Chapter Text
Hanta stretched his arms high, releasing a soft groan as he felt some joints in his spine pop pleasantly. He shook them a bit, enough to wake himself up some more with the peculiar sensation of his tape rolling back and forth inside his elbows — the weird shudder that they always sent all the way down to the tip of his toes worked wonders.
Walking by his side were Awase, Kaibara, and Kaminari; the first half-covering his mouth to hide a yawn, the second moving his fingers on his head to find tame some extra shaggy bed hair, and the third lazily checking his phone’s screen for the last drops of his morning dose of memes. Making the mistake of looking at Awase a moment too long, he too ended up having to stifle a contagious yawn of his own. A second later, Kaminari made three, even if he had barely lifted up his eyes from the device.
Kaibara’s gaze moved between his three tired friends. “How are you three still so sleepy?”
“Played somethin’ before bed,” Awase groaned, hands in his pockets and around the mobile phone that had caused his demise.
“Was catching up with a show,” Kaminari sighed, rubbing his eyes with his index and thumb.
“I’m just built to chill,” Hanta chuckled, giving a quick shrug. “I wouldn’t have minded a couple more hours.” Either his bed or his hammock didn’t sound half bad at the moment.
“Sundays are for sleeping in,” Awase agreed with a nod.
The other snorted. “It’s two hours past our usual walk to school.”
“But that’s not on Sunday.”
“Can’t argue that,” the blond nodded sagely.
“Come on, you’ll live.” Kaibara gave them a weak push which they didn’t fight at all. “We’re days away from summer break, so you’ll waste away all you want then.”
Kaminari bounced back with a smirk, wrapping his arm around the more mature teen’s neck. “Bold of you to assume we won’t complain about that too.”
“And you’ll hear aaall about it.” Awase announced as he joined in from the opposite side, effectively locking Kaibara in and squeezing him between them.
Hanta didn’t bother adding his own support to the action; Kaibara had his hands full already. After a moment of trying and failing to get his freedom back, the poor guy simply let himself be stirred left and right as he sighed. “I know, I can’t get rid of you that easily.”
They shared a good laugh and continued to waste some time with idle chatter while on the way to the parking lot. Even from a distance, Hanta could tell pretty quickly that they were far from the first ones to get there. About seven or eight more groups were gathered here and there, also mingling as they waited as hour zero approached.
Of course, he spotted the green-haired boy wonder in the front. Midoriya was chatting with Yaoyorozu, Kendo, and Shinso, but he raised his hand to say hi as soon as he spotted them.
Not one to leave a friend hanging, Hanta waved back as he and the others took a spot; not too close to bother, not so distant that they wouldn’t notice Mr. Aizawa when the man approached.
“Same bus as last time?” Kaminari thought aloud, noticing a certain similarity.
“Seems like it.” Kaibara noted at the same time as Awase’s question.
“What else could carry all of us at once?”
“I mean, I’ve read that…”
Since he wasn’t really interested in hearing Kaminari rant about something he’d read by mistake and who knows how long ago, Hanta let his eyes wander over the rest of their classmates.
Not too far Midoriya’s group stood Todoroki, Asui, Uraraka, Shoda, and Kodai. The first was listening intently, though Hanta couldn’t tell if that was to the exchange between Asui and Shoda, to the one between Uraraka and Kodai, or to both, as Todoroki’s eyes kept moving left and right every other word.
Sato, Bondo, Ojiro and Rin were the first to their right. The class’ confectioner was showing some pictures of his recent bench press, and it must have been quite impressive because both martial artists looked taken aback. Still, since Bondo was awkwardly looking away while scratching the back of his neck, they were about to hear of an even higher record.
Monoma’s group was the second easiest to spot, if only because Tsunotori and Kamakiri were by far the loudest in the vicinity. He couldn’t tell if they were bickering or discussing so animatedly as to wake up the dead, but Monoma and Tokage were clearly enjoying the show.
A few stood slightly on the side, huddled around a screen to listen to what sounded to him like a damn good guitar riff. Jiro’s fingers tapped on her leg as if spirited, Komori couldn’t sit still for the excitement, Tsuburaba seemed enraptured by the song while probably not understanding a word of English, Aoyama looked amused by the performance, Tokoyami did the tiniest, slowest version of a headbang one could do, and Kuroiro, barely visible, observed from above while Dark Shadow played the air guitar just behind him.
Fukidashi, Ashido, and Hagakure were in a deep, heated conversation of their own. He didn’t need much context other than a few words to understand that, apparently, Kendo’s hope to never speak again of the last movie night’s ending hadn’t stuck.
The quietest group by far was the one standing right in front of the sign with the meeting point number, probably there thanks to Ida’s dutifulness. The speedster was talking and, if the notebook in his hand was any indication, exchanging pointers with Shiozaki, Shishida, Honenuki, and Yanagi.
It was a bit hard to spot Mineta, mostly hidden behind Shoji’s long legs, but he could hear his voice saying something about… squids? Might have been weird, but Koda was there too, nodding along and probably murmuring relevant information.
With the quick headcount done, Hanta could see that all but three people were present. While one’s participation was anyone’s guess, he was sure that at least two of them wouldn’t miss out on an opportunity like this. Just as he was about to ask the others if they’d heard from Kirishima or Tetsutetsu, he heard both of their voices coming up from the path.
“Hey bros!”
“Morning guys!”
They all turned to welcome the latecomers with some “heys” and “mornin’s”, quickly noticing that there were three pairs of shoes walking up to them. Bakugo was just a couple steps behind the other two, hands in his pockets and gaze wandering as Hanta’s had done a minute before.
“Well well, lookie here…” A grin grew on Kaminari’s face as he closed in to land a hand on Kirishima’s shoulder. “You’re late, but you came with a surprise.”
“Is that supposed to be me, Sparky?” Bakugo noted, meeting Kaminari’s entertained smile.
“Who else? It’s such a gift to have you finally join a class event!”
“Fuck off, Sparky,” Bakugo replied, evading the other blond’s attempt at getting him like he had with Kaibara.
In good spirits, probably for the great deed accomplished, Kirishima chuckled. “You’ve gotta admit we don’t see you downstairs all that much.”
“Or at all,” Awase cut in.
Hanta hummed in slight disagreement. “Aside from mealtime. Which, fair, I too love not starving to death.”
“Yeah yeah, get your laughs out.” Bakugo let out something between a sarcastic laugh and a grunt.
“So, how’d you get him to come?” Kaminari asked Kirishima, who accepted the other’s perched arm with no problem.
“It wasn’t that hard. I just asked!”
As if Kirishima had just proclaimed the sky was red, the teens’ eyes turned to Bakugo for proof. The guy just shrugged.
“Seemed like a good enough reason to come out, so I did. I’ve got shit to buy too.”
“Wait, you’re actually joining us?” Kaibara asked, still a bit uncertain.
Tetsutetsu nodded vigorously. “Yeah! I couldn’t believe it either!”
“God, you sound like my father,” Bakugo huffed, making a few of them snort and the unintended joke. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Grumpy’s joining us!” Kaminari rejoiced, making another unsuccessful attempt at the other’s shoulder.
Since they all independently decided that they couldn’t miss that unique chance to joke around with the forever absentee, the back and forth continued for a while. It was easy to see that the three for Class B were a little less inclined to “make space” for Bakugo, given the fact that they had not shared a crucial and almost lethal event with him. But, with some time and some help smoothing things over, things could be called friendly by the time the teachers came to round them up.
Fortyone students stood in two long, hardly neat rows before the bus’s entrances, ready to board under Aizawa’s and Vlad King’s watchful eyes. Their third chaperone, Ectoplasm, was in the driver’s seat, and their fourth, Midnight, was waiting by the first seat together with Eri. It was too precious how the little girl tried to remember everyone’s names as they went by — if someone told him that he’d be fine, even happy, being called “Zero”, he would’ve called them a liar.
Hanta relaxed on the cushiony, blue high-back seat, lamenting only the small leg room. Even with the soon-to-be chaos brought forth by their voices, he would still enjoy the short trip.
The day was off to a good start.
Shota’s nose itched as it picked up the lingering scents of a more than generous amount of solvents and cleaners, just enough to make it hard to smell exhaust fumes, oil, and hot asphalt. The parking lot of the mall was only half-full, and the school’s bus had found a spot in its dedicated area without a second’s wait. The celerity and ease would have offered comfort to some people’s nerves, but Shota was not one of those people. Eraser Head, even less so. He could only take a mental note of the approximate number of presences given the vehicles parked, and how that number would only increase as the day progressed, making it all the harder to keep track of the students and ensure everything went smoothly.
Said fortyish students being extremely giddy and electrified at the prospect of being left off the leash didn’t help reassure him. Even the tranquil, self-assured presence of a particular green-haired mess of a teenager didn’t work — in fact, it had almost the opposite effect.
Wishing to pinch the bridge of his nose and return to a time where his life wasn’t as complicated, he checked the time.
“It is now nine fifty-eight,” he addressed the large, thrilled group. “We’ll be meeting here again precisely eight hours and thirty-two minutes from now. You already know how we feel about tardiness, but to refresh your memory understand that any latecomer can expect not to join their classmates on your next outings, summer camp included.”
The excitement was only somewhat quelled by the threat. Nods and hums of acknowledgment rose without delay, the kids’ expressions showing that they knew the tune and had adapted to its recurring themes. He hoped that they would put that much effort into remembering not to fuck up when it counted; when it came to detentions and other punishments, he was a teacher of his word.
“Good. You’re dismissed.”
He watched as the classes began to trickle in the direction of the entrances, already splitting off left and right. His colleagues only needed a few glances to coordinate; Vlad King and Midnight took the two larger clusters, Ectoplasm covered more territory, being ready for further divisions, and he was left with the most important charges, two kids that made time reversion into the biggest headaches.
One didn’t even need to set foot inside the mall to start taking in the crisp atmosphere, the yummy smell of food stands, the constant noise of bubbling chatter and the hundreds of shiny new goods on display. The vast array of choices available around them was a known strong point for shopping centers such as Wookiees. The stores really had anything one could hope to find, even covering rare cases and special Quirk-related needs. Of course, that meant that the clerk’s readiness to attract customers, no matter the demographic, would know no bounds.
“Got six arms? We’ve got you covered! And you, with the giant calves! We have unique apparel just for you!”
“Need some shampoo for those thorns? Or for your fur? We’ve got stuff for all types!”
“Horn polish! Take care of those beautiful horns and make them shine like never before!”
Toru chuckled as Mina and Pony turned at the last offer. “Well, now I know how to get your attention in a pinch.”
“Or what to get you for your birthday.” Setsuna added with a smirk of her own before nodding towards the rest of their interested classmates. “Or them.”
She snorted at the contrast between Ida’s admiring hum, Shoji’s nonplussed gaze, Ibara’s judging but contemplating frown, and Shishida’s momentarily worried and not so subtle sniff of his arm.
Mina shrugged off the joke. “Meh, I’ve already tried that brand. We can find better stuff,” she said to her fellow horned girl, who replied with a resolute nod.
“Place’s enough big for it!”
“Of course, of course.” Setsuna nodded exaggeratedly for effect. “We’ll see to find something that suits your tastes, princesses,” she ended with a wink.
Toru chuckled at the pouting duo before getting distracted by the sudden half-turn made by Sero, Kaminari and Mineta. She followed their gazes to a group of people that wasn’t even bothering to whisper as they looked at them with curiosity. The amazement on their faces and their yells of “Look! It’s the kids from U.A.! From the Sports Festival!” made it quite easy to see how they recognized them.
“Wow, there are people who remember us…” Ochako gave them a half-smile and a small wave of her hand, causing an even more explosive reaction of joy.
“They sure do, ribbit.” Tsuyu agreed from her side. “But I hope we won’t have people follow us everywhere.”
“I don’t think it’ll be a problem,” Itsuka pointed out, noticing an Ectoplasm clone approaching their new fans to quell their ardor or simply take their place. She hoped that they wouldn’t be too disappointed.
Izuku hummed in agreement, unbothered by the scene. “It’s still too early for us to be giving out autographs.”
“Says Stain’s unofficial captor,” she huffed, poking his arms and making him chuckle.
“A question of priorities then,” he replied, winking at her before smiling at the little girl holding his hand.
Eri’s eyes were moving left and right with what she could only say was the perfect expression of childlike wonder. It was like she had never seen anything of the sort before… Which, considering how little they knew of the orphan’s past, could very well be true.
Toru realized then and there that it was also the kid’s first time away from school grounds since her arrival. All the more reason not to waste a second.
“A good priority,” she whispered to his ear. “Maybe we could spoil her a bit.”
He didn’t reply, but his smile told her everything she needed to know.
“Soo, what should we do first?” Mina asked the group, seeing as everyone was huddling around the mall’s map or looking up info on their phones.
“I need a big carrying bag.” Kyoka mimicked the thing’s size with her hands.
“I think I’ll take a lot of bug repellent.” Kinoko mumbled to Reiko. “For me and my shrooms.”
Tetsutetsu raised his hand with a jump. “Raincoat for me! Can’t get rusty in the rain!”
Tsuburaba scratched his head. “I’m all out of good socks…”
“I don’t have any outdoor shoes, so I wanna buy some.” Kaminari said, flicking a switch in her head.
“Oh! Me too, me too!” Toru said, raising her fluffy wristband to be counted.
The real answer to Mina’s question came from Kirishima. “Since we’ve all got different ideas, why don’t we split up for now?”
Nobody found a reason to disagree, and off she went to try out comfy sneakers.
Since his eyesight left nothing to be desired, Shoto had never visited an optometrist, and of course he’d also never set foot in an eyewear store either. He thought he might have to eventually, given his sister’s need for glasses, but it was still far from a certainty, as he had never seen his father wear a pair. Thus, he did not expect that his first visit to that kind of business would take place so early into his teenage years. The universe had other plans.
He had already procured everything he’d need come August, leaving him with nothing else to do besides spend some time walking around the mall. Meeting Monoma and Tsunotori Pony was mere chance, as was their spotting of another duo, Ida and Shishida. The two were on a personal errand, and the blondes decided to tag along. Shoto had little idea as to what to do himself, but he already fraternized with Ida and felt up to the challenge of “having fun” and working on some freshly minted friendships.
The shop was clean and tidy, its wooden and glass counters catching his eye for their remarkable distance from the Japanese style he was so used to. The clerk welcomed them warmly, but didn’t exert pressure on them once Monoma spoke a couple words to express their interest. The neat rows of tidy, colorful glasses on display for curious onlookers and potential buyers were at their disposal for… whatever they were there to do, apparently.
“Say,” Monoma started, raising the first pair before his eyes, “what’d you think of those?”
Shoto stared at them for a second, not seeing a hidden meaning in the question. “... I think they’re glasses with a metallic frame.”
“... And?”
“... And the lenses are rectangular.”
Pony was unable to contain a cheerful snort. “Todoroki! He is asking for your opinion,” she said between giggles.
“Oh,” he blinked. “In that case, I think they resemble the ones Ida wears every day. If finding an item similar to those was the goal, then they’re perfect.”
“They would be.” Monoma agreed with a nod. “But regrettably we’re looking for something new to change things up and see how they look with something new.”
“For Ida or for Shishida?”
Monoma smirked. “Both. Double the fun.”
Ida cleared his throat from the other side of a display table. “Please, there’s no need for you to spend time looking for our sake. We only have so much time today.”
Shishida nodded. “I agree, we’re just looking for a spare pair-”
His words cut off abruptly as he found a finger right in his face. Pony was raising her arm as high as she could, and she looked very resolute in her mission.
“New color! Cool glasses! Change looks!” Pony chanted, almost as if reciting a commercial.
Shishida blinked, and so did Ida.
“Just think of it as an experiment to widen your horizons,” Monoma offered with an easy smile. “If worse comes to worse, we’ll just go back to the usual stuff. What’s the harm?”
They took a moment more to come up with an answer, one they might not have spoken just a couple of minutes before.
“... Alright?”
“Yes!” Pony rejoiced, fists shooting up. “Let’s roll!”
Shoto hummed in acknowledgment, filling the silence left by the speechless bespectacled teens. “Then I guess we’d better start picking something else.”
“Yeah!” She pointed at a bright, flame-like pair. “What about those?”
“... No. The color doesn’t suit Ida’s scheme,” he said reflexively. Maybe having to look at his father’s outfits for years and dress just as appropriately would help him some. “Maybe… No, this brown metal is too close to your fur.”
“His is more of a gingerbread brown,” Monoma noted, looking pensive as he glanced between his classmate and the pairs on display. “Something sky blue or dark blue might work better.”
“And what about Ida’s blue?” he asked, since the blonde was apparently even more knowledgeable than he was
“It’s closer to navy, so go with coral, cardinal red, charcoal grey, medium brown, pastel yellow, light blue, fuchsia… The choice’s pretty vast.”
“I see…”
He looked back and forth between the glasses and the two as they started putting on the first few pairs Pony gave them. There had to be two good pairs out there, and he would find them. Maybe they’d even be close to Ida’s hair and Shishida’s fur, but each given to the other guy. That would be fun, wouldn’t it?
Despite their initial reticence, Ida and Shishida agreeably put them on and judged each other in front of the mirrors. They were very polite when judging the other, so, of the three, Pony was the harshest critic, taking away all pairs she deemed unsuited. Monoma joined with some more varied, if particular, pairs. The copycat seemed to like to play with contrast, which meant some very bright hues and sometimes weirdly satisfying combinations — though personally he was glad that Ida had discarded the canary yellow. On his part, Shoto chose to keep some more metallic and rectangular frames, trying to give them some easier option that would feel slightly closer to their starting point; even with a good push from a friendly face, long journeys began with little steps.
Ida and Shishida must have put on tens of pairs in their exploration and allowed the other two to take at least as many photos. None seemed to be the perfect fit, but that did little to stop them.
All in all, it did seem like they were having a lot of fun.
It was strange how, even in this novel situation, he felt at ease. He didn’t pay it too much mind, only kept going with a silent smile.
Following the advice of a guide she had found that morning, Momo led a small group to the door of a boutique tucked in a corner of the top floor. There was just a single window to show two classily-decorated mannequins and give a peek of the cozy inside. Tangerine and rosé walls made it quite soft on the eye, and the delightful aroma rising from an incense burner — sweet, rich, and floral; jasmine — made for a delightful addition.
The senior couple who owned the place, wearing quite the garish couple of matching outfits, was very welcoming to the young girls. The woman offered to help them sort through the offer and, when they politely declined, she didn’t look particularly heartbroken at the idea of remaining behind the counter to chat with her husband, who only added that they would be ready if they needed anything.
So, Momo felt quite at ease walking between the clothes rails, fingers slipping over the soft fabrics of summer dresses. The only detail that made the experience that much less enjoyable was Kyoka’s absence… But this was no music shop, and there was no reason for Kyoka to bore herself to death.
- Although, - she paused mid-thought, looking closely at a wine-colored, sleeveless dress that would leave most of her back open, - if the size’s right, this would look amazing on her… -
“Dark purple, eh? Not bad, not bad.”
She turned to see Mina, eyeing the dress in her hands and nodding approvingly, before hearing some hangers being moved to make space on the other side – Toru was there too.
“Oh, hi. Did you already finish your game of bowling?” She would have to try someday.
The girl groaned. “We never went. The boys changed plans on the way and I wasn’t really interested in the arcade.”
“Me neither, and I don’t think bowling is as fun without a big party.” Toru added, sounding slightly less distraught.
“And I was so ready to show off my throws too…” Mina sighed. “Kiri’s gonna owe me a game for this.”
“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, this is cute~” the invisible girl chirped, brushing closer to Momo’s hand. “Oh, soft too! Nice!”
“Sure is…” Mina squatted to lift the lower hem and hummed pensively. “Maybe a bit too short for you though?”
She blinked, then shook her head with a smile.
“It is, but I wasn’t thinking of taking it for myself anyway.”
Mina’s mouth opened to let out a long “ooh” and, judging by the sound, Toru’s movements matched. Momo felt giddy as the thought of a gift furthered, only for her to notice how the pinkette’s surprise had turned into a conspiring grin.
“Say, Yaomomo…” Mina started, wrapping her arm around Momo’s waist as she returned to her full height. “How was your little randesvous?”
She raised an eyebrow. “You mean ‘rendez-vous’?”
“That’s the one.”
Smiling came easy at the memory. “It went splendidly. I truly want to thank you and Izuku both — I don’t know what I would’ve done without your help.”
“Aww, I’m sure you would’ve found a way or two… But anytime, girl.” The pinkette chuckled as she waved away her gratitude.
Toru, hand on her hips, hummed to get their attention. “Mina, stay on track.”
“Oh. Right…” She stopped for a moment, almost contemplating, before returning to her chuckles. She had the biggest grin. “Eheh, sorry, can’t help it. I’m two for two baby~”
The invisible girl sighed lightly, then got herself against her side, mirroring Mina’s position. Momo was now veritably squeezed between the two and the dress, but the feeling of being watched told her that Toru was looking her straight in the eyes.
“So, Yaomomo, you say that it went well… but how well? ‘Cause we both remember your first attempt and I hope the ending wasn’t as…”
A kiss interrupted, a door opened, a friend crying.
She blushed at the reminder, hardly containing a snort. - Yeah, different degrees of success… -
“As dramatic?”
“Mm, I was gonna say ‘messy’, but that works.” The striped shirt moved in a quick shrug.
She gave a short giggle. “Then I can assure you that it wasn’t remotely as problematic.”
After a moment, seemingly understanding that she wouldn’t continue, Toru spoke. “And? How did it go? You can’t just leave it at that!”
Oh, they were asking for gossip straight from the source. Momo didn’t know if she should’ve been surprised, but she did feel like she should’ve expected it. And now she also had a new hunch as to why Kyoka had opted to follow the unsuspecting boys rather than these curious girlfriends…
“Yeah, how was it?” Mina repeated, finally back on the query. “Wasn’t it super romantic? Was it sweet? Was there kissing? I’m sure there was-”
“Mina.” She whispered, a finger over her friend’s mouth as she checked around to be sure nobody was listening. “Remember how we’re supposed to keep it quiet?”
The pinkette’s eyes widened as the proverbial lightbulb went off, getting her to match her lower, much more sensible volume.
“Sorry Yaomomo… I was just a bit excited.”
“I could tell,” she replied, shaking her head while offering a smile. “Curiosity’s fine, but let’s be careful about it.”
Mina rolled her eyes, but her “Yeah…” was genuine enough.
“Sure, we can all keep it down,” Toru interjected in a murmur that anyone but Kyoka would’ve had trouble picking up. “Sooo?”
“So…” Momo replied, smiling sweetly as she took her time with a pregnant pause. “...a lady does not kiss and tell.”
After a moment of pause, the pinkette snorted. “I call bullshit.”
“Yeah, we kinda already have before?” the other added.
“That’s… true, but those were different circumstances.” She sighed. “Be that as it may, you’re going to have to wait for the details until we have permission from all parties involved.”
“Like Kyoka’s gonna be easy to convince,” Mina pouted.
“Who knows,” she winked, “she might surprise you.”
Momo took advantage of the brief pause of befuddlement that caught the two to stand on her tiptoes and, after a quick look, raised her arm to call over the rest of their group.
“Tsu, Ochako, would you come over please? I’ve got a couple clothes I need your help with.”
As the two moved over, delaying the prior conversation, Momo decided that she would thank them, if not vocally, at least materially. Also, both were close in height to Kyoka, and she already had Toru for her similar frame, so maybe she did have a way to get that gift after all.
This “trip” thing was really amazing. The mall was so full of colors and lights and nice smells and good food, it was hard to take it all in. And the place was so big and there were so many people! She would’ve gotten lost for sure if she hadn’t held hands with Izuku and Toru and Itsuka and Ochako and Shoji and Yui and Koda and Ibara and Izuku again.
Going around the shops was weird but fun. Even if a few things like waiting behind other people in a queue were boring, there was a lot of stuff she could try and do everywhere. She didn’t know how long they’d spent trying out all those silly hats before getting just a couple, but it sure felt like a lot of time, and that was just the second thing they’d done! They also had lunch together with the others; everyone gave her a bite of their own food for her to try, and she felt pretty full from eating both those and her own — which still tasted the best because it was made by Mr. Lunch Rush.
The only problem with walking around a lot to see everything was that she had never walked so much before.
“Hey Eri, are you tired? How about we take a break?”
She looked up to Izuku to see him pointing at another of those little spaces with tables and chairs behind some potted plants. There was a large glass door of a light blue shop, and she took a moment to spell the sign above, “Sweet and Soft”. Then the glass door opened — she had been so surprised when she saw it for the first time that morning, and though now it wasn’t as magical it was still pretty nice — and a person came out, carrying something in her hand that she had just seen pictures of: an ice cream.
Her answer could only be an enthusiastic hum and a nod.
Stepping inside, they were greeted by a nice lady with a funny light blue hat, a matching apron and a really big smile.
“Look,” said Izuku, pointing at a long window right before the lady, “here’s all the different flavors they have. Why don’t you look and see if there’s a couple you’d like to try?”
- Two flavors! -
She nodded and stepped on her tiptoes to see better, grabbing on the front to keep her balance. There were a lot of tall mountains of icecream, all in different colors, some with little bits of something else sprinkled over them, others with the bits mixed in, and a few with cookies on top! They were all so interesting… She couldn’t read all of the text though, there were letters she’d never seen before.
“Mm… I don’t know…”
Izuku chuckled. “How about something you know, like apples, and something you might like, like red beans? We can always get something else next time.”
Her eyes widened at the prospect of getting both at once. It was like getting both apple pie and dorayaki at once!
She nodded twice “Y-Yes. I’d like that, please.”
The nice lady let out a short “aww” sound. “She’s so well-behaved. So, a cone with apples and red beans?”
“Ye-” Izuku’s reply got cut off by a peppy voice.
“Make it three balls. She’s gotta try some green tea too.”
Eri gasped and turned. “Set!” she blurted out, quickly closing the distance between them.
“Hey there, Little Green~” the girl welcomed her between her arms before raising her up as she giggled.
She then saw another known face just behind them, giving her an easy smile.
“Kyoka!”
“Hi, Eri.” The shorter girl raised her hand, and after a moment Eri’s own gave her a “high five” — did it only count as high because she was now at their head’s level?
Nodding proudly at her move, Kyoka moved her gaze on the boy. “I see Green’s not done spoiling you yet.”
“It’s just a little ice cream,” he shrugged.
“Not so little now,” Setsuna chuckled, turning to the waiting lady. “Like I said, make it three. Oh, and one with green tea and triple chocolate for me.”
Eri watched in awe as the sweet was scooped up and carefully pressed into shape, decorated with a little yellow flower on top, then offered to her with a smile. She almost couldn’t hold it in her hands! And it was so beautiful!
Setsuna grinned at seeing her so entranced. “You better start eating, or it’ll melt. Oh, and the flower’s sugar too.”
She stared for a moment more before nodding and following the girl’s advice, sticking her tongue out like Mina did every so often. It… It was…
“It’s good!” she exclaimed, making the other three laugh.
Once they all got their own and paid, they made their way to the tables outside. She skipped her way to the closest one and got on a chair, mindful not to risk her dessert’s safety by mistake. She had just gotten to trying the second flavor when Kyoka spoke to her.
“So, did you have fun today?”
“Mm!” she replied with a big smile, starting to list her day’s many stops.
Setsuna whistled, impressed. “Sounds like you enjoyed, Little Green. What did you like most until now?”
She thought about it for a moment, unsure. “The one with all the clothes was really nice. We got to try stuff on and it all looked pretty… The pet store was a lot of fun, the hamsters were smaller than Yuwai-chan and there were fishes in so many colors… Oh, but the place with all the shoes was good too. Mina and Toru helped me pick.”
“Oh?”
Eri straightened her legs to let them admire her new treasures. She liked her new shoes a lot, a pair of “sneaky-ers”. They were a lot smaller than the fluffy boots she wore a lot, only covering her foot, which made them less comfortable but also less warm, which was the best since it was very hot outside. But the best thing was how they were a really bright red, so shiny they could’ve called them “shiny-ers” instead. She checked under the table once more, confirming that it was just like the color of Izuku’s shoes. She couldn’t stop from rocking her feet back and forth under the seat!
“Yeah, got it, those do look good on you,” Setsuna confirmed, looking between her and Izuku before giving her a wink. “Red’s even better on you, kiddo.”
She giggled as Izuku nodded along. “Agreed, I admit defeat.”
Feeling that something cold reached her fingers, she returned her focus to the treat in her hands, only to find it on its way to falling apart.
“Careful there.” Kyoka’s jacks moved to grab a tissue and move it under her cone, catching a reddish drop from falling on her skirt, then another to clean her hand.
“T-Thank you.”
All that talking had distracted her from her ice cream. Maybe listening would be better for a bit. She hurried to lick off the lower, softer bits before addressing her own question. “Um, what did you two do?”
“A few things. After lunch we checked out a music store,” Setsuna answered, a finger pointing to an upper floor.
Izuku hummed. “Sound Bites, right? Found anything interesting?”
“A couple records I’ve been looking for,” Kyoka nodded, “and some spare plectrums. Someone’s already ‘lost’ three since we started playing together.”
“I can imagine,” Izuku replied with a quiet laugh.
“I just got some wireless headphones,” Setsuna said, taking a small box from her pocket.
Kyoka raised an eyebrow, showing a smile a bit different from usual. “Can’t handle cables?” she asked, her jacks moving slightly.
Setsuna snorted. “They just can’t keep up with me when I’m apart, girl.” She was smiling back in the same way… Eri wondered what that meant. It must have been fun since Izuku was chuckling again.
“Was there anyone else with you?” she asked, still curious. “The other girls didn’t want to come to the pet store after lunch, so we went with Bondo, Koda, and Ibara. Were they with you?”
“Uuh, Kinoko and Reiko?” Setsuna thought aloud before shrugging. “We were just with some of the jam gang and anyone else who was interested.”
“I think she meant Momo and the others,” Kyoka clarified as she raised her phone and scooted closer. “We weren’t with them, but we know they’re shopping.”
As the screen was turned to face her, Eri saw a photo of Tsu and Ochako wearing some a long purple dress and a cool black jacket, which didn’t really feel like something they usually wore, but still looked nice; Mina’s face was in the photo too, sticking her tongue out and making a sign with her fingers in the corner. Kyoka moved her thumb to show her the next image, this time capturing Mina and Toru, back to back, wearing sunglasses and two fluffy coats that looked really warm, with a sighing Ochako to the side. The third one just had Momo handing a shirt to Toru, who already had her arms full of more shirts, dresses, jackets, hats, and other stuff she couldn’t quite recognize.
She giggled, glad to see that they had found something good like her shoes.
“Seems they’re having fun.” To her left, Izuku shook his head fondly. “Oh, if you want to go join them, feel free.”
“We’re fine here, Green.”
“Yeah. Just means we get to spend some time with you, Parsley.”
The fourth photo was fun too, since Ochako and Tsu were putting two hats on Mina’s horns, making her pout- Was something moving under the table?
Kyoka snorted, her voice turning to a whisper. “You two remember that we’ve got to keep things under the rug or what?”
The weird detail brought Eri out of her exploration of the musician’s phone’s gallery, making her look up in confusion. “What’s under the rag?”
“Rug-” The shorter girl started replying before stopping herself and simply smiling at her and ruffling her hair a bit. “Don’t worry, Eri. It’s nothing.”
She hummed and went back to the photos and her ice cream. Maybe she’d ask somebody else later.
Hearing the chair beside hers move, she looked to see Izuku get up as he cleaned his hands with a napkin.
“I’ve gotta make a quick stop in the bathroom, do you mind keeping her company for a bit?”
“You say that like we’re not here for her,” Kyoka said, giving her a quick wink.
“We’ll hold the fort,” Setsuna added with a smirk. “Maybe get another ice cream in the meantime.”
That made Eri look up once again. No way she would accept a “it’s nothing” this time.
“One’s enough,” Kyoka stated firmly. “Don’t make me be the responsible one.”
“Come on, wouldn’t you have gotten two if you could’ve the first time?”
“I mean, yeah, but that’s no reason to do it now.”
“It’s the best reason to do it now.”
As the two went back and forth, Izuku chuckled and ruffled her hair. “I’ll come back soon.”
She nodded, following him for a moment as he disappeared into the crowd. Then, she turned to Set and Kyoka, raising her hand and waiting for a second of pause to interject.
“Um, maybe I could get just one flavor this time?”
- One minute left. -
Izuku stood in the middle of the hustle and bustle livening up the entrance of the mall. He watched as familiar, yet unnamed faces moved past him, getting just a moment’s look into these strangers’ lives.
A group of friends laughing at a joke made at the expense of a member who wasn’t taking it so harshly. A family of three, the parents holding both hands of the child and letting him “fly” whenever he jumped. Some well-dressed men, probably colleagues, discussing work even on a weekend. A lonely girl doing some window watching, engrossed with the music coming from the headphones that made her hoodie appear that much larger.
So many people he’d never truly know, lives he might never cross again if not for his unshakable gift.
He’d still give his life to save any of theirs.
- Fortyfive seconds. -
The palm leaves outside swayed slowly, foretelling a whiff that flowed through his hair. It felt more refreshing than the store’s air conditioning, if only because any gust of air reminded him of flying. Taking a break inside a cloud wouldn’t have been too bad then and there, if only as a distraction.
Not that he could afford to get distracted now.
- Thirty seconds. -
He was calm. Not his first rodeo, and all that. While it had taken him a long while to keep his nerves in check in this particular situation so close to a near-death experience, he had too many real ones to have his nerves fail him now.
It was only a conversation, nothing more, nothing less. A few words to make sure that everything stayed on track, all in the span of a bathroom break. Then he’d go back to Eri, Kyoka, and Setsuna. He smiled at the thought, though with a hint of bitterness. Spreading the word and causing panic wouldn’t do anyone any good, but it still didn’t feel right… Maybe he’d tell them all what happened after dinner.
- Ten secon- -
“Deku.”
Izuku stood still as his stomach lurched and his mind filled with questions.
The word was unique. The voice was unmistakable — he had heard it more than most others. Only the tone was unusual; it was firm, it held something hard, but it wasn’t livid, it remained composed while spelling something that shouldn’t be said.
He shouldn’t be behind him. He shouldn’t, not now, not here.
This wasn’t how things went.
Then how, why, was he here now?
There was no answer to be found in waiting.
Izuku turned, raising his chin just enough to meet red eyes between ashen blonde hair. Neither of their neutral expressions faltered, but Katsuki’s skeptical gaze was boring a hole into him.
“We need to talk.”