A text on my phone alerted me that Tenko's babysitter, who was actually a student I interned from time to time, was in the driveway walking towards us now. I stood briskly to grab my bag and tan trenchcoat, then grabbed the door handle and turned to the kid inside. "I'm going to work now~! Make sure to be good for Ms. Miku~"

     Tenko dropped what he was doing at once and ran over to me. He grabbed my hand, clutching it tightly while he bounced around anxiously. "Why do you have to go to work all the time Ms. Mei??" The pleading in his eyes said it all. My heart was touched to think he actually cared that much about me. For now, I had to apologize to the kid for being away so much, but I would try to clear up some more time if that's what he really wanted. It was.

     Alright then. It was settled. Guess it was time to look again into that job at UA. Now, I had more of a reason to accept the job other than my far-off retirement. A job like that would mean I wouldn't have to be away from home so much. It was closer and the schedule far less sporadic.

----------

     "Though becoming a highschool counselor is typically seen as a downgrade in the therapeutic world, I can assure you, ma'am, that this job is the real deal." Nezu, a soft spoken mouse or whatever with a suit and huge gash over one eye, explained to me politely in what was somewhat of a two-way interview.

     I sat across from the UA principle with a perfect level of grace few in the country had been raised to achieve. This wasn't because I was trying to appear above anyone or anything, but because it was taking me one HECK of a lot of strength to restrain myself from petting the creature. "I would expect nothing less from such a world-renowned, thriving school like this one."

     "Oh, there's no need to flatter me." The mouse chuckled. "With a school so heavily focused on hero work, I want to prioritize the mental health of my students just as much as their physical health. You are already well-versed in the world of heroes, so the reasons shouldn't be foreign to you."

     I smiled politely, taking a sip from the tea he had kindly offered me. "No, sir, it is not."

     "How your job here will function is fairly simple. You will have an office of your own on the school campus, which students both past and present can access without having to pay a fee. This school will cover their costs using spare tuition money."

     "Previous too, huh?"

     "That is correct. I like the idea of keeping tabs on our former students. A school's job is never truly done, after all. Even fully functioning heroes have a lot to learn about hero work, and I wouldn't want our graduates to feel though they are lacking in any way. Your position in all of this would be to stick to counseling like normal, and only reach out to me should any of your clients need assistance outside of your field."

     I bowed my head, honestly impressed to a humbling degree. "Your students are very lucky to have you as their principle."  

     Nezu closed his eyes and tilted his head. "Aw, thank you for the compliment, but I already knew that."

     "Pff!" I couldn't hold the near-laugh in, resulting in almost spilling my tea.

     In the end, I agreed to start working at this school next year. The campus here was surprisingly charming, and the schedule was so flexible that I was allowed to take normal clients outside of my work hours here should I choose to. Their pay was so promising, though, I most likely wouldn't need to.

     I didn't start working there right away. OH no no no! That would be suicide for such a long-lasting career. It took me months, and I DO mean months, to tie things off in a bittersweet manner with each of my long-time clients, as well as find suitable replacements for them. I even packed things up and said goodbye to my office. It was getting a bit dingy anyway.

     The only jobs I stuck to were those involving the HPSC. Not only would a branch of the government perhaps see me leave them for an independent business which notoriously refused their funding and view me as traitorous, but there was also the matter of not being able to entrust Lady Nagant and Hawks with anyone else. It was more likely the two would receive no therapy rather than being given new therapists. And boy did those kids need therapy!

----------

     "You're actually leaving?" Mr. Chaimin poked his head out of his office to gawk at the once in a lifetime sight. Me?? Actually carrying boxes?! Leaving?!

     I lifted my knee to balance the stack of boxes on while I adjusted my glasses real quick. "Oh! Yeah, sorry. You weren't here when I was telling everyone."

     "Let me help you with that." The man approached me, arms extending. As much as I wanted to tell him I didn't need any help, I'd known the kind man long enough to know he simply wouldn't take no as an answer when it came to helping others.

     "Hmf, well alright then." I handed him the larger of the boxes I was carrying. "My car's just this way."

     "Sure you'll have enough room for all those skeletons hiding in your closet~?" The man gently nudged me as we stepped out the main office doors together.

     "Tch! That was half a decade ago! It was just a prank! You don't have to keep bringing it up all the time.."

     "You nearly got fired that day for scaring your clients! How do you expect me not to tease you about it?"

     "Hhgrhmr, you know what? That's fair." The man laughed loudly as we reached my temporarily parked car. He accidentally bumped me. I just so happened to be in the perfect position -- standing on only one leg so I could reach into my pocket for the key -- to fall over. The box I was carrying broke open, spilling its contents. Among the paperwork and filing papers were a few brightly colored manga.

     "Oh my gosh, I am SO sorry!" Mr. Chaimin set his box down quickly to help me up. I accepted his aid. Still rubbing my back, I just watched as the man bent down to slide everything back into the box. Among the things he picked up were the manga, which he chuckled at after getting a better look at their titles. "That's funny.. I was under the impression you were queer this whole time."

     That was when I got a bit flustered. I knelt down to assist in picking everything up, mostly so I had an excuse to hide the other books. "What gave you that impression?"

     The man stared across at me with a cheeky grin, noting the business suit, short hair style, and composure. "...Just a hunch."

     "Well.. maybe you should stop taking everything at face value?"

     "I didn't."

     Eyes snapping up to meet the man's. "And what do you mean by that?"

     Everything in the box again, Mr. Chaimin heaved it off of the ground. As he was setting it in the trunk of my car after I opened it for him, "I flirted with you on and off for a few years?"

     "When??"

     "When I moved into the office next to yours, of course!" He laughed softly. "You saying you didn't even notice??"

     My cheeks faded a bright red as I set my box down beside his. "I... I guess not."

     "That's adorable, actually. We're both therapists and yet we both misread each other!"

     "I- I just assumed you were being nice!"

     "And I just assumed you weren't interested." Still smiling, the man closed the trunk. I led the way back to the office complex. I stared down at the floor... We'd been working next to each other for almost a decade now. It never really occured to me how big of a deal that was until this very moment.

     It was a bit too late to tell him he'd been wrong all along. It was far too late for that. But, for a while, I kinda had been interested.. at least to an extent. He had a quirk, though it was relatively useless, and he had plain black hair and wasn't taller than me by much either. But, with how easily the two of us got along, I'd been willing to give up on my childish list if it meant being with someone who took a real interest in me... Problem is I didn't see when he was interested.

     We walked back into my office, where more boxes waited. We grabbed however many we could safely carry and headed back outside. Words weren't spoken for a little bit. Wasn't exactly awkward, but I had so much I wished to say; questions to ask!

     I finally jabbed at his ribs with my elbow as we headed back inside. "Ay! Ow!"

     Laughing, "Just because I'm moving out doesn't mean you have permission to ghost me, mister! I expect to see updates of your beautiful Elise at least once every month! Got it??"

     Rubbing his side, the man grinned. "Got it.. I'll have to tell Shei to put that on our calendar."

     There were a lot of people I would be leaving behind here. So many lives I'd have to get used to not seeing all the time. Some I was glad to bid farewell to. Others I was sad to see go. It was inevitable that I'd move on eventually. It just surprised me how big of a change this actually was.

     And to think I had been one realization away from settling down with the right guy and having a family of my own... Who knows? I could have been a mother by now. No longer would I just be an accessory to my sister's home.

---------------

     Rei gasped as she saw me holding her baby Fuyumi under my shirt. "Mei?? What are you doing?!" I hadn't really given it much thought myself. Her sharp voice and rapidly approaching, stiff form broke me out of my trance.

     My cheeks faded a bright red as I pulled the newborn away. "She was hungry..." I mumbled. There were no excuses I could utter. She had caught me red handed. "I'm sorry... I was curious to see if I could...you know..."

     "Hhhh." Rei dropped onto her knees beside me. I handed her the little girl. She guided the plump little dumpling child under her shirt to feed. I stared down, too embarrassed to stand. "Listen, I know you love these kids, but there's a difference between being an aunt and a mom... I'm their mother, okay?"

     "I know. I'm sorry." My hands gripped one another tightly. I could do nothing but stare down at my lap in a very frog-like manner.

     Rei's free hand reached out to graze mine. "You're not too old to get married and have kids of your own, Mei. Why not give it a shot?"

     I didn't dare look her in the eyes. My sister's head tilted when she felt me shaking. "...I don't know where to start... You got married so quickly. Everyone else my age is either getting married or having kids already..but... I don't know why but I just can't.. socialize like I want to. I can't flirt! I can't talk to men like how most women do. It always comes across as either rude or 'boyish' and I can never seem to fix it. Any man I've shown interest in either thinks I'm just trying to be friendly or outright calls me 'weird." I covered my red face. "I don't want to go as far to say I'm jealous of your arranged marriage, but I sometimes wish the perfect guy would come and sweep me off of my feet already."

     Rei stroked her fingers through my hair, smiling sadly. "You're an amazing person, Mei. Just keep putting yourself out there and I'm sure you'll find the right person."

     "...Thanks, Rei..." Why did I have so little faith in those words?

---------------

     Tenko walked up to me as I sat on my bed with mounds of paperwork all around. My brain was fried. Couldn't even read anymore, but I had to get all of this done in time for my new job to begin. Suddenly, a paper was thrust into my face. My eyes focused on the scribbled crayon drawing.

     "Brown...dinosaurs?" I tilted my head to look beyond the paper at the little boy's face, surprised to find such determination in his eyes. It was kind of derpy but in a very cute way.

     "Dino cookies." He pulled the paper away enough so I could view the image and his face at the same time. He pointed at the brown shapes. "Dino cookies."

     "Yes. Yes, I see. They're very cute." After praising the boy, one void of enthusiasm, I stared back down at all the paperwork I was supposed to get through today. I was almost done, but these last few pages were taking the longest. The kid tugged on my sleeve. I looked back into his big, pleading eyes. "Huh?... Oh! Do you want to make some dino cookies?"

     "Mhm! Mhm!" He nodded frantically. Huh, what a creative little bugger. One last glance down at the papers on my lap and I quickly decided that a break from it would do me some good. I stood from my bed and searched my kitchenette. We had some flour and butter, but nothing else to make cookies with.

     I dragged a hand through my hair. "Ghh, looks like we're going to have to visit the store. You good with that?"

     "Yes! Yes, I'll come!" The boy hopped around excitedly. I chuckled. It only took us about a moment to get ready and go. The fastest way to reach the car was through the main house. While walking through there, Toya and Natsuo noticed how excited Tenko was and jumped to their feet to see what was going on.

     "Where are you guys going??" Toya asked, leading is nervous little brother by the hand. Natsuo was still a little afraid of Tenko.

     "The store~!" I smiled at the kids behind me. "We're going to make dinosaur shaped cookies! Wanna get the ingredients with me?"

     Both boys gasped. "SURE!"

     The three white haired boys followed me around like ducklings in the store. Well, Tenko's hair was more silvery, with some black at the roots, but it was close enough! They were adorable and that's all that matters!

     "Hey, Tenko, do you know how the cookies were able to retain their shape?" I asked the red eyed one as we passed through the baking isle. I stopped at some cookie cutters and pointed to them. "Guess if we baked them while they were still in the molds..." Tenko's grip tightened slightly. I switched my attention to the child, noting how he stared at the cookie cutters hanging before him. He was in a daze, like he was experiencing an intense flashback of some sort. I waited patiently for him to respond. The kid at last blinked and shook his head about.

     Finally, he looked back up at me. "What?"

     I retained a polite smile as I pointed at the dinosaur shaped cookie cutters. "Did you guys bake the cookies inside of these, or was there some other method?" He stared at the shaped again, this time clearly thinking.

     "Hmm.... I think.. yeah. My mom baked them inside the shapes." My eyes widened slightly. This was the first time he mentioned any of his family members to me. Perhaps he was using this experience to help him remember them? If that was the case, then I'm glad I decided to take this break.

     "In that case~" I grinned, reaching out to grab some cookie cutters with the hand he wasn't holding on to. "We're going to need a lot of these~"

     Toya and Natsuo were causing a bit of a ruckus driving each other around in the shopping cart. Maybe I shouldn't have brought them along. I didn't have the mental fortitude to bark orders at them every other second, so I ended up having to apologize to a staff member for the trouble. Tenko was very reserved, but that was mostly because his time here in the store was spent gazing off into space as his mind started recalling old memories he'd shoved away.

----------

     Toya boasted the whole way home because he didn't have to sit in a booster seat anymore. Then he and Natsuo started to argue about who would be taking which groceries inside. At the steering wheel, I loved these kids but was seriously reaching my limits. The images of paperwork lingered in my mind.

     When we returned home, I instructed the boys to carry the groceries into my little home. They did so eagerly, even Tenko, who appeared to be in a much better mood now that he was home. Fuyumi was drawn to the boys' noises and found out what was going on. She too insisted on joining us. I relented, annoying as juggling four kids in a small house while baking cookies no less would be.

     For the challenging task at hand, I'd say it went rather smoothly. Sure, Tenko's face was doused in flour at one point and Fuyumi and Natsuo kept stealing cookie dough, but as far as baking with these kids goes, this time it was actually pretty tame!

Ding!

     The timer had everyone jumping to their feet. I was at last able to finish the paperwork after setting the cookies to bake, so the children woke me from my stress induced nap with their screeching.

     After taking the cookies out and letting them cool, everyone sat around the pull-out table to enjoy their dinosaur shaped cookies. Luckily, they tasted delicious. The kids loved them! Heck, I loved them! Across from me sat Tenko, who, in his silent enjoyment of the treat, nibbled on his cookie with watery eyes. Nobody but me appeared to notice, as he was being shy about it. I made no effort to draw any attention to him. I just watched, my own eyes stinging in time.

     This little boy really had come far in the months he's been with me. He's talking, expressing his emotions, remembering things from his past, and even showing interest in those around him. All good signs.

     I'm so proud of him.

----------

     After a sugar high, there was a sugar crash. All the kids one by one eventually joined me on the beanbag for an evening nap, all adorable and snuggling together. Natsuo hugged Tenko in his sleep, no longer afraid of him. I was so warm inside. So happy to see the kids all getting along.

     The door cracked open. Rei stuck her head in. I opened my eyes, which then widened. She had this really.. disturbed look on her face. She shuffled across the room and crouched down to rub her little boy's shoulder. Natsuo woke reluctantly. When he realized it was his mother waking him, he pried himself from Tenko and climbed to his feet in an instant. A domino affect of waking children stirred until all of them were awake and standing tiredly. I was the last to sit up.

     "Mei! Why did you--??" Rei whispered harshly, gesturing to Tenko. She didn't have to finish. I already knew the things she couldn't afford to say in front of the children. With our faces and gestures alone, we communicated a whole debate about whether or not what I had done was wrong, but we weren't getting anywhere important without words. "Come on, guys.." Rei took her younger two by the hands to lead them out of the house. I ruffled Tenko's hair and told him to stay put in here for now.

     As Rei's children walked back to the house, my sister and I met over by the wall behind some trees where no one could hear us. Of course I was nervous. Rei was never the type of person to want to argue, so the fact that she looked about ready to throw hands had my heart racing.

     The younger woman threw her hand out to gesture toward my house. "I thought I asked you not to let my kids around that boy until we knew he was safe!"

     "He IS safe!" I upped the intensity. "I get that you're nervous but there's honestly nothing to be afraid of!"

     "I bet he is! But that's not what I'm angry about!"

     I straightened my standing. "What?"

      Rei dragged her fingers through her hair. "What I'm angry about is that you never listen to me! You keep assuming you know what's best for my kids. But they're not your kids, they're MY kids! But that doesn't stop you from treating them like they're yours!" I adjusted my feet, realizing with a heavy heart that she was right. "...I know you love me, and I love you too! But.. you've been living here for over a decade now.. You're not dating, you're not trying to get married, and you're not even trying to move out." Covering her face so her voice was muffled, "For someone who's always told me she wants her own family, you sure don't act like it. You're just taking my place..."

     "I..." One hand grabbed the elbow of the arm which rubbed my jaw. "..I didn't mean to..." Looking back on my actions, I could understand why she would see it that way. And she was right. I wasn't really trying to start my own family. I was using her children as a replacement for my own. Realizing this, what I was doing, brought a new pang of guilt and anguish to my heart. I put my hand over my mouth to cover up the trembling, but the fogging of my glasses gave it away. "I'm so sorry... I saw it more like being like a second mother to them.. not realizing you were feeling replaced... I'm truly sorry."

     Rei's eyes softened. "...I know it's hard for you, and I know you're in your late thirties now... But, you don't have to feel trapped. I'm sure there are a lot of men out there who would love to be with you. So, why don't you adopt Tenko, marry a widower or something, and move into your own place so you can truly experience having a family of your own?"

     I stared at the grass. My face was going pale. My right hand cupped over my mouth while my other arm hugged myself.

     "...Mei..?" Rei stepped a little closer.

     "...I've been in denial about this for years, but I think I'm too scared to try.. I know it's childish, but my intention was never to settle for anyone and live a mediocre life. I've always wanted a fairytale romance; one where a beautiful prince sweeps me off my feet, and we ride together into the sunset. Even as a kid I knew it was unrealistic, but there's something in me that just won't settle for less. I don't want to be in a loveless relationship like our parents. I don't want to be married to a high tempered, work obsessed man like Enji. And I certainly don't want to wind up abused or abandoned by my husband either... The thought of ending up with anything but perfection is what makes me too afraid to try. It's too late for me now-"

     "-no, it's not!"

     "YES it is!! Because the only single guys my age are either wash-ups or creeps! And I'm not going to be the kind of person who preys on younger men! I know you're just trying to give me hope, but I've been thinking about this for years! If I can't have a family of my own, then I'm fine with that! If I can't fall in love, then I'm fine with that! It's what I'm used to anyway!.." I tore off my glasses to wipe the tears away. "M sorry for that... Venting, I guess.." I cracked a smile. Before I had the chance to look up, Rei wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me tightly. I held my breath for a few seconds.

     "I love you, Mei... All I want is to see you happy.. If you're really having a hard time finding the right guy, I'll help you. You don't have to feel like you're all alone in this. I, and the rest of my family.. We're not going anywhere." Rei promised me.

     I hugged her tightly. "..You're the best sister in the world... I promise, I'll stop crossing your boundaries. I'll respect your wishes."

     "...Thanks, sis."

     Tenko was slowly integrated into the family from there, until about a year later, he was free to play with Rei's kids whenever. Though slow, going at your sister's pace was much less stressful for everyone.

---------------

     Going back in time a few months...

     I was finally settling into my new office, which was within the main building between some of the other teacher's offices. My introduction was a friendly one, though some of the staff did question why this school needed a specialized therapist in front of me. Apparently, before my appearance, counseling was a mere secondary job here. Guess that means the principle was starting to get more serious on the psychological side of things. Wh.. what was I doing again...? Oh yeah! Looking for a place to put this plant!

     I'd found that the best way to calm someone is to set the environment just right. Things like ferns, moss, rocks and flowers are all appealing to the eyes. So, I make sure to keep my office stocked with a modest number of planted exhibits to liven up the place. Plus, I simply enjoy growing miniature gardens. It's amazing how one can make even generic plants into the most beautiful works of art. --I'm.. really starting to sound like an old person now, aren't I..?

     As I was looking for a place to put the viny plant I'd just bought, which I had plans to grow around the large window's frame, the door to my office slid open. By the time I turned, the girl had already cowered behind it. "So-sorry, Miss! I thought you'd be elsewhere on break!"

     "..Elsewhere...?" I tilted my head suspiciously. "What were you going to do in here while I was away?"

     "Lu-look at your office, ma'am!.. I'm sorry. I've been explicitly told not to go near any of the teachers."

     Now this had my interest. "I hadn't been informed there was a student not allowed near any of the staff. Do you mind introducing yourself real quick?"

     "...You sure?"

     I smiled. "Please."

     "Mh..." The girl nervously stepped into the room. By the stripes on her uniform, I could see she was a general student here. The teenager in question was a medium, average looking girl with simple brown hair and freckles. She also had glasses much like my own. My, she even had a few wires in her teeth! One could almost marvel at the girl's planeness. It was as if she was trying so hard to fit in, she was accidentally standing out! The girl clicked her heels together and knit her fingers behind her back. "Um.. I'm Eya Jishima. I'm a first year.. and.. and um so yeah I'm not in the hero course." She was so nervous she even did the antsy little rocking on her toes. "General course... I- I'm not r-really good at-at anything, but I-I'd like to help heroes however I can!"

     I chuckled softly and leaned against my desk, which was positioned in the corner to steer guests' attentions toward the couches and table in the center of the room. "Take your time, Jishima. I'm not running off anytime soon."

     The girl's face flushed bright red. She quickly bowed again and again. "I'm so sorry, ma-a-am! I've had this-this-this stutter ever since I was a kid! It's especially bad whe-when I get excited or nervous, and-and ri-right now I'm both!" 

     I laughed. "You're too cute! I don't mind it at all. Don't worry. I won't judge."

     Through her clear embarrassment, the girl smiled warmly. "Makes sense they made-made you the counselor! Yo-you're so nice!"

     "Awe, thank you~! So why did you say you're not allowed to be near the teachers?"

     Her face paled suddenly, making up for her inability to speak fluently. "M-it-it-it-it-it's my quir-quirk, ma'am! It, um. Well I-I've been told to keep my distance from the hero teachers and students especially be-because it um so yeah it like.. it like reverses the affects of other pe-people's quirks.."

     My eyes widened. "So.. if someone has a sight quirk, they'd suddenly go blind around you?"

     Scratching her foot on the tile, "Yeahhhh, almost... It's not the most fun quirk to have. I can't turn it off either..."

     "Well then you're in luck."

     "Huh?"

     I spread out my arms, gesturing to myself and the office I was in. "I don't have a quirk, so you can feel free to stop by without worry whenever you'd like~" Maybe, in time, I can help this poor girl out with her stuttering problem too..

     Eya gasped, being quick to embrace me. She was more than thrilled to take me up on my offer, even going on to say that it was a challenge with her shyness and annoying quirk to maks many friends. So I would be among the first at this school, as she would be for me.

---------------

     By divine timing or something, a devastating tragedy struck one of the second year hero classes later that very year.

     One of the students, a boy by the name of Oboro Shirakumo, died while on a work study. Apparently, a villain grew too powerful and there just wasn't enough time to call for backup before he was crushed. One of the other students, a boy by the name Shota Aizawa, was the one to finish the villain off after the death of his classmate and dear friend. Apparently, the fallen kid had another close friend as well in Hizashi Yamada. These three names were the ones I was to burn into my very soul the following year. It was exceedingly rare for a student to die. But, at the same time, this was a dangerous job. I was reminded of that every time I worked with a hero in the past. ...But to think even students weren't safe from this.

     This job of mine was straight-forward and easy on my part. Basically just sit down with everyone who knew the fallen boy. Of those who were close or needed some guidance in general, I would recommend they see me again. Rinse and repeat until I see a satisfactory level of progress. It was simple on paper, but, of course, human emotions are never quite as cut-and-dry.

----------

     Was Aizawa always this depressed looking or...?

     This kid couldn't be any further from his remaining friend. All it took Yamada was sitting down across from me and he was already in tears. Contrasting, the young Aizawa was certainly dazed and still processing things, but otherwise was very well emotionally composed and even unbothered looking. Of course, I never go by appearances alone. I met with the two students, both Aizawa and Yamada, at least once a month to discuss their progress both relating to the loss of their their late friend and not. By the time they were prepping to graduate, I could proudly say I could see some good progress in those boys.

     As for my own problems.. still no man. My sister managed to set me up on a date with a friend of a friend, but conversation didn't really go anywhere. He was a nice guy and we could probably call each other fine acquaintances, but he wasn't really my type, just as he agreed I wasn't his. It was nice at least to rack up those experience points! Eh!?

----------

     It was only one day before graduation. I was standing in my office, looking over the decor to see if anything needed to be changed.

Knock knock..

     "You're allowed to enter whenever, you know!" I called. The door opened slowly. I turned around, grin changing to a look of confusion as none other than the young Aizawa stepped through. "Oh! This is a surprise. I was so sure you'd be Yamada or Eya?"

     "Whose Eya..?"

     "Just a general course student. Is something the matter, Aizawa?"

     Letting go of the door handle, the young man rubbed the back of his neck. "No.. nothing's wrong technically." He then bent low to bow. "I never thanked you.. so.. thank you. I know it's your job and all, but I can tell that you do genuinely care." He stood straight again. Well, straight for him at least. "Thought I'd show some gratitude before I graduate, since I'll likely never see you again."

     I hugged the boy tightly before he had the chance to fight me. "Mmm! I'm going to miss you too, kiddo!"

     "Ghh, I'm not a kid."

     "You are to me, little man!"

     "Y'know maybe it's a good thing I'm never coming back."

     ";o;"

---------------

     Unlike his friend, Yamada never intended to cut ties with me. I'd successfully "adopted" him~

     Turns out the teen liked kids, so when he found out about Endeavor's kids, he got down on his knees and begged me to meet them! Like Hawks, he was excited to see the offspring of the Number Two hero. I went ahead and invited him over when Hawks was visiting too so that he could meet everyone at once. And, amazingly, he got along with them pretty well! He let the kids climb around on him and braid his hair, so that's likely how they got along so well.

     After he left, the kids, Shoto especially, asked that Yamada make a return. From there, the teen slowly integrated into the family schedule until he was a frequent visitor. Sometimes he'd just show up to get homework done outside among the peaceful nature. Other times I'd be just walking around and find him in the living room letting Fuyumi practice makeup or different hairstyles on him. Of course there were kids who didn't care much for the visitor, such as Toya, but for the most part everyone liked his company. While loud, yes, he was also very easygoing and great at coming up with creative and new games for the kids to play.

     Sometimes, he dragged Aizawa over to our house for a visit, but the dark haired individual was usually too tired to engage with anyone or anything. Whenever he did visit, he was usually sleeping on the couch. One time Endeavor even sat on him, thinking he was but a pillow at first.

     Back to Yamada, he also invited me as his special guest to a little podcast he was doing. He had only like five viewers, but judging by the amount of passion he had for the craft, I knew he was going somewhere with this. Being on his show was kinda funny, because he was too embarrassed to introduce me as his therapist, so he instead just called me things like "UA Mom," "Smartie Tartie," and "Wisdom Woman." Yeah I'd definitely adopted him. No questions there. He's my son now.

     Now, however, was the last day of normal school. Yamada would soon run out of excuses to visit. And, in time, probably stop visiting altogether. He would be too busy with his hero career and radio show, after all. The teen seemed to know this too. When the kid visited us after school, he brought a load of cameras and monitors with him to set up a complex system of video cams for a game. I watched him setting everything up curiously. He was acting quickly, narrowly finishing before Rei had completed her rounds of picking everyone up from school. When all the children arrived, Yamada explained the game, which excited them, even Toya! Tenko jumped in too!

     Basically, it was like FNAF but in real life. Not as scary, since I stopped the teen from turning off any lights.

     Because the kids are little menaces, they all voted Yamada as the security guard at the "control center": basically a closet with two entrances and a bunch of small screens to view the security footage on.

     The first round was chaotic, since everyone was still figuring out how the rules worked. Shoto kept picking up the cameras or putting toys over them, which defeated the whole purpose of the game. By the second round, though, everyone had a better understanding of how the game worked and what not to do.

     It was funny experiencing this from an outsider's perspective. Watching as children crawled around the living room on all fours, and listening as Yamada screamed.

     Every round, the Todoroki children kept voting Yamada as the security guard, and he only allowed it simply because he wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to play with them like this again.

Ding dong...

     "That must be her." I rocked off of the couch and opened the front door, swiftly greeted by young Jishima, who had already visited a few times before, though not nearly as much as Yamada. "Welcome! Are you excited to graduate??"

     "Wait what?!?" The girl clutched her head, undergoing a crisis.

     "Oh! I'm so sorry, I mixed you up with the third years!"

     "Whhhew! Yeah, you had me there for a-"

     In the distance, "AAAAAAA!"

     "...What was that?!" The girl jumped away from the door.

     "Oh, that's just Yamada! You've met him here before, right?"

     Eya crept closer, clasping the door frame nervously. "Uhhh.. I think so. Is he okay..?"

     I wheezed. "He's fine! He's playing a game with the kids which involves them tackling him."

     Eya placed a hand on her chest, sighing nervously. "Oh... Good..." A small laugh slipped out. "I don't know Yamama very well, but-but he seems like a good guy."

     "Yamada."

     "M-my bad."

     As the girl joined me in the house, the blond screamer crawled down the hall with Natsuo and Tenko clinging to him. Eya and I giggled as the three raced past us.

     Toya's feet pounded into he hardwood floor as he rounded a corner to reach us. "Hey, is your quirk doing this to me?!" Toya's eyes were on Eya specifically. His arm was on fire. Eya backed away from him nervously.

     "I- I'm so-sorry! I can't deactivate it! Do-do-do I need to run away?! Is my quirk hur-hurting you??!"

     "No! It's healing me! Look!" He held up his arm so that both of us could see. We leaned closer. I gasped in amazement. The little burn scabs on his arms were healing back up before our very eyes. Eya's eyes were the widest. She stared with wonder.

     "I know e-everyone's quirk is affected differently by mine, but I would-would have never thought it could do this!"

     "So this is because of your quirk??"

     "I- I- I um- I guess!? I'm sorry!"

     Toya fell down on one knee, staring up at the teenager before him. "Will you marry me?" The twelve year old asked.

. . .

     Eya's face was red as she leaned back. I jumped in between the two. "Toya!! You don't just ask someone to marry you like that!!" He looked up at me as if I was the crazy one.

     "But someone else could take her if I don't do it now."

     "NO! Idiot! That's not how--" My fist quickly obstructed my mouth. "D###, you really are your father's son.."

     "Did you just swear?" :0

     I spun around to the frozen solid Eya, waving my hands around. "I- I'm really sorry! Toya doesn't know his manners yet! Especially around girls!!" 

     The poor socially awkward brunette's brain was fried to a crisp. She didn't even know how to handle such a situation! Instead, she just stood there stiff as a rock.

     I glared over my shoulder, starting to shove Eya out of the house so she could get fresh air. "See?? You broke her!"

     It took a little while, but the young lady regained her composure. She started to giggle now that she had the time to process everything. "What?" I turned from staring into the open front door to instead study the second year.

     "Nothing... Silly as his proposal was, I'm flattered he even cared to ask... I.. I'm happy about all of it, really." Eya stared down at her shaking hands. She grimaced, knowing they likely wouldn't stop trembling for hours to come. Such was normal for her. But it didn't make her reactions any less annoying. Eya knew she was pathetic. It was one of the many reasons she had to give up on becoming a hero.

     Eya's hands hugged one another, hoping to still the shaking at least a little. "...I've gone my whole life being told my quirk is nothing but an-an annoyance.. Just being around me always seems to-seems to put people in a bitter mood."

     I slid my arm around the girl's back, rubbing it sympathetically. "Totally get it... It's nice to feel useful for once, huh?"

     "Mhm! Mhm!"

     "Hhh, now then! I should probably help my sister make dinner for everyone. Wanna join us?"

     "Ye-yes ma'am!"

     These UA kids were really starting to grow on me...

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Me: hmm, I should make an OC that meshes well with our main protagonist. Someone with an interesting quirk and personality that compliments Mei's perfectly! They can be good friends and bounce off each other's personalities and get into mischief and-
The void: ship her with someone
Me: what?
The void: don't worry about that, actually. I shipped her with Yamada already.
Me: wait what why?
Toya: NO SHE'S MINE!
The void: NOPE NOT THAT B####A## TROPEY NONSENSE!
Toya: WE NEED EACH OTHER!
Me: umm, guys?
The void: DO YOU EVEN REALIZE HOW MANY OCS ARE SHIPPED WITH YOU ALREADY?! WE NEED TO BE MORE ORIGINAL THAN THAT!! TRUST ME, I'VE ALREADY PLANED EVERYTHING OUT-
Me: wait when??? I literally just made her up one paragraph ago! TvT
The void: -AND IT'S GOING TO BE SUPER WHOLESOME!. PLUS YOU'RE A CHILD! L
Toya: NOT FOR LONG
Me: guys. please. seriously. stop.
The void + Toya: NO!