The joint training program was a success, that much I can agree on. So much so that it was repeated again a few times after that. Even if certain personalities didn't quite get along together or were problematic in this or that area, we all still manage to do what we all came there for.
And I suppose that I did find some semblance of enjoyment in seeing my friends improve.
Helping pony learn how to fly better was a nice experience. I have to ask Yanagi sometime if she'd want me to tutor her in the art of flying too, I wouldn't mind in giving them advice about aerial warfare either.
Although, Tokage and Kendo seemed to have an eye out for me, with occasionally pulling me aside and asking if I was doing alright or getting on my defense if there was a misunderstanding and the like. A quick cursory inspection with expanded senses told me that they were feeling something along the lines of protectiveness and that they might have been holding back on saying something else entirely.
My relationship with Monoma has at least gotten back to neutral, as opposed to the terrible impression I had of him in the beginning. It really hasn't progressed much from there as he's still keen on antagonizing our sister class for the smallest of things but I would give him the benefit of the doubt before any other harsh opinion forms.
The exception of course, is when --not if, I know he wouldn't be able to hold himself-- he targets Kuroko. When that happens, I would have to pull him aside for a 'quick talk' about his personal issues. Maybe even recommend him to school therapy.
Hound Dog is good at his job, truth be told. Despite his rugged appearance conveying otherwise, the man isn't all gruff and claws and grizzly paws. His voice has this sauve ruffian quality to it that actually contributes to putting his patients at ease.
Our first session wasn't anything too impactful from an outsider's perspective, with me mostly talking about irrelevant topics. It took a little while before I was ready enough share anything else of substance but I appreciate that Hound Dog was patient enough to take things slowly. He was even kind enough to prepare tea and Japanese sweets for the session, something that was probably advised to him by Kuroko.
'Yeah... Just like back then. She comforted me with that didn't she?' I allowed a smile to form as I remember the memory.
Opening up about my issues and problem was a lot easier with the taste of red bean paste and the like. It brought me back to a much simpler time. One when I was carefree and unbridled. Now? Now there are responsibilities and duties for me to shoulder, and oftentimes they can get too heavy for me to bear.
The expectations placed upon my person both by others and myself, the conflicting views about which life is more important than the other that I couldn't share, my hopes about certain matters... I couldn't share all of them with Hound Dog, even if he is my designated therapist.
I just couldn't. He isn't part of the supernatural.
But Kuroko is.
Anything I couldn't say to the rugged man, I can seek her counsel instead.
Even if there are times I felt guilty for dragging and exposing her to the other side of our world, I still felt relieved that I have someone willing to stay by my side.
A soft giggle left me that didn't go unnoticed by the tawny head of hair, undone from their usual style, resting on my lap. "Hm? What's so funny?" Her similarly colored eyes look up to me from her phone.
"Nothing. Just reminiscing." I ran a hand through her hair.
"About what?"
"Just... Stuff, I suppose."
"I see. And this 'stuff' wouldn't happen to be anything self-depreciating would it?" The genuine concern in her gaze is gonna make me melt in sweetness.
"No, no. It's the opposite, promise." I placated her. "I was just grateful, is all. Really, thank you for staying with me all this time."
"Well, that certainly came out of nowhere." A smile blossomed on her face as she reached out a hand to caress my cheek. I didn't flinch, there's no reason to, she isn't anyone else. Instead, I leaned onto her touch. "You're welcome. And thank you for staying by my side as well."
"I know that I don't say this often, but I want you to know that I really mean it." I reach out to her hand and directed it from my cheek to my lips, giving it a soft kiss. "I love you."
"I love you too."
~~~~~
"BOOST!"
"Do you really have to scream that out loud every time you use your quirk?" Asked an annoyed muscular teen with big lips, Satou.
"BOOST! No, but the third event of the sports festival is a tournament, right?" The tall blonde, Kenta, grinned.
"Yeah?..."
"Picture the looks of suprise- BOOST! -on everyone's face when I just get stronger without a word." He lashed out a strike towards a punching bag. A loud snap was head on the gym room they were using and heads turned their way to see the sand exploding from it's vessel and making a mess.
"Oops?..." Kenta powered down as his expression shifted to a sheepish smile. "My bad."
A distinct popping sound was heard as Kenta and Satou both turned to the source, to find Bakugou grinding his teeth while stomping closer to them.
Just as the tall blonde was about to open his mouth, Bakugou grabbed the front of Kenta's shirt and pulled him closer. "Stop. Showing. Off."
"What are you talking about?" Kenta kept the sheepish expression on his face but his lips twitch ever so slightly upwards, something the explosive teen noticed at close proximity.
"Do I look like I was born yesterday?! Even a fricking idiot can understand with how many fricking sandbags you've ruined!"
"Again, I don't know what you're talking about, man. I was just training as usual!"
Still holding to Kenta's shirt, Bakugou harshly shoved him to the wall and spoke to him between gritted teeth. "Bulls***! You didn't need that many boosts to hit the bag, you just wanted to show off! The same thing with the battle trials when you destroyed an entire da** floor! Even back during the entrance exams, you and twintails upstaged my rank, the two of you are looking down on me, huh?!" By now, plenty of people are paying attention to the scene as Bakugou's voice raised higher with each sentence. And yet Kenta still had the same expression plastered on his face.
"I dunno man, sounds like a skill issue to me." He said aloud before going for a whisper so that only Bakugou could hear his next word. "So who's the extra now?"
The explosive teen's eyes widened before he screamed in rage. He managed to deck Kenta once before he was pulled back by a red-haired teen. "Bakubro, no!"
Unfortunately for Kirishima, his efforts to defuse the situation was proven futile as when he held up Bakugou's arms, Kenta took the opportunity to strike a free hit in his solar plexus. The explosive teen's coughed and wheezed before snarling in anger as he set off his quirk. This managed to free him from Kirishima's hold and threw himself at Kenta where the two promptly began beating each other under the gases of students in the gym.
Some panicked, some tried to separate the two, others called for a teacher. Meanwhile, the others members of 1-A who were at the same gym sighed in resignation, knowing that this wasn't the first and neither was it the last.
~~~~~
"Let me guess. We're also going to add 'Introduce Me To Your Mom' to the 'After The Sports Festival' list?" Izuku gave a nervous, pleading smile. "You're lucky I like you so much."
"That, I am."
"Well, let's not waste any time then. Might as well get ready for this thing. To the beach we go."
A Few Hours Later, the sun was barely peeking over the horizon, purple skies hovering over sparkling, orange-lit water blessed the Earth.
Along with a green-haired teenager being tackled into the sand.
"Ow…" Izuku wheezed out.
Kyouka sat up on Izuku's stomach, her face drenched with sweat. "You've gotta fight back, dude. I think I'm ready."
Nodding, Izuku pulled the pillow out of his shirt. "Yeah, I-I can tell. The pillow has stopped working."
"My jacks are getting stronger. I almost threw you over my shoulder with them."
"Y-Yeah, but can you not try and throw me by the neck?"
"Only if you promise to fight back next time."
"Yes, ma'am."
Kyouka chuckled as she fell down next to Izuku , laying down on her back like him. "We've seriously gotta get towels to lay down on or something."
"Or maybe we should stop lying down in sand?"
Kyouka moved her head to Izuku's shoulder, "Too comfortable."
Izuku buried his nose in Kyouka's hair, "I won't argue that." The couple sat in silence for a while longer, the sun fully vanishing from sight.
"Hey, I've been thinking."
"Yeah?"
"I think you've had enough emotionally draining days. And a lot of them are times when things just start pouring out of you. I know you said you want to wait until after the Festival to talk more about your past stuff, but...how about a weekly thing instead?"
Izuku propped himself up on his elbow, "What do you mean?"
"You said you didn't want our relationship to have any secrecy. But, I know you don't like having sensitive stuff forced out of you or being put in situations where it's almost like you have no choice but to share. I understand that, trust me. But, you and I can just have designated times for you to get all the lingering things from your past off your chest."
"So...therapy?"
"Hey, I'm no therapist. I'm just me, an ear ready to listen. And think of it less like weekly therapy, more telling like an episodic tale of Izuku Midoriya."
Izuku smirked, "Are you trying to turn my life into an anime?"
"No. Maybe. A little bit. 'Sides, I got the idea from Shirai." They laughed, both of them not letting any tension enter the atmosphere. "In all seriousness, I know holding stuff in hurts. It's something we just have to let out at one point or another. I want you to do it as comfortably as possible. I figured, since you said I'm the only one you feel like you can talk to about it, I'm your best option. And instead of forcing it all out of you in one sitting, you and I can just be like this." Kyouka motioned to the quiet beach, their bodies pressed against one another. "Just you and I, alone. Learning more and more about each other as time passes. And, in the end, helping you feel better about it all."
"Y-You...You really think that'd work?"
Kyouka shrugged, "I don't know. I...I just wanna help you. I can always see that look on your face when your past gets brought up. And, as your girlfriend, it's my job to make you feel better."
"You already do, everyday."
"And you do the same for me, but we both know this is different." Izuku nodded in agreement, thinking over what Kyouka offered.
"...Okay. I-I guess we can. Every week I'll try to talk about something from back then."
"Try?"
"Y-You know I'm not the best at this."
Kyouka chuckled, "Fair enough. C'mon, let's go home." Pulling themselves to their feet, the duo left the beach, both satisfied with the progress made.
~~~~~Omake~~~~~
[Group Chat created: Hero Training 1A and 1B ]
[Default names have automatically been loaded]
DinoGirl(Admin): i knw mst of us dont knw each other that well but feel free to chnge nicknames!
RightAround: So this is what you guys need our contacts for?
RightAround: Also...
[RightAround set Yosetsu Awase's nickname to Binder]
[RightAround set Tsuburaba Kosei's nickname to AsthmaAttack]
RightAround: Much better
Binder: Brub
Binder:*bruh
AsthmaAttack: First message and you already flopped lmao
AlienQueen: lmao
Incognito:lmao
Binder: shut up
Sparky: is that a fight?
RedDragon: if it is my money is on AA
RedDragon: binder sounds dumb
Binder: hey!
Masquerade: Typical 1A behaviour.
Masquerade: Ganging up on one person?
Masquerade: Despicable.
Tenya Ilda: Cease this at once! We must all act in a manner befitting as students of this institution!
Masquerade: And now you act all high and mighty?
Masquerade: I'm not surprised with such behaviour coming from 1A.
AlienQueen: dude not cool
EarphoneJack: yeah
EarphoneJack: not everyone is as stiff as him
RedDragon: dude chill
RedDragon: complex much?
Yaomomo(Mod): Please do not fight or we will be forced to hand out punishments.
Masquerade: And now I'm the one at fault? Your class clearly started it!
BigSis(Mod): Monoma don't make us look bad.
BlacknWhite: How about we all calm down for a bit and be civil?
Masquerade:[Message deleted]
Masquerade:[Message deleted]
Masquerade:[This user has been given an infraction]
Masquerade:[This user has been muted for 10 minutes]
Shuzenji Kizuki(Mod): You know what you said. Take a break.
[Blacknwhite set Shuzenji Kizuki's nickname to NurseFetish]
Manga: (゜o゜;)
Ghosty: ...
DarkestBlack: ...
AppleJack: wut
BigSis(Mod): ...
DinoGirl(Admin): Ayo?
AlienQueen: NO WAY!
Incognito: SQEEEE
RightAround: ...
Binder: ...
AsthmaAttack: aight no way
RedDragon: aswfkwhaijsk
Sparky: CALLED IT!
EarphoneJack: ...
Tenya Ilda(Mod): Calling someone you don't know insinuating names is not proper behaviour! I am disappointed. I expected more from you, Shirai-san!
Blacknwhite: What? It's true.
Blacknwhite: [A snapshot of Kizuki in a half-done nurse outfit. He is seen with holding his signature ribbon with his mouth as his hands are preoccupied with fixing his hair.]
Blacknwhite: See?
Yaomomo(Mod): oh my
DinoGirl(Admin): AYO???
AlienQueen: NO WAYYYY
Incognito: WHAAAAAA
BlacknWhite:[This user has been given an infraction]
Tenya Ilda: It is also improper to post incriminating pictures of other people!
[NurseFetish(Mod) removed BlacknWhite's infraction]
[NurseFetish(Mod) changed BlacknWhite's nickname to MisakaStan]
NurseFetish(Mod): [A GIF of Kuroko tackle-hugging Misaka and getting electrified.]
NurseFetish(Mod): Heh
NurseFetish(Mod): Also @Tenya Ilda, me and Kuroko aren't strangers, we're dating.
NurseFetish(Mod): And besides, I don't really mind posing for anything she wants me to wear. Dressing up is fun.
~~~
Watching the chat group explode into text, I calmly turned my phone off and set it face down on the table. Swiveling my head to look at a giggling Kuroko seated next to me on our date, I was holding back laughter of my own.
"Well, at least the reveal wasn't an accident this time."
Kuroko just laughed harder at the memory.