The students had finally finished their journey through the woods, every single one of them being completely and utterly exhausted. While Vlad and Aizawa had been setting up rooms and getting their own rooms ready, the Wild Wild Pussycats and [L/n] had cooked them all dinner.

"Tonight's the only night we'll be doing this. For the rest of the week, you'll have to cook your own meals." Shiretoko and [L/n] spoke up in complete unison, a few of the students looking at them in awe before chowing down.

"Let's all take care of our baths before the students." [L/n] spoke up, Aizawa and the Wild Wild Pussycats nodding in agreement.

"Instead of doing it by men and women, let's just do it UA teachers and Wild Wild Pussycats. I only say this because I know the two of you probably have a lot to talk about, student wise." Mandalay suggested, the mentioned individuals agreeing with her. It wasn't a normal thing to do, but she did have a point. The hero team, too, had their own things to discuss as well.

"Even though we showered this morning, it'll be nice to just get in a hot spring." [L/n] beamed with a happy grin, skipping away to the hot springs. Soon, the two found themselves stripping down to get into the mentioned area. They would be using the men's, leaving the Wild Wild Pussycats to use the women's.

"Shouta, the water feels great!" [L/n] beamed, motioning for him to join her in the water. The man looked at her, towel around his waist and eyebrow raised.

"You can be really childish sometimes." He stated, removing his towel before walking in and resting himself in the water.

"Maybe I'm being childish to counteract your sternness." She fired back with unnecessary sass, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Last I checked, you like— no, you love my sternness." He retorted with somewhat of a smirk. Aizawa hadn't been this happy in his life in a long time, happy to the point he felt playful all hours of the day, where his heart wasn't constantly heavy, and past traumas weren't constantly weighing on his shoulders.

"I wouldn't try starting something right now, Shouta, not with the students being here and the Pussycats on the other side of this wall." [L/n] spoke up, seeing as Aizawa was slowly progressing towards her in the water.

"The students are stuffing their faces, and the Pussycats are chatting up a storm, if we're quiet, they won't be able to hear us."

"Eh, Shouta, this isn't a good idea—" Backing away in water isn't as easy as it is outside of water, a fact that [L/n] was being reminded of as she tried to back away from the man who was coming towards her, and faster than she expected.

"Shh." Before she knew it, his lips were on hers and she felt herself giving in, despite her better judgement.

The two were dead quiet as they pulled away and looked at one anothers eyes. [L/n] could tell that something was weighing on his mind, something heavy.

"What's up?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, not breaking eye contact. Only in this moment did Aizawa realize she hadn't worn her typical sunglasses or goggles recently, at least not twenty-four seven like she used to.

"Just thinking, that's all." His response was somewhat dry, she knew he was holding something back.

"You don't have to tell me, Shouta. Whenever you're ready to talk about anything, I'll always be here. You know that, though." Her bright smile gave him, Shouta Aizawa, goosebumps, and he felt himself lean in and kiss her. It was sweet and compassionate, some could even argue that it was filled with an emotion that neither of them had even bothered to acknowledge yet.

Aizawa pulled away, only to pull her into a tight hug. They stayed like that for awhile, and the insomniacs mind was racing. Racing because the woman in his arms meant everything to him, and yet he didn't have the decency to give her the words he knew she wanted to hear. He knew that his actions gave her the answer, but she was a woman who also wanted words, deserved words.

Burying his face into her neck, his body practically sinking into hers, relishing in her natural body heat, he began to speak.

"[L/n], I like you a lot. You've been my unspoken partner for years, without either of us really asking. You've been by my side, nearly dying to save my life, and I admire and respect you for that. You've become my own personal star, one that I needed, unfortunately due to things I've been through." He paused, gently trailing his fingers up and down her back, an action he knew made her feel nice and relaxed. "I apologize for not realizing this and not saying anything sooner, but thank you for coming into my life the way you did."

[L/n] pulled away from the hug, her arms still loosely placed around his hips, giving the man the brightest smile she's ever had.

"Kiss me, Shouta." And with that, his lips were immediately against hers. It was sweet, compassionate and caring, filled with a range of emotions.

One of those emotions being happiness.

All of the Pussycats had left and were helping the students clean up, well, almost all. Ragdoll had stopped, listening in just on time to hear Aizawa become vulnerable, exposing his true feelings towards the Sun Hero: Lightbringer. She'd never tell either of them that she heard his words, rather, she walked away with a smile on her face and let them have their moment.

"When we get back," Aizawa spoke through kisses, their lips still very much connected, "if our date goes well, I'd love it if you'd give me the blessing of being my girlfriend."

"Shouta," the woman also spoke through their kisses, "I'll be whatever you want me to be, as long as we're together."

"It's like you said, it's always more fun when we're together." With those words, his head dipped beneath the water, yet he didn't do anything truly wrong. Rather, he placed soft kisses along the scarring, the scarring that proved her survival against the Nomu, the scarring from her actions that saved his life, nearly taking her own.

His head soom came up above the water once more and the two finished bathing, talking about the students and their plans for each of their individual training to aid with their Quirks.

"Alright, well, I need to go teach the kids who failed." With that, the two slipped their hero costumes back on, the students taking their baths afterwards, then being followed up by the masses going to sleep while the failing students had to say up with Aizawa and Vlad for lectures.

[L/n] wandered about the forest area, not quite ready to go to bed. Her mind was too busy for her to be able to sleep, after all, Aizawa had basically confessed to her, and her heart still hadn't slowed down. Shouta is my everything, I never thought I'd feel so strongly towards a person.

Stopping, she leaned her back against a tree and slid down. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't imagine a life without him. Wrapping her arms around herself, [L/n] closed her eyes and relaxed, accepting the fact that all she could do at the moment was think about Aizawa.

Hours later, Aizawa began wandering the forest. He had went to go to bed himself, but wanted to check on his partner, only to realize she wasn't in her room. Figuring she was in his, he went to his own, only to realize she wasn't there either. Wandering around the forest with his hands in his pockets, he yawned as he searched for her. It didn't take him too long, though, as he found her on the ground, leaning against a tree, arms wrapped loosely around herself, and asleep.

Sighing, he crouched down and picked the woman up bridal style, and began to carry her back to their sleeping quarters. On the way back, the woman's eyes fluttered open and she smiled at the male carrying her.

"Hey, Shouta." Her voice was soft and quiet, Aizawa stopping in his tracks to look down at her, giving her every ounce of his attention.

"Yes?" His voice was was deep and raspy, more so than usual. [L/n] found it kind of hot, something that Aizawa gathered as he saw her cheeks become a soft shade of pink.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?" She asked softly, her eyes locked on his.

"[L/n], you never, ever, need to ask me that." Leaning his head down, Aizawa placed a soft kiss on her lips before continuing his walk back to the camp grounds. In the woman's sleepy state, she found herself unable to hold back her thoughts, just speaking how she felt without any hesitation, a second thought, or filter.

"You know, Shouta, I really like you too. I didn't say it earlier, even when you told me, but I like you a lot. You're the most heroic person I know, no offense to Yagi or anything, but he doesn't hold a candle to you." [L/n]'s voice made Aizawa's heart warm, her soft, kind, and gentle tone gave him all the serotonin he'd even need.

"Oh really?" He prompted. Maybe it was a dirty move to prompt her to continue speaking, but he didn't care. He was curious as to her full and honest thoughts on him anyways.

"Yeah, really! You're handsome, genuine, kind, caring, everything someone could want in a person! But you're also stern, strict, and fair, capable of holding your own and getting others to listen and respect you. You're not just some smiling face, you're an honest man who doesn't sugarcoat anything." As she spoke, the woman slightly nuzzled her head against his chest, a soft, admiring smile on her face, her eyes closed.

Aizawa didn't quite understand what his body and mind were going through in that moment. His heart was beating just a little bit faster, his body felt warm all over, and he could've swore the edges of his lips were tugging up into the smallest smile.

The two were silent the rest of the way back, Aizawa walking straight past [L/n]'s room and into his own, laying her sleepy frame down on his bed. "I'm going to change, want to borrow a more comfortable shirt or something?" He asked, his voice dramatically more deep and raspy due to his own tiredness.

"I'll take whatever." The woman smiled with a yawn.

When Aizawa began to change, he expected the woman to look away, like she normally would.

But she didn't.

"I didn't realize how bold you get when you're tired." He spoke up, undressing himself, not stopping just because she was watching him. The woman didn't respond vocally, she just gave him one of her bright grins and kept watching.

Slipping on a pair of loose sweatpants and reaching for one of his t-shirts, he stopped and looked back to the woman. The look in her eyes as she stared at him wasn't that of lust, no, it was appreciation and admiration. Then, he tossed the t-shirt to her.

Rolling off of the bed and landing on her feet, the woman began to remove her own hero costume. She too, thought the male would look away, as he normally would.

Yet he did not.

[L/n] noticed that the look in his eyes as he watched her spoke volumes, because they too showed admiration and appreciation. On top of that, it was the look of someone who felt lucky to have what they were looking at, a feeling they shared.

After she had slid on the t-shirt, which fit her like a dress, Aizawa moved swifty behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and leaned over to where they'd both fall onto his bed. [L/n] pulled the blankets up and over their bodies as Aizawa pulled her as close to him as he physically could, the two proceeding to intertwine their legs.

"Hey, Shouta."

"Yes?"

"Never let go."

"I wouldn't dream of it."