Chereads / Somnolence / Chapter 12 - Somnolence ch12

Chapter 12 - Somnolence ch12

You arrive at Kabukicho right around dusk. It's a short walk from the train station to the local 7/11 where you wait on a bench outside the convenience store as instructed. The setting sun still peeks over the horizon, casting its last dimming rays over the beautiful cityscape.

Initially, your work study instructor is nowhere to be seen, so you fish out a manga from your bag and start reading to pass the time. And boy does time pass. When you finish the manga, blinking back tears because this week's One Piece chapter was crazy good (you say this every week), there's still no sign of your mentor. You check the time and grimace.

She's late… like, late as fuck.

You chew your lip, deciding to people watch instead while you continue to wait. There's much to see as the sun sets, and the night life stirs awake. Lots of salarymen trudge by with hefty leather briefcases and tired, weary expressions, no doubt headed to a bar or pachinko machine to blow off steam. Well dressed men with rough faces and colorful tattoos cluster in packs, smoking cigarettes and shooting dice. It doesn't take long for you to notice that there's also quite a lot of lovely ladies in this part of town. The local denizens of the area shouldn't be all that surprising.

This is Tokyo's red light district after all.

Your name is called, and you brighten as you turn to see your newfound mentor jogging toward you, gathering your briefcase with your Hero costume. Then you almost drop dead on the spot. She looks just about good enough to eat! Dressed in a long sleeve satin dress that clings to her curvaceous body which is bouncing deliciously with each step, all pulled together by a pair of kitten heels that make her legs look like they go on forever. Your head swims. Briefly, you feel compelled to throw yourself to the ground and kiss her feet. Instead you bow in a stiff and formal manner.

"Midnight-sensei!" You greet her. "Thank you for accepting me as your humble apprentice. I promise to give it my all!"

"Whoa, no need to be so uptight," Midnight laughs. "And we aren't in class, so you don't have to call me sensei."

You straighten up awkwardly, trying to avoid looking at her directly lest you burst a blood vessel. "Um, o-okay… S-Sorry?"

"What're you apologizing for, kid? I'm the one who was late!" She chuckles at you once more, guiding you along the path to her agency with a light and delicate hand. "Didn't mean to keep you waiting, but I got tied up handling some Hero business."

"Oh, cool!" Your eyes sparkle. "Kicking some villain butt or rescuing a civilian?"

"Nothing too flashy," she replies easily with a wink. "Just finishing up some reports on a trafficking ring I recently busted up."

"Amazing!" You beam.

"It's only paperwork," she deadpans.

"Obviously I mean the part where you stopped a bunch of scumbags from using innocent people for their own sick purposes." You scowl. Midnight is always teasing you! Why did she even sponsor you if she wasn't going to take you seriously?!

The R-rated heroine just giggles again before striking a pose with her hands on her hips. "All in a day's work!" You have to admit, she does look pretty badass. "So, kid, whaddya think about the neighborhood?" She asks as you continue walking.

You hum as you take in your surroundings once more. There are quite a few tourists and many drunk foreigners despite the fact that the sun has barely disappeared below the horizon. You glance around at the neon lights advertising different bars, host clubs, and love hotels. It's all relatively clean due to government regulations, but you can still spot the subtle details needed to identify members of the Yakuza and signs of malnourished prostitutes hostesses on various street corners. You grimace.

"It's a real finely polished shithole," you remark absentmindedly before remembering who it is that you're talking to. You splutter an apology for your foul language, but the Pro heroine is too busy laughing uproariously.

"Yeah, it really is," Midnight agrees, wiping her eyes and smiling fondly. She somehow manages to look great even under the neon lights. "I grew up not too far from here." You blanch, realizing you just insulted her hometown. The woman only waves her hand dismissively. "It's alright. Most people would consider it unsavory… but I just call it home." Her tone takes on a wistful aspect. "There's beauty here, too, you just have to know where to look."

As the two of you walk, Midnight points out the hidden gems, the ones that are covered in or even still mostly buried in the dirt. Amongst the garbage in an alleyway, there's a couple of fluffy stray cats play fighting. A homeless man in a dirty tattered suit plays a beautiful, jazzy melody on the saxophone. On every corner there's a hungry looking woman with a gorgeous, shining smile. They all show a sign of respect to Midnight, whether it be a simple nod or a timid wave.

But Midnight frowns as she explains to you what it truly means to be a woman in the Hero world. That you must be both beautiful and strong , and even still you will be openly mocked and ridiculed by the media. That you must be perfect— can be perfect, and still you will fall short in popularity polls compared to your male counterparts. She asks if you can handle the pressure that comes with the title of Heroine, but it feels like a rhetorical question, not meant to be properly answered but rather something to be ruminated on. Midnight explains that even with all she has accomplished in her impressive Hero career, her time is ending. She tells you that femme heroes are like shiny sports cars— coveted and exciting at first, but ultimately just toys to be used and discarded by the populace.

The Heroine reveals to you that she is being brushed aside by newer, younger models. "Even Mt. Lady says that older Heroines like me are getting in the way of the younger crowd," Midnight admits with a wince. But that was never her intention, which is precisely why she teaches at UA, to help shape and guide the future generations.

"Getting in the way?!" You exclaim, finally meeting her eyes. "You literally walked, and I mean strutted that path forward, so that Heroines like Mt. Lady could run. You're an icon, a living legend! Hell, your first hero costume was so controversial that the government put laws in place regulating the amount of skin allowed to be showed by Heroes (AKA Heroines) in the public eye!

"Getting older…" you scoff with a befuddled shake of your head, "why does everybody say it like it's such a bad thing?! I was so nervous and awkward and freakin weird when I was younger… but I've grown into myself over the years. And that's thanks to looking up to strong women like you!" Your gaze turns dreamy the longer that you observe her beautiful features. "You're so mature and sexy and classy— you make me look forward to entering true womanhood! And you're so experienced… You can probably do tricks that I couldn't even name." You finish your little speech with starry eyes and only a small trickle of blood leaking from your nose.

Midnight blushes, since you just gushed about her in the same way Midoriya does with All Might. Your sanity audibly cracks with the force of shattering glass. Did you hear me?! YOU made MIDNIGHT blush! This is it! You've peaked in life and can officially die a happy, content woman. You're practically floating on a cloud.

Before long, the two of you come upon Midnight's agency. It's a multipurpose facility that also serves as a recreational center, halfway house, and emergency clinic. It's impressive and inspiring how many people she's able to help under one roof. You expect the Heroine to direct you toward the rec center since it makes the most sense for training, but instead she leads you to the clinic.

"Um, I know I said I was up for anything, but…" you tense as the sterile air hits your exposed skin. Recovery Girl always had a way of warming her workspace to make it less like a barren hospital— or attacking you with her cane to make it feel like just another war zone. That you can handle. But this clinic, this place is rather bland and uncomfortable.

Midnight senses your trepidation. She urges you to relax just as a nurse enters the room. She is a sweet faced woman in pastel scrubs, wheeling in a cart with a projector. After the usual pleasantries and introductions, the nurse explains her quirk, which allows her to project the mental images of others into film. You start to get an idea of where things are headed and clench your fists anxiously.

"Don't worry, there won't be any scary needles or anything like that today," Midnight soothes, but it doesn't help you to relax. You'd much rather get ten flu shots right about now. "Although I do want to experiment with your quirk." Ugh! There it is. You groan. Midnight is undiscouraged.

"When I watched you in the Sports Fest, do you know what I thought?" Midnight asks with a smirk. "I thought: this girl is scared out of her mind." She laughs when your face falls in disappointment. "But she still marches on," Midnight says with admiration. "You're the only woman who made it into the Top Three. You have the makings of a great Hero, but first you've gotta overcome your shame." You pinch the bridge of your nose reflexively. "Oh, I'm not talking about you being a huge perv, that's completely fine!" She completely breezes past the way you stiffen as the nurse glances over with a raised brow. How can Midnight say such a thing so casually?! "You're carrying shame about your quirk, and I wanna get to the bottom of it. So use it on me!"

"Ma'am there are very , very few things that you could ask of me that I would deny," you say seriously, "but unfortunately this is one."

Midnight laughs. "This is precisely what I mean! You're so apprehensive… but it's your quirk. You've had it all your life. Why are you so frightened of it?" Your face says more than words. The Pro Heroine nods sagely. "Ah. Just as I suspected. There was an incident. Can you tell me about it?" You think for a moment before shaking your head no. "Then can you show me?" Your eyes widen. It would certainly be easier than explaining all the traumatic details, but…

"I can…" you begin hesitantly, continuing after she prompts you. "But… I'm scared," you confess quietly.

"That's why we're here in a controlled environment. I have medical professionals who can monitor our vitals. And since you're such a big fan, I'll let you in on a little secret," she winks, leaning in towards you conspiratorially. "Thanks to my quirk, I tend to have lucid dreams, so I'll be right there with you. If I feel uncomfortable, then I'll let you know, and we can stop."

"It's not you I'm worried about, Midnight… it's me. " You shiver, recalling how vivid and real Midoriya's wet dream felt just last night. The idea of showcasing your waking nightmare to her so realistically is terrifying. "I dunno if I can relive that."

Midnight sighs and shows her palms. "Listen, kid, I won't force you, that's not my MO… But every time we suit up as Heroes, we are facing our fears. Maybe it would help if I showed you my worst fear first?"

Your eyes widen at her bravery. "Y-You don't have to do that—"

"I want to," Midnight says, laying back in the clinical cot easily. The sweet faced nurse hooks her up to a couple machines. The rhythmic beeping only exacerbates your anxiety, like hearing a ticking time bomb. Midnight just gives you a reassuring smile. "I want to show you the reason that I became a Hero, the reason that gives me the strength to suit up each day. Would you like to see?" She's so damn fearless. It gives you courage too.

"…Okay," you nod finally. You sit beside her on the cot and remove your gloves before hesitantly caressing her cheek. Her skin feels nice and smooth. She snoozes softly. Your nerves tense, brain pinching as your quirk activates.

You fall into her dream, into her very subconscious.

The first sensation that hits you is the powerful smell of fear, sweet and enticing.

Next is the resounding click of heels hitting your ears, all moving as one. You glance down from your elevated position to see a busy street intersection. It is crowded by women, all dressed in stiff grey pencil skirts and tight buns, wearing vacant and impassive expressions. They wait on the sidewalk for the street sign to tell them to go— without yawning, without checking their phones, without thinking or even breathing it seems.

In the middle of the intersection stands a lone woman in a red dress as cars race past her, a pop of color in a sea of grey. You swim through the air to get a closer look at her. It is Midnight.

She appears unbothered by the speeding vehicles barreling just inches past her on either side. Instead she looks at the crowds of women on either side of the busy street with a somber face. The crosswalk sign changes to green, and the hordes of ladies begin to cross the path, without emotion, without life, moving like robots in complete unison, in complete silence save for the uniform clicking of heels.

"You there, kid?" Midnight asks to no one in particular— no, to you , you realize. "You seeing this shit? This is what they want from us. Obedience. Subservience." She spits on the ground in disgust. "A hive of mindless, docile drones. Fembots meant to be seen, not heard. If the Hero Commission had their way, if the men in power had their way, then this is all that we would be."

You look out at the ocean of nameless women, and your brain tries to identify them, to differentiate them— she's got beautiful eyes, and that one, her hair color is to die for, and this one she's got a figure to kill for. But here in Midnight's nightmare, none of them are real, none of them really matter or exist; you get the sense that this reality isn't truly real. So why do you want so badly to help them all? You turn to Midnight, the woman that you know to be flesh and blood, her fears laid bare to you.

"Even here, even in a dream, I hate to see this," Midnight mutters, peering at her surroundings with disgust.

Without a body to inhabit in this realm, you are not physical, you are not corporeal, yet you still respond, you still try to assuage her fears. "I can help," you find yourself saying, unknowing if she can even hear you properly. But when you speak you feel the dreamscape ripple in response. "I… can make it better. I can take it away, so it doesn't hurt anymore… I-I can eat it."

Midnight smiles, a tear running down her porcelain cheek. Her beauty mark has never looked so beautiful. She can't see or hear you, but she looks up to the sky as though she's gazing right into your eyes. You adjust your position in the air to meet her passionate gaze, and it sparks something inside of you.

"I fight so I'll never have to see this world," Midnight declares defiantly, as though shouting at the very heavens above. "When I suit up, this is everything I fight against!"

Your hands move to cup her face, but you pass right through her like a ghost. It does nothing to stunt your resolve. In fact, your brow furrows with determination. "Y-Yeah, I… I won't let this happen, either!"

You close your eyes and concentrate on absorbing her fear. It feels different, feels even better when you're conscious about the choice, and it tastes really yummy too! Your skin alights with tingly, electric heat as you consume it all, the edges of this dream world breaking apart and disintegrating into nothingness. The last thing that you see is Midnight looking around with curiosity, then the prettiest smile on her face before it all fades to black.

You gasp sharply as you reappear in the clinic.

Your muscles twitch, dark smoke curling and pouring from your hot skin. With a bit of concentration, you are able to rein the smoke back in before it activates any fire alarms. The kind nurse soothes you just as Midnight begins to stir. She's drooling a bit, and it's kinda funny to see the Pro Heroine so disoriented.

"Whazza?" Midnight murmurs deliriously. "Hmm? HUH? Who—?"

You chuckle as the nurse gets her up to speed. You feel… really close to Midnight in this moment, and it has nothing to do with your current physical proximity. As a Pro Heroine— no as a woman, as a person, as an individual… she's really fucking incredible. You definitely made a good decision choosing her as your mentor. The nurse urges you both to look at the nearby screen as she replays the events that just occurred in Midnight's dream. The Pro Heroine has never been one to sugarcoat things, and your body tenses while you await her response to your quirk.

But Midnight just looks to you in concern. "How do you feel? This probably wasn't your first time experiencing something like that, but you're okay, right?"

Your cheeks warm as you smile bashfully at her kind and empathetic nature. "I'm alright. This was only my third time… eating a dream?" What a strange thing to verbalize. You feel weird. "I-It doesn't hurt or anything… actually, it feels good." Dumbass! Why did you say that?! She's definitely gonna think you're a sick freak now!

"Felt good?" Midnight parrots before her expression turns lewd and suggestive as usual. "You mean like…?"

"No!" You say quickly before faltering. "It's not inherently… sexual . W-Well, except for there was this one time when I fell into a classmate's erotic dream." SHUT UP IDIOT. "That's the only time it felt good… like that." STOP TALKING! HOLY SHIT??? WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN CAN YOU NOT BE QUIET?!

It's the energy coursing through you from her nightmare! You're feeling outspoken and free and untethered, just like Midnight hopes for all women. Woe, the price of feminism is a hefty one indeed!

Midnight brightens like you've never seen before. "How salacious! Tell me everything!" You cover your mouth with your hands quickly before you can blurt out any more incriminating details, shaking your head. The Pro Heroine pouts but thankfully shows you mercy. "Well, I guess a lady does have to keep some secrets to herself."

The nurse removes the film and labels it with a sharpie (Nemuri's Nightmare) before replacing the projector with a fresh reel. She looks at you expectantly. Midnight was brave. She faced her fear courageously. Now it is time for you to do the same.

Ultimately you decide to show Midnight the day that your quirk first developed. You just pray she won't judge you too harshly.

The worst day of your life flashes in your mind. It happened over a decade ago, and yet even the smallest of details come right back to you as if it happened yesterday. You hold the scene in your mind as you reach out to Midnight once more.

Falling, falling, falling back through space and time.

You see the marketplace near your home, the one that you've never ventured back to in over ten years. There are plenty of people walking up and down the sidewalk, but your eyes immediately lock onto a woman and a little girl, hand in hand. You and your mom.

Since your body, albeit small and childlike, is present, you could fully immerse yourself into the dream. To feel everything that Little You feels, to hold Mama's hand in yours one more time. But even you are not that much of a masochist. Watching the events play out from the outside looking in is already painful enough.

This was the last time you saw your mother smiling before everything went to shit, before the metallic smell of blood filled your nose and your own screams and begs rang in your ears. The chill of the hospital room, the machines beeping endlessly until your father's screams and wails overtook all other sound. The way he begged her, just as you had, to please wake up, to please come back to me. It's too much to handle, to live through all over again. Explosions fire off in your brain, and you scream as it feels like your skull is the one that's been cracked.

You open your eyes, gasping and sobbing and wailing and disoriented and the beeping, god the fucking beeping—

"It's okay," Midnight says, embracing you tightly. You push away from her reflexively, but she still holds you close, rubbing your back in soothing circles, trying to hold back her own tears, trying to be strong for you. "I'm so sorry, kid, I-I didn't know."

"I didn't mean to," you blubber and choke, trembling in her arms. "It was an accident, Midnight, I'm sorry, please, I'm sorry," you repeat over and over.

"I know, baby," she soothes you with a soft and motherly tone that you didn't know the R-rated Heroine was capable of possessing. "Let it out, sweetheart."

You cry into her shoulder until you can't cry anymore, and the sleeve of her dress is soaked through with tears. The nurse leaves the room to call her son and tell him that she loves him, shaken from what she also just witnessed. When you finally calm down, you pull away from Midnight and hang your head in a torrid mix of guilt and shame and grief. An intrusive thought pops up: You wished your mother was dead, then at least you could grieve properly. You feel sick to your stomach at the idea, at yourself.

"Not at all like what you saw in the Sports Fest, huh?" You whisper, pulling on your leather gloves. "See now? I'm bad—"

"No," Midnight says firmly. "You made a mistake. You did a bad thing, but that doesn't make you a bad person." She sighs when you shake your head in disagreement. "I'm not perfect either. Neither is All Might. You should see the Number One when he tries to order takeout over the phone," you only huff at her attempt at a joke. "Listen, no Hero is without their flaws. But the most important thing for a Hero is to put more good into the world than bad. To remove as much evil and hatred as we can."

You meet her eyes, sniffling. "To take away people's fears?"

She nods with a small smile. "Yeah. And replace that fear with hope."

Hope . One little word with so much meaning, so much power behind it. You're just one little girl— no, that's the fear and the memories and the nightmares talking. You are one little future Hero, but you can still make a big impact, you can still spark hope. Even if it's dim and weak and small, you can still be the light.

You wipe your eyes and look back at Midnight with steely resolve. "There she is," the Pro heroine grins. "I was wondering when I'd get to see Twilight."

***

You didn't sleep a wink that night.

It used to really freak you out not being able to sleep (because that's like your whole thing! and you love sleep! you and your bed used to be locked in, for lifers!!), but you suppose this must be the side effect of consuming a dream. Could be worse. Hopefully your bed forgives the betrayal. You get a head start on the English essay for Present Mic due next week, finishing up on the rough draft just before dawn.

The next day of your Hero internship is much more hands on. Midnight has you suit up in your Hero costume at her agency.

"You're taking me on patrol?" You gasp, bouncing a little with excitement. "You really think I'm ready?"

"Definitely!" She replies. "The day shift is usually more relaxed anyway, so it's perfect for getting your feet wet."

After little delay, the two of you walk down the streets of Kabukicho. It's much different in the daylight, less depraved and more kitsch. There's tons of locals and tourists, but even many of the foreigners stop to snap pics and ask for autographs from Midnight. She obliges them with a good natured smile, soaking in the praise. You laugh as she playfully whips a fan on the butt with her flail for a photo op. So cool how she doesn't take herself too seriously, how she is able to have fun with her job.

Before long you are able to continue with your patrol. She's right though, there isn't much to do but walk around during the day.

You decide to do a little training of your own, closing your eyes as you walk, weaving past the wobbly shapes of people beneath your eyelids. You're getting a lot better at seeing with your eyes closed, but it's still far from perfect. Midnight cackles when you bump into a fruit stand, scattering melons into the street. You splutter apologies to the old geezer fussing at you for destroying his precious produce. Midnight pays the crotchety elder for the spilled fruit while you bow repeatedly. You decide to keep your eyes open for the better part of the day.

Good timing, too, because Midnight explains a Hero must be able to spot and even anticipate threats. You keep your eyes peeled for danger and potential crime. Eventually you catch something. There's a dusty looking kid in dirty clothes creeping toward a street food stall. He steals a couple of meat buns from the vendor who is none the wiser. Midnight has already seen the boy, but she watches you carefully as he dashes off into an alleyway.

You could chase after the kid, but you remember seeing this stall last night with a long line of eager customers. Obviously it's better to steal from large corporations rather than a mom and pop shop like this, but you doubt the vendor will miss a couple of buns. You pretend not to notice. Midnight smiles proudly. Then her comm radio crackles to life.

"Dispatch! There's been a robbery at the Shinjuku Casino! Police are on their way, but if there's any Heroes in the area—"

"Looks like it's your lucky day, kid!" Midnight smirks before taking off, leaving you with no choice but to dash after her.

It doesn't take long for the two of you to follow the trail of chaos and poker chips to a handful of masked robbers. There's four of them, each carrying a hefty sack of chips over their shoulders. They curse at the sign of a couple Heroes, splitting off in two directions. Midnight goes after one group while you chase after the other down a dingy alleyway. One robber boosts the other over a chain link fence, but his companion abandons him once he's made it over just as you round on the lone goon.

"Shame there's no honor amongst thieves," you tsk. Internally you're hyping yourself up. Super cool one liners are a cornerstone to Heroism!

You don't bother using your quirk as you punch the criminal right in the face. He grunts in pain and falls back into the chainlink fence with a loud rattle. His mask cracks and shatters to pieces, revealing a broken bloodied nose. And a few other rather familiar features.

"P-Papa?" You gasp in shock.

Your father winces before recognizing your voice, looking you up and down, whispering your name in disbelief. "Girl, what the hell do you have on?"

"Really? That's what you're worried about?" You scoff. "What are you doing, old man? Is this… is this the type of work you've been so busy with all the time?"

"Watch your tone," he spits out some blood, glaring at you. "It ain't for me. I do what I've gotta do." He reaches for the sack of chips, but you kick it away from him defiantly.

"You're a criminal," you whisper. "A villain."

"No! I might break the law, but I don't hurt people," he says. Not like you, hangs in the air silently between you two.

You open your mouth to speak, but you hear Midnight calling for you. "Twilight?! Hey, kid, where'd ya go?"

Your father looks at you with a defeated expression. "So you gonna turn your old man in or what?"

Your hands alight with heat and curling tendrils of dark smoke as you raise your fists. Your father goes wide eyed, fear rolling off of him in waves. He flinches when you strike, but the blow doesn't make contact with him. Instead you've blown a large enough hole in the fence for him to wiggle through. For him to escape.

You turn your back as he looks up at you in a mixture of awe and confusion. "Go. Get out of here."

He opens his mouth to speak, but Midnight calls for you again, sounding much closer. Your father slips through the gap in the fence and stumbles off as quickly as he can. Not even a moment later, Midnight appears in the mouth of the alley, taking in the scene. There are poker chips scattered on the ground as well as a few droplets of blood. Your eyes are downcast.

"Sorry, I wasn't fast enough," you lie, shoulders shaking. "They got away."

"Hey, don't worry about it!" Midnight reassures, throwing an arm over your shoulder. "We can't catch 'em all. At least you got the chips, so the casino owner should be pleased. Let's get some mochi."

The rest of the day and subsequent evening is less eventful, which is good since you are pretty distracted after what you just witnessed, what you just aided and abetted. You and your old man have always been opposing forces, but now you are literally on two different sides of society.

On two different sides of a war you don't even know has started.

***

You and Midnight sit on a rooftop with your legs dangling over the side. The moon and stars are the only thing prettier than the neon lights from the cityscape. You take out your phone and snap a pic of the horizon, sending it to the Class 1-A group chat. Many of your classmates send their own pics from their various internships as well. They seem to be enjoying themselves. It provides a sense of normalcy amongst all the craziness.

Midnight pulls you in for a selfie, and she captures you at the perfect angle. It seems a bit too personal (or vain?) to put in the group chat, but you decide to send it to Midoriya. It's been awkward since… well, you know. He's too timid to make the first move, so you decide to be bold. Maybe it's just Midnight's fear propelling you forward.

Halfway across town, Midoriya's phone buzzes. Gran Torino has been beating the hell out of him, but there's no denying the progress made with One For All in just two days' time. The old geezer decides to give the boy a much needed break for water. As Izuku hydrates, he checks his phone. The group chat is blowing up as usual, but he also has a private text from you.

☁️✨ dream girl: {one attachment}

☁️✨ dream girl: she want me fr

It's a picture of you and Midnight, the Pro Heroine smirking while you give an easy lopsided smile. The night sky shines brightly up above while the neon lights glimmer below, casting you in an ethereal, otherworldly glow. Midoriya's heart skips a beat, and he immediately saves the image.

He checks the group chat where everyone else posted a few pics too, including you with a scenic photo of the cityscape. His heart thumps loudly once more. So then you sent this selfie just for him?? What should he do? This has never happened to him before.

He could easily type a paragraph about how beautiful you look in the moonlight— but that would be weird and lame and too much— especially after what he did in your room he feels like such a creep!! No, no, there's no way you could know about that— if you did then why would you initiate this? Izuku shakes his doubts from his head. He's still got a chance, but only if he responds well. This is a challenge, but he won't back down!

"Hey, kid, what's got you smilin' like that?" Gran Torino asks, making him jump.

"N-Nobody!" Izuku replies quickly. "I mean, nothing!"

"Break time's over!"

"R-Right!"

nerdy loserboy 💚 : {one attachment}

nerdy loserboy 💚 : im training my butt off and you're watching the sun set. smh im gonna surpass you in no time 🤦‍♂️

His reply makes you laugh, but the sound dies in your throat when you see the image attached. It's Izuku, shirtless and shameless and covered in a thin layer of sweat. One arm is flexed to show his bicep while his tongue sticks out of his mouth as if he's teasing you. Because he is, you realize, this fucking dork is teasing you! And it's actually working!! Oh to be the droplet of sweat clinging to his freckled abdomen~ Your wide eyes are glued to the happy trail of green hair below his belly button, disappearing beneath his athletic shorts. They're sitting dangerously low on his hips— and since when does he have a V cut down there holy hell—

"Whoa, kid, you alright?" Midnight asks worriedly before tapping her nose. "You sprung a leak."

You quickly lock your phone before wiping your bloody nose. "Ahaha yeah, I'm fine. Must be this high altitude getting to me."

"Riiiiight."