This does NOT effect the story! It's just a bonus! Nothing that happens here is canon within the story!

LilEevee101 suggested the song Fading by Alle Farben & ILIRA! 

Depressive thoughts. Yes I know, it's more Iida. I promise they're not ALL Iida I just picked the next song on the list and now here we here yes-

Third person pov

All I ever wanted was to find you

Okay, so Iida did not mean to fall for Harper Rye. At first, he hadn't even realized what was happening. Sure, he'd found peers attractive before, but this was completely different. He didn't notice himself falling until he'd hit the bottom, and now he was in far too deep. He knew there was no climbing back out. This was a new sort of low he'd reached, and yet it was also the highest he'd ever been. The usually calm, cool, and collected teenager had literally no idea what to do with himself.

His emotions no longer felt real. They were too good to be true. How could the lingering sadness he felt get blown away just by looking at someone? It didn't make any sort of logical sense to him. Maybe that's why it had taken it so long to click. The random urges he got, the scattered thoughts he had. Flushed cheeks, fidgeting hands, and nervous smiles. Longing stares and this feeling in his chest that made him feel like his heart had blown up to the size of a house. It was all new and so invigorating. He'd never felt such intoxication from his own feelings before.

His first impression of Harper hadn't been the best. She looked tired and like she didn't want to be anywhere near the Hero Course. From what he'd gathered, that was literally the case. And normally he'd judge her for that, but he... just couldn't. Everything she said and did was so genuine. She didn't try to fake sympathy, or joy. Sure, a lot of her smiles were forced, but she really did want to try. He could tell. When she didn't smile for real, it was the most breathtaking thing you'd ever get to lay your eyes on. When she laughed, she did it with her whole body. It was awing, in a weird way.

Find a love I never knew

The thought of someone like her existing would have never occurred to him. She had popped out of nowhere, acting like she didn't care and sighing every two minutes. Only she did care. She cared so much it hurt. At first glance it looked like she didn't, but when you peered closer you came to realize she was always at work. Every word out of her mouth made Iida feel better, and she was doing it on purpose too. The fact that someone other than his mother, father, or brother could show so much concern for him made his head spin.

He wasn't the only one she attended to. Somehow, she knew. She'd say things out of the blue that made looks of realization dawn on Bakugo's face. Offhandedly, the girl would tell Todoroki he was a really good guy who never seemed to be mean, and stress would melt off him like wax off a candle. She did it with people in the hallway, and with their teachers. There was something she was hiding, but Iida almost didn't care. Just watching her at work on the daily was amazing.

He'd never felt like this for anyone. It was not the same love he felt towards his family members. This was different. Less warm, and more fiery. He wanted to be around her constantly. Everything she did and said made him smile. He wasn't sure when he'd begun to view her in such a perfect light, but he had. It was like one day a switch flipped, and it all smacked him in the face. That her short, bouncy hair was cute. And her bright brown eyes were pretty even when they were tired. Her smile was rare and something to be cherished these days, and every time she snickered or let out a snort of amusement, he'd find himself lingering on the noise.

I can feel the pain inside me fading

Being around Harper was intensely therapeutic. He felt lighter and lighter the more he talked to her. He knew he had depression. He had the kind that was so deep-seeded that you weren't sure it would ever go away. And yet just sitting next to Harper made him feel as though maybe there were hope for him. His downwards thoughts upturned and shot high rather than sinking low, and he often times found himself not needing to force his smiles or fabricate his laughs. He felt happy around her. It sounded like such a simple thing, but it was so, so much more.

Harper was a very smart and observant person. She appeared to pick up on things nobody else did. Maybe it was her reflex quirk, or maybe it was something else entirely. There was definitely something she wasn't telling them, but he didn't mind. He'd wait as long as it took, even if the time never came. After what happened with Tensei, he'd been left with a lot to think about. It hadn't taken him long to realize how lucky he was to have the friends he had. Harper was an astounding person, and he wouldn't let her go, even if she was holding onto something that could rock the proverbial boat that represented their relationship.

Depression was such an odd thing. Having it was... he wasn't sure how to describe it. It was like you were constantly carrying around this weight. Some days it felt lighter, but others it wanted to drag you down and leave you there where you couldn't get up. And each step you took dragged on as you struggled. If Iida had to compare it to something in real life, he'd compare it to drowning. Sometimes it felt like he was going to sink below the surface. Lately, Harper had been throwing him plenty of life vests and other floaties, it felt like. Just by being there.

While I'm fading into you

Iida was enraptured. He'd talked to Tensei about it, and he'd confirmed it all with a half-grin on his face and brotherly gleam in his eyes. Iida had a major crush that quite possibly something more. Harper had helped him too much for him not to completely fall in love with every part of her. The way she'd roll her eyes when she was exasperated, the glares she'd shoot at Aizawa anytime the man glanced her way, the quite snorts of laughter that would slip out when Ochako stumbled into the room with her arms full of several cans of milk. The littlest things drew a smile onto his face. Nobody else could do that to him.

Being with Harper was like drifting. What was even better, and perhaps more perplexing, was the fact that it didn't wear off. He could be near her for hours upon hours and still feel just as euphoric as he did during the first five minutes of being near her. He did not get tired of her, and she never failed to repel whatever darkness clung to him on a day-to-day basis. It was almost ironic. She was grumpy, and tired, and didn't like talking to people, and yet she was his light.

Been to Paris, been to Rome

He adjusted the straps of his backpack as he walked towards UA, his mind reeling. Now that he'd recognized what this feeling was for sure, what did he do with this information? He didn't know what people did with crushes. He'd had one or two small ones in middle school, but they'd lasted a week at most and he hadn't tried to act on them. He'd been too wrapped up in his schoolwork. Even now, he was busy, probably even more so than he had been in back then. But it was paining just considering remaining silent. Mostly due to the fact that he knew this wasn't something that would be going away anytime soon, but also because the idea of someone else seeing what he saw in Harper Rye and snatching her up made him wince with jealousy. 

UA was manageable though, which left plenty of room for hope. If he told Harper, what would happen? What would she say? Frankly, he wouldn't be all that shocked if she laughed. She seemed like the type to find think a confession was a joke. He wasn't sure why. She was perfectly pleasant (most of the time), and he couldn't understand why her self esteem was as low as it was. Her bone structure was immaculate, she wasn't too tall or too short, her hair was wild in the best possible way, she was kind, sarcastic in a funny way, and she gave spectacular hugs.

But I never found my home

UA seemed daunting a manner that was thrilling to an extent. Iida picked up the pace once it came into view, a smile threatening to break out on his face. The engines in his legs vibrated, but he didn't dare use them. They'd ruin his uniform. Still, that didn't stop him from wishing he could hurry. Even though what happened to Tensei had occurred several months ago, Harper had still begun to come early everyday. When he asked why, she'd just shrug and make a casual comment about how everyone needed a little company every now and then. It implied she was there for him, and that made him smile.

Harper's presence was making UA highschool jump the charts on his list of favorite places. In fact, he was pretty sure this was his favored place to be. It had become like a second home, as odd as that sounded. The people here cared for him, and he cared right back. His classmates were supportive and worked together as a unit to function and strive towards being heroes. It made him feel secure.

The cool air that washed over him when he stepped into the large building was invigorating. A part of him wondered if he annoyed Harper, and if she came earlier so she could have some alone time before class, but he squashed down the notion rather quickly. Every time he came in, she'd always look up and nod. And he'd ask how her morning was, and she'd ask how his was. And he'd always answer with a "It's going quite well so far" or a "Good!" because really, it normally was if she was there. 

'Til you came and took my hand

"Good morning, Harper." He greeted in his usual, curt tone as he entered the classroom. She looked up, offering a tired half-smile and a two-finger salute that made him brighten considerably. Though it appeared she never ceased in her exhaustion, she still managed to look stunning nonetheless."No need to feel down then, Tenya! She seems perfectly happy to see you. I'm sure I'm not interrupting anything. She'd tell me if she were, or maybe go somewhere else. Yes... yes, it's alright."

"Morning, Iida. How's your day been so far?" She cocked an eyebrow, looking at him with a glint in her eyes that made him feel like she could see right through him. The gaze had been odd at first, but he'd quickly grown accustomed to it, and wouldn't have things any other way. There was something he liked about feeling that open around someone. He'd spent so much time hiding how he felt; it was refreshing to feel as though someone could see that part of him too.

"Quite well. And yours?" He smiled as he settled in his desk, turning to better look at her. "A lot better now that I'm here, I'd say."

She looked almost perplexed for a second before blinking, tilting her head in a manner that implied she was considering something. For a moment he thought he'd said that last bit out loud, and his heart stuttered in his chest. But she didn't appear to acknowledge it when she spoke, "Alright. I'm a bit tired, but what's new?"

Been to deserts and the coast

"I should tell her." A part of him sighed wistfully, but he ignored it. "You should really try to get more sleep, you know."

Something in Harper's eyes flashed, but she yawned before he could discern what it was. He watched with a strong fondness reverberating in his chest as her nose scrunched up and her eyes screwed shut, her entire body seeming to move with the motion. Afterwards, she sniffed and squinted. "Yeah, you're probably right. Can't say I have the time for it, though. Ts- my dad's been keeping me up lately. He works a lot at night, you know? Has me do take-out runs; though, it's worth it for the Spring Rolls."

Iida snorted at that. Sounded like her. "I should definitely tell her. She deserves to know. But what would she say? I'm... me. Nothing special. I'm bland, and strict, and I don't really have a sense of humor. Can't say I'm all that good looking either." His thoughts droned. "Spring Rolls are a worthy drive, but I still think getting a full night's rest would benefit you more."

Couple turns along the road

"Maybe." Harper propped her elbow up on the table and rested her chin on her closed fist, her stare making him feel oddly vulnerable once again. Like she was actively peeling away the many layers he had to him to try and get to the center, and all without words. "Is there something you need to tell me? Something's telling me you're about to say something, but you're holding yourself back."

Was her reflex quirk picking up on the part of him aching to let her know? She'd shown signs of predicting things people didn't go through on before, but he never would have thought it might translate over into speech as well. He gulped slightly, his smile coming out a bit more strained. Could he do this? Did he want to do this? It was something that could most definitely ruin their relationship forever. A risk. Tenya had never been one for taking risks. 

Then I found you in the end

"Nothing that I can think of." He lied. 

"Are you sure?" Harper narrowed her eyes slightly, and his smile felt far less tense almost immediately. She always looked suspicious of him when he lied. Her dad did have a lie detecting quirk from what he'd gathered, so perhaps it had transferred over to her somehow. It was incredibly amusing to see such an expression on her face, and he took a moment to try and memorize it. 

"I don't know how to tell you I'm in love with you." He thought to himself, his chest filling with warmth.

You lead the way out of the dark

Before he could assure Harper that nothing was wrong, the fist she'd set her chin upon slipped and landed on the table with a dull thump. He startled for a moment, blinking at her. She stared right back at him with wide eyes full of shock, her lips pressed tightly together and her cheeks oddly red. For a heart-pounding moment, he thought maybe he'd let the words slip out, but he brushed the unsettling notion off as quickly as it came on. He had no doubts he'd kept his confession to himself. 

"Are you alright?" He asked, concern flashing through him. She looked like she had heard him, but he knew for a fact he hadn't said anything aloud. "Her expression just dropped."

Laying out my cards

"Oh hell." Harper cursed after a moment, and he could tell she was biting the inside of her cheek. He did the same thing when he was unsure or nervous. "I left the stove on."

"O-Oh, you did?" Iida felt relief wash through him. He hadn't blurted anything out. "Do you need to call someone?"

"I'll text my dad." Harper said, pulling out her phone, her heart pounding in her chest. She'd definitely heard that. Hell. Fucking hell. What did she do? Did she drop the bomb? Tell him she could read thoughts? She wasn't sure if it was a good idea to put her quirk out there like that without permission. The League was still on her tail, and if they ever got a hold of Iida and tried to force information on her or anyone else out of him... the mere thought made bile rise in her throat. They weren't after Iida, luckily. But they could be if she got too terribly close.

Despite all that, this was still something that needed to be addressed. He liked her. Eventually, he'd probably be telling her about his feelings, despite his tendency to bottle up his emotions and keep them to himself. All she could do now was hold her breath and brace herself, right? Sero was gone. Telling him wouldn't be the end of the world. She trusted him, but... what effect would it have on the friendship they'd managed to build? It could all crumble, and that scared Harper just a bit.

In your hands all of them showing hearts

Harper really did text Tsukauchi, but not just him, and certainly not to tell him she'd left the stove on. That was a lie considering they hadn't used the stove in months. That was besides the point. She was in a group chat with some of the teachers and some other 'important adults' in case she needed to get information to several people fast. Tsukauchi, Nezu, All Might, and Aizawa were all in there with her. Harper wouldn't give details, but at least her lie would look convincing now.

Harper:

If any of you fuck with my today I will rip your eyes out of your skull and shove them down your fucking throat so you can watch me rip out your guts.

Tsukauchi:
Did your period start or did someone piss you off?

Nezu:
It's not her period. That was last week!

All Might:
Why do you know that?

Harper:
I'm just having a day. 

With that warning, she shut off her phone and took a deep breath. Alright, Iida had bought the lie. Texting had definitely helped sell it. Even better, everyone knew to stay out of her way or get incinerated. Every so often Harper would stumble upon someone with thoughts so wild she could deal with nothing else but them. That was sort of one of those moments. She didn't have time for them to be thinking at her all throughout the day. All Might especially needed to back the hell up, with his seven extra passengers.

Seasons changing all the time

Iida continued to gaze at her with worry in his eyes. Harper cleared her throat and carefully set her phone down, back up to prevent him from seeing anymore texts from the questionable individuals she had saved in her phone. She allowed her eyes to search him. He was fairly used to her assessing him, so he did look too perturbed. That being said, he didn't say anything either.

She and Iida hadn't been friends all that long, but that didn't mean they weren't close. They were more close than most people were, especially given the short amount of time they'd actually been together. Her emotions pertaining to him had changed faster than she could really process. At first she could recall vividly being exasperated with him, feeling like keeping him alive was something she was morally obligated to do. But soon it wasn't just the right thing to do, it was something she wanted to do. Because they were friends, and she wanted to be there for him.

Tenya was someone worth saving. Everyone was worth saving, but Iida especially. He had the heart of a hero. That sounded cheesy, and dumb, and cringey overall, but she was being dead serious. He, Izuku, All Might, Todoroki-- they all shared the same kind of drive. That wasn't to say Aizawa and Present Mic didn't want to save people; they did. This was different. Tenya didn't just want to save them and protect them. He wanted to raise them up and make them smile. He wanted to erase fear and negative emotion with his presence, and make people feel the security they often times lacked in a crisis. He knew what it was like to be afraid. It's what drove him. 

But our love's one of a kind

How Harper felt for him now... she didn't know. She didn't like a lot of people, nor did she deal with her own emotions often. But Harper was a mind reader, and had been since around the age of four. So she was aware enough to recognize that maybe she'd managed to develop some feelings towards Iida that were less than platonic. There was no telling for sure, seeing as she couldn't exactly read her own emotions. But it was a pretty decent bet. All things considered, she couldn't have chosen a better person to fall for. 

Their relationship was entirely unique. As far as Harper knew, nobody had a quirk like hers. There were some similar that allowed one to look into a certain person's thoughts for a certain amount of time. Some people only got the stronger thoughts, and others got mere whispers that amounted to nothing. The individuals like that were a group composed of less than twenty people, Harper being within said group. Her power gave her a special connection to a lot of people she knew, and especially with Iida, who kept a great deal of himself hidden from those in his life. People didn't realize what a closed book he was until he opened up. 

Write our names into the sky

"Are you sure everything's alright? Your face is looking a bit red." Iida admitted. It was absolutely adorable to see her blush, but he wasn't about to tell her that. "I'm not sure I've ever seen her flushed before. It's cute..."

Harper pressed her lips together, rolling them inward until he could see them no more. Her eyes squinted, but not suspiciously. She was in deep thought about something. This was the expression she tended to wear when she was considering something. Though Harper wasn't the most emotional person in class, never let it be said that she did not have one of the most expressive faces. Yes, often times she donned a mask that even he couldn't see through, but when she didn't, you could always tell exactly what she was thinking. It was another thing he loved about her-- how she could open herself up like a blooming flower when she so pleased.

He talked a lot about Harper. That's why Tensei had been so amused when Tenya had come in asking about crushes, because the man had already known he had one. Looking back, Tenya was a bit embarrassed. He rambled about her everyday. At dinner, when asked how his day was, it was a quick 'Great!' followed by 'Harper-' and then some long ramble about literally everything he'd seen her do that day and everything he could remember her saying. Even his parents knew. Hindsight was 20/20, Tenya supposed.

Come on, keep it going

"You know what? There is something." Harper couldn't do this. She had to tell him. Obviously there was no way in hot hell she was risking telling him on campus. Yeah, Sero was gone, but there was no telling where the League had ears these days. Nezu's office and the teacher's lounge were both proofed and checked twice a day by someone with a quirk, but the classrooms were questionable. Plus, there was a huge chance their conversation would reach high volumes were Tenya to totally lose his shit. 

"Really?" Tenya blinked. Harper never really vented, which had been quite concerning at first. But he soon realized that just because he wasn't the one she confided in didn't mean she didn't talk to anyone at all. While he would love to be the person to make her feel better and less heavy, he was more relieved that she had someone at all. "I hope she's alright. I wonder... is it possible she's picked up on... my, I don't even want to think about it! How many times have I almost hugged her? How many times has her quirk realized I almost hugged her?"

There's so much for us to see

"Yep." Harper squeezed her eyes shut. This was too much. It was killing her. He had no idea. This was nothing like Kirishima. Iida had developed real feelings, they were friends, and they knew each other. There came a point where lying about her quirk was too much. Because this was now personal. It wasn't just her in class, hearing the idle thoughts of her peers. This was Iida's private feelings that he was not ready to tell her, and that she had heard. "But we can't talk here. Are you free after school?"

This was going to be horrifying. She could already tell. Harper could smell his astonishment on the horizon, and it wasn't pretty. Someone's thoughts were private and their own. Harper knew this better than anyone, being an individual who'd heard some real fuck shit over the years. The kind you'd never say aloud to anyone. Tenya's thoughts were more private than most because the guy actually had something to hide. Just thinking about the reaction he was going to have made her heart clench. Tenya was a good friend. What would it be like to lose him? Would she lose him? It was a real possibility, and that made her nervous.

It don't matter where we are as long as you're with me

"Date." Was where Tenya's mind immediately flew, but he shook it off with flushed cheeks. He then cleared his throat. "Yes, of course. Did you... want to go somewhere?"

Holy shit, this was hard. Tenya was red, she was red, and it was just awkward. She didn't deal with emotions like this. They weren't supposed to involve her! Other people had problems, she butted in, and then threw the issue in the garbage disposal and called it good. There was no "meeting up to discuss my lies and deceit" or any "hey, I'm feeling that same thing too! Must be mutual". That just wasn't... Harper didn't know what to say. This wasn't her forte in the least. 

She was pretty sure he'd be pissed. Who wouldn't be? But Harper was used to people blowing up on her about her quirk and how invasive it was. Just... this was Tenya Iida, though. He was sort of her best friend aside from Hound Dog and Tsukauchi who were adults and barely counted, and she'd sort of been totally and completely lying to him all year. That didn't seem like something that would go over well. Her life was pretty shit just in general, so she was expecting the worst possible outcome. Fate liked dealing her a bad hand.

As long as you're with me

"Sure. Let's do that." Harper said, and that was legitimately the end of the conversation. No more was said. She picked up her phone and focused very intently on the literal nothingness that was happening on it. Tenya turned to his notes with a flaming face and flustered smile that he couldn't seem to shake. How did Harper do that with her face? He could hide his depression just fine from most people-- barring her-- but the rest of his emotions? It was incredibly hard to keep them under wraps. She seemed to have hers under control.

Tenya was dreading their little outing, but excited too. He'd never met up with Harper outside of school, just the two of them. Something about it seemed... intimate, but he didn't want to look too much into it. Especially not when he didn't know if she was planning on inviting someone else. For all he knew, she could ask Ochako to tag along as well when she arrived. It would be foolish to assume she was just going with him. It would also be foolish to assume she didn't bear bad news, when there was a big chance she did. That's the thought that scared him most-- the idea that she could had something devastating to spill.

All I ever wanted was to find you

For Tenya, they day couldn't go any slower. He was someone who enjoyed school. Adored it to an extent, actually. Never before had he wanted it to end so badly. He just wanted the bell to ring so he could meet up with Harper, and they could go find a place to talk. Maybe if her news wasn't bad, he could tell her how he felt. The circumstances had to be quite specific. If she was trying to tell him of her troubles, he wouldn't interrupt that. He would simply be there for her.

"Almost like a boyfriend." A part of him whispered. "Supporting her no matter what. Being there for her. Providing reassurance and unwavering acceptance."

Find a love I never knew

So yeah, maybe he found his face turning firetruck red more than a few times throughout the day as thoughts like these crept in. Again, this was something he'd never felt before in his entire life. He didn't think it was possible to fall in love at this age. He was young, sitting at sixteen and wondering what his future would he. He wasn't naive-- not as he once had been. His experience with the Hero Killer had been almost aging in an odd way. He thought he'd been grown up before, but he never realized how truly young he was until that moment in that alleyway. 

Maybe he was dumb. Dumb, and delusional, and his emotions would fade. But none of that mattered at the moment. Right now, his emotions were real. They were potent, and vivid, and made things so bright he wondered how he'd lived in a world so dull before. It felt like he could never fall back into such a morose view. Things were so lit up. Harper was a flame, and her going out simply wasn't a possibility in his mind. She felt like forever, and he wanted that. Her. Them.

I can feel the pain inside me fading

When the last class of the day ended, he felt elated. The mere thought of being around her even longer was intoxicating. Most days he'd walk outside with her, and watch her get into Detective Tsukauchi's car. And he'd wave, and she'd give a small salute back that would make him smile and follow him the whole way home. If he was lucky, she'd roll down the window and call out a quick 'see you tomorrow!' with a lazy grin that would hover beneath his eyelids anytime he closed them.

Even if he was about to get bad news, he'd never felt so happy before. He had no idea why today was different. It could be because she'd asked him to meet up. Deep down, he knew it was something serious. Something that would probably change whatever relationship they currently had forever. He prepared himself, and told himself to be accepting. Because Harper had more secrets than anyone he'd ever run across. There were things she was hiding that he knew would hurt to know about, but he often times tried his best not to think about them. 

Harper looked stressed. There was a tension in her shoulders not normally present within her, and her brows were furrowed just slightly. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen an expression like this on her, and he wasn't sure he liked it either. Seeing Harper look so stressed outwardly was new, and he wished he could make it all go away for her. She seemed like someone who'd gone through a lot. Bakugo might use the term 'seen some shit' if he were here, and that felt accurate despite its vulgarity. He just wanted Harper to feel better, or at least like her normal, lax self.

While I'm fading into you

"Alright, let's get this show on the road. Hopefully you won't hate me afterwards." Harper sighed, cracking her back as she stood. He found himself smiling again without meaning to. Today, smiling felt easy. Everything was so light.

"Why would I hate you?" Tenya asked curiously, half dreading the answer. "I could never hate you."

All I ever wanted was to find you

"Oh, trust me. You'll see." Harper grumbled, swinging her backpack over one shoulder and trudging towards the door. She wasn't looking forward to this. Just listening to Iida's happy thoughts all day and knowing she'd be casting a rain cloud over them made her cringe. He was her friend, and she had watched him crawl up from the very depths of his depressing void. Yeah, sometimes he still slid down. It was a steep slope. But he had begun to climb higher and higher every time, and today he was at the top. She'd been working so hard to pull him up. It hurt in an almost physical sense for her to know she'd be the one kicking him down for once.

"Should I be worried?" Tenya joked as best he could. He didn't have much of a sense of humor, but he did try. He was worried, but... ready. She could throw anything at him and he felt like he could take it. "It'll be fine. I just need to relax. Harper is clearly going to talk to me because she trusts me."

"Probably." Harper murmured as they walked down the hall. Tenya's thoughts were nearly reassuring. You couldn't much blame Harper for expecting some real shit from life. She hadn't been thrown a solid by the higher powers in a while.

Find a love I never knew

Watching someone as complex as Harper Rye simply walk while thinking was fascinating and completely alluring in every way. Or maybe it wasn't, and Tenya just had a bias. For him, there was no place he'd rather be that he could think of. She was with his favorite person. She made him happy, so what else really was there? He was glad to be here with her. He had no idea where the brunette was about to take him, but he didn't mind. A part of him was sure he'd follow her anywhere. And hey, maybe he would.

Harper was sort of starting to freak out. Tenya was being all lovey-dovey on the inside, and she was sort of feeling it back. A bit, but in a more Harper-like way. And by that she meant she liked his face and wouldn't mind sharing her ice cream with him. That was besides the point. Was she about to ruin everything? It felt sort of like she was about to ruin everything. But it's not like she could keep the secret forever. On the off chance this-- they-- somehow worked out, he would have to know. Simple as that. She wasn't willing to let him go just to keep one little secret. She'd never met someone like him before. She'd never lost someone like him before. She wasn't about to if she could help it.

Still, fuck Nezu. This was his damn fault-

I can feel the pain inside me fading

"Where are we off to?" Iida asked, eyes on Harper's hand. It was so small, and just... hanging there. He could totally reach down and grab it if he wanted to. What would she even do if he did? Look disgusted? Pull away? "I can't do this. She probably doesn't even like me. I heard she was into redheads anyway." 

"No idea. Somewhere private where you can scream if you want to." Harper said blandly. Holding Iida's hand didn't seem like the worst. She'd never held anyone's hand before. Well, that was a lie. She once held Aizawa's hand. It wasn't nearly as awkward as it should have been. Harper was never repeating it, and anyone present aside from Aizawa would agree. Nobody had any idea what was happening. Aizawa's thoughts had gone on the total fritz. They just weren't even going to go there.

Aside from that, being around Iida... well, it made her happy. Too bad she was about to ruin that shit the same was she ruined everything else. RIP Harper's potential love life. Her dying alone was seeming more and more like the solid future as the minutes passed by. She was a teenager, so thinking Tenya was it for her was dumb, but that's what it felt like. Being a hero was a dangerous job. It left no room for hesitation in their private lives, because they could die at any time. It would be preferred to die with as little regrets as possible.

While I'm fading into you

"I would never scream at you!" Tenya looked appalled. "I love you too much for that!"

Harper was going to actually scream. As they exited UA grounds and started down the sidewalk in a random direction, she looked to the sky and questioned whatever fuck ass god was up there laughing at her. What were they doing? Why were they doing it? Could they stop sometime in the-- oh, Harper didn't know-- next five minutes, perhaps? Her quirk had backlashes. The constant noise she couldn't block out, the weird thoughts, the emotions. It all sucked total ass. But right now? She had never wanted to slam dunk her quirk into an incinerator more.

City lights passing by

"Alright, alright. Whatever you say." Harper eased as they entered an area that resembled more of a shopping district. Less houses, more retail. Little clothing shops, thrift stores, cafes: small things like that and such. A little hole in the wall place could be good for their little heart to heart. "Let's pick a place and hunker down. We've got some emotions to sort through, my friend."

"Emotions?" Tenya tensed, cheeks flushing. "She knows!"

"Not really emotions. More like... secrets. Or something." Harper tried to calm him. It didn't work, obviously. When did anything Harper did work? Aside from Aizawa and Mic getting married. That was her one victory in life.

"Secrets?! She definitely caught onto my feelings!"

Well, he wasn't wrong. Harper just sighed and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards a cafe while he silently freaked out. Her touching him made it worse. Something in his brain short circuited for a moment, and she was bathed in silence from the teen for a few seconds before he sputtered back to life like an old computer struggling to reboot.

Without you I'm colorblind

Tenya was freaking out. She knew. She was bringing him here for a rejection. Letting him down softly in a place none of their classmates or teachers would overhear. Harper always was considerate like that, but this was going to be painful. What was he going to do? With her around, things were so... so different! His monotones popped to life with exuberant flare! Without her, things would appear so... so grey scale. Would his emotions become muted again? Would he spiral?

Harper sighed as she ordered them both hot chocolate. She hadn't even told him anything yet, and he was already freaking out. Understandable, but it still had her eye twitching. He was reacting this badly to nothing, so how exactly was he going to take the fact that she'd been hearing his every thought since day one? Not well, she was assuming. It scared Harper more than the girl cared to admit. The thought of losing someone she felt was a true friend. Someone she liked and had grown to care for enough to share ice cream with.

Tenya was actually a bit of a wild card. He could get insanely upset with her and want to never talk again, or he could have little to no reaction at all. The way his brain operated was quite a bit different from the average person. Basically, not all hope was lost. Or perhaps that was Harper's wishful thinking taking root. Either or, all Harper could do was cringe and wish to be anywhere but here in this situation. 

Ain't no reason left to hide

The fact of the matter, however, was that Sero had been caught and arrested. She really had no more excuses other than the fact that the League was after her and still had no idea what was up with her quirk. Tenya was someone she trusted more than she trusted most, so telling him... it wasn't an issue. He wasn't a traitor. With all the time she'd spent digging around his brain and being around him in general, she would know. 

All that was left was her overall hesitation. They were here now. She was dragging him to a booth and shoving him inside. Sitting across from him. Her heart was racing, and his was too for a completely different reason. He was expecting something that honestly probably wouldn't be as bad as what she was about to dish out in this moment. Harper was cringing just thinking about it. Maybe an obscure park would have been better. At least then he could blow up on her without getting stared at.

Chasing highs day and night

"Right. I'm sure you're wondering why I dragged you in here. It's... It's pretty bad, Iida." Harper cringed. Off to a great start! This wouldn't concern him at all. He was already freaking out. Now he just looked a bit stunned, but relatively serious. That was progress. Not the most, but she was used to it from him. Baby steps. Baby steps. There was most definitely a better way to go about this. Her wording could use some work for sure. It just... god, she didn't know what she was doing! Her own thoughts were all over the place. 

"I understand. I... you can tell me anything, Harper. You're my close friend." Iida assured, gathering himself up and putting on a brave face. Harper visibly winced. "I know she has secrets. I accepted that a long time ago. I can't deny that I'm afraid of what those secrets might be. She wouldn't have called me out here if it weren't serious. I know how much she enjoys going home after school. UA works us to the bone, and Harper values her TV time. Her deciding to bring me here and alluding to the fact that I may be angered tells me this is big."

Well, he knew her a lot better than Harper thought. She'd comment on that later if he didn't decide to hate her. 

Praying you stay by my side

"Alright, look. If you don't want to be my friend anymore after this... I understand. I know you're going to say something like 'I'll always be your friend', but this is a make it or break it situation. We'll either be okay, or we won't be." Harper was hoping he wouldn't duck on her. She wasn't sure she was emotionally ready to deal with that. She'd lost friends before, whether they decided she sucked or just ghosted all of a sudden. But this was... different. Iida was different-- more special in a way.

"I... yes, alright. I understand." Iida hesitated. "I see. I was right; it is something big. I can't imagine not being friends with Harper. Not when I desperately want to be something more. It's almost unhealthy, now that I think about it. She'd berate me if she knew."

Harper winced a bit at that. A waitress came with their drinks, setting them down with a smile. Harper and Tenya both absentmindedly gave their thank yous, not taking their eyes off one another. Harper took a deep breath. It would be fine. She just had to get it over with. She couldn't leave this cafe until she spilled the beans, even if it took all afternoon. Iida was a patient person. He would wait if it was needed. Although, slam dunking it all together would be preferable. 

When you're with me I'm alright

The cafe wasn't crowded. They were in the back, and there was just enough chatter that their conversation blended in, but not enough to be too loud. They could talk at normal volume and be heard just fine. Nobody was looking their way. They didn't care or even notice the two teenagers tucked away, staring each other down so intently it felt as though there should be some sort of western stand-off music playing. This was Tenya. She knew him. Things would be okay. 

"I... I wasn't brought to UA by Nezu because he saw my potential." Harper finally started after a moment, rolling around her thoughts within her mind. Tenya blinked, but nodded. Not what he was expecting, but he could work with this. A part of him had always assumed. "After the USJ, it became really obvious that there was someone within UA giving information to the enemy. The League of Villains had managed to plant a mole. There was a traitor, and at the time, they'd had no idea who."

It was a rocky start. Watching the surprise that dawned on Iida's face made her chest tighten, and she gripped her mug of cocoa firmly despite the heat. It was almost grounding, the slight sting of it as he processed her words and really thought about them. She could see him chewing at the inside of his cheek, half watching her but too lost in his thoughts to really see the way her eyelids drooped morosely or her lips down-turned. You could tell it made sense to him. Almost too much sense, but not enough at the same time. Harper could hear his thoughts. He was trying to figure out how she fit into all this, but he didn't have all the facts. 

You lead the way out of the dark

"Sero..." Iida's eyes went wide all of a sudden, his eyes snapping to meet hers. "He was-"

"Yes, he was. I figured it out when we were about to have our match, and stopped it before I could go up against him." Harper cut in. His eyes widened further. "But before that, just to backtrack, I reported the Janitor's and the Gardener at UA as League personal. They'd been bought out to plant bombs at the Sports Festival. It... Sero alerted the League that I vanished, and that the arrests happened after I did so."

Iida nodded, remained grimly silent. So far so good. His thoughts were going haywire. "This makes sense. Sort of. There's more to the story. I just have to be patient. But this is really... Harper has truly been through a lot, hasn't she? To think she's been working with the police this whole time. She's a kid, just like the rest of us. And yet she has to deal with this..."

"The League wasn't sure, but figured I was the one to rat them out. So they kidnapped me." Harper looked away at this, and Tenya tensed. His jaw clenched, and his hands closed into fists as he looked at her in alarm. "I obviously got away. But I had to tell I lie. I lied and said that Naomasa Tsukauchi was my father, and that I had disappeared to go say hello to him. Nezu immediately had the records changed, and my real parents were put into witness protection."

Laying out my cards

Iida could not even begin to convey his shock. Harper had been through this much, and hadn't told anyone? She looked almost near tears as she sat there, fidgeting uncomfortably as she relayed her tale. That's what Mr. Aizawa had meant all those weeks ago when he'd mentioned her having dealt with Villains before. She had been taken. Forced to lie her way out to help herself escape, and then her parents were sent off to a place they weren't know. She probably couldn't even talk to them. How he could ever be mad at her for any of this, he didn't know. One thing was for sure, however. Harper Rye was a whole lot stronger than he'd originally thought she was.

"That's... that's not all, though." Harper cleared her throat when it tightened, feeling the herself begin to tear up. Was she really getting emotional? God, she hated herself sometimes. "Nezu chose me for... he chose me for my quirk. Not my potential. I had my quirk put down as one that can detect how people are going to move before they move that way. But that's... that's not what it is. At all."

In your hands all of them showing hearts

"Harper... Harper, it's alright. You can tell me." Iida felt his heart clench as tears began to drip from her eyes. His own eyes stung a bit at it. He'd never seen her cry before. "To lie like this... Maybe I should be mad, but she didn't have a choice. She was brought in to do something incredibly dangerous. She put herself on the line for all of us despite not knowing us at the time, and it's not like it was her idea to put her quirk down different. Nezu had a plan, and she was a part of it. I would never stop being her friend for something like that. I couldn't. I love her too much for that."

Harper brought a hand up to rub her eyes. Tenya reached forward and placed his over her other one. She tensed, but didn't pull away. His heart rate flared despite itself. The situation didn't call for it, but he couldn't help it. She'd been through so much. More than he ever would have imagined. He suddenly felt foolish, knowings he'd comforted her so much over the course of this semester when she was going through actual hell. He just... she'd been kidnapped. Separated from her parents, and made to live with a detective she probably didn't know that well.

"I'm sorry, Iida. My quirk... I can read minds." Harper blurted out. He froze.

Never leave, standing still

"You can... what?" He checked, his body tense and unmoving. She risked a glance up at him, wincing at the expression on his face. "Oh no. There's no way I just heard that."

Reading minds. If she could read minds, she knew everything. That was how she knew what to say, and how to reassure him. That explained exactly how she'd flip his exact thoughts into their opposites and fire them back at him. Because that's what her quirk was. She could hear his thoughts. It explained why crowds bothered her, and why she always had headaches. The looks she'd give people and the random snorts of laughter she'd sometimes display out of nowhere. 

"I can't turn it off. It's like hearing people talk, only I can't plug my ears to block it out. It goes straight into my brain." Great, now she was word vomiting and making it worse! Just what Harper needed in her life right now. "Nezu chose me because I could find out who the traitor was without having them admit it. All they had to do was think about it, and I'd know. The traitor was in our class, so I couldn't very well have my actual quirk announced, I guess."

Put you on a pedestal

"That's... that's amazing." Iida awed before he could stop himself. "I mean- wait, she can hear thoughts. That's an incredibly useful quirk if she's really telling the truth. But that means... from day one... my depression, that time, when Tensei was first hurt and she hugged me... my... earlier today... mentally... o-oh-"

"Yes. I knew about your depression, and about Tensei, and about all of... that. That's why I had to tell you. It got personal and I couldn't do that to you." She pulled her hands back, bringing them up to wipe at her eyes and cover her face. She'd never felt like such a shitty person before. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you until now. Again, you can see why I'd say it's alright for you to break off our friendship. My quirk is... i-it's invasive. I don't mean it to be, but it's always on. I literally cannot turn it off and just... shit, this sucks."

Harper wanted to bury herself. Tenya was sitting across from her working through everything he'd just been told with the same vigor as those who tried to solve the Da Vinci code. She looked for anger, but there wasn't any. Simple as that; there was none. It was a bit appalling if she was being honest with herself. He should have felt disgruntled at the very least. He'd just learned she was actively invading his privacy and had been since the day they met.

Keep you safe and always well

Tenya had been in shock before, but right now? He was freaking out. She could read his mind. She could read everyone's minds. That's why she and Aizawa were always having weird conversations, and she was always making faces at him. He knew! And she'd... wow, she'd been through a lot. She'd been forced to lie to all of her friends. The thought of rejection was so stressful to her that it had brought her-- someone he had never seen cry-- to tears. She was in danger right now as they spoke, the League keeping their eyes on her. Especially now, since she'd caught Sero.

Harper was cast in a new light now. Not a bad one, either. He knew her reading his thoughts should have made him angry to some degree, or at least a bit offended that she'd looked into him. But he couldn't be. She'd helped him so much. She hadn't made him talk about it, or tried to get too involved in his business. She just danced around him and kept him from killing himself. She didn't force him to talk to her. Harper had simply offered herself as support, and he was... okay with it. Her knowing about his depression and knowing about Tensei. She'd given him what she needed. But her... if she could read minds, then today she'd heard...

Come on, keep it going

"I'm not mad." Tenya said automatically, his cheeks flushing after. Her eyebrows rose. In his daze that was full of mulling, she seemed to have collected herself. It was still clear she'd cried, but she'd managed to smooth over her expression again. Now she just looked tired and weary. "You... I can't be mad at you. You can't help your quirk, and Nezu brought you in and had you keep it a secret. It's not your fault."

Harper knew he wasn't lying, but was having a hard time believing him. It couldn't actually be this easy, right? She had totally been invading his privacy, and he was just... fine with it? Taking it all in stride? Yeah, he'd said he could never scream at her and had been entirely sure he wouldn't be upset, but of course she hadn't believed him! The size of the bomb she'd just dropped had enough firepower to take out several large cities. And he was... deeply impressed, actually. And...

"I think I'm even more in love." Tenya's brain spewed. Harper tensed without meaning too. Iida did the same. They stared at each other.

There's so much for us to see

"Oh." Harper muttered. Their hot chocolate was cold now. All Harper could do was watch Tenya's face slowly turn red, his brain still reeling over the fact that she'd been kidnapped and could actually read people's minds. It would have been amusing if she herself weren't so taken aback. After all that, he still liked her? No, he actually liked her more. She could feel it. Her display of trust had opened up another door in him. He was booming with affection. It was bleeding off him so heavily Harper felt like she could drown in it.

"I-I... well, this isn't quite how I imagined uh... telling you." Tenya averted his gaze, running a hand through his hair awkwardly. Harper just stared blankly, not sure what to do. He flushed further. "Well, I suppose you already knew."

"Not until today." Harper said before she could stop herself. Her lack of disgust seemed to make him relax just a little.

"Right, of course. I'm assuming you didn't leave the stove on." He gave a half smile. Harper cracked a small one back.

"We haven't gone near it in months." She responded.

It don't matter where we are as long as you're with me

They danced around the topic of Iida's affections while the taller teen asked questions. She went more in depth about what she'd gone through, and about the situation with Tsukauchi. It was nice. Harper felt a lot lighter the more she told him. She recalled hopping fences and running into Shinso, and watching Star Wars. Tenya had never seen any of the movies or Brooklyn 99, so she insisted that she'd be forcing him to binge with her soon. He seemed open enough to the idea, so that was something.

Tenya was still a bit shocked. Well, insanely shocked actually, but he was taking it well and his initial disbelief was staring to fade out. Harper being able to read minds was something that would take some getting used to, but he wanted to be open with her. He didn't mind her reading his every thought. Why did it matter anyway? He had nothing left to hide after all she'd heard. Harper knew about his hopeless crush. Trying to deny it would be idiotic, so why not just let things flow naturally? He didn't have anything he didn't necessarily want her to know that he could think of, so he didn't try to suppress much.

Getting angry wouldn't do anything. This was who Harper was, and she had decided to tell him. She was safe, and that was what mattered. Now that he knew the League was after her, he could maybe help. 

As long as you're with me

Harper was glad. As they exited the cafe, her relief was obvious in the sag of her shoulders. Tenya was smiling and didn't hate her. Hell, he seemed to be welcoming her quirk with a 'eh, well, fuck it' attitude, his arms open and ready to receive. He'd been convinced she was a sleep-deprived gremlin before. Now, he was convinced she was a badass sleep-deprived gremlin. Harper couldn't deny it. She really needed more rest, and escaping Dusty an his ghastly human Uber was no small feat. Even now Harper still gawked at the fact that she'd made it out alive.

"I'm dead serious." Harper said as they walked towards the apartment she at Tsukauchi shared. The sun was setting, and the air was getting colder. "The Wii theme plays on repeat in Kaminari's head. It started out as the original, but evolved into a remix that's been gradually getting more and more intense."

"Is that why he's always staring off into space? How does he even think?" Tenya asked, the smile on his face reaching his eyes. Harper had told him what she was hiding. She'd told him outright that from her, there would be no more lies anymore. He was the only one she'd displayed this honesty to thus far, and he was honored to be trusted with such a valuable thing. Harper seemed happy too, and they were still friends. His view of things seemed clearer now, and quite possibly brighter. He knew all there was to know about Harper Rye, and she apparently knew all there was to know about him. He was glad he didn't have to tell her about it all. 

All I ever wanted was to find you

"That's the thing. I really don't think he's capable of forming that much thought." Harper shook her head a little. Realization suddenly lit up her face. "I can finally warn someone about this. This is an abrupt as hell subject change, but it's important. Mineta, you know, little fucking perv? Hates women and boobs. He pretends to harass us so the guys don't catch on that he's gay."

Iida actually choked at that. "That he's what?!"

"Yeah, I know. I was shocked too. He's totally eyeballing you guys. Avoid him in the locker rooms and showers." Harper advised, patting Tenya's arm sympathetically. It was weird to respond to his thoughts. The grimace on her face was definitely well-placed.

Find a love I never knew

"I never would have guessed... he hides it well." Tenya shook his head. Tsukauchi's apartment was just ahead, and their walking had significantly slowed to try and prolong their time together. Tenya was dying to ask how she felt about him. She knew about his feelings. Harper had even confirmed to have heard his claim of love. But... how did she feel about it? "I shouldn't bring it up. If she wanted to say anything, she'd tell me. And she can hear me. Hello."

Harper bit the inside of her cheek. Fuck. Emotions. Harper couldn't very well say she loved Tenya. Maybe she did, maybe she didn't-- it was really impossible to tell. But she was fond enough of him that holding his hand didn't seem totally disgusting. Making out with him would actually be pretty hot, and hanging out with him didn't feel that draining. Especially now that he knew what she'd been hiding all this time. Him being fine with it was such a relief. It really made her realize just how worried she'd actually been, and just how big of an impact he had on her life. His opinion of her actually meant something to her. 

I can feel the pain inside me fading

She knew he was wondering. He was happy and relieved, but he was curious too. This nervous energy continued to buzz annoyingly between them. Harper was irritated with it. She'd hug him if that would make it stop. She liked Iida. No, she wasn't sure she'd marry the guy or anything like that, and she'd never dated. Harper truly could not say whether or not them being together was a good idea. It sounded tedious, and stressful, and yet she was still willing to try. The feeling that she'd regret it if she didn't was too strong to ignore.

"Let's stop right here for a second." Harper stopped walking with little to no warning. Tenya almost stumbled as he did the same, turning to look down at her questionably. Looking at him, he was cute. Simple as that. "You're uh... you like me."

"I love you." Tenya's thoughts threw him under the bus. He flushed, and Harper's cheeks pinkened slightly as she coughed.

While I'm fading into you

"Sorry." Tenya said quickly. Wow, there really was no way to recover from that, was there? Smooth, Iida. Smooth. "I uh... yes, I do like you. You don't have to respond."

Okay, bullshit. They both knew it. Harper couldn't just leave the guy hanging after all that. Yeah, she hadn't asked for the confession. But Tenya hadn't asked for her to know either. She couldn't tell if they were lucky they both felt the same way or not. His emotions seemed a bit... stronger than hers. She didn't exactly know how to communicate her feelings. She could only scoot closer to him, craning her neck to squint at his blushing face as she tried to assess what was the next best course of action. She watched a lot of TV. What would they do there?

All I ever wanted was to find you 

"Look, I don't know if I love you." Harper admitted. Tenya's mood dipped, but she wasn't done. Far from it. She never would have thought she'd find someone to like in this way. She hadn't had a crush since Elementary school. It wasn't easy to her to feel any sort of attraction to anyone. She had to have a special connection to them. They had to be close first-- and she and Tenya were definitely close. Harper had tugged him back and away from the jaws of death more times than she cared to count.

"I understand." Tenya said quietly, smiling in a sad way. He didn't step back, though. He reveled in the closeness.

"I'm not done." Harper sighed, prodding his closed fists until they hesitantly relaxed. She laced her fingers with his before they could bunch up again. The stunned look he gave her normally would have made her snort, but in this case she was in the same boat. She had no idea what the fuck she was doing. "I don't... think I love you. But I like you. And I think I could love you, eventually."

Find a love I never knew

Tenya's smile came all at once. When he grinned, his whole body followed in suit. It was one of the things Harper liked most about him. His back straightened, and the skin around his eyes crinkled. His cheeks dusted a healthy shade of red, and he squeezed her hands happily as he took in a sharp breath of air. Disbelief swam alongside his elation. Harper hesitantly smiled up at him too. Hers was small, and more contained than his was, but it was there. They made quite the pair, the two of them.

"A-Are you sure?" Tenya blurted out. Harper raised her brows at him. "She likes me too?! I think she likes me too!" 

"Look, I've never done this relationship thing before." Harper glanced down at their locked hands. "I uh... don't think I'll be the best at it. I'm not super affectionate, so I guess... bear with me?"

"I can do that. Of course." Tenya nodded hastily, still unsure about whether or not this was all a dream. Even if it was, he was going to revel in it. He hesitated, his cheeks flushing. Harper felt him fidget. "Just... can I kiss you?" 

Harper shrugged, "Go for it."

I can feel the pain inside me fading

He brought his hand up to her cheek in an unsure manner, but he didn't try to lean in slow. This was something he'd been waiting for and dreaming about, so it wasn't hard to go through with the actions he'd been imaging for a while now. Harper let her eyes close as he dipped down swiftly, pressing his lips to hers. Neither of them knew how to kiss, of course, but they weren't idiots either. It didn't take them long to figure out what felt the most natural. Not moments later was Tenya wrapping an arm around her to pull her closer, her hands pressed firmly against his chest.

Harper didn't know what to think. Tenya Iida was such an odd person, but maybe that was why she liked him. In movies, kissing was just something people did. It didn't even capture what you felt. The fireworks that shot out across your skin, or the way your lips wanted to curve into a smile. The lightness that would settle over your heart. Because when you liked someone, Harper was beginning to realize that with them was the best possible place to be. She wondered if this was what it would feel like to kiss him every time. She did suppose she'd be finding out.

Tenya had never felt such a high before in his life. Everything in him was singing. He felt like he could run and never stop. He was so happy, he almost couldn't imagine being sad again. This was Harper. She was safe, and warm, and here in his arms. His. Today had been a roller coaster. She'd cried, and told him she could read his mind. But it had led to this. What was possibly the single, greatest moment of his life. 

They slotted together like puzzle pieces, their lips tasting of hot chocolate and cinnamon. There was no doubt, or depression. No despondent and empty feeling in his chest that made him ache. Just him and Harper Rye, standing on the sidewalk in front of her apartment. For a moment, nothing else existed. For a moment, it was just them. 

For just a moment, everything faded away, and the world was theirs. 

While I'm fading into you