#unforeseen feelings

[askfordoodles]

The brief, but very genuine flash of panic on Emmrich's face if you tell him he's your first "anything"... 💀

the PRESSURE

[subcultureblues]

Don't You Want Me (Baby?) Pt 2

———

Steve and Eddie are either hooking up or dating - and are about as bad at keeping a secret as they are dealing with their feelings. (Dustin POV)

———

Dustin was criss cross on the couch the next day eating a rainbow of cereal and watching Saturday morning cartoons when he saw it.

“What’s that?” He said, taking the morning paper right out from under his mother’s nose.

“Dusty!” She chided, sitting up in her recliner. “I was just getting to my horoscope.”

“Sorry, mom.” He said distantly. He read over the ad again and his grew ear to ear. This was too perfect!

Eddie’s been too busy with his dumb girlfriend to hang out with them in forever.

Well, there might be no better way to reel him back in than a Creature from The Black Lagoon re-run. Ok, it was at the drive through a town over - but Eddie literally can’t say no! He loved classic horror (even after everything they’d seen in living color.)

Dustin kept the outer page and returned the rest.

“Thanks mom! Also, Cancer’s should keep an eye out for big opportunities on the horizon.” He yelled back over his shoulder as he ran over to the phone. He paused as listen to the line ring. “And let their kid go out with his friends tonight!”

“Now where does it say that…” His mom tutted, far too used to Dustin’s Dustining to be surprised by almost anything.

“Come on…” Dustin mumbled impatiently on the fifth or sixth ring.

“Wayne here.”

“Hi Mr. Munson! It’s Dustin Henderson, is Eddie there?”

“Eds, it’s for you.” Kind of surprising his uncle was up at this hour. Usually he was sleeping in to prepare for the next nightshift. Maybe he got the rare weekend off. Good for him.

“You’ve reached The Dark Lord Baelzabub’s office, can I take a message?”

“Eddie! Right! So!” Dustin ignored him, already shooting off at 60 miles an hour. “There’s this thing going on, it’s tonight - and I swear, your gonna be off the wall when you hear about it cause they never have good stuff on out here - “ Eddie cut him off.

“Woah, there. You said tonight? Cause no can do compadre.”

“But!” Dustin sputtered. “You’re not gonna wanna miss this Eddie I’m telling you.”

“Sorry, little man. Can we do uh, I could do tomorrow. Wait actually shit, not tomorrow.”

“No, we can’t - it’s only happening tonight, if you’ll just let me tell you what it - “

“Sorry, man. I’m not gonna make it. I’m uh, I’m -“ he sighed.

“Busy.” That fucking Judas…..

“Yeeeeah. Look Henderson, I’m sorry. I’ll catch the next one ok, man. I promise.“

“Right. Yeah.” Dustin wasn’t pouting. He wasn’t.

They didn’t stay on the line long. He sighed and glared at the phone. Fuck it, fuck Eddie - they were still going. And then next week at Hellfire when Eddie asked about they’re weekend they’ll tell him how awesome it was and how much fun they had without him. Then he’ll regret blowing Dustin off.

He picked up the phone again.

“Harrington residence.” Oh right, Steve’s alleged parents were in town.

“Uh, hi. It’s Dustin Henderson. Can I talk to Steve. Please.” He said, only just managing to remember his manners.

“Steve, honey, your little friends on the phone.” Mrs. Harrington said.

“Hey man, what’s up. Wait, I’m gonna stop you right now. No I can’t give you a ride.”

Dustin sputtered indignantly.

“What you just assume I only call you when I need a favor.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. You just called to say hi.” Steve corrected himself. Then he paused, clearly waiting.

“Yeah.” Dustin huffed. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Steve repeated pleasantly.

“So uh, how’s uh, how the uh,” Dustin’s eyes darted around the room trying to latch onto something via image/word association. He made eye contact with the portrait of a calico tabby his mother had needle pointed into a throw pillow. “- your cat?”

“How’s your cat?” Steve shot back.

“Hey, woah, low blow!”

“So is this call a welfare check for my nonexistent cat or?”

“No! I, uh - your parents! They’re in town - “

“Dustin.”

“Well… - Look, ok so I thought wouldn’t Steve enjoy if we all went out tonight and - “

“And there it is. Look, I already got plans tonight: So...”

“You too?” Double Judas!

Steve had said all his weekend plans were canceled since his parents were at the house!

“Yeah, well, the plan changed.” Dustin was running out of chauffeurs…

After a minute of huffing, he called Will. At least he seemed properly enthusiastic.

“One thing though. How are we supposed get all the way out there?”

“You’re gonna get Jonathan to drive us.” Dustin said confidently. Will however, hesitated.

“I’m not sure. I think he said he was going on a date with Nancy tonight.”

“Seriously?” Dustin huffed. “Jesus Christ. Well, you’re gonna convince him then.”

“I dunno.”

“Come on, Will. We’re counting on you here. All our licensed friends have betrayed and abandoned us. You gotta come through on this.” Will didn’t say anything. “Just pull the kidnapped by monsters card! Right? Say the creature feature will be therapeutic, or something!”

“Fine. I’ll ask.” Will sighed.

Will could be convincing when he needed to be. Thing is, he didn’t even really have to try. It was those damned puppy dog eyes. That’s what got Dustin, Mike, and Will in the back seat of Jonathan’s Lincoln.

They invited Lucas but he couldn’t make it after coming down with a bad case of relatives-in-town. It turned out for the best considering Nancy was occupying the passenger seat. Looking beleaguered.

Jonathan found a spot with a decent view and put the vehicle in park. He looked over to his girlfriend with a forced optimism.

“See? Not so bad.”

Nancy smiled tightly, looking at the adolescents crammed into the back. Mike made a face at her, and because it was genetically hardwired into them both, she returned it.

“Uh huh. Romantic.” She said, turning around to watch the opening credits. Will had told Dustin they were on the rocks. He might even feel a little bit guilty for intruding on date night but they were short on options here.

“Can we get snacks?” Mike asked Jonathan.

“Uh, sure. We can go over there. Did your uh, parents give you money for snacks?” Jonathan said.

Dustin and Mike shook their heads.

“Oh uh…” Jonathan fumbled with his wallet, shifting around in the coin pouch. Will very quietly looked at his shoes. Mike seemed to notice because had opened his mouth like he was about to say something to him. But then after a pause, turned back to the front.

“Actually, Jonathan got us slushies last time.” Mike said loudly.

“And he gave us money for the arcade the other week.” Dustin said, picking up quickly.

“Yeah, it’s not his turn to pay.” Mike said.

Will’s seemed to relax a little, his shoulders becoming not so tightly hunched.

“Oh. Ok.” Jonathan said, obviously somewhat relieved himself.

“It’s your turn.” Mike said, kicking that back of Nancy’s chair.

“Excuse me?” She said, turning to glare at him.

“It’s your turn to pay for the snacks. Come on, you have a job.”

“I’m not your babysitter.” She rolled her eyes. She decisively turned her back to them again.

“We should have gone with Eddie.” Mike whispered.

“Yeah well he’s, busy.” Dustin whispered back, making air quote finger bunnies. “Besides, that guy barely has money for gas. Steve wouldn’t let us starve though.”

Mike huffed, rolling his eyes at the mere mention of the guy.

Dustin settled back into his seat, looking out the window at a couple passing their car on the way back from the concession stand. He could smell the popcorn in their bucket.

Wait a minute. Is that -

No fucking way. Speak of the devil, I guess…

Dustin peered across the rows and yup, that was Eddie’s van. Hard to mistake that piece of junk for anything else that passed for road legal.

“That fucking bastard!” Dustin whispered.

‘Busy.’ Right. Busy going out to see a movie - without Dustin!

And also the rest of the party.

“Hey where are you going?” Mike said, but Dustin was already out of the car.

Mike and Will scrambled to follow him.

“Wait, where are you guys- “ Jonathan’s reaction time was a bit slow.

“They’re fine.” Nancy said.

“Ok just don’t be gone too long.” Jonathan said, ineffectually.

“Where are we going?” Mike said.

“Look.” Dustin gestured at the van, positively aggrevied.

Dustin stomped over. He could see through the window from there. Nobody was even in the front. He ditched them to come see a movie he couldn’t be bother to actually watch. Now that really grinded his gears. It was with righteous fury he banged his fist against the side of the van.

Dustin cracked a satisfied smile when he heard a yelp and the metal sounds of someone banging around in the back.

“Watch this.” He whispered. Then he dropped his voice a few octaves and with an Oscar worthy Hopper Impersonation said, “This is the police. We know what you’ve been up to.”

Mike had to bury a snicker behind his hands.

“Hey man, I know my rights - “ Eddie cracked the back door, sticking his head out. His eyes grew very wide. “Oh you can not be fucking serious….?”

Dustin couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh man, your face!” All threes boys, even Will, were snickering. At least until they heard -

“Dustin?!” From behind Eddie came an unmistakably shrill voice, positively scandalized.

Eddie grimaced. He turned his head slowly to look back over his shoulder.

“Um. Yep. Dustin. And company.”

“What the - Is that Steve?” Mike said, rather scandalized himself.

Begrudgingly, Eddie let the door swing open, revealing Steve in the back of the van sitting on a mattress and a pile of blankets.

“What? Since when do you two hang out - !“ Mike sputtered, throwing his hands up like this was a most unforeseen betrayal.

Mike fully bought into Eddie’s hype. Which makes sense. Eddie was cool as hell. But much as Dustin’s tried to set him straight, Steve dated Mike’s sister. Those two forever were destined to be adversaries as far as he was concerned.

Steve kind of just thought Mike was a shithead.

Sure if you ask Mike, he considered Steve like ‘terminally uncool’, and that was a direct quote. Way too uncool to be friends with Eddie Munson of all people.

Dustin’s been trying to push this friendship for almost a year at this point, to absolutely no avail.

So. Actually Mike kinda had a point there.

“Yeah, since when do you two hang out -“

“We don’t!” Steve said quickly.

“- without us.” Dustin frowned.

“What are you guys doing all the way out here? Away from Hawkins. Like just, so far away from Hawkins.” Eddie said, smiling uncomfortably wide. His eyes were shifting warily between the party and Steve, like he was watching the world’s most invisible ping pong tournament.

“It’s not that far.” Steve muttered. Eddie almost looked guilty the way he was chewing on his lip.

And Steve looked, well… honestly Steve looked caught red handed. For what? Dustin had no fucking idea.

Dustin narrowed his eyes. Steve was bright red, his hair was a mess (highly suspect), he was wearing his favorite polo but it was all untucked and disheveled. He was blinking up at them, mouth open like he was struggling for words.

“I don’t believe it…” Dustin said. He sniffed the air, a bloodhound on the trail. “You two were…”. The older boy’s eyes grew wide. “Smoking weed!”

Eddie deflated, dropping his head. “You caught us.” He said, monotone. He pressed a hand roughly to the side of his face, leaning his elbow on his thigh and looking up at them with his one visible eye. “We secreted away to smoke some fresh schedule 1. Please don’t tell Mrs. Reagan.”

Steve did a little angry scoff. Eddie lifted his head just enough to peer through his bangs and see the pissy look Steve was giving him. Eddie threw up his palms, with a wide eyed and beleaguered flinch. Clearly telegraphing a defensive, what?

“Since when do you smoke weed.” Mike asked. Because obviously Steve wasn’t cool enough for that either.

“I peer pressured him into it.” Eddie stage whispered, wiggling his fingers in villainous glee.

Steve rolled his eyes. Dustin was like 95% sure that was total bullshit. Because he was almost 100% sure Steve already smoked some. Dustin’s been in Jonathan’s car before, of course he’s gonna know what weed smells like. He’ll catch a whiff of it on Steve every now and again, especially these last few weeks.

These guys still try to hide stuff from them like they’re little kids.

But also, Eddie’s clearly just trying to keep the mood light considering how flustered Steve looks about getting caught with the stuff.

“Remember kids, just say no. Unless your bad influence has as high quality stuff as I do in which case -“

Steve kicked out his foot knocking Eddie in the thigh.

“Say - no thank you.” He finished passive aggressively, as if Steve should’ve had more faith he would stick the landing. “Just. How’d you guys even get out here anyway?”

“Jonathan and Nancy drove us.”

“Nancy’s here?” Steve sat up quickly, straightening to look past all their heads.

Eddie huffed out a laugh. He grinned at Steve with his canines, slowly shaking his head. As if the van didn’t smell bad enough, he took out a pack of smokes.

“What?” Steve huffed. Eddie leaned against the wall of the van, one shoe dangling out brushing the ground.

“I didn’t say anything.” Eddie’s words were garbled between the cigarette he was lighting.

Dustin took a step back, looking at Mike and Will. They too, seemed to pick up on the overall bazaar energy these two were giving off.

Honestly Dustin ‘plan’ had been to march over here, make Eddie feel bad for blowing them off, then maybe asking if they could hang out with him for the rest of the movie. Probably guilt him into buying them snacks.

Dustin wasn’t happy about being ditched, but he’d wanted to come see this movie with Eddie. He could be mad at the guy later.

Now though, he was thinking Nancy and Jonathan’s weird couple energy would be preferable to this, whatever this is.

“Riiiiiiiight.” Dustin jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. “We’re gonna - we’re going.”

They made it maybe 5 steps, but Eddie was ever insitant he have the last word.

“Hey shitheads. Don’t mention Harrington here, if you can help it.” He plucked the cigarette from his mouth, using the hand to cup his mouth away from Steve. He stage-whispered, “He doesn’t want Miss Priss to know he’s been experimenting with - the devil’s lettuce.” He added a lot of drama to that last bit, like he was telling a spooky ghost story. Not talking about like, pot.

“Eddie.” Steve said. Eddie ignored him.

“You guys run along now. Pay attention yeah, this one’s a classic.” He gestured vaguely behind him with his cigarette. “It’ll be on the quiz. And I expect your report on my desk Monday morning.”

They said their goodbyes again, and wandered off. When they got back to the Lincoln, Jonathan had his arm around Nancy and she was leaning her head against his chest.

Dustin took a brief second to ponder over what the hell Nancy and Jonathan’s deal even was these days…

“Hey guys.” He said, neck bending to look over his shoulder at an awkward angle so as not to jostle his girlfriend. “That Eddie’s van?”

“Uh-huh.” Will said.

“You should tell him to pull up. Or something.”

“You are not doing that right now.” Nancy muttered. “The kids are here.”

“What? I wasn’t -“ Jonathan protested. It wasn’t very convincing.

“Nah he’s uh,” Dustin wasn’t gonna call Steve out, not if he seemed actually upset that he’d been ‘caught’ doing drugs. “Eddie’s - he’s… on a date.” He said. Will nodded, because he also tended to catch on pretty quick. Even Mike shrugged in placid agreement.

“Huh.” Jonathan said, landing somewhere between surprised, impressed, and all together apathetic. “Good for him, I guess.”

Friends don’t lie, sure. Except sometimes. When friends lie for their friends.

Wait a minute. Dustin squinted at the back of Jonathan’s head. Does Jonathan buy drugs from Eddie often? It was a long shot, but maybe Eddie and Jonathan have secret smoke sessions too.

“Do you know who Eddie’s girlfriend is?” Dustin tried.

“Hmmm? Girlfriend?” Jonathan said distractedly, eyes on the screen. “Uh, no, no I don’t think I’ve met her.”

Dustin huffed, frustrated, sinking back into his seat once again. Feeling thwarted.

By the time the movie was finished and they were lining up with the other cars towards the exit, the shitbox van was nowhere to be seen.

So imagine Dustin’s surprise when he gets a call around 10 am and Eddie’s on the line asking if he wants to come by and hang out.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, I mean, I’ve been telling you I’d help you out on this one shot you’re trying to run for weeks now.”

“I thought you were busy today?” Dustin inquired. Hesitant. As if just waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under him.

“Nope. No, uh, not anymore. Those plans got,” Eddie cleared his throat, “scrapped. Don’t worry about it. Are you coming over or not?”

“I’ll be there in thirty!” Dustin said. He slammed the phone down and sprinted to his room to get gather his notes.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

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[wingedarchivist]

Sometimes I worry my partner has a feeling like I am hiding something from them.

It is true, but I am not hiding anything bad, which makes me a bit sadder.

Being otherkin is so beautiful, it's unconventional, sure, but it doesn't have to be normal.

I just am like this and it's amazing! Wonderful! Great!

[whippetcrimes]

I have think there's something wrong with me.

I have one singular dog. Since I've gotten Misty, I've purchased 8 collars, 2 leashes, and 1 slip leash. In addition to these, I already had 3 leashes, Misty came home with a collar, and a puppy sized martingale slip leash.

Why am I about to buy yet another leash????

[blujayonthewing]

thinkin again about the time elyss's DM cut in to stop a conversation between her and a semi-retired player character to hurriedly take back control of him as an NPC before he could give her, as an extremely kind and thoughtful gift, one of his own personal belongings, and then said 'elyss can probably buy it from him though :)' instead

like. what an egregiously fucking shitty thing to do, actually.

[seventh-district]

it’s finally getting cold enough that i can bring my cardigan collection back into rotation without feeling like i’m gonna melt into a puddle the second i step outside!!!

[thethingything]

I would really love it if maybe we could have a break from the horrors for five fucking minutes

[little-shiny-sharpies]

I’ve actually looked at my save file names and. Wh. What do you mean I’m in act 1. How many acts are there.

[squid-ichorous]

i wish i could go to therapy more often because i'll spend an entire afternoon as the pepe silva scene but when session comes around i completely forgot about it

[kuhatoarchive]

tifa jumps off the train first btw. always, always.

[bucketorandomness]

I would ADORE some solid BNHA/My Hero Academia recs if you have any! I’m in dire need of a good longfic to commit to 🥲

Your wish is my command! I have a lot of these, so check them out under the cut >^.^<

((A small note, since I appear to have forgotten it: An "Inactive" fic is one whose last update was ~2 years ago with no mention of either Hiatus or Abandonment))

Edit: Fam, Tumblr keeps posting this without my permission, so this is gonna update quite a bit before I’m through. I’ll let y’all know when I finish properly!

Edit 2: We did it! All done! Hopefully the next rec list isn’t quite so awkwardly executed XD

So, first up we're gonna filter results to be just fics with at least 50k words or more ((that's a whole novel!!)) I'll provide approximate novel counts along the way. I'll also see if I can't give these a bit more of a sense of order in case you're looking for anything more specific later.

Starting strong with Fics That Don't Have Plot-Relevant Romance

A Little Luck From a Black Cat Vigilante (1 novel. Incomplete) Izuku decides helping others can't wait for a license and becomes the vigilante they called Black Cat. Also the hacker Zuk, that earns a bit of a soft spot with the heroes. How will UA and Aizawa handle a sassy and confidant Izuku?

Adoption is the Solution (2 novels. Angst. Incomplete) A series where Izuku is a rough kid who acts more like an alley cat. Eraserhead has always been the kind to take strays home for some love and affection.

AllMightAllTheTime said at 12:13pm: (1 novel. Inactive) Izuku is inspired by his online friends to start a channel called "Heralytics" that accidentally gets some massive traction since it's genuine analysis and humor instead of the mainstream reality TV "news" stations.

Insincerely Yours (1 novel. Angst. Inactive) In an effort to create a rehabilitation program for villains, eight UA students take part in a pen pal trial run where they are assigned a random, anonymous villain to correspond with. Todoroki finds his pen pal to be startlingly similar to him.

Internet Enemies (1 novel. Angst. Inactive) Izuku doesn't get much positive interaction in his daily life, so he turns to the internet to fulfil those needs, where unfortunately he turns into a kind of Vigilante and gets forced into a touch of Villainy, but everything's fine!

Kamino's Ward (1 novel. Angst. Incomplete) Izuku Midoriya worked hard during the rise of Quirks to help defend his people from the government. Now, he wakes in a time not his own, suddenly a venerated historical figure. Lost on literally everything, Izuku dances between All Might attempting to make the boy his successor and All for One, who really just wants his son back.

Kitsune, the Night Watcher (1 novel. Angst. Incomplete) Midoriya Izuku died 6. Akatani Mikumo died at 11. Kitsune is the Watcher of the Night, a Vigilante. When he's given the opportunity of a lifetime, nobody expects things to spiral out of control quite as spectacularly as they do. At least Izuku's misery is entertaining.

Love Letter Analyst (1 novel. Incomplete) When U.A.’s hero class 1-A started to find binders on their desks, there were two notable things about them: one, that the analysis in them was creepy but insightful; two, included in the back of each notebook was a small, folded up letter with sweet compliments and gushing, more personal, comments about the people behind the quirks. Mina promptly dubbed them the “Love Letter Analyst.” Deep in the support labs, Izuku sneezed.

Missing Everything (1 novel. Angst. Inactive) Izuku misses a very important reveal and ends up with a villain-filled soda bottle instead. In the ensuing chaos, he befriends someone named Toshinori Yagi. All Might misses the chance to make a snap decision and ends up mentoring a very heroic, very determined child who has no idea who he really is.

Once in a Blue Moon (A Feather Will Float Down to Earth) (1 novel. Incomplete) Izuku is 1A's Guardian Angel. He's a little over-enthusiastic about doing is job, though, and his superiors aren't too happy with how hands-on his approach is.

What We Cannot Undo (1 novel. Angst. Complete) There's a new vigilante in town. The news dubs him Specter. Eraserhead wants to know who this "ghost" is and why the kid keeps following him (and his new class) all over the city. Nedzu wants a new student. Bakugou Katsuki wants redemption. Midoriya Izuku wants one more chance to change his mind.

Wisteria Floribunda (1. Angst. Inactive) Izuku has an immortality Quirk, despite his Quirkless diagnosis. After watching his mother die, he does his best to become a vigilante feared by more than just the villains.

With Confidence (1. Incomplete) Izuku is hit with a confidence quirk that really messes with his Scared, Quirkless, Deku image at Aldera and beyond.

Zutopia (1. Complete) As a young, quirkless genius, Izuku turns to the internet for stimulation and entertainment. Completely unrelated, but Nedzu has made his first human friend in a very long time. Maybe they should meet without a screen between them.

A Happy Medium (2. Inactive) Izuku lost everything. He's not sure if it was his Quirklessness, himself, or the ghosts that were to blame. No matter! He'll become a Hero anyway. Helps when he finds a couple very tired friends to help him.

Blindfolded Birdie (2. Angst. Complete) Keigo is rescued from the Hero Public Safety Commission as a child, but it was not a smooth rescue. Now, he must deal with the aftereffects of his time with the Commission and manage his desires for the future.

Cat Days (2. Angst. Complete) A series where Izuku has a shapshifting quirk he struggles to control and ends up stuck in cat form. Aizawa, of course, is willing to adopt weird stray cats at the drop of a hat.

Complicated Creation (2. Angst. Complete) Midoriya Izuku is medically quirkless, not technically homeless, perpetually exhausted, and doing his best. He also sees spirits, which might be cool if not for the fact that a) no one else does, b) they really don't like him very much, and c) he's pretty sure the Heroes now think he's a Villain working for the League.

Dāku, The Hero in Plain Sight (2. Angst. Incomplete) Izuku got lost trying to escape his bullies and found Eraser beat up on his way back. He accidentally kidnapped what appears to be a sentient scarf and decided it was a good enough sign to start his serious journey to Heroics. Good thing he's got all of Jr High.

Detective Midoriya (2. Incomplete) All Might told him to become a police officer, and while his dream has been thoroughly cushed, Izuku has always been an over-achiever at heart, and this is a way he can still help people!

Out of Sight, Out of Mercy (1 novel. Angst. Incomplete) Izuku was 5 when he was diagnosed quirkless. He was 8 when he lost his sight. For years, everyone had told him to give up on his dreams of being a Hero. But when did a couple little obstacles ever stop him? It's time for the Vigilante Akuma to rise.

Secondary Colors (1 novel. Angst. Incomplete) Hitoshi transfers to a new middle school and finds the local punching bag to be far better friend material than their explosive Most Likely To Top Hero Charts classmate.

Severance (1 novel. Inactive) Izuku Midoriya has All for One, but everyone around him mistakes it for an erasure quirk.

Smile and Spite (1 novel. Incomplete) A second Sludge Villain encounter never happens, and Izuku Midoriya goes Vigilante in order to take advantage of one of UA's lesser known means of enrollment.

The Capture Scarf Caper (1 novel. Inactive) Izuku found Eraserhead's capture scarf in an alleyway while trying to find the man himself and decided to take it home. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, so hopefully the hero won't be too upset if he ever finds out about a certain Vigilante look-alike.

The Forest Thing (1 novel. Complete) The Bakugou family go on a camping trip for the weekend and come home with a new family member, one who isn't exactly human.

The Mystery of Student No.18 (1 novel. Angst. Complete) After receiving One for All, Izuku gets caught in an accident before the start of UA's term. Stuck in a coma, Izuku astral projects to attend class unseen. Meanwhile, 1A tries to solve the puzzle that is the empty seat of Student 18, who hasn't shown up once since the beginning of the year.

The Scarlet Thief (1. Angst. Complete) Midoriya Inko discovered her husband was a Villain by the time Izuku was 7. Since then, Izuku's been working hard as the Scarlet Thief to support himself and get revenge on his dad with some assistance from Melissa Shield. With his promotion from Criminal to Villain, though, Izuku's getting more attention from Heroes than he's ever had before.

To Be Human (1 novel. Angst. Inactive) Izuku has a Villainous blood-quirk, and he's willing to suppress the Villainous parts of him so long as he can be a Hero. Only, you can only bottle everything up for so long before something breaks.

Vigilantism of Olympic Proportions (2 novels. Angst. Incomplete) The Pantheon was quickly becoming one of the most successful vigilante organizations of all time, and with little to no information on them, the HPSC is getting antsy.

What We Cannot Undo (1 novel. Angst. Complete) There's a new vigilante in town. The news dubs him Specter. Eraserhead wants to know who this "ghost" is and why the kid keeps following him (and his new class) all over the city. Nedzu wants a new student. Bakugou Katsuki wants redemption. Midoriya Izuku wants one more chance to change his mind.

Wisteria Floribunda (1. Angst. Inactive) Izuku has an immortality Quirk, despite his Quirkless diagnosis. After watching his mother die, he does his best to become a vigilante feared by more than just the villains.

With Confidence (1. Incomplete) Izuku is hit with a confidence quirk that really messes with his Scared, Quirkless, Deku image at Aldera and beyond.

Zutopia (1. Complete) As a young, quirkless genius, Izuku turns to the internet for stimulation and entertainment. Completely unrelated, but Nedzu has made his first human friend in a very long time. Maybe they should meet without a screen between them.

A Happy Medium (2. Inactive) Izuku lost everything. He's not sure if it was his Quirklessness, himself, or the ghosts that were to blame. No matter! He'll become a Hero anyway. Helps when he finds a couple very tired friends to help him.

Blindfolded Birdie (2. Angst. Complete) Keigo is rescued from the Hero Public Safety Commission as a child, but it was not a smooth rescue. Now, he must deal with the aftereffects of his time with the Commission and manage his desires for the future.

Cat Days (2. Angst. Complete) A series where Izuku has a shapshifting quirk he struggles to control and ends up stuck in cat form. Aizawa, of course, is willing to adopt weird stray cats at the drop of a hat.

Complicated Creation (2. Angst. Complete) Midoriya Izuku is medically quirkless, not technically homeless, perpetually exhausted, and doing his best. He also sees spirits, which might be cool if not for the fact that a) no one else does, b) they really don't like him very much, and c) he's pretty sure the Heroes now think he's a Villain working for the League.

Dāku, The Hero in Plain Sight (2. Angst. Incomplete) Izuku got lost trying to escape his bullies and found Eraser beat up on his way back. He accidentally kidnapped what appears to be a sentient scarf and decided it was a good enough sign to start his serious journey to Heroics. Good thing he's got all of Jr High.

Detective Midoriya (2. Incomplete) All Might told him to become a police officer, and while his dream has been thoroughly cushed, Izuku has always been an over-achiever at heart, and this is a way he can still help people!

Feral (2. Angst. Inactive) Izuku is abandoned in the local forest, where he grows up and does good by what he understands the definition to be. Doesn't mean Adults don't get concerned when they find a feral child out on his own.

Here We Go Loopty Loo (2. Angst. Incomplete) Something has gone wrong. The Hell Class makes it all the way to graduation, only to wake up on the first day of 1A. Again. And again. And again. And again.

In the Nick of Time (2. Angst. Incomplete) A series where Izuku has a Quirk that teleports him to safety, and he uses it primarily to jump off buildings and get a nice adrenaline rush like a normal person.

Leviathan (2. Angst. Hiatus) Izuku's only used his quirk once. He was 4 when he took 32 lives. He's sworn never to let that power possess him again. He hides behind the mask of a useless, showy quirk, refusing any connection to the creature recognized as the Leviathan. Lies don't last forever, however.

The Wrong Right Hero to Kidnap (2. Complete) Hitoshi and Izuku are homeless, living on the run from the Yakuza with Eri, who can't control her Quirk, to Izuku's misfortune. When the young girl gets sick and her Quirk starts to get out of control, they decide the only way to help her is to kidnap a Hero who might be able to help them turn the Quirk off.

This is Your Life, There's no way to Run From It (2. Angst. Incomplete) In which Midoriya never receives One for All, becomes the vigilante Carbon Cat, and tries to keep everyone at arm's length. Doesn't mean they'll let him, though.

Viridian (2. Angst. Inactive) The world is ending, and the only chance to save it is to send Izuku Midoriya back to his 14 year old body. "When the time comes, give him this. You'll know he trusts you when he calls you Problem Child."

Who Said the Only Green Thing About him was his Hair? (2. Angst. Hiatus) Izuku decides that Kacchan was right, but he also knows that taking that swan dive would ruin Bakugou's chances of becoming a hero. Instead, he runs away where nobody can hurt him and he can provide all he needs out here in the woods.

Deku? I Think he's Some Pro... (3. Angst. Complete) Izuku gains himself a modest following online as a freelance analyst. The Pros who ask for his assistance don't know his age, Quirk status, or his dream to be a Hero.

Hawks-Sensei (3. Inactive) After the USJ, the Commission is concerned about the security of UA. Hawks does not want this job. He has many other jobs that need doing. The kids are kind of cool though.

Out of Sight, Out of Mercy (1. Angst. Incomplete) Izuku was 5 when he was diagnosed quirkless. He was 8 when he lost his sight. For years, everyone had told him to give up on his dreams of being a Hero. But when did a couple little obstacles ever stop him? It's time for the Vigilante Akuma to rise.

Secondary Colors (1. Angst. Incomplete) Hitoshi transfers to a new middle school and finds the local punching bag to be far better friend material than their explosive Most Likely To Top Hero Charts classmate.

Severance (1. Inactive) Izuku Midoriya has All for One, but everyone around him mistakes it for an erasure quirk.

Smile and Spite (1. Incomplete) A second Sludge Villain encounter never happens, and Izuku Midoriya goes Vigilante in order to take advantage of one of UA's lesser known means of enrollment.

The Capture Scarf Caper (1. Inactive) Izuku found Eraserhead's capture scarf in an alleyway while trying to find the man himself and decided to take it home. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, so hopefully the hero won't be too upset if he ever finds out about a certain Vigilante look-alike.

The Forest Thing (1. Complete) The Bakugou family go on a camping trip for the weekend and come home with a new family member, one who isn't exactly human.

The Mystery of Student No.18 (1. Angst. Complete) After receiving One for All, Izuku gets caught in an accident before the start of UA's term. Stuck in a coma, Izuku astral projects to attend class unseen. Meanwhile, 1A tries to solve the puzzle that is the empty seat of Student 18, who hasn't shown up once since the beginning of the year.

The Scarlet Thief (1. Angst. Complete) Midoriya Inko discovered her husband was a Villain by the time Izuku was 7. Since then, Izuku's been working hard as the Scarlet Thief to support himself and get revenge on his dad with some assistance from Melissa Shield. With his promotion from Criminal to Villain, though, Izuku's getting more attention from Heroes than he's ever had before.

To Be Human (1. Angst. Inactive) Izuku has a Villainous blood-quirk, and he's willing to suppress the Villainous parts of him so long as he can be a Hero. Only, you can only bottle everything up for so long before something breaks.

Vigilantism of Olympic Proportions (2. Angst. Incomplete) The Pantheon was quickly becoming one of the most successful vigilante organizations of all time, and with little to no information on them, the HPSC is getting antsy.

Repeating/Rephrasing/Rewriting History (4. Angst. Incomplete) Izuku remembers being quirkless, knows how dangerous quirks have to be careful. He's seen and heard enough to know that not everyone is satisfied with the quirk they were born with. There is something he can do: take other people's quirks and give them away. It's a strange quirk, but he's found a way to help.

Useless Monster (3. Angst. Incomplete) Izuku, homeless at seven and alone from before then, is doing his best. That's difficult, though, when your Quirk turns you into a monster even Heroes are scared of.

Anyone (4. Incomplete) Despite the world being against him, Izuku tries to be a Hero. In the process, he accidentally creates a pseudo-criminal organization and not so accidentally steals One for All

Canary (5. Angst. Complete) Midoriya Izuku thought he was quirkless until he opened his mouth to sing, but he has terrible confidence in himself. It's a good thing a certain radio host thinks he's got the potential to be an amazing Hero.

If I Only Had a Heart (5. Angst. Inactive) Izuku is determined to be a Hero with his massive intellect, inventions, and a heart too big for a world that isn't friendly to the quirkless.

Pied Piper (5. Angst. Incomplete) After UA's rejection, Izuku picks up some colored contacts and a stray pipe and does his darndest to be the most efficient Vigilante out there. Things spiral rather spectacularly after that.

Live a Hero (6. Angst. Complete) "You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." Or, you're raised a villain, rebel when you're nine, and fight against the odds to become a hero anyway. That's how it is in Izuku's case.

For the Want of a Nail (6. Angst. Incomplete) A series of unrelated fics where Izuku gets to be both Quirkless and Badass in various epic ways. From Villain to Vigilante to Hero to Civilian, Midoriya Izuku goes Plus Ultra and makes quite a few waves doing it.

Congrats! You made it through the gen fics! Now it’s time for the fics with Plot Relevant Romance Involved!

Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead / Midoriya Izuku | Deku

Burn the World (Make a Home) (3. Angst. Incomplete) Midoriya Izuku, homeless Vigilante extrordinaire, is going to become a beacon in Hero Society alone and Quirkless, and then his soulmate decides to get involved and help him with his impromptu family.

Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead / Shirakumo Oboro | Loud Cloud / Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic

Pied Piper (5. Angst. Incomplete) UA rejects Izuku, and he decides to become a quirkless Vigilante that fights with environmental weapons. To help him channel his inner Katsuki, he gets some red contact lenses, which works great until he's caught with only one lense in after a fight.

Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead / Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic

A Light in the Darkness (1. Angst. Incomplete) A series where Izuku is homeless, has been for a while, and keeps the secret from even All Might. Aizawa, Yamada, and Shinsou find out and decide to help. "Well, Kacchan. It's not exactly a swan dive off a roof but,"

A Twisted Fate Never Alters Destiny (2. Angst. Complete) Aizawa Shouta suddenly finds himself homeless during his time as a Hero student. Inko Midoriya finds a homeless teen and decides he needs support and affection she can provide.

Black Cat Cafe (1. Angst. Complete) A bitter Aizawa makes cafe Switzerland, adopts 20 heroes-in-training, some villains, and Shinsou, then kicks All for One's ass into next week. And maybe falls in love.

Hide and Seek (5. Angst. Incomplete) The last thing that Izuku hears from his Mama is to hide. Izuku takes those words to heart, especially when his Quirk comes in. Meanwhile, Shouta learns that an owl has settled in his area.

Maybe Getting Kidnapped by Space Pirates was a Good Thing? (1. Incomplete) Tricked into launching an emergency escape pod he can't control, Izuku finds himself a space orc in a universe that is very much intimidated by him and his inability to communicate in Common.

Morals of a House Cat (1. Angst. Complete) Aizawa started life as nothing but a quirked kitten adopted by Inko Midoriya. At some point, he is hit with a quirk that makes him turn human. Now, he has to figure out how to person while taking care of his younger brother and balancing his desires to be a cat with his reality of being a person.

Through Thick and Thin (1. Angst. Incomplete) A series where Izuku has never been allowed to learn even the most basic things about being an Omega. From scenting to nesting to platonic cuddles, UA is willing to help him learn, especially those in his dorm. (Purely Platonic A/B/O Dynamics)

Throw me a Goddamn Rope - Just Enough to Hang Myself With (2. Angst. Incomplete) Aizawa has jumped to the past in an effort to prevent the Bad End by keeping Midoriya Izuku alive. Now, he has to wring All Might's neck for not telling him anything helpful before sending him decades into the past and a young Quirkless child hanging on his every word.

Takami Keigo | Hawks / Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic

An Idiots Adventures in the Galaxy and the Friends he Made Along the Way (1. Angst. Incomplete) Izuku is a space orc, one of two kids accepted into the space program and abducted by aliens. At least his cell has trees. And company, even if they're a little scared of him.

Takami Keigo | Hawks / Todoroki Touya | Dabi

Darling, Thank God it's This Universe We're in (and you can Annoy me as Much as you Please) (1. Complete) Todoroki Rei divorces Endeavor and moves all four of her children into a small apartment next to a boy with wings as read as the hair of her eldest son.

Another Option (1. Angst. Complete) When Touya stops his mother from hurting Shouto, he decides enough is enough. He needs to get out of this house and he's taking his baby brother with him.

Omeletverse (1. Angst. Inactive) A series where Hawks lays an egg and all the shenanigans that follow.

Dabi | Todoroki Touya / Midoriya Izuku | Deku / Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko

Welcome to the Family (3. Angst. NSFW. Incomplete) While searching for a place to end it all, homeless Izuku stumbles upon a meeting of Villains. Intrigued by the skittish shrimp, Shigaraki offers him a second chance.

Bakugou Katsuki / Kirishima Eijirou

If We're Being Honest (1. Angst. Complete) Class 1A gets hit with a long-lasting truth quirk. Secrets are shared, some good and harmless, some not so much. Dark themes abound, but overall very comfy finish.

Bakugou Katsuki / Midoriya Izuku

Plunge Into Darkness, Bring in the Light (2. Angst. Inactive) Akatani Mikumo leads as happy a life as he can, being young, poor, and quirkless. Then, tragedy strikes, and he decides the best course of action is to survive on the streets and be a Hero there.

Midoriya Izuku / Sero Hanta

The League of Shirakumos (1. Angst. Inactive) A series where Izuku ends up turning the League of Villains into his very own Found Family on his journey to becoming the world's first Quirkless Hero.

Midoriya Izuku / Shinsou Hitoshi

AU Where U.A. is Actually Good at Their Job (5. Angst. Complete) When Izuku wakes up after the entrance exam, he expected to be accepted into U.A. by the skin of his teeth, or for All Might to demand his quirk back when he failed. What he wasn't expecting was a group of teachers who give a damn about his mental wellbeing.

Bandersnatch (1. Angst. Incomplete) After witnessing the apocalypse, Izuku wakes up 15 again and does his best to fix what broke the future while struggling with his now out-dated and jaded mindset that nobody seems to really understand

Before my Heart Gives Out (2. Angst. Complete) The same accident that killed his mother takes Izuku's sight from him and poisons his body in the same move. Now on a time limit, Izuku decides to become a Hero, even if it's an illegal one.

Here There be Dragons (1. Angst. Incomplete) Izuku's been a Quirk suppressants since his violent manifestation. The only issue is, his Quirk is sentient, mildly terrified of being suppressed again, and wildly possessive of his new Hoard of classmates at UA.

Residual Hope (5. Angst. Incomplete) Izuku lets the Sludge Villain abduct him, but it turns out the Villain was simply suffering from Quirk Withdrawl and kept killing people in his haste to ease the pain. Now with a regular body-buddy and mental health referee, Izuku works on becoming a Hero without a Quirk.

Ripples on Deep Water (1. Angst. Complete) When All Might crushes Izuku's dreams, he crosses the path of someone who rebuilds them. Izuku's going to be a Hero, even if it won't be exactly as planned.

Youtuber Deku AU (1. Incomplete) A series where Deku is a youtuber who's quickly gaining popularity, and Mindjack is his best friendand editor who may appear in his videos from time to time while Izuku and Hitoshi navigate through U.A.

Midoriya Izuku / Shinsou Hitoshi / Todoroki Shouto

Datastream (1. Angst. Complete) Datastream is a digital Vigilante knowsn by most of the Underground Heroes and many of the better Spotlight Heroes as a master of surveilance, information, and coordination. To one Underground Hero, though, Datastream is better known as Midoriya Izuku, Aizawa Shouta's nephew.

Don't Dead, Open Inside (1. Angst. Incomplete) Izuku Midoriya wasn't like other children, but the most troubling and off-putting part about him was that he had died when he was seven.

Dreamer (6. Angst. Incomplete) Izumi’s dreams don’t belong to her. They belong to the lights, the people who are in pain. She helps them, every night, trying to forget the color of her mother’s blood and the light of her fathers flame.

Net Neutrality (1. Angst. Incomplete) A series where Izuku beats the shit out of the Shie Hassakai and adopts Eri, then they live in a cafe together where Izuku develops a reputation as a vigilante and an info broker.

Player Two (1. Angst. Complete) Izuku has always been Tomura's emotional support center. The one to calm him and pacify his anger. It's what he was made for, but he's outgrowing more than just his clothes.

Reformation (3. Angst. Complete) Izuku is convinced his only future lies with the League of Villains. Paying room and board with analysis and hacking, he thinks all is fine until Toga and Izuku meet Eri. Tentatively, they put their futures in the hands of UA's villain reformation program.

Setting Hearts Aflame (1. Angst. Inactive) After being targetted by Villains for his powerful, emotion-driven fire Quirk, Izuku promises not to let anyone else get hurt, especially not like Inko now trapped in a coma.

The Grey Areas in Between (2. Angst. Incomplete) A series where Quirkless Izuku becomes the Vigilante hacker Grey Hat before making it into UA and falling in love. Oh, and also maybe becoming an official Hero on the way.

Midoriya Izuku / Todoroki Shouto

A Path to Recovery (1. Angst. Inactive) As Shouto begins his first year at UA, he's finally given a support system that wants to help him recover from his less than perfect childhood. Aizawa will figure out what Shouto's hiding, and 1A will make sure Shouto knows he's loved.

Awake and (Un)Afraid, Asleep Or- (1. Complete) Kirishima and Shouto accidentally start trending on Twitter and in retaliation, Shouto decides to make an Instagram to showcase all his Hero Deku merchandise, so that everyone knows how much he loves his boyfriend Izuku. No one expects how quickly it will all spiral out from there.

Bitch, I'm Incognito (3. Angst. Inactive) When a villain blew up Izuku’s apartment complex, everyone believed Endeavor when he said the young boy was dead. Except he wasn’t. With two friends and 6 years of vigilantism, he decides they’re going to Yuuei. As vigilantes. This is going to be fun.

Black Rabbit (3. Angst. Incomplete) For most people, waking up in the secret base of one of Japan's most wanted vigilantes would probably be terrifying. For Shouto Todoroki, it ends up being first stroke of luck he's ever had.

Come On Play Me Something (2. Angst. Complete) Midoriya Izuku's just trying to keep his head above water and the bills from piling up. For the extra cash, he rents out his spare bedroom on Airbnb and hosts a striking young pianist. Shouto's coldly polite, highly mysterious, and unwittingly determined to drag out all of Izuku's once buried ambitions.

Four for Two (3. Angst. Incomplete) Izuku loves his soulmates. All three of them. Not that they know he exists.

I'm Here (25 novels. Angst. NSFW. Incomplete) <The Longest Fic Midoriya never got One for All, but Shigaraki got to him. Midoriya slowly descends into insanity and takes his crush down with him. They follow the timeline of the canon plot, but not everything goes the same when the main character is on the other side.

I'm Unsavable (Please Save Me) (1. Angst. NSFW. Inactive) When Midoriya Izuku is kidnapped by All for One at the age of five, he is turned into a weapon. But, one day when he is on a mission, he happens to run into someone willing to help. Todoroki Shouto is abused. When he needs a hero the most, he finds a villain.

Light My Fire (5. Angst. Inactive) While recovering from the battle trials, Recovery Girl discovers mutations within Izuku that can only be explained by an unmanifested fire Quirk.

Maybe in Another Life (1. Angst. Complete) A young Izuku is "helped" by a woman whose quirk should just be a temporary experience ended once Izuku uses his quirk. The catch? Izuku doesn't have a quirk to use, and the experience only ends at his death.

Quirk: Knife! (9. Angst. Complete) Izuku winds up homeless with a knife and decides being a sass master Vigilante is close enough to being a Hero, right?

Save Me, I'm Drowning (1. Angst. Inactive) Inko says he's quirkless. The doctors say he's quirkless. Izuku knows his medicine is quirk suppressants, because the one day he didn't take them, he saved Katsuki's life.

Survival in Numbers (1. Angst. Complete) At 4, Izuku Midoriya arrives at an orphanage with no memories and meets Shinsou Hitoshi. At 8, they become vigilantes. At 10, they are the most wanted and well-known vigilantes in Japan. At 15, everything changes. Izuku accomplished all this without a Quirk. Or so he thought.

Sweater Weather (1. Angst. Inactive) A series where Izuku has a hoodie that he wears all the time, and Shouto is suddenly and irreversibly gay.

The Adventures of Chaotic Neutral Rat Bastard and Peppermint Boy (3. Angst. Inactive) A series where Dabi takes Shouto away from the Todoroki household and raises him while still trying to figure himself out.

Tightrope (5. Angst. NSFW. Complete) In a world where Izuku never meets All Might, never attends UA, he's still a stubborn problem child and ends up doing Hero stuff... more or less. He's a bit of a punk, and balances the tightrope between good and evil.

Widowmaker (5. Angst. Incomplete) Todoroki Rei divorces Endeavor and takes her four children into hiding. She later develops a bit of infamy as the deadly Widowmaker, a vigilante specializing in child and spousal abuse cases who shows no mercy to the perpetrators.

Midoriya Inko / Midoriya Hisashi

North Side of the Tree (1. Angst. Incomplete) Izuku is not human. He is, in fact, moss, a member of the fae that migrated to Japan centuries ago. He enjoys his life on the mountain and the young boy who comes to visit every year. That is, until the landslide took out his grove.

Midoriya Inko / Yagi Toshinori | All Might

Embers (2. Abandoned) Midoriya Izuku is born with a perfect combination of his parents' quirks. Given that he has literally the most impractical fire quirk in existence, becoming a Hero might be a little tricky.

Wow that is so many more fics than I thought I’d rec. And now, last but not least, I have Crossover Fics!!! ((I know you didn’t ask for them, but I’m on a roll now))

Avatar: The Last Airbender crossovers

The Notebook (1. Angst. Inactive) Todoroki Shouto / Zuko Izuku gives Shouto a journal for his birthday. The journal seems to write in itself, though, with maps of a place that doesn't exist. What happens when Shouto tries to contact the entity writing in the journal?

In His Element(s) (2. Angst. Complete) Aang chases some renegade spirits across world borders and makes some friends along the way. As one does.

Star Wars crossovers

You and What Army (1. Inactive) Midoriya Inko / Yagi Toshinori | All Might Midoriya Inko: Single Mother, Long Suffering Individual, and Renegade Jedi Master. When her son is declared Quirkless in a world that relies on them so much, she teaches Izuku the ways of the Force.

The New Normal (2. Angst. Complete) Midoriya Izuku comes from a long line of secret Force users. Reconciling that with living as a Quirkless person in a Quirked world is interesting at best-- and that was Before his dad tried to make him commit murder.

This has been a Bucket of Rec’s! Thank you for calling! Happy reading! >^.^<

[pikslasrce]

girls will reach self actualization and get so scared by it theyll believe something terrible must be in store for them

[tacitusauxilium]

Enchanted to Meet You -- Chapter 14

(previously known as Unforeseen Circumstances)

Unrequited love is the most painful thing to feel, and yet, Fuuka is persuaded to try her hands at getting Junpei’s attention, no matter what. However, after multiple failed attempts, what will she do when she catches the eye of the boy with the maroon peacoat? The heartache that comes with falling in love might even be more than she bargained for. But, would her sacrifice be in vain?

November 5th

“Did you hear about Kirijo-Senpai?”

“No! Tell me the juicy details!”

“Her father died last night. I heard it was sudden.”

“Oh. That explains why she isn’t here. Can’t imagine losing a parent.”

Junpei, Yukari, and Minako were silently listening to the students chatting about Mitsuru. Minako even tried her hardest to death glare at them, to get them stop gossiping. Of course, some of the students stopped immediately and lowered their heads in shame. 

“They wouldn’t talk so much if it was their own parent.” Junpei snarled, his arms crossed as he leaned against the doorframe to his class. “How does word get around so fast here at school?”

Yukari shrugged and put her hands on her hips. “It’s school. Any news travels so fast—hence the gossiping. I bet someone’s parent was a doctor and saw Mitsuru’s father.”

“Could be. But, I’d wish they would talk about something else.”

“I wished they were talking more about Fuuka being back at school today.” Minato pointed out, leaning next to Junpei, none of them realizing he was right next to them. 

“Yeah, that would—“ Junpei spoke but then jumped as he didn’t even feel Minato’s presence. Yukari turned to Minato, her eyes wide from hearing about Fuuka returning. “—whoa! You have got to stop doing that shit, Minato!”

Minako stopped snearing at students and turned back to the group and looked at Minato with soft eyes. “She is? I thought she was going to wait another week!”

“She was, but then after last night, she decided then that she would come back. For once, if people had to talk about her she was going to handle it herself.” Minato explained, turning to point to Fuuka in her class room. “I helped her carry her books and made sure she got here safe. That is…until we got to her class and noticed him.”

Everyone turned their attention to a boy, dressed differently and most definitely not in the Gekkoukan uniform, as he was talking to Fuuka. His yellow scarf pushed around his neck and had his hands on his hips, full of confidence. None of them could hear what they were talking about, but Fuuka put her hand on her chest and smiled at the occasional comment the other boy said. 

Junpei chuckled and crossed his arms. “So, who is going to tell Shinjiro-san that he is going to have competition?”

Yukari flicked the side of his head, causing the Magician to reel back in pain. “After that kiss a couple days ago, I think she’s attached to him. She will tell Shinjiro-senpai probably before you do.”

Minako and Minato eyed the boy carefully—something about him looked familiar but they couldn’t figure it out. Their eyes squinted, trying to think if they knew him from their past. However, nothing clicked. Which lead to Minako going into her class, pulling Yukari with her and noticing Aigis was sitting at her  desk, glaring intensively at Fuuka and the boy across the hall. 

Minato and Junpei heard the warning bell and began to walk into their classroom, noticing the yellow scarf boy walking out of Fuuka’s class and down the hall. Junpei slithered to his seat, watching as Minato sat next to Aigis and both saw Aigis’ eyes still following the boy. 

“He is dangerous.” Aigis spoke, watching as Minato tried to turn her head back to the front of the class room with his own hands. It failed horribly but did make Aigis look at Minato. “Why was he talking to Fuuka-san?”

Junpei snickered and grinned sheepishly. “See? At least Ai-chan sides with me!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a rough first day of returning to school, for once, Fuuka was relieved it was over. A few students had come up to her, to check up on her, and had to explain that she got shot and was in a coma. The gist of it without getting into much detail. The attention she received was warm and affectionate, but she wasn’t sure if it was because of Minako and everyone else watching her back or because of Ryoji—the boy with the yellow scarf—talking to her and hearing her story. Maybe that was why people were more friendly to her. And only hoped that would take some pressure off of Mitsuru. Sort of one of the reasons why she came back to school earlier than she should have. 

Noticing that her friends (mainly Junpei, Minato, and Aigis) were busy talking to Ryoji, and realizing Minako and Yukari were probably at their sports club today, she didn’t want to bother any of them. She was sure she could handle her bag full of school work. Quietly and quickly, she skirted away and down the stairs towards the back of the school and moved carefully down them.

Fuuka felt a bit of relief, knowing that her friends were more focused on someone other than her. Fuuka knew she was going to be watched carefully, but the freedom she barely got was few and far between. Especially when she saw a maroon coat covered body leaning against the back of a tree near the entrance of the school. A heavy and frustrated sigh escaped her lips—she calmly marched towards Shinjiro and watched him meeting her halfway. 

“Please tell me that the others didn’t rope you into coming to school to check on me.” 

Shinjiro smirked. “No, but I wanted to come see you. That is—“ He felt his cheeks heating up as he heard Minako’s nagging voice in the back of his mind. “—I heard through Minako that the new kid—“

“Ryoji Mochizuki."

“—Yeah, him, was trying to talk to you and was particularly close to you to the point where Aigis had to push him away from you.”

Fuuka blinked. She faintly remembered that happening, but she didn’t think that Ryoji was flirting with her. …was he? Of course, Fuuka wanted to toy with Shinjiro for a little bit longer.

“Oh, so you got jealous.”

Shinjiro opened his mouth and closed it tightly and glared at Fuuka. “Don’t you put words in my mouth!”

“Ahhh. You didn’t say no, though. So you are jealous!” She grinned, nudging his side playfully. “That’s very precious of you, Shinjiro.”

He could feel his cheeks heating up and wished that Fuuka would not tell Minako any of this. It also doesn’t help that those two are close because of the people they were dating. Shinjiro cautiously grabbed for Fuuka’s hand bag and held it down by his side. Though, he did enjoy seeing Fuuka smile and it felt like thousands of pounds lifted off his shoulders. He hasn’t fucked this up and doesn’t want to. But then, the idea of the suppressants eating away at his life also distracted him. 

“How about we head on back to the dorm? I’ve got some food thawing out and I’d love to have an extra hand.” Shinjiro suggested, knowing full well Fuuka would never say no to him. 

“With alllll of this homework I have to do, I think I can squeeze in some time to help you.” Fuuka grinned, winking at him, as she interlocked her arm around with his. 

From the top of the second floor, Ryoji eyed the couple with his arms crossed. He knew who he, himself, was and yet, everyone was none the wiser. And he wasn’t surprised that Aigis was the only one suspicious of him. The twins noticed that Ryoji was distracted, leading to Minako looking out of the window and noticed Shinjiro and Fuuka walking together and engaged in idle chit-chat. 

“Minako-chan, who is that boy with Fuuka-san?”

“That’s Shinjiro.” Minako turned to face Ryoji. “Do you remember when I told you that Fuuka was in the hospital? He was as well—for the same reason and by the same person.” She explained slowly. As much as she wanted to pour her heart out and gladly explain how they got closer and closer within a month, Minako kept it short and sweet for now. “I think they were official the day after she woke up from her coma. But, I think we all assumed they would be within the first week or two of them meeting.”

Ryoji nodded slowly. He could faintly sense how close to Death they both were. And wondering for hours why he felt a connection to Fuuka was now clicking in his mind. He looked a bit sad—his lips curled downward and his eyebrows sank. Deep down, and something he just realized at this moment, he could sense himself being pulled more towards Shinjiro than Fuuka. Someone whom he just saw for the first time…and knowing that Death would come sooner to him than to Fuuka. 

And to know that Fuuka would be heartbroken, torn up, devastated at the fact of the one whom she could see a future with slowly dying clenched at Ryoji’s heart. Death knows all without knowing. 

“…she’s nice and a good listener.” Ryoji raised his eyebrows slowly, a small smile appearing on his lips, as he kept this information to himself. A part of him wants to know more—wanting to know the secrets that Shinjiro kept that could ruin Fuuka’s future with him. “Too bad she is taken—I would have enjoyed having her as my girlfriend.”

Minato glared at him and pokes his cheek. “Don’t let Aragaki-senpai hear that. He’s protective of her as she is with him. Then again, who wouldn’t be with someone they love?”

Minako nodded and turned away once she saw Shinjiro kissing Fuuka’s lips and could barely see how red their cheeks were. She giggled and wrapped her arm around her brother’s neck. “I can say the same with you and Yukari—you’ve become more of a gentleman with her, you know?”

“And you’ve taken pointers from Sanada-san about how to choke out enemies—ease up on me!” Minato gasped, not realizing how hard Minako’s elbow was on his neck. She gasped and pulled her arm away, apologizing profusely, as they began to walk away from Ryoji. 

Ryoji shook his head and began to walk behind the twins. He wondered if Fuuka knew anything more about Shinjiro. He might have been inside of the twins for the longest time, seeing what they saw, and he knew so much about Fuuka but never knew what she sounded like or what she was like. But, seeing moments of vulnerability with Minato and Minako, Ryoji wasn’t sure if he should help protect or hurt Fuuka. 

It doesn’t help he is the Harbinger of Death. As if he ready to take what Death herself couldn’t do the first time around.

~~~~~~~~~

After getting everything prepped and ready for dinner tonight, thanks to Fuuka's help, Shinjiro was just about to sit down on the couch and catch a quick nap. Until the door opened up and Akihiko entered the living room. He looked as if he was out of breath, running for fun or not, Shinjiro was not sure and didn't want to know. He eyed the boy until Akihiko began to walk towards him.

"I'm not going to exercise, Aki."

"No--wasn't going to ask." Akihiko quickly replied, putting his hand to his chest, taking a few seconds to calm himself down and catch his breath. Akihiko let out one more heavy deep breath and sighed heavily. "I wanted to ask you to come to the roof with me."

Shinjiro's eyebrow rose with his eyelids still closed over his eyes. "Why?"

"Because this is the first time I finally get to talk to you since you've been awake and...it's important."

Shinjiro opened his eyes, not realizing how much emphasis he put on the word important. He gulped and pushed himself off the couch. Shinjiro could count on his right hand how many times he has seen Akihiko serious since they met. And this was number three.

Shinjiro nodded, following behind the athlete the best he could--doesn't help he is doing two stairs at a time instead of a normal human being who would do one stair at a time. Shinjiro quietly mumbled under his breath but stopped once Akihiko stopped at the door leading outside to the roof. "Is the door locked?"

Akihiko shook his head, shoving the door a little harder than normal, and the fresh, cold breeze of the sunset rushed passed them both. Shinjiro shivered for a moment as he still continued to follow Akihiko and whatever he had planned tonight.

Once they were both outside, Shinjiro closed the door and turned to see Akihiko staring at the sunset. Shinjiro noticed he seemed a bit composed from behind, his shoulders were stiff like cardboard, but he assumed it was because how he was built. This was the first time he was looking more at Akihiko and noticing all the small details on him.

"Aki--"

"Wait." Akihiko answered, taking a deep breath in and out, and waved Shinjiro over. Quietly, the other senior followed and stood next to Akihiko. "You don't have to speak. Just listen." Shinjiro nodded slowly, wondering if he should be looking at Akihiko or the sunset. For now, he focused on the sunset and tried to let his mind go numb or empty.

"...when you and Yamagishi almost died a month ago, no one talked about it for weeks. No one spoke to each other and everyone felt defeated. I thought of the many what ifs for weeks." Akihiko closed his eyes, taking another deep breath in and out. "What if Yamagishi didn't find you and Amada in time? What if she did find you both and she was killed? What if you were--" He stopped himself short, his hands turning into fists and clenching them tighter than normal. "--and that's when I realized something: would I be okay if you died?"

Shinjiro closed his eyes, lowering his head in shame--he didn't know why he felt so sad and shameful. He knew he should have told someone where he and Ken was going, but he didn't. Maybe a part of him, the smallest part of him, hoped someone would find them. ...and hoped it wouldn't be Fuuka. That would be impossible with her being the navigator of their group.

"I thought about that for weeks. Until Mitsuru's father died. She was able to compose herself, pick herself up and became focus on what she had to do. I know her family's name is huge and important, but... ...I think I would be able to move on." He turned to face Shinjiro, his eyes soften up but still had a flame behind them. Shinjiro looked down at him with a hint of surprise in his eyes. "You have been with me since I was young--attached at the hip, you know? I have friends that would grieve with me and help me get back up on my feet. At least, Miki wouldn't want me to sob for days and nights."

Shinjiro huffed in agreement. "Yeah, I agree there. You are an ugly crier."

Akihiko's mouth dropped and shook his head, quickly to disagree. "I am not! And you cannot prove that, Shinji."

"Oh, I am sure that Minako would love to see you cry."

Akihiko closed his mouth quickly, making sure that Shinjiro couldn't use his words against him. He did, however, slightly punched him on the arm and crossed his arms. "Honestly, though, I'm sure I'd be okay if you had died. I...always thought death couldn't touch us. And when it almost did, I had to come to the realization that I am not that invincible. And I know those suppressants of yours are slowly making you sicker and--"

"Fuuka got me to stop taking them."

"--they helped keep your Persona--...wait. What?" Akihiko's eyes widen in surprise. "How long--?"

"...Hmm." Shinjiro crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side. "Well, she indirectly stopped me from taking them. She didn't know about them until just a few days ago. We've been trying something with Lucia and Castor and trying to calm a wild horse down, literally." Shinjiro explained, not realizing he didn't answer Akihiko's question until the silence set in for a few seconds. "Er, at least since mid September? I only bought from Strega to keep them from unknowing. And well, if what we are doing doesn't work, then at least I'm set for a while."

Akihiko kept his arms crossed, not realizing how much Fuuka had tried to helped Shinjiro. And maybe also Akihiko himself. He knew he would have to pay the favor back to Shinjiro's girlfriend. "At least someone got through to you. Because I want you at my side, Shinji."

"Aki, not to be rude, but you do know the women in our lives already have us at their beck and call, right?"

"I meant, dumbass, until the shadows and this shit is over and done with, I want to keep fighting with you--to make this world a better place to live. With Minako, Fuuka, Mitsuru--everyone. And neither of us can't see Miki until we are old and gray." Akihiko stated, walking around in front of Shinjiro. His face towards the sunset as the sun seemed to shine and illuminate his body before it started to disappear around the horizon. It looked as if he was on fire, in a way. Akihiko took his hand, balled it up into a fist, and held it out in front of Shinjiro.

Shinjiro looked down at it, knowing what he should do--make the promise and make Akihiko happy. But, deep down, even if Fuuka's Persona was trying to tame the beast inside of him, how badly did he ruin the far off future with her and Akihiko? Taking suppressants because he was desperate and couldn't handle Castor killing another person. He gulped, feared that Akihiko would find out the truth. But, for now, he wanted to stop disappointing people.

Especially himself.

He took his right hand, balled it up into a fist, and lightly tapped Akihiko's slightly smaller fist.

"Deal. But only because I want to see Minako bother you until the end."

Akihiko huffed and then let out a small chuckle. "Fine, fine. But you better protect Yamagishi--she's made you into a better person, you know?"

"Thou art I... And I am thou...The bond thou hast nurtured hath finally matured.Thou hast turned a vow into a blood oath.In breaking free of doubt, the chain that impedes thee, is thy strength of heart made manifest.With the rebirth of the Emperor ArcanaThou hast obtained the winds of blessing that shall guide thee to the furthest depths."

[persephoneflouwers]

Modi in cui io avrei rielaborato:

[foxstens]

here’s a hot take: a game doesn’t need to be fair to be good

[yutadori]

hiding in the restroom at work again ^__^