together that met the beach and ocean. Oboro was insistent that you needed to see the view of the sea there before you flew back to the United States the next morning.

Oboro had made one of his clouds, taking just the two of you up high into the air. As Shota and Hizashi still on the ground grew smaller and smaller, you did look away to the horizon and the starlit ocean beyond. It was beautiful of course.

But what Oboro said next, made you forget all about that view entirely.

“He likes you you know. He just doesn’t know what to do about it.” The blue haired boy said as if it was as simple a truth as saying the sun would come up tomorrow.

Your head turned immediately, just to see Oboro smiling at you in an almost conspiring way. “And you feel the same don’t you?” He asked you. “You look at him the same way he looks at you.”

“He doesn’t look at me!” You blurted, stupidly protesting as if your stomach wasn’t already trying to tie itself into a knot.

But Oboro just laughed, that genuine, happy one you’d heard from him so many times already. “Well he knows what to do with his eyes doesn’t he? He has practice. Of course he doesn’t let you catch him staring!”

So many emotions ran through you at once then. Embarrassment at your naivety, sadness that you still had to be leaving the country regardless, shock that this could even be true, and….frustration that you would just be being told now!?

“I’m leaving tomorrow, Oboro. Why would you even tell me this now!?” You asked somewhat desperately, but still keeping your voice down in your escalating panic.

He raised his hands innocently, yet unafraid of you either way. “Hizashi and I have been encouraging him as much as we could to speak up, but Shota is like those stories where an unstoppable force meets an immovable object…but in this story both are Shota!”

You stared, the absurdity only mounting at his words.

He chuckled, looking a little embarrassed then. “He’s quite stubborn is what I mean? And he says it’s pointless because you’ll be thousands of miles away. And I said that’s what phones, email, and video calling are for! Of course conversation is not one of his better skills…”

“Oh, man” You sighed, yet trying to think in your nervousness. “Did he send you to tell me all this? Or does he even know we’re having this conversation right now?”

The boy just shook his head. “He didn’t tell me to, and I didn’t ask his permission, no. He would have only told me not to. But sometimes heroes have to do what heroes have to do, right?” A kind look overtook his face again. “I want to see him smile sometime. He actually has a nice smile you know. I think I’ve seen it all of twice,” Oboro joked.

And it was true, it’s not like Shota was cruel or anything. But he didn’t smile, he didn’t laugh. It was like he was always afraid to perhaps. You weren’t really sure yet. You hadn’t known him long enough. But surely Oboro and Hizashi had. You should at least be able to trust that they had made a correct assessment of their friend’s feelings.

“Well…” You hesitated. “If I told him I wanted to stay in contact…do you think he’d actually call or write me?” You looked at Oboro imploringly, unsure if it would hurt more to try this and be rejected later anyway if you still never heard from him again.

“I can only promise you that we’ll try to keep him from screwing up if it’s only his fear that’s holding him back. We all have to overcome fear in one way or another if we’re going to be pros one day.” He smirked then, before looking a little more boastful. “You know, when Shota, Hizashi, and I graduate, we’re going to start our own hero agency. I’m sure by then if you wanted to come and do some more work in Japan, we could make a space for you too. I’d be a bad manager to turn down foreign talent you know.”

He did seem so sincere, you couldn’t help but smile back at him. “I’ll talk to Shota. But, whatever happens, thank you for trying to help either way.”

Oboro gave an exaggerated thumbs up with, what honestly you were guessing was his best imitation of an All Might type grin. “Of course! Plus Ultra! Always!”

———————————

It was something how quickly Oboro and Hizashi got themselves out of sight, now just you and Shota on the beach together. Yet you suspected they may still be in earshot somewhere in the distance. No doubt painfully curious of how this would go and silently cheering their best friend on.

At first you were afraid that Shota was angry actually, the way he’d visibly bristled, shooting his friends’ quite unhappy stares before they’d left as he fully realized what was about to happen.

But he didn’t ignore you, nor did he look away from you this time as you got closer to hopefully speak a little more privately. “I’m sorry if this is…weird.” You started awkwardly. “But I don’t think you should be too hard on your friends either. It’s obvious they really care about you.”

Your foot was kind of shifting in the sand. Nervousness still flowing freely as you just kept on. “But I’d still like to hear it from you…if you’re wanting to keep in touch. If you want to get to know me better, I’d like that…so…um-” Ah, this would be awful at any time, but stumbling over words you’d only recently learned made it all the worse. “So is it true, Shota? Do you want to keep talking after I’m back home…maybe I can come back again though…I’d like to see you again…I really would.”

He was silent at first, but he was clearly listening. Intently, as if analyzing your every movement, your every word.

But it was painful how long you had to wait for a response. Surely it wasn’t really as long as it felt though before he finally responded. His voice surprisingly even, almost emotionless?

“You’ll be a successful hero if you keep to your studies and training. I find it unlikely that you wouldn’t be able to start at any agency of your choosing in the United States once you graduate.”

A huge compliment to be sure, as you stared at him in surprise. But what did that have to do with the subject at hand? Was he trying to avoid your questioning entirely?

Yet his eyebrows lowered before you could interrupt as he kept on. “So I don’t understand why you would ever want to come back to Japan longterm where your reputation would have to be built back up again just to get equivalent job offers to what you could attain already in the US. The one instance with capturing the villain at that apartment complex isn’t enough for top placement at the agencies here in Japan. Especially without UA accreditation on your record. You would be putting yourself at a disadvantage to be here. It would be a mistake for your career.”

You could swear you almost heard a groan from somewhere in the distance. If you’d put your goggles on now, you were sure you’d probably see Oboro and Hizashi hanging on every word, wherever they were hiding to eavesdrop in the dark.

But your brain was also quite busy trying to digest the most words you’d ever heard from Shota at one time. Was this his excuse to reject you more lightly? To say he was only thinking of your career?

Of course he was under no obligation to feel anything for you. You knew there were certainly those with more powerful or interesting quirks than your own, or people more physically attractive. You weren’t anything amazing in your own mind compared to all the potential superstars you interacted with on a daily basis back home.

Yet if he didn’t feel how you did, you wanted to hear it outright instead of buried in a confusing way like this, and you couldn’t help but admit so then. “So you think I shouldn’t ever want to date you because it could make me spend too much time in Japan and not become as famous as I could have been otherwise? Nice that you assume working at a top tier agency is the only thing I would care about for my future….”

Perhaps you did come across a little harsher than you intended, but the way his normally tired looking eyes suddenly widened in shock had you realizing you had definitely brought some sort of emotion out of him at last with those words.

“You…wanted to…date me?” He uttered the words as if he never would have expected that combination of syllables to ever leave his mouth.

Well, you never would have been so forward if you didn’t feel he forced your hand with that strange insinuation of saying your personal choices should all be tied to a need for future fame and fortune.

You put one hand on your hip, trying not to sound as dumb as he was making you feel in this moment. “Well, not like tomorrow or anything. We’d need to get to know each other some more of course. But yes, I thought about it a lot these last few weeks. But if you didn’t like me like that, then friends is fine. I was hoping that was what we were going to talk about here. If you…liked me like that or not.”

Oh Lord, was this high school like it should be or was this elementary playground kind of drama? You didn’t have enough experience to be any more adult about this. But it was a yes or no type of question wasn’t it? Either he felt some sort of interest and attraction like you did, or he didn’t. You just needed to know.

“I…think you’re talented. And capable.” He said, like it was taking so much just to do this.

It was maddening somehow though. Could he not just say he felt nothing if that was the case? Was he so afraid of hurting your feelings? But honestly, he didn’t seem the type to ever mince words either. “Shota…” You tried. “You know you don’t have to worry about sparing my feelings. All you have to say is that you’re not interested. I’m not some delicate flower.”

Yet, you were starting to feel guilty yourself. Maybe this was all wrong, trying to force him out of his comfort zone too much. You should just take a hint right?

When he still said nothing more, your stomach finally sank as you stepped back from him a little again. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to know the truth, so I didn’t have to worry wondering later. If I’m not your type that’s okay. I appreciate you taking the time to try and talk to me like this.”

Oboro must have been wrong. That was all it could be. His friends had seen something that wasn’t there, and then pushed it this far in a sincere, but misguided attempt to help their friend.

But the let down still hurt. In the span of a short time, Oboro had gotten your hopes up and then they’d crashed down again. You’d been able to admit your feelings to Shota, just for it to end up as one sided.

Or so you thought.

You started to walk away, not wanting to be further embarrassed if the disappointment in your face had really started to show.

But you froze as soon as you felt his shockingly quick hand grab around your wrist. The memory of you doing the same to him in the apartment complex flashed through your mind.

“I didn’t say you weren’t my type…not that I’ve had a type before.” He spoke, but not in his usual even tone as you looked back at him.

And that was likely the very first time you’d ever seen a little bit of fear in his expression. He was still holding your wrist tightly, but it was like he didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t know how to express whatever it was that he was really thinking.

“Eraser really is that bad at this! Just run with it, (Y/N)!” Hizashi’s voice boomed in the distance even if he was only partially using his quirk. The vibration startling you both as Shota immediately shot a death glare in that direction, his hair levitating as he activated his quirk as if trying to lock on to Present Mic even in the dark.

And you couldn’t help it then, slipping your wrist out of Shota’s grip at his distraction, but just as quickly clasping your hand warmly around his own instead as you used your quirk to absorb some of the ambient starlight. It created a dark spot on the beach between the two of you and the others, just enough that Oboro and Hizashi would no longer be able to see. Though Shota would still be able to see you as you chose to take a risk, leaning in enough to kiss his pale cheek.

His hair fell back down at that very personal touch, the red glow also leaving his eyes as he looked back to you.

But you couldn’t read him then. You weren’t sure at all what would happen.

Yet he was still human wasn’t he? Even as stoic and calculating of a person as you’d ever met, he was still human, and still young then with that touch of recklessness you all had deep down.

And when you felt his lips touch yours not long afterward, it was as clumsy as could be expected for teenagers. But you didn’t care at all as you easily returned the kiss.

You knew immediately then that you would be coming back to Japan as soon as you could. Your goal was still to be a pro hero, but it didn’t really matter where.

A true hero’s spirit came from the heart. And if your heart ended up in Japan…who were you to tell it no?

———————————

(End for now. ❤️ I will likely write more of this pairing, but not sure of how soon. Thank you for reading!)