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concussed-to-pieces · 2 years

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Verbena: Vibrant Once More!

Fandom: Boku No Hero Academia/My Hero Academia

Pairing: College!Mirio/AFAB Reader

Rating: Holy shit M.

A/N: Written for @hijackser's Hanakotoba (Flower Language) collaboration event! This is a College AU and contains spoilers for most of season four, so read at your own risk! The flower I picked was Verbena, which represents safety, healing, creativity, and joy. While the flower is not explicitly mentioned, these themes will run through the entirety of this story. Enjoy!

Tag List: @hijackser, @nonstop-haikyuu, @zombiexbody, @buttons-beads-lace, @honey-shippies

[!TRIGGER WARNING!: This installment contains emotional distress, mentions of past abuse and past character death. Stay safe!]

"More flowers for you, Mister Mirio!" You chirped as you lugged yet another overstuffed vase of blooms and greenery into the room. Honestly, this was the third one today! You were starting to realize, much to your chagrin, that the no-doubt valedictorian posted up in the hospital bed in front of you was very, very popular.

The aforementioned Mirio laughed sheepishly, trying to clear space on the already-crowded windowsill for the latest arrival. "Guess this encourages me to get better even quicker, right? If I don't, soon this whole room will look like a jungle."

"You take all the time you need," was your firm reply as you shimmied the vase in between its fellows. You turned to leave but a hand lightly grazed your own, and when you glanced back Mirio was looking at you oddly. "What?" You asked, a little perplexed.

"Thanks for that." His voice was quieter, very unlike the happy-go-lucky mood he usually affected. "It's…it's been hard, you know? Losing Sir," and my Quirk, you could almost hear in his brief pause, "...it's just been difficult to smile. Not hopeless or anything, but…tough." As if to contrast, he offered you a weak grin. "Still gonna', though. Promise!"

You gingerly patted his hand. "Even if you can't for a little while, that's okay. People are so eager to give heroes burdens to bear, but I promise you won't always have to shoulder it alone." You had seen far too many chewed-up collegiates from the local campus come through the triage area for you to truly believe your own words, but Mirio was clearly searching for some reassurance. "Let the normies hang onto their problems for a few days. Take your time to recuperate."

"I-" Mirio hesitated, his fingers worrying at the worn edge of the thin hospital blanket. "Thanks. Again, I mean."

A soft chime from your work phone alerted you to the fact that someone was at the reception area and you quickly rushed to check them in, waving goodbye to Mirio as you departed.

Unbeknownst to you, the young man stared at the door for a long time after you had left.

…

While a medical professional in your own right, you had accepted an entry level position at the prestigious UA campus' medical center instead of heading directly to the grind of regular medicine. Entry level though it was, it offered you invaluable insight into the current generation of heroes being forged, and you felt more sympathetic towards the young men and women you would see a little too regularly. Panic attacks and academic burnout were incredibly common. There were also fights that occurred between members, dormitory living difficult for some of the students to adjust to.

Though there were no real fraternities or sororities to speak of, the student body was still not a unified group. Rather, it had splintered into bands of different classes and Quirks, the tight cliques ever-evolving as the semester progressed.

One such group had come to the center early one morning during your first few weeks of work. It consisted of three twenty-somethings; a blue-haired young woman, a dark-haired young man and their towering blond compatriot. The taller of the two men seemed to be gently manhandling the other while the woman spoke to him, but they all quickly fell silent when you approached the counter to check them in.

"Tamaki hasn't slept well for a while." The blond man announced, writing as much down on the intake sheet. You thought you vaguely heard a noise of protest from the shorter, dark-haired man, but he was making a valiant effort to stare a hole in the floor. The blond carried on, "I think it's because living in the dorms is still kinda' new and it can be pretty unsettling. Especially if you start thinking late at night about why we're all in the dorms and stuff."

Like magic, you watched the shorter man's shoulders relax back down into a slouch. The blue-haired woman bumped her forehead into his, as if to offer silent comfort.

The taller man eventually handed the filled sheet back and looked at you expectantly. "I just need to scan your school IDs so I can get your friend seen. And I need the name of the professor that cleared you guys to accompany him." You informed him gently.

"Oh sorry! I'm Mirio Togata. That's Nejire Hado, and our friend is Tamaki Amajiki." The blond rushed to say, collecting his companions' IDs and slapping his own on top of the pile. "We were cleared by Professor Aizawa."

"Alright, have a seat and someone will be with you shortly. Would you prefer to meet with the campus psychiatrist? I can check to see whether she's available." As you carried on speaking you could see Tamaki stiffen back up, though he did nod in reply to your question and mumbled something that sounded affirmative.

His large friend clapped a hand on his shoulder, seeming to half-buckle him underneath the weight. "Don't worry Tamaki, Nejire and I are gonna' stay put! Heck, we can even come in with you if you-"

"That…shouldn't, uh, be necessary." Tamaki hastily cut Mirio off, his voice stronger now. "It's…it's like I told you guys. I'm just tired."

…

"Another care package for you, Eri!" You announced, knocking on the doorframe. From what little information you had been privy to, you knew that the child had experienced a fair amount of trauma at the hands of adults, so you did your best to not sneak up on her when you stopped by. "You have so many friends already!"

The pale girl looked up at you from her spot on the floor, a few interlocking plastic blocks falling still in her hands as her expression shifted to one of cautious curiosity. "Is it from Midoriya?"

"Yeah, how did you guess?" You were thrilled when the child bounced to her feet, one little hand wrapped around the IV pole to wheel it along with her. While she had yet to smile, she was showing more interest and enthusiasm every day. Not to mention her body was on the mend, as it was becoming harder and harder to get her to rest.

You knew you weren't the only one excited with her progress. Midoriya and Mirio were in her room nearly every day, checking up on her. Ever since Eri had vocalized her desire to see the two, she had been allowed supervised visits with them.

It was difficult at first; she had been healing and was easily exhausted so it was all she could do just to keep her eyes open. But Mirio and Midoriya were nothing if not patient, occasionally stopping by to just sit quietly while she slept.

"We're heroes, and she's a person in trouble," was Midoriya's reasoning for his visits. You had never quizzed Mirio, just assuming that he felt the same about the young girl.

The way he looked at her sometimes was enough to break your heart though, all professionalism aside.

You knew that Eri had something to do with why Mirio no longer had his Quirk, but you were uncertain as to the details and the last thing you wanted was to broach such a delicate and upsetting subject with either of them. Better to wait and see. Your curiosity didn't entirely rule you, after all!

"A new coloring book!" Eri's soft exclamation at her present from Midoriya made you smile, the child rapidly leafing through the pages emblazoned with pictures of All Might. "All Might is Deku's favorite." She informed you seriously, little fingers tapping on one such image.

"Oh?" You thought back to the backpack Midoriya sported, covered with pins and patches of All Might. "I hadn't noticed."

…

"Eri should be able to experience the campus festival!"

Mirio felt like he and Midoriya had made a great case, truth be told. If the public at large wasn't allowed to go to the festival, and the security was already ramped up to an insane level…

Aizawa sighed, rubbing his temples. "That's risky, Mirio. We don't know if she's okay to engage with the gen pop yet."

"Aw c'mon teach!" The tall man wheedled, jamming his hands into his varsity jacket. "She's been doing really well!"

"Please sir, at least speak to the dean about it!" Izuku begged earnestly.

"I fail to see why I should whack that particular hornet's nest," was Professor Aizawa's dry retort. "Besides, we would need someone from the medical facility to assist in case of an emergency. All the pros will be otherwise engaged, you both know that."

Midoriya frowned, clearly thinking hard. Mirio however, smiled even wider. "Don't worry, Professor. I know just the person for the job!"

…

"Togata has recommended you as Eri's medical chaperone." Professor Aizawa's infamous stare had you all but pinned to your seat. Even though you understood he was just kind of like that, it was difficult to maintain your composure.

The news that Mirio had thrown your proverbial hat into the ring was a bit of a surprise as well. You weren't sure whether to be grateful or start panicking. Nonetheless, you kept your expression neutral and folded your hands in your lap. "If that's what you all think is best," was your calm reply.

Aizawa nodded, startling you. "We do, actually. The dean decided that we should have a pro manning the triage area, at least for the day of the festival. That way if there's an MCI, we'll have someone familiarized with our procedures." His expression softened to something that vaguely resembled apologetic. "You weren't supposed to need to know this stuff, so don't take it personal. It's above and beyond the surge planning you're familiar with. We're working on a new program for the center. Pamphlets and slides, that sort of thing, to bring people up to speed, but we haven't gotten the chance to implement it."

"Everything seems to be moving so fast." You remarked, glad when the pro hero nodded in agreement. At least you weren't alone in that sentiment!

"You have a rapport with Eri; she clearly trusts you. According to your resumé, you've kept up with your con-ed." The professor leaned back in his seat, looking more worn than you expected. "The question is whether you'd be okay with being in the thick of the action, should something go wrong." His already-flinty gaze hardened even further. "Mirio will be with her as well. While his Quirk is, in theory, temporarily inactive, he is still a capable hero in training. The choice is yours."

Temporarily? You wondered what that could mean. To be fair, you had heard about Quirks being briefly rendered useless, usually with experimental street drugs. But those cases had been something measured in minutes and hours, not days and weeks! "Again, if you think it's best, I won't object." You then dared to venture, "I'm glad that the college decided to clear her for this, in spite of the risk. She's a sweet little girl and I just…I feel like she's seen too much."

Aizawa cleared his throat after a moment, straightening some papers on his desk. "In order to avoid additional stress, we're letting Eri explore the campus before the festival. Dean Nezu wants you there with her during both outings, to ensure that she feels comfortable and safe." He leveled you with that fierce look, making you cringe in your chair. "If anything goes wrong, anything, you and Mirio are to return immediately with Eri. Do I make myself clear?"

…

"Good morning!" Mirio's smile never wavered even while his brain was catching up with how casually you were dressed. He had never seen you out of your uniform before, but looking at your outfit now made him wish he had. He could hardly take his eyes off of you!

You looked…comfortable. Prepared for the day, although you were currently rummaging in your bag to make sure you had the fob to your room. The staff housing was situated diagonally across campus from the student and faculty dorms, so Mirio had taken a few roundabout paths to reach your residence.

Eri had clung to his hand the whole time, wide eyes taking in her surroundings. She hadn't asked many questions, which was odd for her, but Mirio chalked it up to nerves. This was a lot to handle, after all!

"Does she have any sunscreen on? We're going to be out on the grounds for the most part, I think."

Mirio was jerked out of his reverie by your question, shaking his head with a self-conscious chuckle. "Nope! Uh, sorry about that."

"It's okay! I have some in my bag. Eri, can I put some sunscreen on your face? We'll be outside for a while." You waited for her nod to go ahead with the application. Mirio had noticed that you were always sure to ask permission from the child before you did anything. He figured you were doing your part to try and give her some level of control back.

Eri patiently put up with your ministrations and Mirio found himself allowing you to talk him into coating his face and neck with sunblock as well. It was only after he was halfway done that he realized it was a glittery children's brand of sunscreen, and he was now covered in sparkles.

"Finally! Something that matches my personality!" He joked, warmth spreading across his face when you grinned at him. "Alright Eri, let's show you around! You're gonna' love it here, everyone is super nice!"

Eri, while still holding his hand, shyly slid her free hand into your own. You looked startled at first but quickly covered it up with another smile, swinging her arm gently as the three of you walked towards the main building.

Maybe I should have asked Nejire and Tamaki to come along, Mirio thought, shoving his other hand into his pocket to keep from fidgeting. They're a lot better at this kind of stuff. I don't even know what to say! I'm so distracted–

"Mirio? Did you hear Eri?" You asked, sounding a little confused.

Mirio stifled a frantic yelp, quickly jerking his head down to where Eri was gazing up at him. "Sorry, I was thinking hard! Can you repeat what you said?"

"Candy apple." Eri's eyes were wide. "You said there would be candy apples."

"Oh yeah! That will be on the day of the actual festival though. Today's just the warm-up period," Mirio explained. "Everyone is still working hard to get things set up so that it looks nice for you. After all, you're a very important guest!"

"Are you sure?" Her fingers squeezed his hand in what he had come to recognize as an anxious tic. Anxiety already?! I must not be doing a good enough job at explaining things, maybe this was a–

"Of course!" You replied brightly. "Aren't you excited? I know I can't wait!" Eri nodded, apparently satisfied as she turned her gaze back to the hive of activity the three of you were approaching.

"Thanks for the save." Mirio whispered to you out of the side of his mouth.

"No worries. It's what heroes do, right?" You answered softly, winking at him.

The hallways were already festooned with pennants and banners, uniformed students roaming around carrying tape or even more construction paper. A few students stopped to chat, his peers expressing their happiness at seeing him up and about after his 'break'.

"Hey, it's Togata!" The faces were familiar, but Mirio couldn't put a name to the two young men who called out to him. They were from the business major if he had to guess, though that was mainly due to the colorful lecture flyer that one of them was pressing into his hand.

The other, a brown-haired young man with a large horn on his forehead, gawked at Eri, who gripped Mirio's school blazer and half-hid behind his arm. "Whoa, who's that? Don't tell me your temporary leave from school is because you have a kid now!" He exclaimed, seeming bewildered.

Mirio's mind went entirely blank at those words, leaving him standing there with a frozen smile on his face. A kid? Like, one of my own? Huh. I guess it might look that way. And with the added entourage…

His brain caught up just then, slamming the brakes on that particular train of thought and leaving Mirio scrambling to come up with a response.

"Dude you gotta' say something, now I feel like it's for real!" The student protested.

You somehow managed to straighten out the situation while Mirio was still trying to recover from the mental whiplash, explaining that the upperclassman was your chaperone for the day. You quickly steered the conversation off of Eri and onto the topic of the flyers the two young men had handed you. Apparently the business majors were having a lecture (complete with PowerPoint presentations!) to show the fiscal impacts that the college had to deal with due to the dormitory construction and housing changes.

"Sure, Quirks can be helpful, but no labor is free these days!" The brown-haired young man reasoned, continuing, "with a lot of heroes unionizing, we have to make sure that dues are paid and, more importantly, that the hero agencies are offering proper benefits. Like all-inclusive dental, or something customizable in the event of a hero having specific requirements to function at full strength."

Proper benefits. Dental. Customization options. Mirio grimaced without meaning to, realizing that he was vastly in over his head.

You, on the other hand, seemed entirely at ease, expositing about the insurance options that you had seen in your day to day work. Co-pays were apparently on the rise, nearly in sync with the recent increase of villain encounters. There was a clear connection between the two, and you were willing to allege that private companies no doubt had a hand in the current state of the world.

You were obviously passionate about what you did, Togata had to give you that much. Even if he was a little ignorant on the subject matter!

…

Problem implied that this was a thing that needed to be fixed, and Mirio wasn't sure if that was the case just yet. He might need a different word. Panic-inducing was two words, but that seemed closer to the truth. Baffling, maybe? Confusing. Dangerously close to something, and he hadn't figured out whether that something was good or bad.

You had been great with Eri, so at least he could rest easy knowing he had made the right choice when he suggested you as her medical chaperone. If Mirio was being honest with himself, you had been great in general. You were just as familiar with the campus as he was, and you effortlessly answered a multitude of Eri's questions regarding the preparations in full swing.

Heck, you had even brought sunscreen! Mirio felt a little foolish over his lack of preparation. He had kind of just…expected things to work out.

At least the three of you had been able to stop by the beauty pageant area so Eri could see the academy's most vaunted ladies getting their steps in. Plus, both Nejire and Tamaki had been there! It felt like a weight off Mirio's shoulders when you laughed along with Nejire, and the fact that you were able to discreetly enquire after Tamaki's wellbeing…

You were a member of the staff. That didn't technically complicate things even if he did come to terms with the fact that he might be crushing on you; you weren't a professor. I'm in my final semester though! Mirio reasoned later that evening. Augh, why is this such an issue for me? It's not off-limits! I haven't done anything wrong, darn it all.

"You are about a Lemillion miles away, Mirio!"

The young man jerked upright as Nejire's spoon retreated from where she had rapped it smartly against his forearm. "Ah! Sorry Nejire." He chuckled, rubbing the area she had smacked. "Was lost in thought, I guess."

"Oo, do tell!" The young woman exclaimed, bouncing in her seat. "What's up, Mirio? What's got those gears turning? Is it that little cutie from the med center? Y'know, the one you got to walk around with like, alllll day?" She grinned at him and Mirio wished his Quirk would return so he could just…sink into the ground and vanish. Probably forever.

Granted, Lunch Rush was deserted at this hour; most of the other students had filtered back to their dorms. Aside from the Big Three, there were only a few stragglers. But still!

Cutie. Was that it? Did he think you were…cute? He did, the young man admitted to himself, oh God he did. You were so cute. Everything about you was just…

Oh no.

Panic officially set in. Mirio could feel his palms beginning to sweat and Nejire was just looking at him expectantly between bites of her dinner, what the heck was he supposed to say-

"Yeah, Eri seemed super happy when you brought her by," Tamaki added hesitantly. "I know she doesn't smile, so it was more…w-well, her eyes looked happy."

Oh. Oh.

Nejire had been talking about Eri.

Well now he felt stupid and sweaty.

…

You dug the broom into the corner, frowning in concentration. After a long day of checking IDs, setting up temporary pro hero accounts on the medical center's computers and dropping off delivered goods to various rooms, it felt good to perform a portion of your normal evening routine.

Sweeping the foyer, while not required of you, helped your brain settle down from your workday. You were deep into contemplation about heading off campus to get some laundry detergent (as you were nearly out of it), when a large hand waved in front of your eyes.

"Hey there! Just leaving for the night, wanted to make sure you checked me out so you don't get in trouble." Mirio smiled, looking a little embarrassed. "I uh, I called your name a few times, but I guess you were pretty into what you were doing."

"Oh, Mirio! Sorry, I was thinking about the errands I have to run." You apologized, leaving the broom propped up against the wall and going to scan his ID.

"Gosh, you too huh? Adulting is tough stuff." Mirio commiserated, leaning on the counter. "I have to go pick up some laundry soap. Drew the short straw amongst the Big Three, you know how it is." He continued with a shrug. "Might grab a snack or something while I'm there, but that depends on whether I'm hungry once I make it down. Tamaki wants some of those…fancy bead things too, the smelly ones. I can't remember whether he wanted the purple or the orange, though. He said something about a light fragrance? He's really sensitive to smells."

"Oh, you're getting detergent too? I know I could use the campus courier service," you then lowered your voice conspiratorially, "but I feel bad about making those guys lug my heavy junk so late in their day. Definitely not when I can use the exercise, and it's a nice night out too."

"Would you--er, would you want to come with me? It's probably not safe for either of us to leave campus alone anymore." Mirio rubbed the back of his neck after putting his ID away. "I know that makes it sound kinda' grim, and I don't wanna' buy into the whole paranoia…"

"No, I get it. You're probably right. Besides, better safe than sorry!" You agreed rapidly, a shiver going down your spine as your mind supplied you with a myriad of unwanted newsreel images. "Can you wait half an hour so I can finish closing up shop and change out of my uniform?"

"Oh absolutely! Take all the time you need. The place I usually go to is open until midnight."

…

He wasn't entirely sure what he had been thinking. He had just been on his way out! He was going to go buy some soap! But now, the two of you were leaving campus.

Together.

Mirio nervously glanced at you, but you didn't seem to be suffering from the same internal conflict that he was. On the contrary, you seemed more relaxed than usual. Did that mean you were comfortable with him, or that you didn't care if other people made assumptions? Because of course there would be assumptions, word spread like wildfire on campus.

Mirio found himself envious of your ability to ignore the chatter of the student body. Maybe it was because your job required some certain level of impartiality? What he would give for an ounce of your peace of mind!

The sun hadn't fully set yet, golden light still grazing the tops of the taller trees. You tipped your head back, inhaling deeply. "Ah, what a beautiful day it's been!"

"It really was." Mirio agreed, "Nejire wanted all of us to head down for a walk, but she's been super busy practicing for that pageant. I told her to take the day off instead. It's her last year to compete, so I get her dedication."

"Oh, is she graduating soon?" You asked curiously.

"Yeah! We all have our provisionals, so for her it's as easy as passing her finals. She's going to have her associate in electrical engineering, but I'm pretty sure she's still planning on working towards her bachelor and master after that." Mirio could feel himself rambling; it was sort of like watching a train wreck in slow motion. "Tamaki and I are in different programs. I'm trying to get my bachelor in mass casualty incident management via the specialized fire science elective, but after what happened, I'm on a bit of a hiatus. Tamaki is almost done with his associate in bioscience, and he's also debating on continuing to the culinary arts program. He hasn't decided yet."

Your smile was genuine and Mirio breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't seem to have annoyed you. "That's great! I'm glad you guys all have a plan going forward. Times are so weird lately. It's good to have a little stability, right?"

Stability.

Stability had been the furthest thing from Mirio's mind since he had lost his Quirk and Sir Nighteye had passed away. It had been days of him just barely clinging to some shell of normalcy, trying to keep his spirits up after the somber affair of the funeral. He only vaguely recalled being next to the grave site with Kaoruko, Juzo and Midoriya once everyone else had paid their respects, wearing the one ill-fitting suit coat that he owned. The shoulders had pinched the entire time but it had hardly registered; a fleeting inconvenience.

Nejire had returned after giving him the time to say his final goodbyes, the young woman gently steering him back to their dorm where everyone had gathered in the central hall. There amongst his friends and peers, Mirio had done his best to smile. But he was emotionally exhausted, physically still in recovery, and he soon found himself hauled away and tucked into his bed by Tamaki.

"Stop pretending that you're fine," Tamaki had muttered, not unkindly, before shutting the door.

At least he hadn't called it lying.

"Stability is really important." Mirio murmured to you, hoping you didn't notice that his mind had been elsewhere. After what had happened, he found himself spacing out more and more. There were so many things he had to worry about now! Whether he could still pass his practicals without his Quirk, keeping his grades up so that he could compensate for his now-lackluster fieldwork…the academic hiatus was appreciated, of course, but he didn't know how long he could expect that charity to last before the dean reevaluated his usefulness.

You abruptly changed topics to the support majors exhibition and the young man found himself talking, actually talking, not just making polite conversation at the check-in counter. He could talk to people, of course he could talk to people. What kind of hero would he be if he couldn't handle public relations, after all? But this felt different. It was more natural, organic. Like how he felt talking to Eri or Midoriya, that newer sort of friendship. Were the two of you friends? Was it too soon to be friends?

The rustling in the trees alongside the road snapped Mirio's attention upwards and he inwardly berated himself for letting his guard down. He was relieved when, instead of some skulking villain, he made out the bulky form of Hound Dog. Professor Ryo was a youth counselor and despite being…rough around the edges, he made excellent progress with certain students.

The large teacher emerged from the brush, shaking himself off and nodding in their direction before trotting across the road and back into the woods.

"For being so big, he sure can be quiet." You commented after a few moments. "He's been following us since we left the gates."

Mirio turned his head so rapidly he was sure he had pulled something. "H-He has?" He managed to ask, his voice pitching funnily.

You nodded, like it was to be expected. "Of course. You didn't notice? He's quiet, not silent."

Well, now Mirio felt dumb all over again.

…

"Detergent, deterrrrrrgent," you mumbled to yourself, ticking back and forth between two large containers. On the one hand, the pods were lighter. But on the other hand, they were expensive, especially compared to the powdered options. The powder came in a cardboard box, which was easy to break down, but you could also rinse the liquid's plastic bottle and put it out with the recycling–

"Hey, can I ask for a favor?" Mirio's voice interrupted your mental quandary and you turned, finding him next to you with three different containers of scent booster beads. "Gimme' a hand. Which one of these smells the least offensive to you? I think they changed the colors since the last time Tamaki got them, because the purple ones don't smell like I remember."

You screwed up your face and obliged. Two of the scents made you grimace but the last one seemed light enough to suffice, and Mirio thanked you for your assistance. "Alright, now you help me out. Trying to pick between heavier but cheap, or lighter but pricey?" You posed the question, waving a hand back and forth between the boxes, bottles and tubs.

"Pick heavy! I'll carry it for you, so don't worry about the weight!" Mirio reasoned, his easy smile making an appearance midway through his sentence. "After all, you loaned me your nose. It's the least I could do for your heroic service!"

You laughed, waving him off as you slid the box of detergent beneath your arm. "I'll be fine! That's what the backpack is for. This isn't my first trip down the mountain, y'know."

"Oh sure! I uh, I wasn't trying to imply anything."

"No worries. I appreciate the offer! Any other night I'd probably accept, but I've been dying to get some exercise and this is just what I need."

…

"Heard you went on a late night walk with someone."

Accusatory wasn't exactly the right word but Mirio still froze up on reflex, nearly dropping his controller.

Tamaki exhaled through his nose and Mirio caught him sneaking a glance, the dark-haired young man eventually pausing their game to look at him head-on. "You know I don't care." Tamaki finally continued awkwardly, "b-but Hado--er, Nejire, she thinks we talk about…that kind of stuff, and she uh, she wanted me to ask…"

As Amajiki hemmed and hawed, Mirio watched the tips of his ears go a neon shade of red. Finally he decided to have pity on the other man, grinning and explaining, "Tamaki, I went with them when I had to get those things you put in with your laundry. Everyone says it's a bad idea to roam off-campus alone after everything that's happened, right?"

"Still!" Tamaki erupted, cringing a little at his own volume. "I…you should be more careful. Take Nejire or I with you next time, we can at least keep you s–" He paused, shooting Mirio a nervous look. "Uh, n-never mind."

We can at least keep you safe.

Mirio heard his friend's hesitant declaration loud and clear. It was true, he had no Quirk. Neither did you, for that matter! Maybe it had been reckless to go without someone else. Had Tamaki and Nejire been worried about him? "I'm sorry." Mirio apologized sincerely, pressing his hands together in contrition. "I didn't think about it. I'm still not used to needing to be so careful, I guess!"

Tamaki squinted, cautiously asking, "you…you aren't mad? I'm sorry, I-I shouldn't have said it like that." A rare half-smile teased at his mouth. "You're really strong, even without your Quirk. But…yeah, Nejire and I were pretty worried when you didn't come back from visiting Eri." He admitted quietly.

"How about I make sure to keep the group chat updated if I head off-campus? Will that be a little less stressful for you guys?" Mirio threw his friend a wink. "As for the walk, you can either tell Nejire what I told you, or you can make up something!"

Tamaki then sputtered and stammered, dismissing the notion with a scandalized expression as Mirio laughed.

…

Tensions were growing as the festival approached. It felt like everywhere you went, there was a blanket of steady pressure. Both the students and the professors seemed hellbent on making sure everything went as smoothly as it could, which led to fatigue, shortened tempers and disagreements.

You had your hands full trying to make sure the triage consoles wouldn't immediately turn themselves inside out once the pro heroes logged in on the day of the festival. Everything else at the college was state of the art except for the CBMS, which seemed to be a relic of a previous establishment. Multiple days during the week before the festival you ended up staying late. At least I'm getting paid overtime, you thought ruefully on Friday afternoon, wiping down the counter and then leaning on it with a tired sigh. A little extra tomorrow too, for my 'supervisory' shift.

You chewed your lower lip, thinking about what might transpire at the festival. You were absolutely nervous, of course! But you knew you had to stay calm. If Eri picked up on your unease, it might ruin her whole day. That was the last thing you wanted, so you would have to do your best.

Really put on a…Plus-Ultra game face.

You snorted, shaking your head at yourself.

…

"Aw, visiting hours are over already?" Midoriya complained when the tones chimed overhead, the usual recorded message playing after a moment. Eri nodded, not even looking up from her coloring page on the table.

Mirio rumpled the other man's hair. "Cheer up! We'll get to spend the whole day together tomorrow, right?"

"Well yeah, I suppose. At least you guys will. I'll need to stick by the group for the tune ups and stuff." Suddenly Midoriya jerked upright, looking perturbed. "Oh no! The rope!" He exclaimed, looking at his watch and then groaning unhappily. "Ugh, the hardware store is closed by now. That means I'll need to go in the morning instead." Izuku gave Eri an apologetic smile. "I guess I won't be able to walk you to the festival with Mirio and your other friend. I'm sorry."

"I'll still get to see you, right?" Eri asked, "you'll still do your dance?"

"Of course!"

The little girl gave him a nod, her expression almost laughably serious. "Okay."

"We'll have to find you a candy apple too! That's half the fun of a festival," Midoriya continued excitedly, "all the cool things to eat!"

"You ready for our big date tomorrow?" Mirio asked Eri as he tugged on his jacket.

She replied with a slow shake of her head, her brow furrowed. "What's a date?" She finally queried.

"Oh! A date is when you go to hang out with people you like!" Eri still didn't appear to understand and Mirio wracked his brain for an example she would be familiar with. "Like what you and I did the other day with our friend from the front desk, right? We got to walk around and see a bunch of things, have some snacks, enjoy each other's company…that's a date!"

"Oh." Eri looked a bit confused. "Okay. Date. Date tomorrow."

"Yup!"

Mirio could feel Midoriya staring at him as they walked down the hall, but he figured he would just wait until the younger man posed his question. When Midoriya next spoke, however, it was a statement. "She still hasn't smiled."

"Nope." Mirio agreed softly. "I'm hoping for tomorrow."

"Yeah?" Midoriya cocked his head. "Why?"

"I don't really know." Mirio admitted. "Call it a gut feeling maybe?"

"I guess."

Izuku still looked a bit dejected as the two of them emerged into the foyer so Mirio nudged his shoulder, giving him a thumbs up. "It'll be fine! Everyone's been working hard. Now go back to your dorm and get some rest, underclassman." He ordered with a grin. "You've got a busy day ahead of you!"

Midoriya returned his smile after a moment, nodding. "Yeah, you're right. Hey, thanks for…" he paused, seeming to be searching for his words. "Well, uh, just for helping, I guess. You did so much during the fight, a-and you've been helping with Eri, too. I wish there was something I could do for you."

We can at least keep you safe.

"You've already done a lot for me!" Mirio protested, "you and everyone else, you keep people like Eri and I safe. That's a really important job, and it's one that I can't really do at the moment, y'know? So I should be thanking you!"

He had learned early on that Izuku was a bit of an easy crier, so Mirio was prepared for the way the younger man welled up momentarily. "We'll…we'll keep doing our best then." Midoriya managed to say, clearly trying to rein himself in. "Oh! My ID, sorry, I need to-" he floundered at the counter, searching his pockets wildly until he found his student card.

You took his card while waving off his apologies, scanning him out and handing the card back with a kind smile. "Be careful walking to your dorm tonight. The maintainers were out earlier so the sprinkler schedule may be off by a few hours again." You warned the younger man right before he bolted for the door.

Togata tilted his head, just barely catching the sound of an indignant squawk outside. You snorted, then composed yourself and took his ID. "So what time am I picking you up tomorrow?" Mirio queried, leaning on the counter. "Uh, you and Eri, I mean!" He rushed to amend, mentally kicking himself.

"Well that's…I mean, I figure probably by ten-thirty?" You suggested, seemingly having forgotten that you were supposed to be scanning him out for the evening. Not that Mirio particularly cared! It was just odd. "Are we bringing food, or…?"

"I got some juice packs in town the other day! Went with Nejire. Figured we'll find plenty to snack on during the festival."

You nodded, appearing satisfied by his logic. Then, you clearly realized that you were still holding his ID. "Oh! Let me get you out of here." You exclaimed, nearly knocking over the counter-mounted scanner in your haste.

Mirio quickly put a hand on top of the device to steady it but you had been about to do the same, which caused your hand to land on top of his for a moment. You glanced up at him and Mirio found himself staring at you, uncertain of what exactly was going on but not necessarily opposed to it. "Everything okay?" He asked finally.

Like you had just awoken from a trance, you blinked. "Okay? Oh yeah, everything is definitely fine." You insisted, nodding rapidly and then dropping his ID twice before you managed to give it back to him. "Sorry, I'm…it's been a long week. I guess I'm a little jumpy!" You excused yourself with an awkward laugh.

"Everything will be fine tomorrow!" Mirio assured you. "There will be pros patrolling the grounds and a whole bunch of precautions have been taken. You've got nothing to worry about."

"Ah, yes. It was definitely that that was making me nervous." You said slowly, seeming to pick your words with great care.

Mirio felt as though he might have missed something, but he wasn't entirely certain. So he simply gave you a thumbs up as he headed out through the sliding doors. He paused once outside the med center, inhaling deeply and then going stiff when he heard a low hiss next to him.

Mirio abruptly found himself getting drenched by a sprinkler. On reflex he attempted to use Permeation, before remembering with a bit of a gut-wrenching jolt that he no longer had his Quirk. All he could do instead was wipe his face and chuckle ruefully as he stepped out of range of the first sprinkler.

Directly into the range of the second one.

…

"Today's the day." You hummed for the hundredth time, digging into your tiny closet once more. "Today's the dayyyyy."

You had been trying to put together an outfit for nearly half an hour now. It had never been this difficult before! Why were you so nervous?

You blew out a breath, a bit exasperated, and finally just picked something at random. Pairing the outfit with some comfortable shoes, you gave yourself a once-over in the mirror and smiled at your reflection encouragingly. "It'll be totally fine. There's pro heroes everywhere today. Everything is going to be just fine." You told yourself aloud, checking the time. "It will all be fine."

Everything will be okay.

With every step you took, the words repeated in your head. Down the ramp to the staff foyer, outside to the small courtyard, across the campus to the medical center. One foot in front of the other, pro heroes stationed both subtly and not-so-subtly, students and staff hustling to get the last few things done.

Everything will be okay.

The sidewalks were still a little damp from the sprinklers, small puddles shimmering at the edges of the grass. You recalled Midoriya and Mirio getting caught by the sprinklers the evening before and a smile crept across your face. You had to fight back your laughter, only just managing to keep it under control.

Eri was waiting in the foyer with a nurse, the little girl already dressed and bouncing in place. "She's had her breakfast this morning," The nurse informed you dryly, "under extreme duress, of course. She wanted to save room for all the food she was promised at the event."

"Candy apple!" Eri proclaimed, grabbing hold of your hand.

"Let's put on your sunscreen while we wait for Mirio, okay?" You suggested, crouching. "I'm a few minutes early anyhow, so we have the time."

"I wanna' do it!" Eri held out her hands, her expression one of intense concentration.

"Okay, but I'll get the tips of your ears for you." You bargained, letting her squeeze a liberal amount of sparkly sunblock into her palm before you took it back. The poor child was still so pale from her previous confinement, you knew it wouldn't take much sunlight for her to burn. "Remember to keep your eyes closed, that stuff stings if it gets in your eyes!"

"Well well, looks like I got here just in time!" said a voice from behind you. It was Mirio, the blond waiting to swing Eri up into his arms until she nodded. "Wanna' put some of that on me, Eri?"

The little girl began sliding her hands over Mirio's cheeks, leaving a white snail-trail of sunscreen in her wake. You smiled, stretching over Mirio's arm to get Eri's ears while she was preoccupied. "Don't forget his nose and forehead!" You teased, laughing when Eri dipped her head solemnly and dragged two fingers across Mirio's once-pristine forehead. She even managed to get some of the sunblock in the young man's hairline, but Mirio just grinned and worked it into his gelled strands.

"There." Eri announced, finally seeming satisfied with her work. "Now we'll be safe."

…

Mirio tried to ignore his heart thundering in his chest when you rested on his arm to apply sunscreen to Eri's ears. Your face was right next to his, your eyes crinkling at the edges when you laughed and–

And then you pulled back and whatever it was was gone as quickly as it had arrived. The young man felt crushed suddenly, like something important had just passed him by. But there was no time to ruminate on that particular issue, as Eri was clamoring to get moving. So with a few sticky patches on his face and glitter stuck in his hair, Mirio took the little girl's hand and led the way.

Eri squeezed his hand tight, sandwiching herself beside his leg. "Don't be scared! I'm right here with you." The blond man assured her, smiling. She nodded with a determined frown, her free hand seizing yours as if to anchor herself.

The campus was ablaze with color and activity. Mirio wound his way in between the throngs of attendees, his large frame easily clearing a path for Eri while you brought up the rear. He knew he had to be mindful of safety but he also wanted to make sure that Eri got to see whatever she wanted to see, so he did his best to be alert for any tugs on his hand.

"Ah!" Eri exclaimed, halting abruptly. Mirio swung her up into his arms to avoid causing a pause in the flow of people, accidentally pulling you in with the little girl.

"What's up, Eri?" Mirio queried, doing his level best to play down the knowledge that your body was pressed to his side. Eri mumbled something he couldn't quite hear, pointing towards a brightly-colored food cart. "Wanna' stop for a snack?" The blond man guessed. She nodded vigorously. "Alright! Remember that we need to be careful in this crowd, so don't stop so quickly next time, okay?"

"Even if we walk past what you want to see, we can always double back!" You chimed in, checking your watch. "We can only make this one stop before the show, but after the show we can go wherever you'd like."

"Promise?" Eri asked you, the fragile hope in her voice threatening to break Mirio's heart.

"I promise," was your sincere response. "Now, let's get you your snack!"

…

Eri munched on a small twist of cinnamon pastry, her eyes roving over the crowd in front of her. You could barely see the stage from your spot next to Mirio, but you waved off his offer of lifting you as well with a laugh. Instead you kept a hand on his elbow, doing your best to maintain your position in the jam-packed area.

It seemed like the whole college had turned up for this particular show! You were a little concerned. While you didn't exactly need to be alert for threats (that was Mirio's job!), you still found yourself scanning the crowd for unfamiliar faces.

Everything will be okay.

Your grip on Mirio's elbow tightened without conscious input and he looked down at you, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "You alright?" He asked, seeming to be keeping his tone light so as not to attract Eri's attention.

"Sorry! There's a lot of people here, that's all." You apologized, smiling weakly.

"Everything will be okay." Mirio assured you, his easy grin making your stomach backflip. "I'm right here with you."

You could feel your face beginning to flush with heat and you quickly ducked, breaking eye contact to rummage through your bag for the set of ear muffs you had brought. "Eri!" You called, getting the little girl's attention so you could hand her the headset. "Can you pop these on? It's going to be pretty loud and we want to keep your ears safe."

Eri donned the hearing protection with zero fuss, Mirio helping to adjust the headband so that the cups fit snugly over her ears. "Man, you think of everything!" The young man praised, the admiration in his words enough to send a frisson of pride down your spine. "Wish I could be that prepared! I'd probably…" he trailed off, his smile fading. "Well, there's no real point to that. I'll do better." He continued quietly.

You opened your mouth to say…something, anything, maybe something comforting? But the lights overhead dimmed suddenly, and the moment was gone.

…

You even brought hearing protection. Mirio was downright awed at how prepared you were. But he supposed it made sense. After all, Eri was just a little kid in recovery to you! Little kids needed things like sunscreen, tissues, band aids…

He felt somewhat ashamed of himself for losing sight of the fact that while Eri was incredibly powerful, she was still a child.

The little girl posted up in his arms had her eyes fixed on the stage as the music began, her hands gripping Mirio's shirt collar. The blond man shifted his weight, giving her a reassuring smile when she glanced down at him uncertainly. "Look!" Mirio exclaimed, pointing back at the stage. "There's Midoriya!"

While the tight frown on Eri's face eased slightly upon seeing Midoriya and the rest of his class dance, it was nowhere near gone. Mirio knew this might not even work, but…

Mirio Togata, pro hero in training, had one goal for the day.

I want to see you smile!

The lights and sounds grew more intense and the crowd around him began to move in time with the music. Mirio found himself rocking back and forth, the rhythm too infectious for him to keep fully still. On his left, your hip gently bumped into his when you began to sway as well.

Eri's hold on his shirt started to loosen, making Mirio look up at her. Her eyes were bright in the shimmering lights, the little girl clearly enjoying the show. Streamers erupted over the audience, confetti fluttering this way and that in the fitful currents of air. Eri's tiny hands reached to grab fruitlessly for the glittery crêpe paper, her eyebrows furrowed with focus.

Your mouth brushed Mirio's ear, no doubt so he could hear you through the cacophony around him. "Lift her so she can get a streamer!" You instructed, giving him a thumbs up.

Mirio made sure that he had enough wiggle room to move safely, then hoisted Eri as high over his head as he could. Her questing fingers finally caught the tail end of a streamer, and he felt her bounce in what he assumed was excitement when she clutched the thin paper to her chest. Mirio lowered her once more, settling her a little higher on his hip so she could still see over the gyrating audience.

It looked like Ochaco was hard at work, several people closer to the stage beginning to hover above the main crowd. There were lasers sparkling brilliantly through the foggy atmosphere, more pyrotechnics erupting from the stage, were those doves-? It was all so bright, so vibrant, Mirio very nearly missed what happened next.

The music was building to what seemed to be a final crescendo and you tugged on his sleeve, pointing at Eri when he looked down at you. Mirio jerked his eyes back up, feeling Eri's arm slide past his face even as he did.

The small child had her hands over her head, waving the streamer in the air as she smiled broadly in blatant, unrestrained delight. The joy was evident on her face, her eyes alight with what seemed to be a mixture of wonder and glee.

It was as if Chisaki's shadow had finally released its stranglehold on her, banished in the brilliant glow of that hard-won smile.

Are you seeing this? Midoriya…Sir! Look at her! She's smiling!

Despite his best efforts Mirio felt a sob grip his throat. The young man hurriedly ducked his face into his shoulder to hide his tears, but something soft touched his cheek and he flinched, opening his eyes. It was you, because of course it was you, gently daubing away the moisture with a tissue. You smiled at him, your own eyes suspiciously damp.

Mirio's heart lurched in his throat. He couldn't help but laugh freely, pulling you into his side and giving you an elated kiss on the cheek without even thinking about it.

"Thank you!" He shouted over the music, trying to enunciate so you would still be able to understand him even if you couldn't hear. "Thank you, thank you so much."

You simply nodded in reply, wrapping your arm around his waist.

…

An enormous weight seemed to have been lifted off of Mirio at the sight of Eri's smile. It was a thing of beauty, the large blond man clearly torn between laughing and crying. You found yourself emotional as well, doing your best to rein it in before you went full waterworks. You were only here in an auxiliary role, after all! It wouldn't look very professional if you were caught sobbing hysterically, so you set your jaw and mentally begged your lower lip to quit quivering already!

At least you didn't have to hide your smile, even if it wavered a little.

You definitely didn't mind Mirio hauling you into a one-armed hug, his body warm and solid against your own as he tried to say something over the music. It might have been a thank you but you were unsure, so you settled for a polite nod even as your hand rested gingerly on his waist. After a moment his own hand slid down to your hip, keeping you tucked into his side.

The show ended with a bang and Eri began clamoring to go see Midoriya once she took off the ear muffs. You weren't sure if you imagined the reluctant way Mirio released you, his hand lingering on your lower back longer than it seemed to need to.

He had kissed you.

You froze, the reality of what Mirio had done sinking in. Granted, it was just a little peck on the cheek, but still! Heat flushed your face and you glanced around guiltily, wondering if any of your coworkers had been in the crowd near you.

Togata's hand grabbed your own, startling you somewhat. "We have to go against the crowd to get to Midoriya!" He explained over the noise. "Stay behind me, okay?"

Eri waved at you from her new perch on Mirio's shoulders, still smiling even as she smoothed down his spiked hair. You couldn't help but smile back at her, struck once more by how happy she looked.

Mirio trudged through the students and faculty on his way to the stage, occasionally detouring or pausing briefly to let larger groups move past him. At one point the two of you were separated and you called out his name, only to hear Mirio laugh and reply, "Polo!" off to your left. He didn't let go of your hand after that, simply angling his arm so that you were slightly behind him. His other hand rested against Eri's shin, keeping her steady on his shoulders.

He had shoved the sleeves of his varsity jacket up to his elbows, no doubt in response to the elevated heat inside the gymnasium. In an effort to ignore the fingers intertwined with your own, you studied the scars on his forearm. Some were clearly from whatever tussle he, Midoriya and Eri had been involved in, the healed skin still fresh and nearly purple in hue. Then there were older ones further up his arm, silvered with age and half-covered by his jacket. You wondered at them a bit, but the world had always been a dangerous place whether you had a Quirk or not.

Your gaze traveled up his shoulder to his face, currently in profile as he glanced around trying to find an opening in the crowd, and you simply watched him. Your mind was suddenly full of the thoughts that you had been trying to avoid, embarrassing you to the point that you forced yourself to look away.

…

"Hey, good work buddy!" Mirio praised Midoriya as he set Eri down. You hovered a few feet away after he released your hand, which he didn't quite understand. Were you still worried about losing track of him? It was much less crowded backstage!

"That was crazy!" Eri erupted, her grin still in full effect. "At first when there was a loud noise it was scary, but then everyone was jumping with the dance-" she raised her arms over her head and started bouncing in place, "and then there was a flash and Deku, you went away for a little bit, and the guy started flying in the air!"

Mirio had been mimicking Eri's motions while she spoke, his own excitement fueling the childish action. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of Midoriya's expression, the other student looking absolutely overjoyed.

"-and a bunch of people said 'wow' and you know what I said?" Eri asked Midoriya, her eyes shining with excitement. She didn't bother waiting for an answer, simply exclaiming, "wow' too! It was so fun!"

Deku inhaled raggedly, the younger man using his arm to wipe away the tears that had started welling up in his eyes. "I'm glad you had such a good time, Eri." He said sincerely.

"All thanks to you!" Mirio clapped the other man on the shoulder. "You and the rest of your class really pulled out all the stops, y'know?"

"Absolutely!" You chimed in, giving Midoriya a thumbs up. "What's next on the Class 1-A agenda for the day?"

"Well, Mineta really wants us all to hurry with the clean up, he's excited to get to see the beauty pageant." Izuku gestured at the smaller young man, who did indeed seem to be working himself into a frenzy. "So I guess we'll head over there once we're done."

"Beauty pageant!" Eri cheered. "Will we see your friend, Mirio?"

"Of course! We should get over there now, we have to get good seats." At those words Togata heard Mineta begin to huff, the younger man scuttling past him lugging a bucket full of ice while muttering curses under his breath. "Watch the language, buddy!" The upperclassman warned him with a smile.

The beauty pageant was…well it was something. Mirio was a little confused by the whole affair, if he was being honest, but Nejire did a fun sort of dance in midair and she seemed like she was enjoying herself. Of course she got his vote. Yours too! You were obviously dazzled by her display. Eri was just thrilled to watch the princess-esque students go through their routines, the show already a clear high moment of her day.

After the pageant Mirio dedicated his time to winning the games at the various booths, the young man determined to send Eri home with a mountain of prizes. His efforts were not exactly fruitful, however.

Down to his last ball on a milk-bottle game, he surrendered it to you instead. You, to his utter bewilderment, actually managed to knock the bottles over and win! Every time he had tried, the bottles just refused to topple.

"There's a trick to it," was your nonchalant explanation around a stuffed unicorn that was half the size of your own body. "Hang on to this for Eri, would you? I wanna' see if they have a duck pond." You leaned in, the unicorn ending up mashed against Mirio's shoulder. "Eri can win that one easy." You continued in an undertone.

Mirio nodded rapidly as he draped the pastel unicorn over his shoulder, thrilled that the both of you seemed to be on the same page.

Luckily, a booth touting the aforementioned game was mere steps away. It was a simple pink plastic kiddie pool, filled with water and a plethora of rubber ducks that looked like they had been scavenged from the student body instead of bought in bulk. No two were alike! There were red ones with devil horns, blue ones with sunglasses, even a few with tiny hats.

Eri rushed forward, the child seeming elated that a game was actually at her height. She then hesitated mere inches away, fidgeting as the booth vendor patiently explained the rules to her.

Mirio lingered a few feet back, scanning the crowd a little more fiercely than he meant to. But this was important, and he would be damned if Eri's first carnival game was interrupted by anything less than a world-ending event.

"Okay, here we go." You muttered, and Mirio noticed you crossing your fingers. "She's totally got this."

Eri pulled up a pair of ducks, checking the bottoms for matching symbols. A pink circle and a green star were revealed, however.

Mirio groaned silently, but immediately perked back up when the vendor held up one finger. Okay, okay! She gets more than one try! The young man clenched his fists, leaning forward slightly in an effort to see the ducks a little better.

Eri took a moment to study the pond, her eyes narrowing in concentration. To no avail though, the next pair she picked was an orange square and a red triangle.

The vendor held up a second finger and Mirio began mentally debating whether he would be bribing this student. On the one hand, it was a dilemma of ethics and morals. But on the other, Eri really, really needed a win to keep the ball rolling–

"Congratulations! You've won a prize!"

Mirio jerked his head up, blinking in confusion. Eri held two matching ducks, both with green stars on the bottom. The little girl smiled ear to ear once more as she happily accepted her winnings, a purple pencil case with a variety of ducks on it. "Mirio! Look!" She exclaimed, bolting back to the young man.

"Gosh, I guess you really ducked out!" Mirio heard you groan at his pun and it only served to widen his grin. He took Eri's hand and then extended his other to you. "C'mon, there's still so much to see and do!"

…

"I had a great time today." You murmured to Mirio, pretending to straighten Eri's hair out in an effort to avoid eye contact.

"Hey, that's my line." was the young man's equally-soft reply as he shifted Eri's dead weight in his arms. The little girl had finally succumbed to her exhaustion moments before, heavy eyes drooping and sliding closed even in the midst of such intense stimuli. You had no doubt that she would need a few days to recover from all this excitement.

You too, if you were being honest with yourself! Mirio seemed to have boundless energy, the man darting from booth to activity with all the enthusiasm of a person half his age. It was endearing, if nothing else. You couldn't help but feel a bit sad that after today, things would return to how they were. "I don't want this to end." You admitted quietly, still fidgeting with Eri's long locks.

A hand cupped your chin and you found yourself looking up at Mirio, the blond man's expression oddly serious. "It…I-I mean, it doesn't have to be over. If…er, i-if you don't want it to be, that is." The uncharacteristic stammering caught you off-guard, your brow furrowing as you tried to piece together what he meant.

Suddenly, "there you are!" rang out from behind you, making you jump and nearly drop all the stuffed animals you and Mirio had won for Eri. It was Midoriya, the younger man's face becoming apologetic when Mirio shushed him. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to wake you, Eri. I made you something though!" He said excitedly, unwrapping the plastic-swathed object in his hand.

Eri rubbed her eyes, staring down at the bright red candy apple. "What is…what is that?" She asked quizzically.

"A candy apple! You remember, Mirio told you about them. They're covered in super crackly sugar!" Deku explained, picking the treat up and passing it to her. "Be really careful with your shirt, okay? The red will stain it, trust me." With a touch of amusement, you noticed crimson splotches still lurking in the lines of his palms and knuckles.

The child immediately bit into the apple, the crunch of the sugar coating meeting your ears. "Oh wow." She mumbled into the fruit, not resisting as you rushed to tie her hair back in a low ponytail. The last thing you wanted any of the staff to have to deal with tonight was trying to get red, sticky residue out of her nearly colorless hair!

"Where did you even get that?! We looked everywhere!" Mirio queried, obviously dismayed that he had failed.

"I couldn't find any booths that had them, so I improvised and got some help from Sato." Izuku replied, smiling.

"Wow, that was really…" you paused for effect, aiming finger guns at the younger man, "sweet of him to give you a hand."

Midoriya groaned while Mirio's delighted peals of laughter rang out. "Guess I should have seen that one coming." The underclassman allowed ruefully, quickly smiling once more when Eri thanked him profusely for the confection that was currently staining her chin. "I'm just glad I caught you guys before you left! You must be pretty tired. It's been a long day!"

"Yeah, but I can say with confidence that this has been one of the best days I've ever had." Togata said sincerely, shaking Midoriya's hand. "And it's all thanks to you guys! Your class, you-"

"Whoa, and what about you?! Everything that you did to make sure that we could even have Eri come…you've done so much to help out!" Deku protested, a little red in the face.

"Guess we all worked hard for this moment, right?" The blond reasoned, tilting his head to offer you a warm smile. "Us, and Eri too!"

Eri took her eyes off of her apple for the barest moment, her serious nod making Mirio chuckle.

Professor Aizawa meandered up as Midoriya was about to say his goodbyes, the older man looking more weary than usual. "I trust there were no further issues?" He asked, those piercing eyes oddly trained on Deku, who rushed through a farewell and then bolted.

"'Further issues'?" Mirio repeated, cocking his head to one side.

Aizawa sighed heavily. "I'll explain later. For now, I'm here to escort you three back to the medical center."

"Mr. Aizawa, I got to see a loud show and there were ducks in a pond!" Eri announced, the copious amounts of sugar in the candy apple no doubt perking her back up.

You were stunned when Professor Aizawa gave the child a thin smile. "That's great news, kiddo. Anything else happen?"

"Mirio tried to win a bottle game, there was lots of food and I saw two people get to fly today! I had a hot dog for lunch, and all kinds of snacks, and I gave a little bird some fries because he seemed hungry-" As Eri carried on regaling the professor with the tale of her very full day, you watched the older man's harsh glare soften. Evidently he had been just as worried as the rest of you, if not moreso! You got the feeling that there may have been an incident earlier in the day.

…

"Someone tried to attack this morning?!" Retroactive panic washed over Mirio in a cold sweat, the young man clenching his fists as memories from Eri's rescue flooded his mind. There was an attack and I didn't even notice?!

Aizawa grimaced, rubbing his temples. "It's not exactly so cut and dry, Mirio. Technically yes, but the situation was managed. Improperly managed. Midoriya is lucky Hound Dog didn't shake him to death."

Midoriya. So the underclassman had ended up being their first line of defense? Mirio wasn't exactly sure how to feel about that. Talk about having a full day! Midoriya seemed totally unphased when we saw him. I guess that was just a show to keep Eri's spirits up. "I'm glad we still got to go through with the festival." The blond man remarked after sorting out his thoughts.

"That was Midoriya's reasoning. He wanted the festival to happen no matter what, I guess." Professor Aizawa shook his head. "He didn't want to alert the pros because he thought it would risk the festival's cancellation. Regardless, he should have called for backup. He's on campus cleaning duty until further notice, so you may see him a little less."

"I'm happy he's safe." You said, unconsciously echoing Mirio's own sentiments. "It couldn't have been easy to deal with a threat all on his own."

"He didn't have to deal with it all on his own." Aizawa grumbled, obviously annoyed. "Kid's got guts and he's smart, but damn he's stupid." He straightened up after a moment, adjusting his scarf. "Alright, I trust the two of you can at least manage to return to your housing without further incident?"

"Of course! You can count on me, teach!" Mirio assured the older man, and then turned to you. "Well, we'd better get you back safe and sound!"

You nodded, falling into step alongside the blond. Mirio hadn't anticipated the silence that stretched awkwardly between the two of you, and he wracked his brain for some light topic of conversation.

Before he could think of something, you spoke up.

"You and Midoriya had a really difficult time when there was the incident with Eri, didn't you?"

Mirio was caught off-guard by your odd opener, clearing his throat. "Well, uh. Yes." He admitted bluntly. "As you know, I lost my Quirk. Hopefully temporarily! But still, it wasn't…" Mirio trailed off, the thought of Sir Nighteye threatening to choke him up. "It wasn't a simple mission."

"Did today make everything worth it?" Your voice was soft, uncertain, and you refused to meet his gaze.

…

There was no way. You had never had a Quirk of your own, but they seemed to be so intertwined with someone's personality and sense of self…there was no way you could imagine the thought of losing such an important piece of your identity.

There was just no way that Mirio's hurt or Midoriya's guilt could be erased with the smile of a little girl.

And yet you hoped so hard, with every fiber of your being, that maybe, just maybe, it could. That maybe the triumph of the day had been enough to, if nothing else, ease the pain, even a little.

But…

"Absolutely." Mirio's reply was instantaneous; he didn't even think before he responded. "I wasn't kidding when I said today was one of the best days of my life."

You couldn't help the way you were staring at him, you just really hadn't anticipated such a quick and succinct answer!

"What?" He queried, "Is there something on my face?"

"Well, no, I just…I guess I'm confused is all." You fumbled to explain yourself. "You lost the use of something important, and Midoriya…I mean you both suffered pretty extensive injuries from what I remember, and while I didn't have any of the specifics it just…it doesn't seem like it would even out in the end to me." You reasoned frantically, hoping that he wouldn't think you were rude.

"To me it does." Mirio's smile was serene. "Life is full of stuff like that though! The things that seem little to other people, but to you…" he hesitated, seeming to search for the right words. "To you, it's the thing that brings you happiness in a day. Like sixteen bouquets of flowers crammed onto a windowsill!" He laughed. "Sure, a smile doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but when you think about it, it's the biggest deal."

You cast your mind back to when you had watched Mirio notice Eri smiling, the progression of emotions that had occurred on his face within the span of bare seconds. The grief, the heartbreak, the joy, and the tears that had come with it. Seeing him so emotional had stirred your own heart, but it was also bewildering.

All this, for one little girl's smile?

Maybe it wasn't for you to understand. His healing was his own, after all, and it wasn't really your place to question his happiness. You hadn't been involved in Eri's retrieval, you had no idea what may have transpired, you probably shouldn't have said anything–

Clearly you had been silent for too long, because Togata quietly said, "I know it seems silly to you."

"It's not that! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry or be insensitive. If it makes you happy, then that makes me happy too." You rushed to say, smiling afterwards. "It doesn't need to be any more complicated than that, right? I'm happy you're happy."

The tall blond stared down at you as the two of you walked, his brow furrowed in thought. "Today made me happy." He finally said, his words chosen with care. "I enjoy spending time with you."

You blinked. What?

"I'd like to…" Mirio paused, beginning to fidget. "I-I'd like to spend more time with you, maybe?"

"What, like…tonight?" You managed to croak, nervous laughter bubbling out of you when Mirio's shoulders jolted up around his rapidly-reddening ears.

"What?! No, not like--I-I mean, I wasn't suggesting that!" He frantically tried to backtrack, shaking his head. "I-I just meant maybe we could go get lunch! Sometime! When you have time! L-Like a date!" His voice was getting louder and louder, forcing you to tug on the hem of his jacket to bring him down a notch.

"I would like nothing more than to get lunch with you." You stated plainly, making Mirio slow to a halt. You took a few more steps and then looked back at him, a bit confused. Was that the wrong answer? "Are…are you okay with that?" You asked tentatively.

"I…Yes! Absolutely! I'm super okay with that!" Togata replied frantically, loud all over again. "You make me feel good and I'd like to make you feel g--wait, no, that came out wrong, I promise I'm not--er, I mean, when would you-?"

"As soon as possible." You interrupted his rambling, laughing at his nonplussed expression. "Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow! Tomorrow works!" A broad grin stretched across Mirio's face, brightening his entire visage. "I'll see you tomorrow, then!" Suddenly, his smile faded. "Oh sorry, I…uh, I promised Eri she and I would have a lunch date tomorrow."

He looked so crestfallen that you nearly started laughing all over again. "Hey, don't worry about it! Tomorrow night, then?" You suggested. "We can get something from Lunch Rush, if you're alright with everyone knowing about this."

"Oh geez, people are going to talk." Mirio groaned, his cheeks pinking up. "Nejire especially."

"We can always order something to campus, if you're worried about that. Or we could go to Lunch Rush at separate times and eat together in my quarters." While placing a reassuring hand on his arm you gently reminded him, "people will always talk."

"No way! If I'm going to be a pro hero someday, I can't get spooked by public relations now!" Mirio reasoned, his hand landing on top of your own. "Tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night." You agreed, leaning into his side for the last stretch of distance the two of you had to walk to your housing. "Looks like this is where I'll have to leave you."

"Uh." Mirio seemed nervous all over again, his free hand jammed deep into the pocket of his varsity jacket. "I…er, I-I don't suppose I could give you a goodnight kiss?" He managed to stammer out, his tone hopeful.

"Absolutely."

"Awesome!" Mirio exclaimed. You closed your eyes in anticipation, but you were met with him giving you a simple peck on the cheek.

You tilted your head, certain that your disappointment was a little too obvious. "That's it?"

"Oh! Oh, you wanted--oh." Mirio swallowed hard. "You're sure? I…I mean it might not be any good, haven't had much time to practice." He tried to joke.

"If you'd rather not, it's-"

"No! I-I do, I have for a while." Togata admitted, stunning you with the confession. "I really…I really like you." He then inhaled, squaring his shoulders. "Okay. I'm gonna' give it a shot!"

This time was…a bit different.

His hands came up to cup your face and you could feel him trembling slightly. As Mirio leaned in, you closed your eyes yet again in a desperate bid to cling to your composure. His mouth met yours and, instead of immediately retreating like you had expected, Mirio slid one hand to cradle the back of your neck while he deepened the kiss.

When the two of you finally parted you were both flustered; you were panting and Mirio's face was bright pink. "Was that…okay?" He asked hesitantly, seemingly unaware that you were still trying to catch your breath.

"That was way better than okay." You huffed, making him laugh and punch the air victoriously. "Who the hell taught you how to kiss like that?"

"Huh? Uh, no one. I just kinda'...I mean I've seen a few movies, and they always…you know what, that's not important! We have a date tomorrow night and it's already pretty late, I should let you get some rest!" Togata responded in a rush, one hand on the small of your back ushering you through the entryway of your housing unit. "Have sweet dreams, okay cutie? I'll see you tomorrow."

"Hey, wait-!" You began to protest, a bit more than interested in what exactly he had been watching, only for him to cut you off with another kiss. Then, Mirio bolted back outside before you could recover, the blond man leaving you leaning against the wall next to the elevator in a somewhat-rumpled state.

All you heard over the sound of your heart pounding was an elated, far-off shout of, "power!" which in turn made you burst out laughing.

What a nerd!

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loveandfictionforall · 1 year

Note

Headcanons or a one shot where reader comforts Mirio early in the time where he lost his quirk?

If you like it, please be kind and reblog it 🥰

I really like this request. It was really devastating as he lost his quirk 🥺

When you reached the Mirios room in the hospital, you felt the tension and despair in it already. You straightened yourself as you lightly knocked.

"Come in.", came the voice from your boyfriend. Carefully you opened the door, slipped in and closed it again.

"Hey sweetie.", you said as you slowly walked towards him. Mirio looked for a second at you, before he turned towards the window. "Hi.", he murmured. You furrowed your eyebrows at how he acted. He never was like that. Never.

"What happened? Are you okay?", you finally asked as you stood beside his bed, your hand grabbing his. His fingers were lax, not closing around yours. "Mirio, please talk to me.", you added as Mirio did not respond after some minutes.

You could see how his lips began to quiver as he stubbornly stared out if the window. You let him have some time but as nearly ten minutes passed, you finally had enough. You did not understand what had happened that made him so... sad. And because of that, you walked right into his gaze and finally his ryes met yours.

And that was everthing it took apparently because his eyes filled with tears which quickly spilled over. Your heart ached at his obvious despair.

"Oh, sweetie.", you said, your own voice wobbling as you leaned over the edge of the bed to hug your boyfriend. This time, he did not denied the touch and hugged you tightly back.

"I lost my quirk.", he sobbed as he fisted your shirt and buried his face in your chest. "They took it from me with a quirk deleter.", he then added. You felt as you had no air left. His quirk got deleted? For good? Oh, you could understand him. You would feel equally as lost and as all your dreams were gone. And because of that, you hugfed him as tight as you could, stroking gently his hair as he cried into you. His sobs were shaking his whole body. He held so long back and now everything just broke out of him after suppressing it.

"Sweetheart.", you started, but your voice felt weak and your eyes were damp. "It will work out. We will find a solution. And if anyone can work around it, it will be you. I still love you but I know it will be difficult for you, to find your strenght again and be comfortable as who you are."

Mirio did not respond but he did not have to. You could understand that it was difficult for him now. Losing a whole part of yourself. A part which you relayed on was now gone. But time would heal the wound a bit and then you would find a solution. Every poison had a cure.

#mha scenario #bnha scenario #mha mirio #mha mirio x you #mha mirio x reader #mha hurt #mha comfort #bnha mirio #bnha mirio x reader #bnha mirio x you #bnha hurt #bnha comfort

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angelltheninth · 4 days

Note

How would Deku, Bakugo, Shoto, Mirio, Hawks and Dabi react to their girlfriend getting kidnapped?

Thanks for the angst Anon.

Pairing: Izuku, Bakugo, Shoto, Mirio, Keigo, Touya x Fem!Reader

Tags: fluff, angst, hurt/comfort, kidnapping, injury, soothing kisses

A/N: More angst for today, more!

Izuku freaks out outwardly

Will lose sleep over finding you and even after finding you too

Carries you to the medical wing himself cause he doesn't want to be apart from you for a second

Breaks into tears once the fight with your kidnappers is over

He's hard to understand cause his voice keeps cracking from worry

Visibly tired but stays up the whole night anyway to make sure you don't have nightmares

Talks loudly when he should be whispering, all from worry

One of the rare times when you see him absolutely furious

Keeps an eye on you for days after

Blushes when you constantly call him your hero

Bakugo absolutely loses his mind when you go missing

Yells at everyone who was on the mission with you

Blames himself most of all but he can save that self-loathing for after he saves you

Very brutal and angry while he fights, so much so that he's the one who looks like the bad guy

Scares the living shit out of everyone but you

Holds onto you like his life depends on it

No one else can touch you, he barely even lets doctors do it

Snaps his fingers and makes angry sparks while he waits

Gets even more protective, real guard dog energy

Does not allow himself to cry in front of you

Shoto keeps a cool head while looking for you

Even when he's talking to your kidnappers he's calm

The only time his composure cracks is when they threateen to hurt you in front of him

A noticable drop in temperature happens right then

He's a little less careful when fighting if your life is on the line

Won't hesitate to use his fire quirk as a a scare tactic

Gets almost as scary as his dad

Cools any injuries you have so it's easier for you to handle them while you get actual medical attention

Doesn't realize half of him is burning while the other half of the waiting room wall is frozen solid

The first thing he does when he sees you is kiss you

Mirio tries to keep his composure but it's cracking fast

Those who know him best can already see how worried he is

Always pushed himself far but esoecially now, he's all over the place

Snaps at his friends when they tell him he's pushing himself too much

Makes really quick work of your kidnappers, he can't stand the sight of them

Talks very little while fighting so you know he is rightfully pissed

Nothing can keep him out of your room that night

Makes sure to smile around you a lot

Cries as soo as you tell him you can see how much pain he's in

Has nightmares for a few days after

Keigo flies all over the city in a wild frenzy

Almost crashed a few times because he kept pushing his wings to their limit

Close to pasing out when he finally finds you

He is not in a mood to hear what the kidnappers want

Just wants them gone and you safe in his arms

Only has a few feathers left so he needs to make this quick

Doesn't stick around for any press talk or picrures

To be honest he doesn't see this as something people should know to many details off

You need to get home where he can keep an eye on you and look you over for injurues but it looks it's just a few scratches

As soon as his wings grow back he wraps them protectively around you

Touya is surprised anyone has the nerve to kidnap his girlfriend

Your kidnapers must have a death wish

Makes a very big and loud enerance, they should all know how much trouble they're in

Almost kills all of them in his anger, the only thing that makes him pause is your crying face

You've already been through enough today, he won't add you seeing him like a killer

But these guys won't ever think of kidnaping everyone ever again

If he could he would put you in a box and never let anyone so much as see you

Does give you as much freedom as you need however he insists that he's always with you from now on

Seems like his fearsome reputation is no longer enough to keep you safe

He'll glady make examples of anyone who tries to hurt you

#bnha x reader #izuku x reader #bakugo x reader #shoto x reader #mirio x reader #hawks x reader #dabi x reader #bnha imagines #bnha headcanons #bnha fluff #bnha angst #mha x reader #mha imagines #mha headcanons #mha fluff #mha angst #x female reader

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fatkish · 16 days

Text

Aizawa, Dabi and Amajiki x Nezuko Demon Reader

Reader has a demon quirk that makes them just like Nezuko from Demon Slayer. Their quirk comes at the cost of being asleep for abnormally long periods of time as well as an inability to speak and a slight decrease in mental clarity as well

Amajiki:

He and Mirio had known you since Preschool before you got your quirk

When your quirk manifested, you began to sleep for long periods of time, often times you would sleep for a week or more whenever you used your quirk or just to maintain an even amount of energy

Tamaki was worried about you and your likeliness to fall behind, so he began to tutor you and help you stay caught up with your classes

Your parents had a box designed for you to sleep in since you’ll fall asleep wherever and be unable to be woken up

Since then, Tamaki has carried you everywhere and been your designated caretaker and supporter

Reader is fiercely protective of him and obeys his commands

Reader loves when he, Hado or Mirio plays with their hair

Is completely docile and loves to nuzzle Tamaki as a means to show their affection

Reader’s ability is like Tamayo’s. They can create visual floral patterns and it affects the people’s mood making them docile or sleepy

Tamaki is deeply appreciative of the reader’s ability

Reader will sit on his lap or Mirio’s if their awake during class

Dabi:

He found you one day all alone, you were in your small form so he thought you were a homeless kid and he decided to help you out

No one had ever shown you kindness before so you quickly grew attached to him

Reader is fiercely loyal and protective of dabi

Whenever a hero or villain tries to attempt him, you’ll pop up and attack them, defending him

Reader is constantly hostile and is always growling and glaring at others

Toga thinks it’s adorable and as Dabi grows closer to the league, so do you. But Dabi remains your number one priority

Reader is only affectionate to Dabi

You’ll nuzzle him, hug him, cuddle up and lay your head against him as you take a nap

Dabi loves that the reader is as murderous as he is and that he doesn’t have to worry about them getting hurt because they can heal

Tomura tried to decay your arm only for it to regrow in mere seconds, needless to say, Tomura was impressed

You’ll only listen to Dabi’s commands

You nearly killed Endeavor and would have gutted him if it wasn’t for Dabi ordering you to leave Endeavor to him

Reader’s demon art is similar to Nezuko’s where they can burn people and things with their blood

You can also somewhat heal things like poisoning and infections by burning away only the poison or bad bacteria

Aizawa:

Similar to Dabi, Aizawa found the reader in an alley, abandoned, he decided to take them in after he brought them to the hospital and learned about their quirk

He had Power Loader create a box that was lightweight and comfortable both for you on the inside and for him to carry

His students are always surprised whenever they see you come out of the box for the first time

Aizawa leaves the box either in his classroom or in the faculty lounge

Hizashi and Midnight absolutely adore you

Midnight tries to dress you up, you’ll then go running to Aizawa in hopes that he’ll drive Midnight off

Reader occasionally makes themselves small and hides in his scarf

Is extremely affectionate to certain people

You love cuddles and playing with people’s hair,

Hizashi is more than happy to let you play with and braid his hair

Reader loves rubbing their face against his stubble and playing with his hair

Loves to sleep on his chest or snuggle up to him

If he’s in his sleeping bag, you’ll either unzip it and crawl inside with him or you’ll just lay on top of him

Reader goes on patrols with him and listens to his commands on what to do

Reader’s demon blood ability allows them to create chains that latch onto their opponents. The chains can be used however the reader wants

(Reader’s chains are similar to Kurapika’s from Hunter x Hunter, only there are many more)

#mha x reader #bnha x reader #aizawa x reader #mha aizawa #aizawa shouta #shouta aizawa x reader #touya x reader #dabi todoroki #dabi x reader #touya todoroki #tamaki amajiki x reader #amajiki x reader #mha amajiki #tamaki amakiji #bnha dabi #mha dabi

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strawberrystepmom · 4 days

Text

pairing: Toshinori Yagi x F!Reader -> Mirio Togata x F!Reader

word count: 7.8k

contents: Canon divergence for final war arc and beyond, friends to lovers with history, reader has a defined quirk (magnetism) and is a support equipment safety consultant, reader is 29 and Mirio is 30, appearances from other heroes (Deku & Bakugou and they are married, in their 20's)

cw: major character death and discussions of aspects of caretaking for someone at the end of their life, discussions of loss and grief

notes: This idea could not have come to fruition without my most beloved @izvmimi and @bakvrue so thank you to them for always being the very best. I have really been having a Mirioaissance lately and as you all know I love Mr. Might so here goes. Hope you enjoy! Thank you for reading ♡ | crossposted to ao3

“I’m dying.”

Mirio Togata nearly chokes mid-swallow, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth to prevent droplets of tea from seeping out of his lips. It’s a rare Wednesday day off for Lemillion and sunlight pours into the expansive room used as an office at. He’s a guest in the home of one of the most prolific heroes of all time, as he often is, though today he was invited by the man himself instead of showing up to pop in and say hello.

All Might, Toshinori Yagi, is dying.

Technically he has been for years though hearing it from the man’s own mouth feels different than the vague conversations about ‘terminal’ and ‘incompatible organs’.

“No,” the younger man starts but Toshinori raises a hand to stop him, shaking his head with a chuckle.

It’s no secret he has been rapidly looking more and more frail as autumn faded into winter which is now melting into the bright green of spring.

“It’s true. No matter how many times you tell me ‘you can get better’ or ‘medical technology is improving’ it will not change the fact that my time has a finite number on it.”

There has been a finite amount of his life remaining for a very long time, he’s simply managed to dodge it for as long as possible. Running away from the truth is no longer an option, the years he has been given since the War and its finish already leaving the man feeling like a perpetual cheat. He was supposed to die then, and then after that, and then again and again and again…

There are no more ducks and dodges left in him.

“Midoriya knows and has accepted it. It’s time for you to do the same.”

The words would be harsh coming from anyone other than a beloved mentor turned friend though Yagi has always had the natural ability to soften blows when necessary. Mirio nods, blue eyes trained toward the ground and refusing to meet those of the man in the comfortable chair next to him. He dares to take a peek at the man who will forever be known as All Might, the thinness of his hands and arms and wrists alone a surprising sight. Time has run out. No medical science or quirk or act of God can reverse the inevitable. A transplant cannot save him, medicine will not save him, and he’s made the decision to be as comfortable as possible over the remaining weeks to months he has left.

Togata’s mind unconsciously drifts to you in all of this. You are the young woman who has devoted the latter half of her twenties to taking care of this iconic man, tending to his illnesses and the complications from them with a smile and a joke, a reassuring hand on his shoulder and a kiss on his forehead. The younger of the pair has witnessed this kindness himself on more than one occasion and he remembers when you were simply a Support course student at UA high school a year younger than Mirio himself. You assisted with equipment in the war and it has followed you through your adulthood, your support item safety consulting business thriving and helping build a safer world.

The way you care about everyone is so admirable, it’s difficult not to view you as a hero in all of this. Mirio raises a brow and balls his hands together into a fist, letting it rest in his lap.

“How does she feel about, well, everything?”

It’s a daring question to ask given the older man is well aware of the younger man’s affection toward you no matter how discreet he thinks he is about it. It’s the perpetual elephant in the room. Toshinori sighs, shifting in his chair and positioning his hands in his lap. Mirio’s eyes dart from them and toward the older man’s sallow face, noting the hint of a smile at the mention of you.

“She was the first person to know. It’s the least I could give her for wasting her youth on a sorry old man like me.”

Togata offers a tight smile and tilts his head to the side. The self deprecation isn’t anything new, it has been like this the last several years, though it never sits well when the man he has attempted to pattern his own morals over says something so blasphemous about himself.

“That’s a pretty downer way to look at things, All Might.”

This gets a chuckle from the older man, the sound of his head shaking against the back of his chair causing the younger one to look up at him curiously.

“It’s a pretty downer thing to die but telling you it’s coming isn’t the only reason I asked you here today.”

The older man clears his throat, wiping his thumb against his bottom lip and looking away, joining his hand in his lap. How can he properly phrase what he’s asking his young friend to do without it seeming sordid and disrespectful? He’s leaving you his legacy when he goes. His home, his royalties that will keep you well taken care of for the rest of your life and, well, he’s planning on leaving Mirio Togata the one gift he deserves the most - you.

He simply lays the plot down, hands still folded in his lap.

“How long have you loved her, kid?”

Mirio feigns shock that his mentor, the one who came after the one he lost years ago, is onto him. He has always played off his affection for you as friendliness and lingering glances as simply curiosity and assumed he has been doing it well enough that nobody notices.

“It’s not like that.”

Toshinori laughs, a weak cough wracking his body and he raises his fist to his grinning mouth to cover it. Mirio leans forward in his seat, reaching for the man who waves him off and instead leans to grab the bottle of hand sanitizer on the desk next to him.

“You are a grown man, Togata. Own up to it. It’s not going to offend me.”

There was no expectation of a trip down memory lane set for the younger man prior to arriving for this visit yet his mind launches into years of fuzzy and undefined memories. Evenings he’d come to visit you in the Support course workshop when he was younger with fewer scars covering his arms and torso, the few times in your early twenties you sat thigh to thigh with him in dimly lit izakaya hanging out with your mutual group of friends and their respective partners who are also heroes. He remembers too much and too little at the same time, skin crawling.

Shifting in his seat, he unclasps his hands and claps them against his thighs.

“A long, long time.” He finally responds and Toshinori chuckles in response, leaning back in his own chair and sliding one of his hands out toward Mirio. “Since I was in high school.”

The truth doesn’t hide forever. It makes him feel childish that he was so easily caught by the older man, replaying years of interactions in his head. Did he smile a little too wide at you? Glance a little too long? Pine a little too openly?

There is no way for him to change anything that has happened before now and the usually easy going man tensely lifts his head, meeting Toshinori’s soft gaze. There is no anger even if these events crossed boundaries, something the man is infinitely grateful for, and he reaches across the desk to take his mentor’s offered hand.

“I know.” He weakly squeezes the younger man’s hand, his lack of strength more evident than ever. Mirio feels emotion welling up inside of him and blinks it back, taking a deep breath. “That’s why I am asking you to give her the life I never could, Togata. Take her traveling when you can. Remind her that she’s brilliant and will probably keep this country safer than any hero ever could. Just…be there for her. For me.”

The request carries more weight than the older man could ever possibly understand. It’s not merely a responsibility but a strange kind of bequeathing. No formal paperwork, no meetings with officials, just two men discussing a woman they both care about deeply and how to best assuage her in the sorrows to come.

It also brings another question to Mirio’s mind he has contemplated for many years - do you have lingering feelings for him too? A far younger version of you, magnetism quirk engaged and using it to make him laugh, certainly did. He assumed those feelings just vaporized over time and with responsibility, your heart belonged to another man before he could ever ask that it be his.

A noble man. A good man who you did not want to see live lonely, by himself in his ailing years. A man Togata spent his entire life trying to emulate.

There’s a flutter of hope through the sorrow of knowing the end is coming for his friend and the younger man is the one to squeeze the older mans’ this time, gentle firm pressure to ensure it doesn’t hurt.

“I know it’s a big request. I don’t blame you if it makes you uncomfortable or if you’d like to say no,” Toshinori adds quickly. “I simply know that she cares about you a lot and always has.” His voice cracks and he swallows his sadness, only grateful that his life has been so glorious the last few years thanks to your gentle touch and your silly stories and your tendency to ad-lib songs to make him smile. “She deserves to be happy.”

The younger man couldn’t agree more. He nods, emotion continuing to rise, breaking eye contact to gaze down at his lap to allow him a moment to compose himself. For his entire twenties, he regretted losing his chance with you despite his gratefulness for the care and love you gave Toshinori. Now, entering his thirties, he gets the opportunity to try again. To speak up when he should and to put the feelings he has harbored for more than a decade to good use.

“I will do everything I can to make sure she is, you have my word.”

Even if it means you want nothing to do with him and keep yourself away from everyone forever. Whatever makes you happy, Mirio Togata will make sure you have it.

“I only have weeks. Months if I’m lucky but I don’t think I’m all that lucky anymore.”

The words make Mirio look up from his lap, brows furrowed. He didn’t think there was so little time left but he is a man of action and nods.

“Then let’s make these next few weeks memorable. What do you need me to do?”

A chuckle from the older man as he finally drops the younger one’s hand gently, tucking it back into his lap to join the other.

“For now, just be around if you can make it work.”

That he can do and he does for three more weeks.

On a warm spring day, a little past the end of cherry blossom season, the world loses All Might.

‘The days I spent with you were the happiest of my life. Let me take care of you for the rest of yours. - Toshinori’

The note he left you, the one you were handed by some man in a suit you’d never met before in the days following his death, rests on your desk. It feels too soon to tuck away the increasingly wrinkled piece of paper and you’re far too grateful for the life he has put between your two palms to stop glancing at the note every few hours each day.

It doesn’t answer any of the questions you have about what becomes of your life now though.

Emotion wells up in you again, a lump in your throat you have to swallow down to continue working, the results from your audit of the Dynamite agency’s safety audit on the screen of the tablet in front of you. They’re generally highly rated, Bakugou’s fastidious tendencies seeping through even the smallest detail of safety and care of his employees, but you have to look away. You close the screen cover and slide the device aside, standing up from your spot at the kitchen table to walk into the living room.

The house feels like a mausoleum even if it’s now yours and yours only. Being alone for the first time in weeks leaves a strange taste in your mouth and you fold your arms over your chest, padding across the wooden floors to plop down on the overstuffed couch you picked out three years ago. Deku’s wife spent a week by your side, the first seven days after the tremendous loss ensuring you ate and slept, sleeping in your bed with you and letting you cry on her shoulder. The day she went home hurt almost as badly as the day you lost the man himself, the encroaching loneliness feeling claustrophobic.

Thankfully, the second week was dotted with various visitors, your former classmates and long time friends of Toshinori paying their respects posthumously by being good to you in his departure. Dynamite’s wife tended to you and forced you out of your house, inviting you over with the promise of visiting with her eager to see you children.

The third week was much of the same, even chatting with his old friend David and accepting condolences from other heroes former and current. Your refrigerator stayed full, your mailbox overstuffed with more cards than you could open wishing you well and thanking you for taking care of him.

The fourth fewer people came but you still stayed busy. The fifth, same. The sixth, seventh, and eighth all followed suit although the amount of visitors thinned. Ninth, tenth, eleventh your house became empty outside of your close friends and Mirio. Now you are twelve weeks past his death and facing down a lifetime of uncertainty in a house that feels too large for you but too small for your pain.

Your heart swells recalling the love you’ve been given but it shrivels when you look around, wondering when it will start to feel full of life again; when you will.

Standing, you lumber over to the wall adjacent to where you sit, admiring the artwork and memories on the wall. There are photos of a freckle-faced teenager who became a freckle-faced man with his wife and children alongside Toshinori. Photos of Mirio grinning and giving a thumbs up in a vintage American All Might t-shirt that was almost too small for him. Photos of you and Toshinori smiling side by side when he was still well enough to attend the occasional event, you in glittering floor length sequins and him in a custom suit built to accommodate his ever weakening body.

Sighing, you reach out and brush your thumb along the frame. The photo doesn’t move, anchored into the wall, and you know that all of the care you gave him wasn’t wasted for a moment. He truly made your life better and you believe you did the same for him, though your eyes flit back to the photo of Mirio for a moment.

You took the picture a few years back while cleaning out the spare bedroom used solely for merchandise and collectables Toshinori had been given over the years. You accosted the younger blonde for pulling a shirt that was clearly too small for him over his head but snapped the photo anyway, grinning behind your phone at his silly posing.

Mirio.

He has been here for you almost as much as your closest friends, popping by daily if able with food or stories or just…sunshine, which is exactly what he is and always has been for the time you’ve known him. Even when the two of you were back in high school he knew your favorite candy and delivered it to your desk daily while spending his evenings sticking paper clips to your arm or the side of your face while your quirk was engaged.

Reaching into your pocket, you grab out your phone and dial his number. He answers before the first ring can even finish its trill.

“Hey-o, what are you doing?”

You giggle at his greeting though he hears the strain in your voice that indicates you are feeling down. He tucks his phone between his shoulder and ear, pulling his sweatpants on in the changing room of the agency, ready to head home.

“Nothing. I tried to work a little bit today and couldn’t focus. I’m sure Bakugou will bitch at me but his audit will simply have to wait another week.”

The man on the other end of the phone chuckles, rising to his full impressive stature and heading toward the exit.

“Do you need a distraction? I could come over.”

The offer is appreciated but you wrestle with how to respond to it. What you assumed were long forgotten feelings for Mirio surface every time you are around him and in your grief and confusion, you struggle to separate them from reality and what’s a balm to make you feel temporarily better. Would seeing him now, only three months removed from losing Toshinori, be appropriate? Is it what’s best?

“You don’t have to, I’m sure it was a long day.”

Togata scoffs, using his coded keycard to exit the building. The sun is still somewhat up, a hot summer evening encroaching and he does not want to go home when he could be spending time with you. The day exhausted him a bit, lots of petty crime picks up during the summertime, but he’s never too tired for you.

“Actually, this was the easiest shift I’ve had in a long time.” He’s lying and you can tell by the lilt in his voice, a particular tone he takes when he’s pretending everything is fine you’ve heard before but you are in no condition to press the issue. “I can pick you up in about thirty minutes and we can just drive if you want?”

You shake your head although he can’t see it. Part of you wants to say no, to rebuff your own feelings once and for all, but you’re weak and hurting and needy.

“We don’t have to go anywhere, we can just stay here if you want to come.”

And come he does, in that promised thirty minutes. He doesn’t bother to knock on the door anymore, punching in the code and announcing himself with a boisterous smile, then plopping down on the couch next to you.

It feels a lot more like coming home than it reasonably should but every time he feels guilty for envisioning his place in his life, next to you, he remembers the promise he made. He will make you happy no matter what that looks like.

Time passes so quickly when he’s around and it’s welcome to have something besides your own loneliness to listen to while he explains one of his heroic saves of the day, enthusiastically explaining phasing through a tree to capture a runaway attempted bank robber.

“So I caught the guy and somehow managed to save all the money too, which is crazy when you think about it. I thought the wind would carry half of it off but not today.”

You smile at him fondly, eyes crinkling at the corners, but he can tell something else is on your mind. Repositioning himself on the couch, he turns toward you and props his head up with his fist.

“Wanna talk about it?”

He has always been able to tell when something is bothering you and your brain screams that you should say no. You should turn down all of Mirio’s kindness and lock yourself inside of this home with your grief forever, a timeless pseudo-widow trapped in a prison of her own making.

But the warmth of his gaze encourages you so much, words bubble out of you before you can stop them, your hands instantly flying to your face to be pressed against your cheeks.

“Despite what people have said, I loved him.”

Mirio’s face falls into a concerned frown when he notices your eyes welling up, your glance firmly trained on his face. The papers were pretty harsh to you when the news of his death and your subsequent appointing the heir to his agency, legacy, and image were announced. Opportunistic seemed to be the media’s favorite term, honing in on the age and vitality difference between the two of you rather than the fact a fairly selfless young woman took care of him not knowing any of this was in her future.

You never took care of him in hopes of getting anything, only out of compassion for a man who has made the lives of others so much brighter. Who heals the healer? You took it upon yourself to be the one and you do not regret a moment of it, sitting cross legged at twenty-nine with a sense of pride despite it all.

“Maybe not in a conventional way. I never had,” your face falls a little, as though you’re fearful of reaction toward what you’re about to say. “You know…sex or anything with him. We kissed a few times, we held hands on occasion but my days and nights revolved around him for five years.”

Your voice breaks and immediately you push your thumbs against your eyes to keep yourself from crying where someone else can see it although the sniffling gives you away, sharp little inhalations through your nose.

“What do I do now?”

The question appears to be rhetorical though he feels compelled to answer, wrapping a reassuring arm around your shoulders and gently pulling you against his side. The lack of personal space between the two of you is honestly nothing new, certainly more so since Toshinori’s departure, and you settle into the warmth of him. It’s a comfort you need desperately, his fingers drumming a little beat of four into your shoulder.

“Whatever you want.”

You remove your thumbs from over your eyes, sensitive and red rimmed as they are, glancing at the man next to you carefully. The brightness of your living room causes you to squint and he reaches his free hand to wipe tears from your bottom lashes, his crooked index finger pressing delicately against your skin.

“I know that sounds callous and it probably is the wrong thing to say but your life isn’t over just because he isn’t here to watch you live it.” Now it’s Mirio’s voice that cracks and he clears his throat, hand flexing against where it rests on your upper arm. “He left you the tools to live however you want. You have a successful business, you are young and beautiful and…”

He trails off and you blink at him silently. The true feelings he has tried so desperately to hide for the years he has known you are seeping out of him. How much longer can he possibly hold it in before the pressure starts to cause cracks? Before it spills out of him wildly, an ode to you from a boy who has loved you since seventeen?

You stop him from spiraling, opening your mouth to speak while tears escape over his finger and roll down your face.

“I think I’m scared, Mirio.”

This is the first time you’ve admitted it, even to yourself. An undefined future is a terrifying prospect and while Toshinori was here, you were guaranteed to always have him. Scheduled pills and injections, showers and quality of life activities. Even your work is unstructured outside of your scheduled annual audits, only being called upon when you are needed.

He holds you against him, leaning down to press his lips against your forehead. This could be just what you need and although he worries about pushing boundaries, you prove his worries wrong by snuggling further into his side. Your tears drip onto the cotton of his t-shirt and he uses his second hand to begin wiping them away, shushing you gently and affectionately.

“It’s okay to be afraid, he wouldn’t judge you for that, but don’t let it make you waste the opportunity to live exactly how you want.” His words are comforting and you nod against his chest, sniffling. “There is no right or wrong way to handle this.”

This is the first time anyone has told you that it’s okay to not know what to do right now. Not that you’ve ever asked, too fearful of making missteps to try and prevent them at all. You need reassurance and although you’ve been given it, it’s hard not to seek it from a man you’ve found so much comfort in over the past few months. He has been vulnerable with you, it seems only right to do the same for him in return.

Sighing, you unbury your face from his chest. “Do you think I’m doing okay?”

There is a version of you, more than a decade younger than you are now, that lives in Mirio’s mind and he sees her in the way you look up at him with uncertain eyes. It strikes him how long the two of you have known each other; how long he has been dancing around his feelings for you. He nods, removing his arm from your shoulder to cup your cheeks in his palms.

The urge to kiss away those tears is strong but he talks himself down, tilting your head until your gazes fully meet. All of the love he has kept to himself for a decade further threatens to spill out. He stops himself, self restraint a requirement of being a hero after all, and his thumbs gently stroke the rose petal soft skin beneath them.

“You’re doing better with all of this than anyone else ever could.”

There are no words he has ever meant more than these besides the ones he decides to keep to himself, saving the oft considered ‘I love you’ for another day.

“Thank you. For everything. I kind of worry I’m asking too much from you,” you rush to apologize and he keeps his grip on your face gentle but firm.

“You can ask me for anything you need.”

He means it more than he meant his promise to the last man that loved you.

“Alright, I think we’ve had as much fun as we are going to have. Babysitters get paid hourly, you know.”

Katsuki wraps his arm around his wife’s shoulders, pulling her close to him beneath the same lights the six of you used to drink under a long time ago while saying his goodbye. He has never been much of a drinker and hasn’t indulged even a bit tonight but his wife’s relaxed expression gives away how many beers she’s had and you giggle at her, squeezing her hand as she walks by on their way out.

“Be careful you two,” you call after them, Mirio turning to look at you while you glance over your shoulder. Only Midoriya and his wife remain seated across from you two, snuggled in the corner of their side of the booth. Deku’s ever lovely better half raises a brow and nudges her husband in the ribs gently, subtly motioning toward where the pair of you sit.

This is the first night you’ve really enjoyed yourself in the six months since you’ve lost Toshinori. It has been a great walk down a memory lane you haven’t bothered to explore in a long time.

“Gosh, he’s so grumpy,” you laugh to yourself and Mirio giggles beside you, looking as smitten as he always does. Izuku notices it and looks down at his wife, the two of them communicating wordlessly by the time you glance at them. “I’m guessing you two are next to head home?” You tease, your own brain slightly hazy from the few beers you’ve allowed yourself to indulge in.

A little voice in the back of your head made you fear showing your face in public, especially after the scrutiny that came so few months ago, but nobody has taken a second glance at your group of friends despite all of the men in the group landing in the top five of the Hero standings. It appears whatever backlash was sparked has faded quickly. You make a note to thank the classmates you had that now work in the media who were likely behind it, hoping you remember it later.

You haven’t just had a good time tonight, you’ve had a great one. Smiling gratefully, you look over at your two remaining friends.

“Like Kacchan said, babysitters are paid hourly,” Deku raises his brows and shrugs. His wife kisses his cheek, beginning to slide out of the booth while he holds onto her hand and follows.

Mirio nods at Izuku and smiles at his wife, having known the two of them since high school as well, the same story with the now gone Bakugou’s.

“Get that beautiful wife of yours home safe, Deku.” He jokes with a chuckle and his friend laughs in response, reaching across the table to pat his shoulder and then yours.

It’s hard for him to believe how much has changed over these years but how much has remained the same simultaneously. His close friends married their high school sweethearts and settled into their family life, kids and recitals and dinner parties. A piece of him has wondered for years if that could have been the two of you as well if he’d left less up to chance as a young man.

Does it do any good to wonder? Mirio doesn’t know yet he does often, tonight especially.

“You ready to go?”

A little lost in your own world, you look up at him with your eyebrows raised and nod slowly. He looks so handsome, even in this poorly lit room, and heat rises in your face straight to the tips of your ears. It has been a long time since you’ve felt that particular heat, the kind that makes your stomach flip flop.

Would it be wrong of you to ask him if he wants to hang out with you for a little while longer? You don’t have ill intentions in wanting to spend time with him, at least that’s what you tell yourself, and the few beers have made you feel brave.

“Do you wanna hang out with me for a little while? We can just go back to the house or find somewhere else or…” you trail off slightly, a little self conscious. Do you seem desperate? Lonely? Annoying? “If you don’t want to though, I understand.”

Finishing your question hurriedly, you glance up at Mirio who looks at you with that same earnest stare he has given you for years. There are depths in those pretty blue eyes, humor and pain that he has experienced and joy and so much. There is simply so much more to this man than most people know and unexpectedly, it isn’t just your face that feels too hot, it’s the entire room.

“Of course I do. Let me just take you home and we can hang out there, that way I’m not keeping a lady out too late.”

He knows he’s taking a risk by being outright flirtatious with you after months of trying to keep it subtle. He is but a man and knows that look, though. That ‘through the lashes, lips slightly parted, beautiful woman who wants to spend time with you’ look. He’d be a fool to say no, even if you two do nothing but talk for hours. There’s nothing else he’d rather do with the remnants of his night anyway.

“After you,” he offers with a bright grin. The few beers he has had make his cheeks pink and you want to reach out and touch them but refrain, uncertain of how to do all of this correctly. You’ve never really dated, outside of a few hookups in your early twenties, so this is truly foreign territory. It’s a lot to wrestle with the guilt of moving on, something you have reluctantly admitted to yourself it seems you’re doing, and the weight of grief on your shoulders at all times.

When does it ever get better or at the very least, when does it become less of a struggle?

Saving those questions for another, less fun evening you slide out of the booth and he follows after, placing his hand against your back to walk you out of the bar. It feels natural, his fingers splayed across your spine and heat once again blooms. It’s embarrassing to feel so excited by sheer touch.

Your relationship with Toshinori was never sexual. Always a companion more so than a lover despite the deep love that bloomed between the two of you, you spent a lot of nights in a different bed exploring your own body while he slept in his own room down the hall. This was always the arrangement, comfortable for both of you. He was physically incapable of having sex and you never wanted to make him feel like less because of it, still complimenting his appearance and doing your best to make him feel attractive. Which he was, even until the end that smile and those jovial blue eyes had the ability to light up a room.

It’s just different with Mirio. This isn’t the first time that heat has bloomed beneath your belly button, begging you to follow it all the way down a rabbit hole you aren’t quite sure you are ready for and the alcohol is making it worse tonight. If he can tell, he’s being a gentleman about it, something to be grateful about.

The two of you stand in the now cool autumn night air, the city still noisy outside. The breeze chills your warm cheeks and you look up at him to find him glancing down at you, wearing an expression that tells him some of the same things on your mind are on his.

“What are you thinking about?”

The question is laced with humor, as most of what the man says tends to be, and you feel caught with your pants down. Playing it off with a giggle, you decide to push back; to make him feel like he’s the one being surveyed instead.

“Why didn’t you kiss me when we were in high school?”

The topic of first kisses came up tonight, your friends reminiscing about how they’ve shared their first everything together throughout the years, and you recall yours being lackluster. Some guy you went to college with named Dai who slobbered all over your face your first year.

Certainly not who you would’ve preferred sharing a kiss with.

Your question has caught Mirio off guard and he rubs his neck, scrunching his nose and refusing to make eye contact with you. The truth is that he was simply too afraid to make a move and by the time he was able to, it felt improper given the conflict and all that happened.

It was hardly a time for making a move on the girl you had a crush on and the two of you just went your separate ways after that. He became a Pro Hero, working his way up into the top 15 within his first year and then the top 10 the next and only climbing from there, you went to college to pursue your public safety certification. By the time you were able to reconnect in your early twenties, your lives had diverged so wildly it no longer felt appropriate to, well, go after you.

“I don’t know,” he finally says. “I think I was afraid you didn’t like me back.” Snorting, you attempt to stifle your laughter. He glances down at you, tilting his head, feigning offense.

“Really? I’m being honest with you and you’re going to laugh at me?”

Wrapping your arm around his bicep, you attempt damage control by resting your head against him. A breathy sigh leaves you and you glance upward to catch him staring down at you once again.

“I had such a crush on you that even Hatsume gave me shit about it.” You speak through your nose, attempting the now most sought after equipment outfitter in all of Japan's higher voice and inflection. “Where’s your little boyfriend, magnet girl?”

The two of you devolve into a fit of childish giggles, not unlike the ones you shared back then, and without warning he leans in close to you. You still cling to his bicep but he’s bent at the waist, lips inches from yours, one of his hands reaching to rest against the side of your neck.

“Can I make up for it now?”

Ocean eyes search yours, pleading for an answer. All of that heat courses through your body at once and without putting too much thought into any real consequence, you nod. Just a kiss won’t hurt either of you, for old time’s sake regardless of what may or may not be blooming here. Mirio closes the distance between the two of you and gently brushes his lips against yours, gentlemanly and chivalrous even in the throes his tremendous need to touch and feel and be close to you, and you whimper when he pulls away sooner than you liked.

“Was that okay?”

Giggling, you lean in and kiss him again to give him his reply. It was more than okay, it was everything you’ve ever dreamed of. His lips are soft, a sharp comparison to the well kept and bulky rest of him that you have had to stop yourself from eyeing hungrily on more than one occasion. His mouth tastes like salt and beer and love.

Pure love lives on his tongue that is working its way into your mouth while he hurriedly backs you two into a narrow alleyway between the bar you just left and the building next to it. His knee rests between your barely parted legs and your hands reach for anything they can grab, forearms and biceps and his shoulders and chest. You touch recklessly, one hand sliding up the side of his neck to cup his jaw and the other rubbing circles just beneath the hem of his shirt, above his belt buckle.

“Hey,” he stops you unexpectedly to catch his breath, chest heaving while he glances down at you. “I want to keep this going but I have to tell you first that I love you.”

There it is. The thing he has been keeping to himself for twelve long, torturous years. Mirio loves you so fiercely he wonders how he’s managed to even breathe the last 12 years without you by his side, your laughter and light filling his days and nights no matter how they go.

How could he ever live without you again? He isn’t sure that he could.

Blinking up at him, you slide your hand further up his face and tousle his blonde hair between your fingers.

“I don’t care if it’s too soon for you to say it back or if you ever will but I love you. I have for such a long time it hurts to keep it to myself any longer.”

The smile on your face turns into a full blown grin, fingers still snaked in his hair. Maybe it’s too soon, maybe lust is winning the battle between your wits and your heart or maybe this is a chance to say something you’ve felt for longer than you realized.

“I love you too, Mirio.”

It doesn’t make your love for Toshinori any less real to admit you love the man who has been by your side for virtually 24 hours a day for the last six months and long before that too.

He leans back in and kisses you again, silencing any thoughts other than the two of you and it leaves you breathless, gently grinding against his jean clad thigh and sucking on his tongue. Another pause and he pulls away, cupping your face.

“Take me home with you.”

It isn’t a plea of desperation but one of pure unadulterated need. He needs you, any way you’ll let him have you, tonight.

Nodding, you close the distance and press your lips against his.

“Let’s go.”

In all the time that has passed since you lost Toshinori, your home feels a little brighter when you arise in it each day.

It feels like somewhere you can build your own life now instead of living trapped inside the memory of his. You were concerned that changing anything about this place would rob you of the comfort of having once loved the man who left it to your care but you know he wouldn’t want you to stand in one place for long. All those months ago, Mirio was right when he told you that Toshinori would want you to make the best of what you’ve been given.

Move forward, he’d assure you if he were still here. Be yourself and find happiness.

Despite all the ways you’re still healing, you have.

You think about him every day. You will forever, regardless of the nature of your relationship and how other people view it. Some days the memory of him cuts through you like a knife, especially the last year of your life with him spent doing a lot more caretaking than you’d done the prior four, and other days it’s a gentle breeze. A whisper and reminder that he’s watching you, he loves you, he’s proud of you.

You’ve done the All Might legacy well, donating a large chunk of his fortune back to the communities he so committedly served. Scholarships for students who want to go to hero academies but may not have the pedigree or wealth to let them in, rebuilding the last remnants of an over decade old war that still scar areas of Musutafu tourists don’t visit.

The dreams you have yet to fulfill with what you’ve been provided make your future seem more full than ever. Hospitals bearing his name, education about the balance of hero life and personal life, safety equipment becoming better than ever. Your ambitions are big and you will make them all come true, a vow you made to him on the day he died even if he wasn’t cognizant enough to understand what you were saying.

This is all for him, dearly departed, a man you cared so deeply about you would’ve taken care of him for ten more years if you had to. You’re grateful it didn’t come to that if only for his sake, the suffering his ailing body was facing more than you like to think about even today, but all things considered it was a good life.

Even the papers have commended the woman they once referred to as an amoral opportunist.

Maybe you aren’t so bad after all.

And today when your feet hit the ground, the sun rises and fills the room with light through the gauzy curtains you put up a few months back. The cat you recently adopted twines himself around your legs and looks up at you expectantly, breakfast already a few minutes late. You couldn’t go long without having something new to take care of, the cat was once a beat up little thing brought to you by Lemillion himself one evening after a shift that has grown into a demanding beast.

“Saving little lost cats is a bit cliche, isn’t it?” You joked when he unzipped his hooded sweatshirt and produced the fuzzy, green eyed lump that mewed at you the moment he saw you. Mirio grinned and half shrugged. “Yeah but I’m good at it, right?”

Good he is, you think looking over at his still sleeping form in your bed.

For some, it may be too soon to cautiously lend your heart to another man. You love Toshinori and always will, the impact he left on your life is profound in ways you’ll discover for years to come, but a part of you has always loved Mirio even if circumstances prevented the pair of you from being together. He was once a silly teenager who was too afraid to ask you to be his girlfriend when he graduated high school, satisfied to leave things up to fate, and now he is a grown man who has been by your side through the most painful loss of your life so far, holding you together on the days when you were worried you would crumble.

Both of you are grateful that fate decided well although she took her time and brought a lot of pain on her way.

Instead of getting out of bed, you lean down and pick up your now purring cat and slide back into bed beside him, his hands instinctively reaching behind him for your thighs to pull you closer.

“I didn’t think you were awake,” you whisper and he chuckles, scarred hand running up the expanse of your thigh while your cat climbs onto his shoulder and licks his face. There’s no use in trying to carefully swat the creature away so he lets him settle onto the pillow above his head.

“I always notice when you get up and I have to fight the urge to follow you.”

Giggling, you wrap yourself around his back and rest your cheek between his bare shoulder blades.

“Why’s that?”

He finally turns to face you, blue eyes glancing down at the thing he has wanted for years. Your unmade, half awake face. The domesticity of your cat purring above both of your heads. The promise of packing to take a week off from heroics to go and enjoy a far off destination neither of you have been together.

“In case I ever lose you again,” he admits vulnerably and you smile up at him, hand reaching to cup his cheek.

The half awake mumblings have more truth to them then you could possibly imagine, fear that something else will hurt you or pull you away from him. Fear that he’s going to waste his time again, precious days he has always wanted to spend with you meaning nothing because he’s too cowardly to fight for what he wants. Maybe a younger version of Mirio Togata would have let this happen but not this one, older and wiser that he is.

The ring he plans on proposing to you with this week is nestled in his suitcase, buried beneath too many pairs of socks and probably too few pairs of boxers. He won’t even mind a long engagement, if you need one, as long as he knows forever with you is what waits on the other side.

“You don’t have to worry about that. I think we’re stuck together for life after all we’ve been through.”

As he promised his mentor a few months over a year ago, he will ensure that you are.

#all might x reader #toshinori yagi x reader #mirio togata x reader #lemillion x reader #kendall writes #cw death

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shxtodxroki · 1 year

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𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚗𝚜: 𝚃𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚒 𝙰𝚜 𝙰 𝙱𝚘𝚢𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍

Summary: What’s it like being in a relationship with Tamaki Amajiki?

Warnings: Mentions of anxiety, brief description of a panic attack, mentions of food

Pairing: Tamaki Amajiki x Gender Neutral! Reader

Word Count: 1.8k

- First things first, getting together with Tamaki isn’t a quick or easy process in the slightest, and it's important that you recognize that before trying to pursue anything with him

- It’s painfully obvious to everyone who’s ever seen him that he’s very anxious and doesn’t put himself out there or take risks easily, so getting into a relationship with him requires a lot of patience, kindness and understanding

- That’s how he knows that you’re the person he’s meant to be with, though. You weren’t put off by how long it took for the two of you to get together, you stuck by his side and continue to show him every single day that you love and care for him despite his anxieties, and he appreciates the effort you put in so much more than he could ever tell you <3

- But back to when the two of you got together lol

- You’d definitely have to be the one to ask Tamaki out officially. No matter how much he wants to be with you, he just can not force a confession directly out of his mouth

- Believe me, he’s so infatuated with you that he has tried, but the words get caught in his throat and his breathing quickens rapidly, causing his vision to get spotty and tears to fall from his eyes

- He falls into a complete panic attack, so even though he likes you more than he’s ever liked anyone before, he knows he’ll never be able to confess to you :/

- Luckily for him, you like him too! :)

- You’ve been friends with Mirio since you first came to UA due to his friendly, talkative and extroverted nature, and of course when the two of you started getting close, he just had to introduce you to his “super amazing best friend Tamaki!”

- And it definitely took a few meetings for the two of you to warm up to one another. Tamaki’s shyness made interactions stiff and awkward for a while as you didn't know how to help him feel comfortable around you, but you continued to try to reach out to him, and Tamaki worked hard to push through the anxiety in his gut and meet you half-way in your efforts once he realized you were serious about wanting to be his friend

- From there feelings just kind of developed naturally on both ends. Your personalities fit together easily, like puzzle pieces finally being connected, and you were both drawn to each other in a way neither of you had felt before and mutual crushes eventually bloomed between the two of you

- And you had your suspicions that Tamaki may reciprocate your feelings, as he tried to show you this in his own way after realizing he’d never be able to confess his feelings to you directly, so one day after lots of debating and searching for signs of his feelings, you decided to bite the bullet and just ask him out already, hoping and praying that you wouldn’t scare him off and lose the friendship you had built up completely if you were wrong and he didn’t reciprocate your feelings after all

- Fortunately, you had nothing to worry about, though, as Tamaki eventually managed to sputter out an admission that he would really enjoy going on a date with you after his shock eased up enough for him to get the words out

- Once the two of you finally get together Tamaki’s very much not a PDA person, though I’m sure everyone could have guessed this

- PDA means that attention is on him, and that’s just something that completely makes him freeze up in public

- He doesn’t mind hand holding, though, as that doesn’t draw much attention, so holding your hand or linking your pinkies together is his way of showing you love and affection when the two of you are in school or out in public together

- Because Tamaki’s so shy and quiet, he doesn’t get a lot of time to share his opinions, and he spends a lot of time in his own thoughts. Of course he has Mirio and Nejire to talk to, he’s comfortable around those two, but they’re the only people he was really able to be completely open with until you came along

- But being with you just makes him feel so comfortable, for once in his life he doesn’t feel like every action he takes or every word that falls from his lips is being judged, so he opens up to you in a way that very few people get to see from him

- Eventually the two of you get to the point where he’ll blurt out whatever’s on his mind to share his thoughts with you when the two of you are alone, and it always leaves a smile blooming on your face at how comfortable he is around you as you respond to his opinions and share your own silly, mindless thoughts with him

- One way Tamaki copes with his anxiety when he’s at school is by gnawing at the skin on his lips when he feels stressed, which leads to his lips being pretty chapped most of the time

- He was really self-conscious about it and nervous about kissing you at the beginning of your relationship because of this, he always avoided pressing his lips to your skin in any way out of fear that the rough, jagged skin would make you uncomfortable

- But eventually he confessed these fears to you when you asked if you could kiss him after you two had been on a couple of dates, and you reassured him that you didn’t mind his chapped lips in the slightest, and that you’d never judge him for something like that

- And after that conversation you make sure he knows that you carry chapstick around with you and that he's welcome to use it if he likes, but that you personally couldn’t care less if his lips are always chapped and will happily kiss him either way. You just don’t want him to feel self-conscious when, in your eyes, he’s the most beautiful boy you’ve ever seen, so if some chapstick can alleviate some of his anxiety and make him feel more confident then you’re happy to lend yours to him

- He likes it best when you put it on his lips for him, though :] It’s such a gentle and domestic act that it makes his heart absolutely swell with love for you as his face is covered in a cherry blush at your close proximity

- You also carry around snacks for him, since you know it’s important for his quirk! You keep his usual snacks that he eats before training on you at all times, so that you can offer them to him if he forgets his own or even if he just needs a little pick-me-up

- And in return he always carries around an extra water bottle just for you :>

- He knows that with how busy your lives are it can be difficult to remember proper hydration sometimes, so when he buys himself a water bottle he also buys one for you (and customizes it with cute little stickers of your interests/favorite things like the previous, thoughtful boyfriend that he is <3) and keeps it with him at all times so he can make sure you’re staying hydrated whenever he sees you (which is like, all the time lol)

- Oh oh oh! So y’all know those cute little couple heart-shaped lamp things, the ones that let you send a tiny message to your partner and they’ll receive it on their lamp and that you can control from your phone?

- Tamaki totally buys those as a gift for you on your anniversary or something like that. At first he was worried you’d think they’re lame and cheesy and wouldn’t like them, and he was very thankful when you got all excited about the gift and wrapped your arms around him as you pressed kisses across his face and thanked him profusely

- He knows you get to see each other pretty much every day, but he still likes being able to send you a “good night, I love you” message on the little lamps every night, and he likes being able to turn off your light for you to make sure you get a good night’s rest <3 (He knows he could just send the message as a text, but this feels more cute and personal to him)

- One of the best qualities Tamaki has in your relationship is that he’s an excellent communicator. The thought of losing you makes him feel physically ill, so he never wants any serious issues to develop between the two of you and always communicates whenever he’s having any kind of trouble, and encourages you to do the same with him

- If there’s an issue he wants to resolve it calmly and quickly before it can blow up or get out of hand, and if you’re struggling with something and need support, then he always wants to be right by your side helping you through your struggles however he can <3

- I know I said this before, but he’s seriously so, so thankful for all that you do for him. You help him through his meltdowns and panic attacks and the stress of being a hero-in-training and you absolutely light up his life, he truly thinks you’re brighter than every star in the sky and he just wants to show you the same love and care that you always do for him

- He wants to repay your kindness, to be an equal in your relationship and support you the same way you always support him

- And y’all know how he always refers to Mirio as the sun? Well in his mind you’re his star, he kind of sees himself as the night sky and you light up his world, filling him with a brightness that helps keep him going and allows him to be just as amazing and beautiful as you <3

- “Star” eventually becomes one of his pet names for you, and his other favorites are typically “babe” or “angel”. He only uses pet names when the two of you are alone or maybe around Mirio and Nejire on his best days, though, so you always cherish them whenever he uses one

- And even after you two have been dating for years, he still flushes at every nickname or ounce of physical affection you give him <3 He never gets tired or bored of you and your affections, you’ll always leave a swarm of butterflies in his stomach no matter how long you’ve been together

- Cuddling with Tamaki is typically a balance between him being the little spoon and you being the little spoon, depending on the day

- If he’s had a rough day or is feeling down he likes to be held by you, burying his face into your chest as his safe space as he allows his breathing to even out and his mind to clear in your gentle hold while you whisper sweet words into his ears

- But sometimes he also wants to hold you, to show you he can protect you and comfort you as well. Especially when you've had a rough day, typically he’s not the one to initiate cuddles but if he can see you’re struggling then his mind fills with determination and he easily wraps you up in his arms, running his hands up and down your back to soothe you and holding you until your stress or pain dissipates <3

- Overall Tamaki’s genuinely the most soft, gentle and loving boyfriend you ever could have asked for. All he wants is to make you happy, to prove to you every single day that he’s worthy of your love and that he loves you unconditionally as well <3

Request - Anonymous said: Could I get some headcanons for Tamaki? I love him so much 🥹🥹🥹🥹 anything fluffy please!

A/N: AAAA y’all I always get so excited to write for Tamaki, this was so much fun and he’s literally my favorite character so I’m ALWAYS down to write for him! :D This actually ended up being way longer than I meant it to be because I’m delusional for him lol, but I hope you guys enjoy this! I have the next 5 days off of school thanks to testing for the younger grades lol so hopefully I’ll be posting more writing these next couple of days! My requests are also still open as of now, so if you have any requests feel free to send them my way and I’ll get them added to my request list (linked in my navi) asap! :)

Taglist: @rebloglikeyouneedtoo @papijean @trashy-bowtie @thekaylahub @eunoiasa @applepie-macaroon @ghostofscarley @lemonadae-caekie @swiftbyul @shinsosmatcha

If you’d like to be added to any of my taglists, you can fill out this form here! Thank you for your support <3

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frickingnerd · 4 months

Text

mirio togata dating an introvert

pairing: mirio togata x gn!reader

tags: fluff, established relationship

mirio is the biggest extrovert out there, while you are the type who prefers to avoid being around too many people

mirio absolutely respects your wish and he doesn't mind it if you prefer to do things on your own, instead of with him and his friends

however when the two of you do end up going out with his friends, mirio keeps an eye out for you, to make sure you aren't getting overwhelmed

he knows that it can get a bit too much for you if he drags you along to public events, but he's always ready to leave whenever you don't have any energy to stay there anymore

you always try to stay around as long as you can, for your boyfriends sake, but the two of you have come up with a way for you to signal that you want to leave

whenever things get too much for you, you'll walk up to mirio and hug him tight

he'll look down at you, to check if you're trying to give him a signal or if you just need a hug

whenever you nod, he'll know that you'd like to leave and in the next five minutes, he'll tell his friends that it's getting late and that he'll take you home now

he never mentions that you're the one that wants to leave, since he doesn't want to draw more attention to you than you are comfortable with

often times the two of you end up grabbing some snacks on the way home or get burgers at a drive by

though if you're really exhausted, mirio will immediately drive you home and let you rest for the night!

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lou-struck · 22 days

Text

Dodge This!

Mirio Togata x reader (ft. Tamaki Amajiki)

~ Mirio has a new hobby and he just had to bring you along to cheer him on.

W.C. 2.6k

a/n: this was a sleep-deprived idea but I really am happy at how this turned out. I really had to incorporate some non-canon pop culture references for narrative sake.

The dimly lit pathways do little to conceal the drying puddles of rainwater on the street around you as you and your boyfriend, Mirio Togata, pass rows of darkened buildings in the city's warehouse district.

"Are you sure we're heading to the right place, Mirio?" You whisper, looking around for any sign of another person. "It seems awfully quiet around here."

He gives you a smile and drapes one of his strong arms around you, pulling you close. "There's nothing to worry about, y/n; we'll get to the gym soon. I just can't wait for you to see me play."

The game in question, dodgeball…

It's no secret pro heroes have some of the hardest jobs out there. Over time, pros have found ways to unwind after work just like everyone else, joining book clubs, poker groups, and adult sports teams.

The latter of which has been gaining more traction in recent years.

After hearing about a quirk-friendly recreational dodgeball league, Mirio jumped at the chance to sign up for a chance to use his quirk for something other than work. The first few times he had gone out, he returned sweaty, slightly bruised from ducking and diving against the gym floor, but more happy than you have seen him in a while.

This is saying something because he is literally a big ball of Sunshine, hope, and optimism. All wrapped in a thick coating of good humor and affection.

At first, you did not want to go. Not because you weren't interested in watching a bunch of Pro Heroes throw rubber balls at one another but because it seemed like this was his thing. This little league has been so therapeutic for him you didn't want to inject yourself into the experience. But after weeks of pleading from him, you finally relented, knowing that in your heart, he wants to share this new and exciting part of his life with you, the person he loves most in the world.

"Oh, watch your step there," he says suddenly. His large forearm shoots out in front of your stomach to stop you from stepping into a massive pothole full of rainwater.

"Thank you." Looking down into the deep hole in the ground, you shudder, imagining the uncomfortable sensation of walking around all night with a sock drenched in rainwater. "You really saved me there, Lemillion." your smile is soft as you meet his twinkling gaze.

His smiling cheeks flush a light pink color at the soft way you said his Hero name. "Anything for you," he beams, taking your hand and guiding you over the obnoxiously large puddle. His hand stays comfortably on your own as you continue walking down the paved street. He happily hums the Mission Impossible theme song, his current hyper-fixation, until he comes to a stop in front of a large warehouse. The white fluorescent light on the outside flickers as it is circled by big white moths.

"And here we are," he declares, turning his attention to you. His features turn serious as he places both of his hands on your shoulder. "Now, do you remember the first rule of underground dodgeball?"

"Ummm, don't talk about underground dodgeball?" you reply as his poker face shatters into his usual joyful features.

"That's it,” he laughs, his body practically buzzing with excitement.

"I should've never made you watch Fight Club, "you mutter under your breath as he takes some sort of access card out of his jacket pocket and slides it into the electronic lock. It beeps in response and the little red light on the side of the sensor turns from red to green as the metal doors open for the both of you.

You are flabbergasted at the complexity of the private facility. "All this for dodgeball?" this is kinda high tech, and you wonder which one of the country's extremely wealthy, retired Pro Heroes decided to fund this operation.

"Yeah, isn't it the best?" he asks, practically bounding down the short hallway toward the ever-growing sound of chatter. His mannerisms remind you of a golden retriever on its way to the dog park. The mental image brings a smile to your lips as you step into a massive gymnasium, its warm overhead lights illuminating the whole room.

A massive indoor sports court lies in the center of the room, surrounded by a few rows of bleachers.

There are already a multitude of heroes and sidekicks standing around the room, some tossing red rubber balls into the padded walls with a scary strength behind them. The impact sends shivers down your spine as you worriedly look to Mirio. But he doesn't seem nervous in the slightest at the possibility of decapitation by rubber ball. Instead, his blue eyes are alight with the fires of competitive determination.

"This is…" The word frightening lingers on the tip of your tongue, but he beats you to the punch.

"Incredible isn't it? In here we get to let loose a bit and have fun without worrying about our rankings or the media."

You nod, noticing the carefree smiles of the other Heroes in the room. This league is a good thing for them to have fun and just act like they are normal people whilst throwing rubber balls at each other.

He looks at the clock counting down on the switchboard above the gym and shoots you an embarrassed grin. "It looks like we are cutting it a bit close today. My game starts in five minutes, so I'll have to warm up a bit so I can really impress you."

"I'm already impressed with you Mirio," you smile fondly. "I'll go up to the bleachers and get all settled in."

You turn to leave him to his own devices, and you feel a gentle pull on your wrist before you can step away. "Wait," he says firmly, the look on his face dead serious. "You're forgetting something."

"You cock your head to the side and try to remember what he could be talking about. When he sees that furrow in your brow, his serious face melts away, revealing that mischievous boyish grin that never fails to make your heart skip a beat. "You forgot my good luck kiss."

"Oh my," you mock gasp, "how could I forget such an important thing?"

He shakes his head, "It's a crime for sure; you'll have to pay double for this infraction."

"I think that can be arranged," you chuckle, closing the short distance between your two bodies and pressing two gentle pecks to his lips. The kiss is brief, but you can still taste the berry-flavored chapstick he put on earlier lingering on his lips.

You pull away and playfully tug down on the hem of his shirt. "Good luck, Mirio," you murmur, nudging him off toward the court where his other teammates are waiting for him.

It's a short walk up a lightweight metal staircase to the raised bleachers. Since these leagues are pretty low profile, there aren't many spectators. You see a few groups of people waiting to play in the next round, but near the back of the bleachers, you spot a familiar-looking head of indigo hair sitting all by themselves.

"Hello, Tamaki," you say, coming over to sit next to your friend. "I didn't know you were on one of the dodgeball teams."

"I'm not," he replies, popping a piece of popcorn into his mouth. The heavenly aroma of butter fills your nostrils as you pull your gaze away from the bag he must've gotten from one of the little concession areas in the warehouse. "But someone at my agency wanted to make plans tonight, and I told them I was busy, so I decided to come here so I wasn't lying to them."

"Oh, I get it," you say sympathetically. "But I'm glad you're here. I don't really know anyone else, so it will be nice to have someone to talk to."

He gives you a small smile and tilts his popcorn bag towards you. "Thanks y/n. Here, take some. I saw you were looking at it earlier."

"Thank you," you smile embarrassedly at the realization you are just as sneaky as Mirio. "Was it that obvious?"

"Just a little bit," he says.

Suddenly, you are interrupted by the sound of a rubber ball hitting the wall with a terrifying force. It barrels back at the player who threw it like a boomerang. "Wow, do these balls just not pop?"

"Not usually," Tamaki says. "Since these games are for Pro Heros, the equipment was designed by support specialists to be extra durable. Occasionally, things will break, but it's way less common than with normal equipment."

"I see," you say quietly. Instinctually, your eyes dart over to Mirio in concern, but he looks so genuinely happy stretching and talking with his teammates it gives you a sense of security. If he isn't worried, you shouldn't be either.

A short man in a referee uniform steps up to the side of the court and blows the silver whistle from around his neck. The clear, high-pitched sound echoes off the walls, signaling to the teams of six to take the court.

A line of red rubber balls sit motionless in the center of the court. The players are touching the back walls with just the tips of their fingers as they stare the balls down hungrily as they try to decide which one to go for first.

There is a competitive intensity in the air that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, but when you finally zero in on your boyfriend on the court, he doesn't seem to be at all intimidated.

Instead of the balls or his opponents or anything else game-related, you see that he is looking up in the bleachers right at you. A big, goofy grin rests on his face as he waves up at you enthusiastically.

You laugh and give him a small wave back just as the starting whistle blows, and both teams are off. Mario doesn't run toward the line of ammunition at all; he hangs back and paces across the floor with an open, unassuming posture that basically invites his opponents to chuck a ball at his chest.

It doesn't take long until the first player takes the bait. A woman with plum-colored skin and a long silver ponytail steps up and throws the ball his way with a wicked speed. It has a slight backspin as it barrels toward his face.

It gets closer and closer until he activates his quirk, and it passes harmlessly through his body and hits the wall behind him. If it weren't for the special workout clothes he was wearing, you would worry about him sinking through the ground and popping up completely naked.

"Nice throw," he smiles, crouching slightly to pick up the now harmless ball. "If that had hit me, I would definitely feel that tomorrow." He winds up his throw and slings it across the court with a curve.

The woman dodged just barely, but the man behind her wasn't so lucky. The ball hits one of his spring-loaded knees as he tries to leap out of the way and is sent off by the referee.

"Way to go Mirio." you cheer happily. When the sound of your voice reaches his ear, he can't help but puff out his chest with pride.

'Watch me,' he mouths, stepping into the middle of the court.

"Looks like someone is getting overconfident," Tamaki mutters next to you.

"What do you mean?" you ask as Mirio sneaks a smile your way just as his opponents throw three balls at him at once. Thanks to his quirk, he is basically untouchable. If this whole 'hero thing' doesn't work out, you are sure he will have a promising career in the underground dodgeball circuit.

Because that is totally a real thing.

"Wow, he's incredible," you murmur to Tamaki.

"He is," the hero replies, "but Mirio has a weakness."

"Really?" you ask, struggling to think of how he can lose at this game, "how so?"

"Just watch, you'll see what I mean," he replies, taking a long sip from his water bottle.

And watch you do.

As the game rages on, Mirio's teammates are picked off one by one until Mirio finds himself staring down his opponents. The woman with the silver ponytail and the man with the strength quirk you saw earlier warming up. 2 vs. 1 may not be a fair fight, but you have full faith in your boyfriend.

His evasive maneuvers are professional and practiced. He is so good at dodging, ducking, dipping, diving, and dodging some more until all of the balls on the playing field end up on his side, safely out of his opponent's reach.

With a bright red ball in his hand, you see him wind up his throw, rush to the top of the court, and send it flying through the air with all his might.

But the man from before, smiling in his black leather singlet (which cannot be comfortable), catches the ball with one of his giant hands as if it were a balloon.

Mirio is out.

The ref blows the final whistle, and the match ends.

After shaking hands with each one of his opponents, his smile falls, and he sulks over to you with his head hung low. "Ahhh, I was so close," he groans, plopping down next to you and leaning his sweat-dusted brow on your shoulder.

"But you played so well," you say gently, consoling him. "This is so much fun to watch. Thank you for inviting me."

He perks up and puts his chin on your shoulder. "You had fun?"

You nod and press your lips to his forehead. "So much fun."

Tamaki clears his throat. "You player well, fo you play again?"

"Tamaki, thank you for coming." Mirio smiles, looking over to his best friend. "Yeah, I think we play again after this game. Do you want to play? I think we can add in an extra player."

The indigo-haired man's eyes go wide as he starts to shake his head. "N-no, I can't."

"Why not?" Mirio asks cocking his head to the side."

You watch as Tamaki tries to come up with an excuse. “Because… because…”

"That doesn't sound like a reason to me." you hum thoughtfully.

Mirio claps his hands together. "Perfect, then you'll be playing on my team in the next round."

"We could get ice cream afterward." you offer as the shy hero accepts his fate.

He narrows his eyes. "Fine, I'll play. But you're paying."

"Done," you agree, as your boyfriend looks like he is about to burst from happiness at the idea of playing dodgeball with his best friend.

"This is great!" he exclaims, patting Tamaki on the back. "There's extra clothes in the locker room in the back, go get changed."

"You sound too excited about this," Suneater mumbles as he heads off toward where the locker room must be, with the slightest hint of pep in his step.

Your boyfriend looks at you warmly, his sapphire eyes filled with love as he takes your hand. "Thank you for helping me convince him to play. I think this will be good for him to let loose a bit."

"I think you guys will have fun." you say earnestly, "I can't wait to watch."

Mirio gently pokes your cheeks.

"Hey y/n?"

"Babe?"

"The love of my life?"

You scoff as his enthusiasm brings a smile to your lips. "Yes?"

"If we win the next game can I get two scoops?" he leans in close to you and peppers your face with bribing kisses, your favorite form of currency."

"Mirio, if you win. I'll get you three scoops."

Tagging: @enchantedforest-network

#my hero academia mirio #bnha #mha #my hero academia #Mirio x reader #mirio togata x reader #x reader #tamaki amakiji #mirio togata #mha fluff

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his-lune · 3 months

Text

☾ Just Like This | MiriTama ☽

A/N: Hi~ this is my first ever work for MHA. I haven't written in a year or two so I'm hoping my writing didn't get too bad 😭 requests are open, but please check out the requirements before requesting. Happy reading! 🩷

Relationship: Amajiki Tamaki x Fem Reader (ft. Togata Mirio)

Word Count: 2,793

Genre: Fluff, semi-smut (?)

Warnings: Making out, grinding, cumming in pants, mention of tentacles, implications towards future smut ;; I think that's all! Please let me know if I missed anything

It was a cloudy Saturday afternoon, the forecast called for a few showers here and there. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to spend time with your boyfriend of two months, Amajiki Tamaki. The two of you were in his room watching the second movie of the night. The first movie was full of action, but Tamaki decided to put on a romance movie this time, hoping to make the date more romantic.

As the beginning of the movie started, you noticed there was still a good amount of space between the two of you. While you wished you were cuddling, you knew your boyfriend was normally an anxious person. As the movie progressed, the indigo-haired male slowly started to shyly shuffle closer to you. Once his thighs finally touched yours, his face became red with embarrassment. His body was tense, nerves running through him as he couldn’t help but think if you were uncomfortable. Noticing how he started to slightly shake, you gently took his hand in yours and gave him a small smile. The action calmed him down, and the two of you put your attention back on the film, forgetting that your hands were connected. An action that would normally cause him to furiously blush and stutter.

Halfway through the movie, the lead actors passionately kissed, making you sigh. Your boyfriend glanced at you and noticed the longing expression on your face. Swallowing, he awkwardly turned to you, looking at you with anxiety. Feeling his gaze locked on you, you turned towards him and gave him a comforting smile, “Is everything ok, Tama?”

“Y-yes…” Tamaki whispered, gaze dropping down to your lips before quickly returning to gaze into your eyes. He didn’t know how to bring it up, never having been confident especially in these types of situations. “I just…”

You hummed, letting him know he could take his time, “It’s ok, Tamaki. Take your time, I’m not going anywhere.” Your thumb softly rubbed against his hand, once again soothing him. It’s silent for a few more moments before he can’t hold it back anymore.

“I want to kiss you!” Tamaki squeaked out as he removed his hand from yours to completely cover his face. His cheeks were red, shoulders shaking as he hid from you. God, I’m so dumb. She’s going to break up with me now…

Biting your lip, you took hold of his hands and softly moved them away from his face. “Tamaki,” you cooed, voice sweet and comforting. His eyes shakingly met yours, gaze vulnerable. “I’d love to kiss you, too. But only if you’re sure you’re ready.” His expression lit up with wonder, shocked that you would want to kiss him as well.

“I d-do, I’ve been wanting to kiss you, i-it’s just,” Tamaki started, “I’ve… I’ve n-never done this b-before.” Knowing that he felt comfortable enough with you to not stutter as much filled you with warmth.

Smiling at him, you got onto your knees to face him better, “It’s ok, Tama. We can go as slow as you need.” Your boyfriend nervously nods with a shaky smile.

Tamaki shyly placed one hand on your cheek, the other hand hovering, not knowing where he should place it. He let out a quiet squeak when you moved his hovering hand to your waist. Scooting closer, you gradually leaned in, pausing just before your lips could touch, “Are you sure, baby?”

Instead of saying anything, he just pushed forward and placed his lips on yours. Not realizing how much force he actually used, he ends up accidentally slamming his forehead on yours. You pulled away with a quiet wince, hand coming up to rub at the sore spot. Glancing up at Tamaki, you noticed his eyes widened with embarrassment and anxiety. He was hoping your first kiss would be sweet, romantic. Not painful. He was so lost in his thoughts he didn’t notice you calling out his name. His body trembled as he shakingly rose from his spot and rushed out of his room, slamming the door behind him.

You stared at his bedroom door with confusion, lost on why he just rushed out of the room. Thinking he was just embarrassed about what had happened, and shy from his first kiss, you shrugged and got out your phone to pass the time. 15 minutes later and the only sounds filling the air were TikTok edits.

You brought your attention from your phone to the door that was silently opening. Sitting up straight, you watched as Tamaki walked in with Mirio trailing behind him. You raised an eyebrow at the sight of Mirio, questioning why he was even there to begin with. Looking back at Tamaki, you noticed his head down, not being able to meet your eyes.

“Baby?” You asked, putting your phone on his nightstand. “What’s… what’s going on?”

Your boyfriend nervously glanced up at you before setting his gaze back on his bedroom floor. “I-I,” He swallowed and tried to steady his voice, “I asked Mirio if he’d.. If he’d b-be willing to show me h-how to k-kiss you…”

Not knowing what to even say to something like that, you just stared at the two with wide eyes. Silence filled the room for a few moments as you tried to process what exactly was supposed to happen. Seeing you think, and noticing how his best friend was starting to get anxious, Mirio spoke up.

“No need to worry anymore, I’m here to help you cuties!” Though Mirio’s grin was wide, you could tell how nervous he was to be there. Given how Mirio only lives 10 minutes from Tamaki, it's no wonder he got there so fast. You’re just surprised he actually agreed to this. Then again, it is Mirio and he’d do anything to help his best friend. Noticing how silent you were, Mirio started to get worried. He didn’t want to do anything if it’d make you feel uncomfortable. No matter how much he wanted to kiss you and feel your body on his.

“Are you sure you want to do this, Y/n?” Mirio asked as he stepped a little closer to where you were sitting on Tamaki’s bed. Said male was standing behind Mirio now, nervously shifting in his spot as he watched things unfold, cheeks flushed a bright red. Mirio noticed where your gaze was and cleared his throat, “I asked you a question, Sunshine.”

Looking back at him, your breath hitched in your throat at the lust that filled his eyes. He actually wanted to do this. If he was willing to do this, and Tamaki was the one to come up with the idea, then what was so bad if you were to say yes?

The air was hot and heavy, tensions rising higher and higher the longer your lips were locked. It was a wet and messy kiss, Mirio’s strong hands held you close to his body. The blonde’s rough hands were trailing up and down your sides, slowly going under your shirt to feel more of your skin, wanting to feel all of you. You whimpered into the kiss once you felt how hard he was beneath you. Even without seeing, you could tell he was thick and long. Knew that he’d fill you perfectly if given the chance. Hearing the sweet sound that left your mouth caused Mirio to groan and hold you closer to him, shuddering when he felt the way your core brushed against his. One hand gripped your waist, and the other held your thigh, slowly guiding you to grind down against his hard cock.

“Mirio!” you gasped as your mouth parted from his, a string of saliva connecting your swollen lips together. Eyes fluttering, you gripped his shoulders as you continued to grind down even harder. Your moves became more frantic and desperate as you felt his cock twitch in his pants, chasing that sweet release you were so, so close to.

Mirio grinned at the sounds leaving your mouth. Staring behind you, he caught Tamaki’s lust-blown eyes. Mirio prevented you from moving, relishing in the desperate whine you released. Grabbing your chin, Mirio cooed at you, “Shh, it’s ok, Sunshine. Why don’t you show Tamaki how much you appreciate him?”

You nodded and slowly got off of Mirio and watched as he got up from the bed. He had gently grabbed Tamaki’s hand, helping him sit down on the bed where he just was. Mirio then turned to you and smirked.

“Go on, climb on top of him,” Mirio said in a husky voice as he watched the way you swung your leg to straddle your shy boyfriend. “That’s it. Don’t be shy, put all your weight on him. Let him feel how needy you are for him.”

Tamaki’s breath caught in his throat when he finally felt the way you felt on his lap. He felt so awkward, once again not knowing what to do with his hands. Was he supposed to immediately grab you and move you along his covered length? Or was he supposed to start slow? He had watched the way Mirio slowly riled you up with teasing touches and sensual kisses, but now that he was the one in that position, he was scared to mess up. He didn’t want to lose you just because he still didn’t know what to do. Having noticed the way Tamaki was just staring ahead with confused and shaky eyes, Mirio stepped up behind you.

“Just like this,” Mirio mumbled as he guided Tamaki’s hands to your waist, humming in approval when Tamaki pulled you closer to where your chests were touching.

Tamaki let out a nervous breath as he shyly started to move your hips against his. He couldn’t help but whimper when your clothed core grinded against his cock just right. His fingers tightened on your skin, sure to leave bruises that you’ll stare at with lust later on. After he got used to the slow and gentle rhythm, he hesitantly placed his lips on yours. They were so soft against his own that he couldn’t help but use more force, his desperation apparent in his inexperienced movements. The kiss was sloppy and wet, but it was perfect.

The feeling of kissing you felt so magical, so right. He didn’t want to be anywhere else but here. Right here, where your hips were frantic against his own thrusting hips. With the most beautiful sounds he’s ever heard falling from your mouth, panting into his own. It had to be his favorite sound in the whole world, and knowing he was the cause of it? He was already so close to breaking apart, cock twitching in his tight pants, knowing there was a noticeable wet spot. Whether that spot was from your own juices or from his own leaking cock, he didn’t care. He loved it.

He wanted to have you cum on him, he wanted to cum on you. Yet, he also wanted to see you cum on his best friend. Did this make him a horrible boyfriend? Wanting to see you get off on another man? No, it wasn’t just some other man. It was his best friend. Only his best friend. He only trusted Mirio to treat you right, make you feel the way you deserved to feel.

Right as he felt like he was ready to cum, he broke away from your lips, panting hard. “Wait.. wait!” Hearing his desperate voice, you immediately stopped moving on him, cupping his face in worry. Seeing you about to ask him what was wrong, he quickly spoke up, “You didn’t do anything wrong! I loved every second of that… I just… I think I want to watch you m-make.. out… with Mirio instead…”

“Are you sure, baby?” You asked him, voice soft and tender. He nodded as he glanced at Mirio, telling him with his eyes that he was serious and ok with it.

“That’s it, Sunshine,” Mirio panted out, fingers tightening on your hips, “Being so good for me.” The praise left you whining with your mouth open. “Oh? I think your girl likes to be praised, Tamaki,” Mirio said to your boyfriend now, never taking his eyes off of you.

Tamaki moaned quietly, “S-she’s such a good girl!” The end of his sentence was cut off by him gasping and whimpering at the pleasure shooting through his sensitive body.

Both yours and Mirio’s attention locked onto where he was sitting in his desk chair, watching as he palmed his cock through his pants. The sight of his flushed cheeks, lustful eyes, and parted mouth paired with the way Mirio was moving you on his cock had you instantly crying out as an orgasm ripped through your body. Feeling your shaking body release on his lap had Mirio groaning and continuing to move you, helping you ride out your release. Not even a few moments later, Mirio had also started to cum in his jeans, thrusting his hips up against yours, wishing there was nothing that separated the two of you. The sound of your overstimulated whine was like music to his ears. He wanted to hear more sounds from you. As the two of you came down from your highs, you could hear Tamaki’s quiet voice.

“Can…” Tamaki trailed off, staring at where you and Mirio were connected, “I want…” Mirio hummed as he helped you turn around to see your boyfriend better. “I want to make her…”

Mirio grinned teasingly at his best friend, “Go on, Tama. Tell us what you want to do to your girlfriend.”

“I want to make her c-cum on me, too,” Tamaki embarrassingly said as he tried his hardest not to cover his red face in shame. The depraved words coming from your boyfriend had you ready for more already. Overstimulation forgotten.

The blonde laughed as he felt the way you subtly grinded onto his still rock hard cock. Once again, he helped you off his lap, groaning when he saw the stain of arousal you left on the front of his jeans. Fuck, you were so wet for him. Once you were seated on Tamaki’s lap, Mirio took the desk chair and pulled it closer to the bed. His hand trailed down his toned stomach, coming to rest on his cock, palming himself to the sight in front of him. The view of you and Tamaki locked in an intense kiss as you dry humped each other had him feral with want. Pairing that with the sight of Tamaki lifting your shirt up to feel more of your skin against his hands made Mirio feel like he was going to lose his mind.

Mirio couldn’t help but to shove his hand down his jeans, fingers gripping and stroking his leaking length. His hand moved up and down slowly, trying not to orgasm too soon. He wondered how your hand would feel on him…His grip tightened and the speed of his movements sped up when he saw the way Tamaki’s fingers had turned into tentacles. God, the sight of the suckers latching and popping off your skin had him groaning with his head thrown back in pleasure. He knew the sight of the small circles left behind on your waist would never leave his mind.

“Oh? I think she likes your tentacles, Tamaki,” Mirio mumbled from behind you, hand coming to hold the back of your neck with his strong hand. When had he gotten up from his seat? “Maybe you could try that out some other time, hm? Would you like that, pretty girl?”

Moaning, you frantically nodded your head at his words, “Yes! Wanna feel them on me more, wanna feel them… Feel them inside of me!” You ended with a gasp right as you wrapped your arms around Tamaki’s neck, clinging to him as your body jolted from the pleasure rolling through your system. Tamaki cried out as he was also hit with his release, desperately holding you to his body, eyes squeezed shut.

It took a few more moments before you and your boyfriend finally released your arms from each other. Smiling at him, you lightly kissed his kiss-swollen lips. Mirio stared at you two with a soft gaze, happy he was able to help the both of you. Looking up at his friend, Tamaki shyly smiled at him.

“Thank you for the help, Mirio,” Tamaki whispered, realizing you had fallen asleep in his arms, snuggled into his neck. He shuddered at the way your warm breath hit his neck.

Laughing quietly, Mirio waved his hands, “It was no problem! I’m happy to help anytime!” His words had Tamaki’s mind racing with thoughts of what else could happen between the three of you…

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